Daring Bakers Blog Challenge: Flourless Chocolate Cake

***The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.



For my version of the flourless chocolate cake, I used a 50/50 blend of semisweet chocolate and bittersweet chocolate and decorated it with toasted pecans. It was great with either butter pecan ice cream or coffee ice cream. It's really easy to make. Only 3 ingredients!!!


Recipe:

"Chocolate Valentino"
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.


* Notes on this recipe: Not necessary to use the same beater to beat the yolks together. I don't know why the recipe is written this way. Just whisk them in a separate bowl. You'll need to keep your whites in the bowl of the Kitchenaid.
Also, when I baked mine for 25 mins, it came out at 170 Fahrenheit.
If you want more sophisticated flavor, use some bittersweet chocolate!!