I think you can be sure that you've come across a great cake recipe when...
1. As soon as the last bite has disappeared you're wishing there was more.
2. The batter, pre-cooked, looks and tastes like chocolate mousse...so really, you could stop right there and just eat straight out of the bowl.
3. Your children crawl around under the table after lunch eating the crumbs (I assure you that they had just finished eating a piece each on a plate, even on a nice napkin!)...why does it look funny and cute when children do that, and not adults....?
I realise, in writing this, that it may not be the best timing to share such a recipe just before Easter. But, then again, maybe it's better before rather than after...when people are considering a momentary chocolate detox?!
This recipe is on a handwritten square of note-paper that I scribbled down after tasting Eti's mum's gâteau au chocolate (otherwise known as chocolate cake...though I think it suits its original title). One thing I really love about French & Swiss baking is that cakes, biscuits and desserts are rich, but not sickly sweet. They're not cakey because they tend to use chocolate instead of cocoa (well, always), and ground almonds or hazelnuts instead of flour (in general). And they are well-decorated and often fine and pretty (biscuits). One of my goals before we move to New Zealand is to learn how to make many of these delicacies, and to collect recipes. I'd love to preserve as much Swiss/French (that is, Swiss French and French) culinary practices as possible for our little family.
So, here is the recipe...
Gâteau au Chocolat
200g dark chocolate, broken up
125g butter, softened
150g sugar
A pinch of salt
4 eggs
200g ground almonds
4 Tbsp cornflour
1. Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.
2. Add the butter, sugar, salt and eggs and mix together with a beater. At this point it should look like this...
3. Add the almonds and cornflour and mix in.
4. Pour the batter (or scrape) into a cake tin (I used a loaf tin) that is either greased or lined with baking paper, and cook in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees celcius for approximately 55 minutes (mine took around 1 hour and 20 mins...just check using a skewer from time to time. The cake should still be soft in the middle, but not liquid). While you're waiting for the cake to cook, enjoy a little of this...
5. Allow the cake to cool a little in the tin, then take it out and cool (although, eating it still warmed is also recommended!).
Bon Appetit!
