Rich and Moist Chocolate Cake

Rich and moist chocolate cake (Fondant Au Chocolat)... mmmm! 

It was quite cool over the weekend. You could feel the season changing to fall, and this made me crave a rich chocolate cake. So I made one. I baked it a few minutes too much, but it was still pretty moist and came out good. I also made a rich custard sauce called Creme Anglaise for serving with the cake.

The ingredients for the cake are very simple:  butter, sugar, whole eggs and chocolate, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Note: This is a flourless cake but you may add some flour or cornstarch if you wish.

In a medium-sized bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the butter. Remove from heat and set aside to keep warm. Meanwhile beat sugar and eggs in another bowl until thick and foamy, about 3-4 minutes. Fold the chocolate/butter mixture into the sugar/egg mixture. Pour the mixture into a prepared 8-9 inch spring form pan. Bake the cake about 22-25 minutes in preheated oven at 350 F until a toothpick inserted into the center still comes out slightly wet.

When the cake is done, cool it off in the pan at least 30 minutes on a wire rack. Remove the cake from the pan and serve with creme anglaise, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Or cool the cake completely on the rack  about 2 hours if glazing with melted chocolate.

Glazing cake: Pour/spread the fondant (5-ouncs dark chocolate with 3-ounce unsalted butter) over the cake evenly using an offset spatula. Cool at least 2 hours in refrigerator.

I used a 9-inch spring form pan. You should get about 12 slices.



Fondant au Chocolat

Preparation: 30 min

Baking: about 30 min

One 9-inch spring form pan, buttered

Ingredients:

7 oz. (200g) bittersweet chocolate (52-60% de cacao), chopped

7 oz. (200g) unsalted butter, cut in pieces

2 oz. (50g) sugar, granulated

3 oz. (70G) powder sugar

5 large eggs

A pinch of salt

1.5 oz. (40g) cornstarch (optional)

For Glazing: 

5 oz. (150g) bittersweet chocolate (52-60% de cacao), chopped

3 oz. (75g) unsalted butter, cut in pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F

In a medium-sized heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and set aside.

In another medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, powder sugar, and salt until thick and form (4-5 minutes), then fold the cornstarch if using in the egg mixture.

Fold the chocolate into the egg mixture one third at time. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake it about 22-25 minute in the center of the oven. It is OK that the center is still wet if you insert a tooth pick, and it shows wet.

Cool off the pan 30 minutes on a wire rack. Remove the cake from the pan. Rest the cake on wire rack until cool completely about 2-3 hours.

In a small bowl melt the chocolate, butter and 2 tablespoon of water. Remove from heat and set aside to cool a little. Pour the glaze (fondant) over the cake evenly with using an offset spatula. Cool the cake at least 2 hours in refrigerator.

325° F (160° C)

350° F (175° C)

375° F (190° C)

400° F (205° C)

425° F (220° C)

450° F (235° C)