Alice's Cookbook by Alice Hart

Author:Alice Hart
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781493002061
Publisher: Lyons Press

———— SUNDAY LUNCH CAKE ———— MELTING CHOCOLATE CAKE

SERVES 8

HANDS-ON TIME: 20 MINUTES

FOR THE CAKE

⅔ cup unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for the pan

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

¾ cup sugar

5 extra-large free-range eggs, separated

⅓ cup ground almonds

1 tablespoon bourbon

Pinch of salt

FOR SERVING

⅔ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon bourbon

Unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted, for dusting

This rich, oh-so-good cake really is a baked mousse, with only a few ground almonds to take it into cake territory. Great chocolate cakes become old friends and this one has saved me on many an occasion. You can eat it as soon as it has cooled, or refrigerate overnight—the texture will become even more velvety.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch round, springform cake pan. Cut parchment paper to line the bottom and sides. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of hot water, or in the microwave. Let cool a little, then stir until smooth. Add 5 tablespoons of the sugar and 1 egg yolk. Gradually mix in the remaining yolks. Stir in the almonds and bourbon.

Beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff and glossy. Loosen the chocolate mixture with a spoonful of egg white, then fold in the rest with a spatula or large metal spoon. Be gentle; you’re trying to retain as much of the volume as possible. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan, set on a wire rack, for about 15 minutes; it will sink dramatically, but this is exactly what’s supposed to happen. Remove the sides of the pan and let the cake cool completely on the pan base. Whip the cream with the sugar and bourbon until just holding a shape and pile into a bowl. Dust the cake with cocoa powder and slice at the table.

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