By Nat Levin
Flourless chocolate cake is a February classic for a reason. Nothing says “I love you” like a slice of rich cake topped with a cloud of whipped cream — if your beloved likes chocolate, that is. Here, I’ve included a swirl of locally-made peach-raspberry jam (available through Local Foods Mohawk Valley) that adds another layer of flavor. The jam becomes a textural delight after cooking, leaving little pockets of condensed fruit throughout the cake that blossom with flavor when you bite into them. Decorating with fresh raspberries is optional, though it adds visual drama. If you want to forego the whipped cream, this cake is equally good with vanilla ice cream and/or a drizzle of salted caramel. If you don’t eat it immediately, it will last for up to five days in the fridge, and, without whipped cream, can be microwaved to soften it back to a fresh-from-the-oven consistency.
Ingredients:
1 stick/113 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, in chips or broken into pieces if using bars
4 eggs, separated
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
1/2 cup/42 grams cocoa powder
1/2 cup/160 grams raspberry jam
Whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons of powdered or granulated sugar
Pre-heat the oven to 350 and butter a 9” round cake pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
In the microwave or in a heat-proof bowl over a double boiler, heat the chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally, until everything is completely melted and becomes silky. Set the bowl aside to cool while you beat the egg whites.
With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar until they form stiff peaks, about four minutes.
To the butter/chocolate mixture, add the egg yolks, sugar, sea salt, vanilla, and rum. Whisk together until the mixture is homogenous. It will be grainy, and that’s fine.
Add the egg whites and the cocoa powder to the chocolate/butter mixture. Using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold everything together. When the chocolate has mostly been incorporated but the mix is still streaky, add the jam, swirling it throughout until the egg white streaks have all but disappeared. It’s fine if there are still a few stray spots of white – you don’t want to overmix it.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 for 30 – 40 minutes, depending on your oven. You want the cake to still be a bit jiggly at the center when you pull it out – it will firm up as it cools. Let cool at least an hour, then whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and spread over the cake.
