I’m writing this for Valentine’s Day, but this easy, delicious dessert is good on any day. When I think about rich, chocolate cake, I think of the memorable slices I’ve eaten abroad. Many European patisseries offer simple, elegant treats because they use simple, real food. That’s one of the reasons this Chocolate Idiot Cake is one of my favorite desserts.
The oh-so-easy and oh-so-delicious Chocolate Idiot Cake was originated by an American ex-pat in Paris, David Leibovitz. During his time as a restaurant consultant, he created this simple dessert to help restaurants rebuild one simple, delicious menu item at a time. Because it’s so easy, the idiot part came in; however, it is genius.
Chocolate Idiot Cake calls for five ingredients and is also gluten free. The result is silky, chocolatey and tastes like a velvety chocolate ganache. If you have a moderately well-stocked baking pantry, you should be able to pull this cake off right now. If not, we’ve made some recommendations on excellent ingredients. Like any recipe calling for chocolate, the better the quality, the better the end result.
Chocolate Idiot Cake*
- 10 oz (290 grams) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (mixed types of chocolate work)
- 7 oz (200 grams) butter – salted or not
- 5 large eggs – room temperature
- 1 cup (200 gr) sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder to dust your pan (this one is particularly good)
- Preheat your oven to 350° (175°).
- Butter a springform baking pan then dust it with the cocoa powder (to keep the outside even prettier). Tap out excess powder.
- Wrap the outside and bottom of the springform pan in two or more layers of aluminum foil making it sure it reaches the top edges.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in the microwave (at 30-second intervals, stirring often.) Cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar then mix in the cooled chocolate/butter mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and securely cover the top with another layer of aluminum foil. Place the pan inside a larger pan (like a roasting pan) and fill half-way to the top with hot water.
- Bake the cake for about 1 hour 15 minutes. It should feel set in the center but a bit jiggly like pudding. Your finger should be clean when touching the top.
- Lift the baking pan from the water bath and remove foil. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- When cool, remove from pan. Delicious served on it’s own or even nicer with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, or ice cream and topped with raspberries or chocolate shavings.
Whipped Cream
With a dessert this nice, take a couple of extra minutes to make your whipped cream from scratch. The stuff that comes in a plastic tub from the freezer case is filled with ingredients that are far from natural. All you need for homemade whipped cream , a bit of sugar and some flavoring if you wish. It’s so easy to make, is infinitely better tasting and much better for you!
- 1 quart whipping cream (or heavy) cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla or liqueur such as Frangelico, Kahlua, or Bailey’s Irish Cream
Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and using an electric mixer (make sure the beaters are meticulously clean) beat on high, blending the ingredients for a few minutes until it’s thick enough not to run off a spoon. Store your whipped cream in an airtight container and refrigerate for a day or two. Dollop generously on the cake or to the side.
* Recipe originated by David Leibovitz
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