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Loading...| For the cake: | |
| 2 tsp instant espresso | |
| 1/4 cup boiling water | |
| 7 ounces semisweet chocolate | |
| 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate | |
| 4 large eggs, separated | |
| 1 cup extra fine sugar plus 2 Tbl | |
| 4 ounces soft unsalted butter | |
| 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar | |
| Pinch of salt | |
| 3/4 cup cornstarch | |
| For the Filling & Glaze: | |
| 4 ounces semisweet chocolate | |
| 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate | |
| 1 tsp instant espresso | |
| 2 Tbl boiling water | |
| 2 ounces unsalted butter |
This chocolate cake is quite the mouthful and has a tale to tell – told by Julia Child, no less. Teaching Kitchen Chef Matthew Stansbury prepared this cake for Opera Louisiane’s comic one-act opera Bon Appetit – a lively, light opera that chronicles an episode of the Julia Child show and the makings of this classic French cake.
The cake was a bit of an undertaking – true to Julia’s child. The result is a dense, flourless torte that requires only a sliver to deliver satisfaction. Bon Appetit!
| 1. | First, make the cake: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch cake pans; line with parchment, and then butter and flour. Blend coffee and water in top of double boiler over simmering water. Remove from heat. Add chocolates; cover and set aside to melt. |
| 2. | Beat yolks and gradually add 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until yolks are thick, pale yellow. Beat melted chocolate until smooth. Beat in butter, 2 tablespoons at a time; gradually beat chocolate and butter into yolk mixture. |
| 3. | Beat whites until foamy; beat in cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating until whites form soft peaks; gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Sift on 1/4 of cornstarch and scoop on 1/4 of whites; stir with spatula. Scoop rest of whites on top; sift on 2 of remaining cornstach and fold. Sift half of remaining cornstach on top and fold in; sift on remaining cornstarch and fold to blend. |
| 4. | Spoon batter into pans and smooth. Bang once on work surface to settle batter, then bake for 15 minutes. A cake tester inserted near the edges should come out clean. Cool pans on racks. Wrap and chill for an hour before unmolding. |
| 5. | For the filling and glaze: Melt chocolates with coffee and water; beat in butter. If mixture is too liquid to spread, beat over cold water until lightly thickened. |
| 6. | Unmold one layer of cake onto serving plate and spread top with 1/4 inch of icing. Unmold second layer on top of first and cover top and sides with remaining frosting. Serve, refrigerate or freeze. Return to room temperature before serving. |
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