Wednesday 10 December 2014

Double Chocolate Flourless Cake with Vanilla Cream

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

I have been so excited to share this recipe for Double Chocolate Flourless Cake with Vanilla Cream with you guys.

I first baked it back in November for my cousin who cannot eat gluten.
When I saw the recipe, I immediately thought of her and so the next time we got together for a munch, this cake was dessert. 
And, then I baked it again and again. It was simply that good.
So, how do flourless cakes work? When my aunt tasted this, she said:
I don't know what I just ate or how it was made but it was delicious.
I explained to her that this cake is held together by the eggs. The yolks are whisked with brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate and butter to form the base.

The egg whites provide the rise by being beaten until stiff with salt and ground cinnamon. Everything is gently folded together and baked in the oven for a small slice of pleasure. And, I mean literally a small slice. This cake is strong and as the original recipe described it, intense. A little goes a long way.
If the eggs are the ones holding the cake together, can we just take a moment to talk about the stars - the chocolate (which is melted into brown butter!!!!)! The original recipe used only dark chocolate, and my lovely mother had the brainwave of stirring in milk chocolate chips. These little nuggets of heaven provide a little extra sweetness, and they do this thing, where they melt in the oven and become all gooey.

Just look at the above picture.
You guys have got to make this cake. And, the vanilla cream with it. The two together are a match made in heaven. I'm going to stop ranting now and give you the actual recipe. 

Flourless, previously: Flourless Chocolate BrowniesBaked Chocolate Mousse

 A Simple List of Ingredients:
For the Cake:
1. Unsalted Butter
2. Dark Chocolate
3. Large Eggs
4. Light Brown Sugar
5. Vanilla Essence
6. Milk Chocolate Chips
7. Salt
8. Ground Cinnamon

For the Vanilla Cream:
1. Double Cream
2. Vanilla Essence
3. Vanilla Pod (optional)
4. Icing Sugar

Bismillah, let's begin!

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3 or 160 degrees C.
Grease and line a small cake tin measuring between 15cm to 20cm.

Place 115 grams (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter into a saucepan.

We are going to brown the butter. So, place the pan over the lowest heat ..

... and let it melt completely.

Once melted, turn up the heat ...

... and let it bubble until it becomes ..

... foamy and brown in colour. It should smell amazing too.

Once it turns brown, take off the heat straight away and add in 115 grams (4 ounces) Dark Chocolate, chopped.
Try to use a dark chocolate with 70% cocoa if you can, but any will do.

Stir until all the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool until lukewarm.

Next, take 3 large Eggs.

Separate the eggs into whites and yolks.

Place the yolks into a mixing bowl.

Add 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence.

And, 45 grams (1.5 ounces) Light Brown Sugar.

Using an electric whisk or by hand ...

... whisk until pale brown and thick.

Now, take the lukewarm chocolate and butter from earlier, and slowly pour it in, whisking to combine.

Until it looks like this!

This is the addition we made to the original recipe so it is optional, but seriously, why would you say no to more chocolate?
Take 100 grams (3.5 ounces) Milk Chocolate Chips.

Add them to the bowl.

And, stir to combine. Set aside.

Now, to give the rise to the cake, we need to beat the egg whites. Take a clean bowl, and pour in the egg whites from earlier.

Add 1/4 teaspoon Salt.

Using an electric whisk or by hand, whisk to stiff peaks.

Finally, the ground cinnamon.

Sprinkle in a pinch of Ground Cinnamon.

Whisk again to stiff peaks.

Meanwhile, the chocolate will have thickened slightly by now, but it's fine.

Add 1/3 of the egg whites into the bowl with the chocolate.

Stir it in.

Then, add the remaining 2/3 of the egg whites.

Gently fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon or plastic spatula. 
Fold by stirring round and gently cutting through the middle - it has to be done gently so as not to knock out the air that we just whisked into those egg whites.
It will take time but it will come together.

Once it's folded in ..

... gently, and not from a height, place the batter into the prepared cake tin.

Smooth out the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm on top, risen and with a little (but not too much) wobble in the middle.

While the oven does it's magic, it's time to wash up!

And, time to whip up the vanilla cream.

Pour 300ml (10.6 fluid ounces) Double Cream into a mixing bowl. 

Add:
1 tablespoon Vanilla Essence
3 tablespoons Icing Sugar
Seeds of a Vanilla Pod (optional)

Whisk with an electric whisk or by hand ..

... until it has soft but firm peaks.

Once the cake is baked ..

.. it should be risen, firm on top with a little (but not too much) wobble in the middle.

Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

As it cools, it will crack in the middle and sink slightly, but it's fine.

Slice the cake into small pieces - this is an intense cake. Serve dusted with icing sugar, and of course, the vanilla cream.

And, package some of it up for family and friends - they'll love you forever.

Full Written Recipe:


Double Chocolate Flourless Cake


Preparation Time: 30 minutes approx.
Baking Time: 25 minutes approx.
Serves: 8 people approx. with small, intense slices

Ingredients

For the Cake
115 grams (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter
115 grams (4 ounces) Dark Chocolate, chopped
3 large Eggs
45 grams (1.5 ounces) Light Brown Sugar
½ teaspoon Vanilla Essence
100 grams (3.5 ounces) Milk Chocolate Chips
¼ teaspoon Salt
Pinch of Ground Cinnamon

For the Vanilla Cream
300 ml (10.6 fluid ounce) Double Cream
1 tablespoon Vanilla Essence
Seeds of a Vanilla Pod (optional)
3 tablespoons Icing Sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C or Gas Mark 3.

Grease and line a small cake tin measuring between 15cm to 20cm.

Place the butter into a pan. Heat on the lowest heat and let it completely melt. Once melted, turn the heat up and let it bubble until it becomes foamy and brown in colour. It should smell amazing too!

Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped dark chocolate. Stir until all the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool until lukewarm.

Separate the eggs into whites and yolks. Set the whites aside for later.

Place the yolks into a mixing bowl along with the brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk until pale brown and thick.
Slowly pour in the lukewarm chocolate and butter. Whisk until combined. Stir in the milk chocolate chips and set aside.

In a separate, clean bowl, place the egg whites and salt. Whisk to stiff peaks. Add the ground cinnamon and whisk again to stiff peaks.

The chocolate mixture will have thickened slightly during this time but it’s fine.

Add 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, and stir to combine.

Then, add the remaining 2/3 and gently fold them in using a plastic spatula or metal spoon. Fold by stirring round and cutting through the middle, gently. It will take time but it will come together.

Gently, and not from a height, place the batter into the prepared cake tin. Smooth out and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until risen, firm on top with a little (not too much) wobble in the middle.

Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing. As it cools, it will sink and crack slightly but it’s fine.

To make the vanilla cream, place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to soft but firm peaks.

Slice the cake, add a dollop of cream and serve. Enjoy!

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This Time Two Years Ago:


Keep me in your duas, please,

Wasalaam!


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