Flourless Chocolate Cake aka “The Black Beast”

A friend of mine (Great baker by hobby) brought this to one of my cocktail parties and after my first bite melted in my mouth… it was love at first taste.  I was always partial to milk or white chocolate, as I found dark chocolate to be too bitter for me.  There have been two other exceptions, this would make the third.  Thank you Patti for this yummy dessert.  Please make me more!

This recipe was found on Epicurious.  It went great with red wine for me in the evening, strong coffee with a heavy cream in the morning and a glass of cold milk in the afternoon.  Yes, I had to sacrifice my diet to make sure I experimented well to be able to share with you what drinks go well with this delicious beast.  Enjoy!

Makes 16 servings

La Bete Noire

Bon Appétit  | September 2006
by Jason Aronen
Wilde Roast Café

INGREDIENTS
Cake
•1 cup water
•3/4 cup sugar
•9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter,
diced
•18 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet
chocolate, chopped
•6 large eggs

Ganache
•1 cup heavy whipping cream
•8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet
chocolate, chopped
•Lightly sweetened whipped cream

PREPARATION
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter
10-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment round; butter
parchment. Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil
to top of rim. Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil
over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from
heat.

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate
and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly. Add
eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour batter into
prepared pan. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to
roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.

Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently
shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. Cool
completely in pan.

For ganache:
Bring whipping cream to
simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and
whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cake still in pan. Gently shake pan to
distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate cake in pan until
ganache is set, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and
keep refrigerated.

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides.
Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream.