Have you seen the latest Reddi-wip ad? (I saw it in the Dec. Family Circle pgs 97 and 99). It has a picture of a piece of to-die-for-looking chcolate cake. It reads...'There's only one thing keeping you from licking this page'
Then you turn the page and it shows the cake with a dollop of reddi-wip on top.

The cake looks so awesome that I checked the reddi-wip website to find the recipe. It wasn't there. I e-mailed them for the recipe and they sent it to me...but I don#t think it was complete. Also, other recipes I found for similar cakes had much more than only 1 tablespoon of sugar added.

Also, in the picture, it looks like there is a frosting or perhaps a ganache on top but this isn't included in the recipe. ? If you've seen the picture, what do you think? Or, if you've used this recipe, does get a frosting -type thin layer on top of it after it cools?

Any tips, suggestions or better recipes?


Can you help me?

**********EDIT******** I just found the original Joy of Cooking recipe, and it really does only calls for 1tbs of sugar?? Has anyone tried this recipe? Or a different flourless choc. cake recipe?

BTW, here's the full *correct* recipe:


Flourless Chocolate Decadence

Makes 16 servings

1 pound semisweet chocolate morsels,
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 10 pieces
5 large eggs, separated, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon sugar
Confectioner's sugar (optional)

1. Grease an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan (not a springform) and line the bottom with wax or parchment paper and set aside. In a large heat-proof bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Set bowl in a large skillet of barely simmering water and stir often until the chocolate and butter are warm, melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in 5 egg yolks.

2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine 5 egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Increase mixer speed to high and gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.

3. Use a rubber spatula to fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Set the pan in a large shallow baking dish or roasting pan, set the baking dish in a preheated 325-degree oven and pour enough boiling water into the baking dish to reach halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes; the top of the cake will have a thin crust and the interior will still be gooey. Set the cake pan on a rack to cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled or overnight.

4. To unmold, slide a thin knife around the cake to detach it from the pan. Invert the cake and peel off the paper liner. Reinvert onto a serving platter. Dust top with confectioner's sugar if desired.

From The All New, All Purpose Joy of Cooking

Nutrition Information (per serving)
Calories: 229   From fat: 164
Percentages of daily value based on 2,000-calorie diet.
Total fat  18g  28%  Carbohydrate  18g  6%  Vitamin A     10%
Saturated fat  11g  56%   Dietary fiber  2g  8%  Vitamin C     0%
Cholesterol  87mg  29%   Sugars  13g     Calcium     2%
Sodium  22mg  1%   Protein  4g     Iron     7%

I use the recipe out of the Cake Bible ...

1 lb bittersweet chocolate
1 c unsalted butter
6 large eggs

This is to die for!

I have made a ganche to give it a nice smooth finish, but it doesn't need it. Use the best choclate you can get your hands on .. it really makes a difference to the flavour!

I almost always serve it with a raspberrry coulis and some whipped cream, but I have made a crusting mint buttercream (tasted like an after 8 mint cake!)

Thanks for your input guys!

MelC-Can I get your raspberrry coulis recipe? And for the ganache, do I just add cream to melted chocolate?

Also, how do I know what constitutes "the best" chocolate? I'm in Europe so most of the chocolate (even the cheap stuf) is really great, but what is the proper way to judge?

I have a pound of 72% that I was going to use, is that ok?

One last question...what if I can't find unsalted butter? I looked at the grocery store on Friday for a different recipe and couldn't find any. I'll look around at a couple other stores, but what if I can't find it?

Thanks for your help! I'm really looking forward to making this cake...I'm a chocoholic and so are most of the people that will be at Christmas Eve dinner. I wanna knock their socks off!

PS: here's the ingredients list from the chocolate I was gonna use (translated):
"Extra Dark Chocolate:
chocoalte mass (minimum 72% cocoa solids), sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa powder"

What'dya think? Good or get something else?

That chocolate is probably great ... what brand is it?

Raspberry Coulis (from the Cake Bible)

24 oz / 680 grams frozen raspberries (no sugar)
*** critical that they be frozen & unsweetend ... if you only have fresh, put them in the freezer! Berries with sugar added won't work properly)

2 tsp fresh lemon juice
optional... up to 2/3 cup sugar (132 grams)

put your raspberries in a strainer over a deep bowl ... allow to thaw completely (several hours to over night) press the berries (not too much though) to get all the juice ... there should be about 1 cup.

In saucepan (or better yet, microwave) boil juice until it is down to 1/4 cup (I always do this in a 4 cup measuring cup ... doesn't boil over that way!)

Meanwhile, puree the raspberries and sieve them with a food mill (or press them through a fine strainer to remove the seeds ... you should have about 1 cup puree)

add the puree to the boiled syrup and add the lemon juice ... check your total volume ... add max 1/2 that volume sugar (i.e. if you have 1 cup, add up to 1/2 c sugar) stir until dissolved.

*** personally, I ususaly only add about 1:3 sugar ... but I like it to be a little tart - use your own judgement.

this will keep in the freezer for up to a year (or about 10 days in the fridge)

Thanks MelC!!

The chocolate is just a run-of-the-mill chocolate here from a discount grocery store. It's called "Xocriolata Chocolat Noir Superieur"
But, most of the chocolate here is really great (even the cheap stuff), nothing like at home!!

I used this one for a chcolate brownie recipe last week and it was insane, so I think for this cake it will be killer, I hope so at least.

Your right Cande every chocolate i had from europe was good.
I didn't realize you were from germany.
Good luck with the recipes

By the way any chocolate over 70% is bittersweet...is good quality chocolate.

AShiana

Here's another recipe if you're interested:

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake
Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 12 to 16

To make slicing easier, freeze the cake for 30 minutes just before serving.

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, plus 1 teaspoon softened butter for greasing pan
Flour for dusting pan
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (such as Hershey's Special Dark), chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 large eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (4 ½ ounces) packed light brown sugar, crumbled with fingers to remove lumps (see note)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the sides of a 9-inch springform pan; flour the sides and tap out the excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment or waxed paper round. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large sheet of foil.
2. Melt 12 tablespoons butter and the chocolates in a large bowl over a large saucepan containing about 2 quarts barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate mixture is smooth. Cool the mixture slightly, then whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks. Set the chocolate mixture aside, reserving the hot water, covered, in the saucepan.

3. In the clean bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds; add half of the crumbled brown sugar, beat at high speed until combined, about 30 seconds, then add the remaining brown sugar and continue to beat at high speed until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted (see photo on page 334), about 2 minutes longer. Using a whisk, stir about one third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites in 2 additions, using the whisk. Gently scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan, set the springform pan in a large roasting pan, then pour the hot water from the saucepan into the roasting pan to a depth of 1 inch. Carefully slide the roasting pan into the oven; bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges, the center has just set, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers about 170 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes.
4. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin-bladed paring knife between the sides of the pan and cake to loosen; cool the cake in the springform pan on a wire rack until barely warm, about 3 hours, then wrap the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 8 hours. (The cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
5. To unmold the cake, remove the sides of the pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the cake and pan bottom to loosen, then invert the cake onto a large plate, peel off the parchment, and re-invert onto a serving platter. To serve, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife, dipping the knife in a pitcher of hot water and wiping the blade before each cut.
For the ganache: 1 cup heavy cream, 8 oz semisweet chocolate - melt together and pour over cake.

This cake comes out great every time, and everyone loves it. I use Callebaut brand chocolate.
Good luck!

Thanks AShiana and izzybee!

AShiana, I'm from the US but living in Germany. My Dh is German

izzybee...every time I see your name I think of one of my cats back home. She is a little princess named Isabella and I always call herr izzy bizzy bee. Every time I see your avatar and name I think of her and it makes me smile.
(Boy, I miss my kitties )

Cande, Izzybee was my daughters' Isabella nickname when she was a baby! My name is actually Lauren.