Chocolate Soufflé Cake

If you're looking for a dessert that will impress, this is it! Like any soufflé, it is flourless and dense. But this cake is also rich and creamy. I promise it will become one of your favorite dinner-party desserts.

This recipe requires a double boiler (unless you're able to get your cream and butter warm enough to melt the chocolate before the cream cools. We tried following the directions exactly: heat the cream and butter, then add the chocolate and stir until it melts, but the chocolate most definitely wasn't melting on its own, requiring the double boiler). However, if you don't happen to have a double boiler, you can rig something up like you see in the pictures above. Just make sure that the bowl you put the chocolate in doesn't actually touch the hot water. You also don't want the water, or especially the chocolate, to boil. If you use a very large bowl and chop the chocolate into very small pieces, it will melt much faster.

Chocolate Soufflé Cake
from The Essential Baker

Pictures by Caroline

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons flour*
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heaby whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped**
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 extra large eggs (or 7 large), at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 extra large egg whites (or 7 large), at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional), for dusting

1. Use a paper towel or your fingertips and 1 tablespoon butter to grease the inside of a springform pan. Dust the inside of the pan with flour. Shake and tilt the pan to evenly distribute the flour, then turn the pan over and shake out the excess over the sink.
2. In a double boiler, place the butter and cream together over medium heat. Stir often with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture is close to a simmer.
3. Add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
   
4. Remove from heat. Add the vanilla and salt and stir until well blended. Let the mixture cool, stirring frequently to prevent a skin from forming on top.
5. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whip the eggs and sugar until the are very thick and pale in color and hold a slowly dissolving ribbon as the beater is lifted, about 5 minutes.
6. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the whipped egg yolks and blend together on a low speed.
7. Place the egg whites in large bowl and whip the egg whites on medium high speed until they are frothy. Gradually sprinkle on the sugar and continue to whip until the egg whites hold glossy and firm, but not stiff, peaks.
8. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared springform pan. (We used 4 ramekins (tiny ceramic baking dish) and a 6-inch cake pan. The ramekins baked about 10 minutes less than required).
9. Bake the cake 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly moist. The top of the cake may be slightly cracked.
   
10. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack. If using a springform pan, release the hinge on the side of the pan and carefully lift the side away from the cake.
    
11. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
    

*If opting for gluten free, you may omit the flour. Just beware that the cake may be more likely to stick.
**Since my husband is not a big fan of dark chocolates, we opted for a mixture of semi-sweet, bittersweet, and even a little milk chocolate. I suggest adjusting the chocolate sweetness to your personal taste.