Flourless Chocolate Cake

The glaze used here is also available as a standalone recipe: Chocolate Glaze (Flourless Chocolate Cake).

Ingredients

• 10 ounces (280 g) bittersweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) water
• 5 large eggs
• ½ cup (120 ml) granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) salt
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream
• 3 ounces (85 g) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
• 2 ounces (55 g) milk chocolate, chopped

Method

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place a 9-inch (23 cm) cake pan on a piece of parchment paper and trace around it with a pencil, then cut out the round.
2. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan. Line the bottom with the parchment round, with the pencil lines against the pan. Grease the paper and set the pan aside.
3. Put the chocolate and water in a medium-size stainless steel bowl and place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from over the pot and set the chocolate aside to cool until tepid.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt by hand. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until the eggs are warm.
5. Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer stand and, using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume, about 3 minutes.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand-held mixer or by hand), beat the heavy cream until firm peaks just begin to form.
7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture, then fold in the whipped cream.
8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and set the pan inside a roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven and pour enough very hot water into it so that it comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
9. Bake the cake for 45 to 52 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the water bath, place it on a wire rack, and let the cake cool in the pan for 25 minutes.
10. Run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack and cool completely.
11. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours (if your wire rack doesn’t fit in the refrigerator, very carefully, as the cake is quite delicate at this point, slide the cake onto a cardboard cake round).
12. To make the glaze, place the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor and process just until finely ground.
13. Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate to the pan, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
14. Transfer the glaze to a small bowl. Cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap and let it cool for about 10 minutes before using.
15. Place the cake (either on a cake round or not) on a wire rack set over a waxed-paper- or parchment-paper-lined baking sheet to catch the drips. Pour the glaze on top of the cake and spread it evenly over the top and sides, covering it completely.
16. Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before drizzling it with the milk chocolate.
17. Put the chocolate in a medium-size stainless steel bowl and place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted.
18. Pour the melted chocolate into a small parchment paper cone or a small sealable plastic bag (seal the bag and snip a tiny hole in one of the bottom corners). Remove the cake from the refrigerator and drizzle the chocolate in a diagonal zigzag pattern over the top.
19. Refrigerate the cake for at least 20 minutes to set the chocolate.
20. Leave the cake at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.