Valentine’s Cake – Crosswalks to Nowhere

Valentine’s Day dinner was my doing this year. I made Chicken Parmesan (a modified version of the too-complicated Cook’s Illustrated version) and this awesome dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cake. I got this recipe from Les Nomades, a wonderful restaurant in Chicago that we reviewed on an episode of our Cheap Date podcast.

What you see above are some of the raw ingredients for the cake. Five full-sized Lindt 70% Cocoa bars made the foundation for this dessert. Read on for the recipe and more photos.

Here’s the recipe, straight from the chef:

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Les Nomades Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

– 2 cups finely chopped fine quality Chocolate 70% cacao (five full-sized Lindt bars did the trick)
– 1/2 cup cacao powder
– 1 cup soft butter – about room temperature
– 1 pinch of salt
– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
– (other flavorings such as Gran Marnier or Rhum may be added
at this point; be careful: moderate amount)
– 1 cup egg whites
– 1/2 cup sugar

Procedure

Prepare 9 to 10 inch spingform mold by brushing with butter and dusting with flour or by lining with parchment paper. Melt chopped chocolate in a bowl (covered) over warm water or in a low heated oven (less than 200 F.) When melted stir in cacao powder, blend in butter, add pinch of salt and vanilla.

Whip egg whites to soft peaks (a dusting of cream of tartar or squeeze of lemon juice may be added in this process). Add sugar, a little in the beginning and the rest gradually as whites begin to mount.

Chocolate mixture should not be too warm as you incorporate egg whites gently, a little a first, then the rest, gently, careful not to deflate whipped egg whites.

Turn the mixture into to the prepared mold and then into the oven for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees. After removing from the oven, allow the mold to cool briefly on a wire rack before releasing the cake.

Serve still warm with fresh raspberries, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. J’adore le chocolat!

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And now the photos: