Another attempt at re-creating the Parisian lunch at Cremerie... we tackled the chocolate cake on Sunday night.
It seemed simple enough, but it just wasn't the same. The original ("best cake I've ever had" was uttered at the table) is on the left, my version is on the right. I guessed the recipe, but in the meantime, Chef Pierre replied to my email pleading for the recipe with his own recipe, which he clarified should be named Gâteau Zoë, after his daughter who loves it so.
So here it is, the actual recipe from the Chef himself. I have preserved the format (only adding conversions from metric) of his recipe because it is so sweet. Follow it carefully.
Gâteau de Zoë
6 egg whites
6 egg yellow
sugar
200g (7oz) of good dark swiss chocolate
120 to 140g (4-5oz, about a stick) of butter
1 short strong espresso
20 to 30 g (a few tablespoons) almonds in little peaces
1) Turn on the oven as soon as possible and as hot as possible.
2) Separate the 6 yellow egg from the white egg.
3) Put the 6 yellow eggs into the KitchenAid and cover them of sugar. Leave the machine working until they become white.
4) Put the result into a big 'faistout' (bowl?) and add the chocolate that you have already
melted with the butter being careful not to burn the chocolate. (you can melt it in the oven or 'a bain marie' (double boiler))
5) Add the espresso and mix everything properly.
6) Work the six white with a tiny bit of salt until they become thick.
7) Mix again everything very carefully with the almonds and put it in a cake pan that you have buttered in advance.
8) Put the cake in the oven just the time to cook it but the inside must remain soft (about 15 min).
9) In the meantime you can make the cream: put some 'creme fleurette' (heavy cream) with a tiny bit of sugar and a drop of orange flavoured water into the KitchenAid until it becomes nice and thick.
10) That's it.
this sounds really good (with the added bonus of being kosher for passover) but how much sugar do you think is best?
My interpretation of "cover them of sugar" is about 1/4 - 1/3 cup, depending on how sweet your chocolate is. If you make it, send in a photo. We'll probably be trying it again this weekend.
OOoh, that sounds divine. I love.
"Turn on the oven as soon as possible and as hot as possible."
this is my new motto
This recipe sounds similar to a flourless cake I've made and loved. The version I made does not have espresso in it, rather it has coffee liqueur and there are no almonds. One thing I like about it is it's made in a spring-form pan, which makes it very easy to serve, since the middle never sets completely until it cools.
When I make it again I think I'll add the almonds and use the espresso.
What sized pan did y'all use?
'Recreate a Parisian lunch', impossble - unless you live in Paris. Creme fleurette is light cream.