Far simpler than restaurants would like you to believe, a flourless chocolate cake is a real crowd-pleaser and proof positive that you are indeed the masterbaker (sic) we all know you to be.
Three simple ingredients, some standard kitchen tools and a bit of planning can net you one of these delicious cakes with a minimum of effort. Just do yourself a favor and keep in mind that it would be a patently bad idea to scarf the whole thing by yourself on a lonely Saturday night...
Note: Please keep in mind that a classic flourless chocolate cake is cake in name only, but this particular variant is exceptionally strict in its definition. It is as much 'cake' as can be made given the ingredients. If what you seek is the flashy equivalent of fluffy Jell-O Pudding baked in a ramekin you would do well to look elsewhere. Also, so-called "lava cakes" (which are simply over-buttered, under-done chocolate cakes in ramekins) do not fall within the purview of "flourless" for our definition.
With that in mind, let us continue towards the delicious confection that is the flourless chocolate cake.
Three simple ingredients, some standard kitchen tools and a bit of planning can net you one of these delicious cakes with a minimum of effort. Just do yourself a favor and keep in mind that it would be a patently bad idea to scarf the whole thing by yourself on a lonely Saturday night...
Note: Please keep in mind that a classic flourless chocolate cake is cake in name only, but this particular variant is exceptionally strict in its definition. It is as much 'cake' as can be made given the ingredients. If what you seek is the flashy equivalent of fluffy Jell-O Pudding baked in a ramekin you would do well to look elsewhere. Also, so-called "lava cakes" (which are simply over-buttered, under-done chocolate cakes in ramekins) do not fall within the purview of "flourless" for our definition.
With that in mind, let us continue towards the delicious confection that is the flourless chocolate cake.
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Signing UpStep 1: Tools
As promised all the tools used here should be well within the reach of an average kitchen, especially if you have ever baked anything before this:
- A whisk (or two)
- Stockpot, 4 qt. or larger (size is important only in relation to your bowl, as will be seen)
- Borosilicate (e.g. Pyrex) glass (or some other heat resistant material) bowls, I would recommend two. One needs to have a larger diameter than the top of your stockpot, the other only needs to be large enough to hold about two quarts.
- A large enough baking dish to allow a 9" round springform pan to sit reasonably flat on the bottom. This could be a "casserole" dish or a roasting pan or even the bottom half of a broiler tray. You will want to sides to be taller than an inch and a half.
- A kettle or saucepan in the one quart range in which to boil water
- Parchment Paper
- Aluminum Foil
And the one item that may or may not be in every kitchen:
- An 8" or 9" round springform pan
Nice to have is:
- A flexible spatula (or two)
- Oven mitt(s)
- An instant-read thermometer
- A stand mixer with a whisk attachment
- An oven thermometer
- A whisk (or two)
- Stockpot, 4 qt. or larger (size is important only in relation to your bowl, as will be seen)
- Borosilicate (e.g. Pyrex) glass (or some other heat resistant material) bowls, I would recommend two. One needs to have a larger diameter than the top of your stockpot, the other only needs to be large enough to hold about two quarts.
- A large enough baking dish to allow a 9" round springform pan to sit reasonably flat on the bottom. This could be a "casserole" dish or a roasting pan or even the bottom half of a broiler tray. You will want to sides to be taller than an inch and a half.
- A kettle or saucepan in the one quart range in which to boil water
- Parchment Paper
- Aluminum Foil
And the one item that may or may not be in every kitchen:
- An 8" or 9" round springform pan
Nice to have is:
- A flexible spatula (or two)
- Oven mitt(s)
- An instant-read thermometer
- A stand mixer with a whisk attachment
- An oven thermometer
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With regards to the risk of egg foam breaking up, when I want whisked eggs to maintain their airiness I add 1/8 tsp of Cream of Tartar (which helps give it more volume) and 1/8 tsp or less of Xanthan Gum (which acts as a thickening agent). The Xanthan Gum in particular needs to be gently added through a fine sieve as it thickens immediately on contact with moisture and can thus form lumps if not evenly distributed.
I use this combination add making Oopsie Rolls (google them) and it makes you very unlikely to break down the egg whites unless you do something daft like use a food processor.
I notice you whisk whole eggs rather than folding the yolks into the whisked whites but hopefully the same ingredients will help.