Flourless Chocolate Cake

The day that I have long been dreaming of has finally come...I own a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer! I know that it was a mere five months ago that I happily blogged about a different stand mixer that my mom and I had bought and I had used to make some chocolate chip cookie cakes. In that post I had mentioned that it was my first recipe using the stand mixer and I had yet to try one of my cake batters in it. Needless to say, the mixer did not stand up to the test. I don't quite remember the capacity of the mixer but I do remember that it was nowhere near the large size I needed it to be. Within a week of buying it, I carefully repackaged the stand mixer and my mom returned it to the store.

After witnessing my troubles with the stand mixer, my mom and I agreed that we needed a Kitchen Aid. We decided that we had waited long enough and the time had come to invest in a proper stand mixer. However we both recognized that Kitched Aids are expensive and, after waiting for so long already, agreed that we could wait a little longer until a good sale came along. Also, my mom had one contention...she insisted that the mixer had to be red. Knowing how large the mixer was, and my probable frequent use of it, she admitted that it would most likely sit on the kitchen counter. That being decided, my mom said that the only way she would permit the Kitchen Aid to permanently reside on the counter was if she found it pleasant to look at. As a lover of red accents (our kitchen sports red sugar canisters and a red spoon rest) she wanted the Kitchen Aid to fit right in.

We shared our plan with my aunt and last week she happily called me to announce that she had seen a sale on Kitchen Aids at Costco. I went online and confirmed her observation and, after consulting with my mom, proceeded to order it. When the Kitchen Aid finally arrived on my doorstep I was so excited I think I almost kissed the mailman (I didn't get that far but I definitely squeaked with excitement as I signed for the package)!

I eagerly unpacked it and proudly set it on the counter for the whole family to see when they got home. My brother instantly asked me which recipe I would use to "christen" the new addition to the family. Knowing that Passover was coming up I thought it fitting to "christen" the Kitchen Aid with a Jewish-holiday-friendly recipe...a chocolate flourless cake. On Passover it is customary to eat unleavened bread called matzah and to not prepare any foods requiring flour.

I had first discovered this recipe when I went to go visit my cousin in New York two summers ago. She did not prepare the cake for Passover but after reading the list of ingredients I realized it would be perfectly suited for such an occasion. The cake is extremely chocolatey and rich therefore one small piece is more than enough to cure a chocolate craving.

Originally when my cousin made it she prepared the cake in a small square silicone mold. This made it quite easy to invert onto a plate and serve. I have adapted the recipe for a larger springform pan. Unfortunately, one of the adverse side effects is that the time required to bake such a large cake results in the sides rising significantly while waiting for the middle to bake through. However as soon as the cake is removed from the oven the sides fall and create an edge. I usually solve this problem by cutting off the edge and decorating the cake with some sort of fruit. Alternatively, the cake can be made as it was intended, in a smaller pan, and that problem is avoided. Since I have a large family I tend to make large cakes therefore I choose to accept the edge problem and cover it up in other creative ways.

Due to the fact that it was my first time using the Kitchen Aid, I can't say that I whipped up the cake batter any faster than usual...in fact I was probably even slower because I was nervous with the speeds and kept stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. I am sure that with more practice I will get the hang of it. Regardless, I love coming downstairs every morning and seeing my lovely Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer sitting peacefully on the counter, waiting for me to use it.

Chocolate Flourless Cake

• 300 grams chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 eggs

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar and salt in the water and set aside.
2. Using a double broiler (see how to set up here) melt the chocolate.
3. Beat the butter pieces into the chocolate, a couple at a time.
4. Beat in the sugar water.
5. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.
6. Spray a 10" springform pan with cooking spray or line with foil or parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in a water bath at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes. The center will still look a little wet.
7. Turn off the oven and allow the cake to sit for 5 minutes inside before removing the pan from the oven. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before sticking it in the refrigerator to chill completely. Don't be surprised if the cake deflates a little, it's supposed to.

Note: I don't normally post any pictures on this blog that are not of the food itself...however I felt that I should make an exception in this case. I had to take a picture with my new baby and proudly feature it. The make-up and costume are a result of a tap dancing competition I had just come home from. I was so eager to take a picture with the Kitchen Aid that I couldn't wait to go upstairs and change.