Serves 8-10
This Coeur du chocolate dessert is fairly simple to make and very easy to eat!
Chocolate Heart Dessert Cake – Happy Valentine’s Day
For the Cake
- 140g unsalted butter
- 225g Dark chocolate, chopped
- 4 eggs separated
- 150g caster sugar
- 50g plain flour – sifted
For the Ganache
- 250g dark chocolate
- 250ml whipping cream
To decorate
- Raspberries or Strawberries
- Edible flowers
You will need a heart-shaped cake tin but you could use a 24cms round cake tin.
Preheat the oven to 180 deg C, Fan 170 deg.C, 355 deg F.
Butter and dust with flour the heart-shaped cake tin or round cake tin.
To make the cake
Melt the chocolate and the unsalted butter over a bain-marie, stir until smooth.
Beat the egg yolks with 75g of the caster sugar until they are pale and thick. This will take maybe 3-4 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites. Gradually add the remaining sugar until the whites are smooth, shiny and stiff peaks form.
Fold the sifted flour into the egg yolk-sugar mixture and combine with the melted chocolate-butter mixture.
Whisk one third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.
Carefully fold in the remainder of the egg whites in two separate batches.
Leave the finished mixture to rest for 5 minutes before pouring into the prepared cake tin.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Cool on a rack before turning the cake out.
Place the cool cake into the ‘fridge for 20 minutes.
For the Ganache
Coarsely chop the chocolate and place into a bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering and pour over the chocolate, stir until smooth.
Set the ganache aside for about 10 minutes at room temperature until it can be spread easily.
When the chocolate cake is cold and fairly hard, cut a thin slice from the top to level it using a long serrated knife.
Spread the ganache evenly over the entire surface of the cake.
Refrigerate for 30mins or until firm.
Decorate with the berries of your choice and a few edible flowers.
To serve: A little crème fraiche or whipped cream or some home-made vanilla ice cream would be great.
Bon appetit!