French Chocolate Cake

• butter (for greasing the pan)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

To prepare the pan, line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides and the bottom of the pan with butter.

Related Tips & Techniques

• Parchment Paper Baking Tip

• 1/4 cup currants
• 1/4 cup cognac, whisky or Bourbon
• 8 ounces fine quality bittersweet chocolate (about 225 grams)
• 1/3 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso
• 4 ounces cold unsalted butter (abt 115 grams)
• 3/4 cup ground almonds
• 3 large eggs

In a small saucepan, gently heat the cognac and currants together. Take off the heat and set aside to cool. This is a quick step method but you can also steep the currants overnight.

Chop the chocolate into pieces, prepare the coffee, cut the butter into 1-inch piece cubes, measure the flour and the almonds. Then separate the yolks from the whites.

Related Tips & Techniques

• How to Separate Eggs

To melt the chocolate mixture, heat a pot of water filled halfway (even less) to a simmer. Combine the chopped chocolate and the coffee in a large bowl. Then, place the bowl over the pot of water and melt the mixture, stirring to keep the chocolate glossy.

Related Tips & Techniques

• What is Tempering Chocolate?

Remove the bowl from the heat when the chocolate has melted, making sure to avoid contact with the steam from the pot. Begin to stir in the pieces of butter, one or two at a time, until all are incorporated.

• 1/2 cup raw sugar, unrefined cane sugar (Sucanat or Rapadura)

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar with a whisk until light lemon in color.

Related Tips & Techniques

• What is Tempering?

Whisk some of the warm chocolate into the egg and sugar to temper the eggs. Add the rest of the chocolate. Stir in the cognac and the currants. The larger bowl now contains the heavier base of the cake which allows the beaten egg whites to be folded in successfully.

Fold the almond flour into the chocolate mixture. Make sure all is blended.

• pinch of salt

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt. Whisk until the whites form soft peaks from the whisk. They should be able to hold their shape but would fall gently after several seconds when you lift them with a whisk. They should form a soft curved end, hence, soft peaks.

Then, using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold with as few strokes as possible but incorporate all the whites.

Turn into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Test the edges with a toothpick. The edges will leave the toothpick clean but at the center it should be moist with batter. Allow the cake to cool for thirty minutes before reversing out. Peel off the paper.

• cocoa powder or confectioner's sugar (for dusting)
• vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt (to serve)

To serve the cake, dust the cake with cocoa powder or confectioner's sugar through a sieve. Then cut into 8-10 slices. Serve with vanilla ice cream or yogurt.