Gâteau au chocolat fondant de Nathalie

If you read my last post, White Chocolate Truffle Cake, you know it was a huge fail. I was determined to make a another cake that wouldn't die in the fridge. I found this recipe in the book A Homemade Life, which was a great book by the way. After each chapter she has a recipe, this was one. In her book she says the cake tastes even better the next day, and i totally agree. Don't get me wrong, it tasted great out of the oven, but the next morning (yes i had a slice for breakfast) it was amazing. The cake is very rich, but it also reminds me of a brownie, just not as dry. I made some homemade whipped cream to top the cake, which of course is optional.

Gâteau au chocolat fondant de Nathalie
or, Kate's Winning-Hearts-and-Minds cake
adapted from Je Veux du chocolat!, by Trish Deseine

• 7 oz best quality dark chocolate
• 7 oz unsalted European-style butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, the brand i used was Lurpak
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 8 inch round cake pan, i used a springform pan so i could easily get the cake out. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter that. Finely chop the chocolate, a serrated  knife made this a little easier, and melt the chocolate gently with the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for a few moments. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each one. Then add flour. The batter should be smooth, dark and gorgeous. Pour the batter into your buttered cake an and bake for 25 min, or until the center of the cake looks set and top is shiny and a bit crackly-looking. At 20 min i checked on it every 2 min. You'll know its done when it jiggles only slightly, if at all. Let cake cool in its pa.n for 10 min, then carefully turn the cake upside down and flip it top side, so that the crackly side is facing upward.

Whipped cream

• 2 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Place a metal bowl in the freezer for 10 min. Pour heavy whipping cream and sugar into bowl, and whisk until stiff peaks are formed.

Easy French

I love french food, so i thought it would be perfect to make a classic, Profiteroles . This is a perfect light dessert to end any meal. Profiteroles can be filled with any flavor ice cream or whipped cream. I decided to stick with ice cream, i used a good quality vanilla, but any flavor can be used.

The recipe i used was in French, so i had to improvise a little. French doesn't translate perfectly to English, but the recipe was so simple i just went with it.

Profiterole

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs

Ganache

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups chocolate

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place water, milk, butter, and salt together in a saucepan. Once it comes to a boil take if off the heat and add all of the flour at once. Stir until dough forms, put back on heat for about a minute or two. Take back off heat and add one egg at a time, stir until dough forms. I used a pipping bag with a #1 star tip and pipped them on a cookie sheet, you can use 2 spoons. You want the size of a ping pong or golf ball. I melted a little of butter and dipped a spoon in the butter and pushed down on the points so they wouldn't burn.Once done put the profiterole in the oven for 10  minutes. When 10 minutes pass turn down the oven to 320 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. Try not to open the door! When they are golden brown they are done. Let cool, and cut tops off. Scope ice cream into the profiterole and top with ganache. To make the ganache put heavy cream in a saucepan and heat to a boil, take off heat and add chocolate and stir! Enjoy!