The Magical Flourless Chocolate Cake That Andrea Gentl Loves
“It’s very personal to me.”
The Deligram shines a spotlight on the many incredible food artisans in New York–and beyond. So we look to our friends to help us discover the best of the best every day. This week, we asked photographer Andrea Gentl, who recently published her first cookbook Cooking With Mushrooms, to share a few of her favorite gift ideas–and a recipe for her favorite chocolate cake.
Doña Luz Magical Chocolate Cake
“One of the desserts I make most often is a flourless chocolate cake that I named after my favorite Oaxacan chocolate maker, Doña Luz. She is in her nineties and is said to be one of the best chocolate makers in Oaxaca. She flavors her much-coveted chocolate with Mexican sugar, which is dark and full of umami, and a pinch of cinnamon. If I happen to be in Oaxaca when she makes it, which is around the Day of The Dead, I visit and stock up.
This cake is inspired by her chocolate. The recipe originated from a similar one in Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food. I started making Alice’s Chocolate Pavé when the book came out in 2007. Since then, it has gone through many incarnations in my kitchen before I finally settled on this version: a magical cake full of love and good vibes. It’s very personal to me. I add a little chile pepper and dried mushroom powder folded in for a little heat and some extra umami. I beat the eggs to glossy ribbons with dark brown sugar or deeply complex Jaggery. It is a little puffed up when it first comes out of the oven, almost soufflé-like, but it quickly sinks and cracks (as it should). Once it has cooled, I add a little more magic—a sprinkle of cacao nibs, a dusting of bittersweet cocoa powder, a scattering of pistachios, a flurry of wild rose petals, a pinch of Maldon, or some combination of them all. Try it for yourself, with or without embellishment. Either way, it is sure to bring some magic to your holiday!”
Ingredients
For the cake:
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan (I use a springform pan)
Unsweetened cocoa powder
6 oz. semisweet chocolate or Mexican chocolate, roughly chopped
6 oz. unsweetened dark chocolate, roughly chopped
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup dark brown sugar or jaggery powder (if the jaggery is clumpy, buzz it to a fine powder in a food processor before measuring)
1/4 dried chile de árbol, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried mushrooms pulsed into a fine powder, such as porcini or maitake (optional)
For finishing (optional):
Cacao nibs
Dark unsweetened cocoa
Dried rose petals
Maldon salt
Pistachios
The Recipe
Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Coat a 9-inch round springform or cake pan with butter, then dust with cocoa powder.
Place the butter and both chocolates in the top of a double boiler or a metal mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the cinnamon, chili, and mushroom powder, and heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is melted and smooth. Set the pan aside to cool until warm.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites in a mixing bowl until they begin to get foamy. Gradually add ½ cup sugar and continue whisking until the whites are glossy and sloping into soft peaks.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ½ cup sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is lighter in color. It should form a nice ribbon when the whisk is lifted from the bowl.
Mix the egg yolks into the warm (not hot) chocolate mixture until combined. Gently fold in the egg whites, mixing just until combined. Take care not to overmix to avoid deflating the beaten egg whites.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. The top will crack a little, and then sink as it cools.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool and let it cool completely.
Add whatever toppings strike your fancy.
Serve with a little crème fraîche or whipped cream.
Andrea’s Holiday Gift Ideas