I first read about this recipe in "Chemical and Engineering News", a weekly magazine from the American Chemical Society! (A strange place to read about a recipe, I know.) The recipe was used in the Carnegie Science Center's "Chemistry Matters" series sponsored by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation's special grant program in the chemical sciences to answer the question "how can one make a cake without any flour?" It is a delicious cake...if you love chocolate!
| Cake | Icing |
|---|---|
|
12 oz. semi-sweet or sweet dark chocolate 8 eggs separated 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 cup of butter, melted pinch of salt 1 teaspoon of vanilla 1/2 cup sugar |
8 oz. heavy whipping cream 8 oz. semi-sweet or sweet dark chocolate |
Melt chocolate and butter together in double broiler. Whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar 2 tablespoons at a time. Set aside. Whip egg yolks until they appear thick and lemony, add vanilla. At low speed, add melted chocolate, butter and salt. By hand, fold 1/4 of meringue into chocolate mixture, then fold chocolate into meringue, gently but briskly. Pour into a large (12" diameter) round, shallow cake pan that has been greased, floured, and lined with baking paper on the bottom. Bake at 350° F for 35-45 minutes (may take longer) in a larger, shallower pan half filled with water. Check center with toothpick to make sure cake is cooked thoroughly. Turn into cooling rack and chill.
Bring cream to a boil, stirring often. As soon as it boils, remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted, and color is consistent. Cool to room temp.
Place cooling rack with cake onto baking sheet. Once icing is cool but still pourable, pour onto cooled cake and spread around sides, chill. Scrape unused icing into container. Chill until icing has hardened.