This French chocolate cake recipe is handed down to me by my mother, Reva Paul.  I have three reasons to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this cake and so will you~ the recipe, given to me with love, is adaptable for any shape pan, is very, very easy to make, and dressed up with a topping of ganache, buttercream, whipped cream, sugar glaze or with a simple powdered sugar is absolutely delicious.  And, for the chocolate lover, Reva’s Dark Chocolate Icebox Pudding and Brownie recipes are more delectable indulgences.  Ellen Easton

French Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS: CAKE BATTER:

1/2-cup DUTCH cocoa; 3/4 boiling water; 1 cup sweet, unsalted butter; 2 cups granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla extract; 1/2-teaspoon baking soda; 1/8-teaspoon salt; 1/2-cup nonfat plain Greek Yogurt or sour cream; 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 3 large egg whites, beaten stiff .

Two cakes pans eight -inch rounds. Coat the bottom and sides of the pan with PAM™ Baking Spray, then dust the bottom and sides of the pan with granulated sugar. (or grease the bottom and sides of the pans with butter and dust with flour)

Note: You may use ingredients that are convenient for you to shop in your neighborhood. I used the following~ Droste Dutch Cocoa, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract, Pam™ Baking Spray. Alternate pans ~ Only fill batter in pan halfway.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve the cocoa in the boiling water. Set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl blend the butter and sugar together until creamy in texture, add the cocoa mixture, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, and sour cream. Slowly, fold in the flour and mix all together well. Stiff the egg whites and gently fold into the batter without breaking the air of the whites. Place the batter in the cake pans, evenly distributed. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Place on a wire rack to cool. Cover the cake with ganache, buttercream, sugar glaze, whipped cream or powdered sugar.  To make an easy decoration scrape the edge of a serrated knife across the top in the pattern of your choice.

WHIPPED CREAM:

1 cup of heavy cream; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract. Place the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form for whipped cream. Do not over beat or it will turn to butter.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate;1/4 cup sugar;3 tablespoons water; 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract.

Place all of the ingredients in a double boiler. Heat over a low flame until melted. Stir until blended. If the mixture becomes grainy from seizing, add boiling water one teaspoon at a time, stirring until smooth. To flavor add a teaspoon of extract or You may substitute 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate with four ounces of any natural ingredients chocolate bar. I have used as alternatives LINDT dark chocolate orange essence, dark chocolate hazelnut, dark chocolate mint and dark chocolate coconut. 

If you prefer a thinner glaze add one teaspoon of water at a time to reach desired consistency.

Allow to slightly cool.  Pour the mixture from the center of the cake allowing  the chocolate to drape over the sides.  Use a spatula to smooth over the areas not covered. Yield: frosting for one-cake/ 12 cupcakes.  May also be served warm over fruit or ice cream.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

Ingredients:

1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature~{Use vegetable shortening when pure white icing is needed} 1/4-cup milk, at room temperature; 1-teaspoon pure vanilla extract;1-pound {boxed} powdered sugar; 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate; 1-teaspoon instant coffee;

Shavings for Topping: Lindt Orange Essence Dark Chocolate Bar or chocolate bar of choice.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the melted chocolate and mix at a low speed until smooth. If stiffer icing is needed or the weather is very warm, add a little extra sugar. In a double boiler melt the chocolate. Add to the buttercream mixture until completely blended. Yield: 3 cups

SUGAR GLAZE:

1 Cup Powdered Sugar, 2 to 3 Tablespoons of cold water.

Mix together until smooth.  Add more water to thin. Add more sugar to thicken.  Extracts, Citrus or maple syrup juice may be added to taste for flavor.  Duplicate as needed.

Reva Paul’s Dark Chocolate Icebox Pudding

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 pounds (Bakers 24 squares) Semi-Sweet Chocolate;

1.5 Tablespoons instant coffee: ½ cup boiling water; 2 Tablespoons Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla  Extract; 3 large eggs, separate yolks and whites; 1/8 teaspoon regular salt;

¼ cup granulated white sugar; 1 cup Heavy Cream; Garnish: Shaved Dark Chocolate or Edible Gold Flakes.  Whipped Cream Topping: 1 Cup heavy whipping cream, 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar. Whip at a high speed until stiff peaks form – see below.

 PREPARATION: Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water but make certain the water does not touch the bottom of the top part of the pan. Place the semisweet chocolate into the top part of the double boiler pan. DO NOT COVER the pan. On a low to medium heat  stir to melt the chocolate .  Remove the melted chocolate into the bowl of an electric mixer and set aside. Allow the chocolate to cool to room temperature- stirring occasionally.

Boil the water. Add the instant coffee until dissolved.  On the lowest speed of the mixer slowly beat in the dissolved coffee into the cooled chocolate.  Add the vanilla and egg yolks. Scape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth.  Set aside.

When ready to fold in the egg white mixture place the separated egg whites into the large bowl of the electric mixer. On a high speed beat the egg whites with salt until soft peaks form.  Slowly beat in the sugar until the egg whites are stiff, but not dry.  DO NOT overbeat or the air in the eggs will deflate and fall.  Gently and lightly fold one heaping spoonful of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Repeat until half of the egg whites are lightly folded into the chocolate. DO NOT mix all of the egg whites at once or the air will break. Reversing the process now fold in the chocolate mixture into the other half of the beaten egg whites, gently folding until no egg whites are visible.

Using a chilled  bowl and with a chilled beater, at a high-speed whip the heavy cream stiff.   Gently fold the whipped cream  into the chocolate mixture. Pour the mixture onto a bowl, spring form pan, pot de crèmes, or ramekins and cover with plastic wrap.  Place into the refrigerator for a minimum of five hours until set.  When ready to serve if made in a spring form pan place a large dessert platter over the top and carefully invert the mixture onto the platter. Using a flat spatula to gently dislodge the mixture,  remove the bottom of the pan and prepare the whipped cream topping.  Spread the whipped cream over the top and garnish with shaved chocolate or  if not whipped cream topping is desired garnish with edible gold flakes. This recipe may be prepared a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator.  This recipe is also good served frozen., just freeze instead of refrigerate.  Serves 8 to 10.

 Reva Paul’s Dark Chocolate Brownies

INGREDIENTS: 2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate;

1/2 cup unsalted butter;1 cup granulated sugar;  2  large eggs; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour;

1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Pure Extract;

Optional ~1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped and 1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray a 9×9-inch baking pan or a mini-muffin pan with non-stick baking spray; dust with granulated sugar on all sides.

In an open double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of hot water, melt the chocolate, butter and sugar; when blended add the eggs and mix all together, set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour and the salt.  Fold the flour mixture into the melted chocolate  mixture until well blended.  Add vanilla extract and chopped nuts, if desired.  Spread or pour batter into prepared baking pan or min-muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are firm (center will be soft).  Remove from oven and cool 30 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from muffin pan or cutting into 1-inch square pieces or cookie cutter shapes. To serve, place each chocolate brownie into a candy cup.  Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Yield approximately 12 to 24 pieces

©Ellen Easton 1995 ~2024. All Rights Reserved