Daring to go flourless and machine free: Flourless Chocolate Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream

Aaaah, it’s nice to be able to participate in the Daring Bakers challenge again! This month’s task was very approachable, a nice way to ease back into cooking. We were asked to bake a flourless chocolate cake and to make our own ice cream as an accompaniment. The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE‘s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. They have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

The flourless chocolate cake is a cinch to pull together, and only consists of three ingredients: chocolate, butter, and eggs. With only three ingredients, you have to make sure that you love the chocolate you are using, because the cake ends up tasting just like the chocolate! I went with Callebaut’s Bittersweet Belgian Chocolate, because I’m a dark chocolate kind of gal. Plus, the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you, so the more you can eat, right? My logic is flawless, I know. The resulting cake is very dense and fudgy, with a slight crust on top (reminiscent of a brownie). Delish!
Although two ice cream recipes were provided, we could choose any flavor we wanted and any recipe. I’ve been eyeing a recipe from David Lebovitz for vanilla ice cream for months now, and decided that this challenge was the perfect excuse to pull it out and give it a go. I also decided to learn a new skill and try David Lebovitz’s method for making ice cream without a machine. This turned out to be surprisingly easy. I mixed up the ice cream as the recipe directed, then cooled the mixture by placing the mixing bowl in an ice bath, and then put it in the freezer, pulling it out every 30 minutes to vigorously stir it, breaking down any ice crystals that were forming so that it would remain smooth and creamy. The finished product was absolutely delicious. Usually I’m a chocolate ice cream connoisseur, but I was intrigued by this particular vanilla ice cream recipe because it uses two kinds of vanilla: a vanilla bean and vanilla extract.
David Leibovitz explains that this is because he finds they provide slightly different flavors that compliment each other. This was the best vanilla ice cream I’ve ever had–rich and creamy and full of flavor. I will definitely be making this again.

Chocolate Valentino

16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate (or whatever your favorite chocolate is), roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.

3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.

4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.

6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}

8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C

9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.

10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.