Grandmothers Creamy Chocolate Cake / Gâteau au Chocolat Grand-Mère
For one 8-9 inch square pan, loaf pan or round.
Ingredients:
8 ounces (220g) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
8 ounces (220g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup (35 grams) all-purpose flour, shifted
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 300° F. Butter the pan and line it with aluminum foil. Have ready a large pan that can hold the cake pan and water (to make a bain-marie).
- Put the butter in a heavy medium size saucepan, then add the chocolate and sugar. Place the pan over medium-low heat and, stirring almost constantly, heat until the butter, chocolate and sugar are melted and well blended. Remove the pan from the heat and set it on the counter for 3 minutes.
- One by one, stir eggs into the chocolate mixture, using a whisk. Sift the flour over the mixture and stir it in as well. Rap the sauce on the counter to deflate any air bubbles and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Put the cake pan into the larger pan, fill the large pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the cake pan, and slip the set up into the oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is set on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out streaky but not wet. Lift the cake pan out of the water bath and place in on a rack to cool to room temperature. Chill the cake at least 1 hour before unmolding. - When cake is cold, gently turn it over onto a serving platter, lift off the pan, and carefully remove the foil. The cake is mean to be served upside down, with its sleeker side facing the world. If you’d like, it can be served cold or at room temperature with a scoop of whipped cream, crème fraiche, or ice cream.
Keeping: The cake can be kept, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Wrapped airtight, it can be frozen for a month.
Whipped Cream, crème fraiche, or vanilla ice cream for serving