What's Up Cupcake?: Sweet Treats Saturday: Flourless Chocolate Cake

If you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen my post about the new cookbook that I ordered a few weeks ago. It's Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. I stumbled upon his blog when I first started my own and have enjoyed every recipe that I've made from it, especially my macarons. I thought his recipes would be great to add to my cookbook collection, so I made the splurge (really, it wasn't much of a splurge... the book was under $25).

One of the first recipes that I've made from this cookbook is his Racines Cake, which is a flourless chocolate cake. The photos just made the cake look so rich and decadent... I had to make it.

It proved easy, and quick to make, and was a rich, decadent dessert. I omitted the cocoa nibs (which were optional) as I didn't have any on hand, but if I made it again, I would probably add them just for that extra bit of decadence. This cake would be the perfect finish to a nice dinner with friends, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mmmm...

Racines Cake

From David Lebovitz (recipe is all over the internet, I just grabbed the link from this site).

Ingredients:

Cocoa powder, for preparing the pan
10 ounces (280 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (4 ounces/115 g) salted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon freshly brewed espresso
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/4 cup (50 g) plus 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (20 g) cocoa nibs (optional)
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting the cake (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) spring-form pan, dust it with a bit of cocoa powder, and tap out any excess.
Place the chocolate, butter and espresso in a large heatproof bowl. Set over a small saucepan of simmering water and using a spatula, stir until the chocolate and butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the vanilla; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks and the 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 1 minute.
Place the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on low speed until they begin to hold their shape. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar and whisk on high speed until the whites hold soft peaks.
Fold the beaten egg yolks into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in half of the whipped egg whites. Fold in the remaining whites, folding just until there are no visible streaks of egg whites. Don’t overfold.
Pour the batter into the prepared spring-form pan, sprinkle with cocoa nibs (if using), and bake until the cake feels as though it’s just barely set (It shouldn’t feel to firm.) in the centre, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Run a knife around the sides of the cake to help loosen it from the pan. Release the sides of the pan and dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar (if using).