Chocolate Cake (gluten free)

When I saw this recipe on Éva's blog Emil und die großen Schwestern, I had to try it straight away as it seemed so simple. Thanks Éva for allowing me to add it to this recipe collection.

Éva suggests reducing the amount of sugar for a more chocolatey taste. The amount and type of sugar in brackets is what I used. I've added a pinch of salt because it brings out the taste of chocolate.

With regards to the different types of sugar, I have to admit I've not tried it with white sugar because I never have it in the house. Both the unrefined and the moscovado lead to stunning results, the unrefinded giving a caramel flavour and the moscovado making the cake even richer in flavour and adding a treacly, toffee-like flavour. Absolutely wonderful!

6 eggs
200 g fine sugar or 150 g fine unrefined, brown sugar or 150 g moscovado
125 unsalted soft butter plus a bit extra for greasing the tin
pinch of salt
250 g chocolate with at least 70% of cocoa solids
cocoa powder or icing sugar for dusting
soured cream or Greek yoghurt  and a handful of raspberries, if they're in season, for serving

Separate 4 of the eggs and place the egg white and yolk into two mixing bowls. Beat the egg yolk with 100 g/75 g of sugar until creamy. Add the butter and the two remaining eggs and beat until all the ingredients are combined.

Melt the chocolate in a bain marie, add the salt and mix with the batter stirring continuously.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then beat in the remaining 100 g/75 g of sugar. Carefully fold into the chocolate mix.

Pour the cake mix into a greased 25-30 cm flan dish. Bake in the oven at 175° C/gas mark 4 for 40-45 minutes. Do not open the oven for the first 30 minutes. To prevent the cake from drying out avoid fan-assisted oven/setting. The cake is meant to crack on top while baking.

Dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar.

Variations:
Try adding chili flakes, rosemary, lavender, xmas spices or similar to vary.

I have tried fresh raspberries and fresh blueberries which I scattered over the top and pressed down with my finger. The didn't sink to the bottom of the cake. And with the blueberries, I used moscovado sugar. OMG! It was unbelievably delicious. Maybe too rich. Next attempt: Half and half, i. e. moscovado sugar in the pastry, light brown sugar with the egg white.

August 2014: Two chocolate cakes with moscovado sugar and fresh blueberries.
They looked so good I didn't bother dusting them with cocoa.