A cake packed with deep chocolate flavor. Just watch the batter temperature and the meringue—the process isn't complicated, so even beginner home bakers can make it
Melt the butter and dark couverture chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler, bringing it to 40–55°C. If using the microwave, heat for 1 minute first, check it, then continue in 10-second bursts. Be careful: if it gets too hot, the chocolate can burn.
Add sugar B and the salt to the bowl of yolks and whisk for 1 minute.
Add the chocolate mixture from step 2 and mix.
Mix in the warmed heavy cream, then set aside for a moment. In winter the batter cools quickly, so it helps to set the bowl over warm water.
Whip the egg whites with a hand mixer on high speed, adding sugar A in three additions, to make a meringue.
When the meringue looks thick and glossy as you lift the beaters, switch to low speed and mix for 1 minute to even out the bubbles. It’s ready when it forms short peaks.
Add the sifted cake flour and cocoa powder to the mixture from step 5 and whisk in. If you add the dry ingredients too early, the batter quickly stiffens and gets heavy, so add them right before the meringue.
Fold in the meringue in two additions, gently, with a spatula.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake in an oven preheated to 160°C for 35 minutes. This cake is only baked about 90% of the way and then set firm in the refrigerator.
Drop the baked cake (pan and all) onto the counter once, then let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Wrap the cake, still in its pan, in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. It’s fine to leave it for a day or longer.
Tips
It tastes better the colder it is: eat it chilled for a chewy, fudgy texture, or warm for a soft one.
Dust with cocoa powder or serve with whipped cream if you like.
Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Gâteau au Chocolat
Equipment: oven, mixing bowl, kitchen scale, sieve
Ingredients (1 batch)
- unsalted butter 105g
- egg white 102g
- egg yolk 54g
- cake flour 42g
- cocoa powder 23g
- heavy cream 105g
- sugar 70g, sugar A
- sugar 60g, sugar B
- salt 2g
- dark chocolate 135g, couverture
Instructions
1. Separate the egg whites and yolks into two bowls.
2. Melt the butter and dark couverture chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler, bringing it to 40–55°C. If using the microwave, heat for 1 minute first, check it, then continue in 10-second bursts. Be careful: if it gets too hot, the chocolate can burn.
3. Add sugar B and the salt to the bowl of yolks and whisk for 1 minute.
4. Add the chocolate mixture from step 2 and mix.
5. Mix in the warmed heavy cream, then set aside for a moment. In winter the batter cools quickly, so it helps to set the bowl over warm water.
6. Whip the egg whites with a hand mixer on high speed, adding sugar A in three additions, to make a meringue.
7. When the meringue looks thick and glossy as you lift the beaters, switch to low speed and mix for 1 minute to even out the bubbles. It's ready when it forms short peaks.
8. Add the sifted cake flour and cocoa powder to the mixture from step 5 and whisk in. If you add the dry ingredients too early, the batter quickly stiffens and gets heavy, so add them right before the meringue.
9. Fold in the meringue in two additions, gently, with a spatula.
10. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in an oven preheated to 160°C for 35 minutes. This cake is only baked about 90% of the way and then set firm in the refrigerator.
11. Drop the baked cake (pan and all) onto the counter once, then let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
12. Wrap the cake, still in its pan, in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. It's fine to leave it for a day or longer.
https://hong-recipe.pages.dev/en/recipes/gateau-au-chocolat/
Hong's Recipe