TWD: Almost-Fudge Gâteau

For this week's Tuesday with Dorie recipe, Nikki of Crazy Delicious chose the Almost-Fudge Gâteau. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I saw this week's recipe. Not because it didn't look like chocolately goodness, but because I had never heard of a gâteau before. For those of you, like me, who have no idea what a gâteau is, I looked it up on Dictionary.com :) The first two definitions don't really seem to fit this:

(1) A cake, esp. a very light sponge cake with a rich icing or filling
(2) A cake or pastry, especially a light one filled with custard, fruit, or nuts


While it has a rich icing, this is definitely not a light sponge cake, and it is not filled with custard, fruit, or nuts. The third definition is rather broad, but seems to describe this cake well:

(3) Any of various rich and elaborate cakes.


This is a super rich and dense fudgey cake topped with a chocolately glaze. I could only eat a small piece of this, but several chocolate lovers who tried it easily gobbled up their slices. If you thought the "She Ain't Heavy" Chocolate Cake was death by chocolate, try this cake :) I am not a fan of dark or bittersweet chocolate, so the next time I make this, it will probably be with semisweet chocolate (I used 60% cocoa this time). Seeing as chocolate and raspberries go so well together, I think this would also be nice if it was topped with some fresh raspberries or a raspberry sauce.


The Almost-Fudge Gâteau is something you can easily throw together without much effort/time and is still perfect for entertaining, or that special occasion (I made mine for Valentine's Day). Oh, and it's a pretty fool proof recipe too... I threw mine together rather quickly... while the chocolate was cooling, I whipped up the egg whites so it came together in no time. As I shut my oven door after putting this in, I stopped to think a moment. "Hmmmm... that came together really quickly," I thought to myself. Then it hit me. That awful feeling. I must have forgotten something. So there I was, scrambling to read over the recipe again to figure out what I had forgotten. I quickly realized that I had forgotten to add the flour! So, there I was, clambering to open up the oven, measure out the flour, and mixing it into the batter. I decided to just fold the flour in with the batter still in the pan, because transferring it out of the pan and back in would just be too messy (plus I didn't want to lose all the air I had beaten into the egg whites). As I did so, I noticed part of the flour that I had buttered and floured the pan with was starting to get incorporated into the better as well - so after I put it back into the oven I was crossing all my fingers and toes that this would turn out okay and that it would not stick to the pan.


Thirty-five minutes later, my timer went off and I went to check my cake... everything looked all right. It had cracked, like Dorie said it would and it had risen evenly across the top. At this point, it looked rather promising and I was hopeful that I had not screwed up the recipe! :) I waited patiently for it to cool and then glazed it with the chocolate topping. Then the moment of truth: I sliced a piece and handed it over to my husband, wishing him a Happy Valentine's Day. I anxiously waited for him to take the first bite, hoping I had not ruined Dorie's chocolate decadence. He stopped, only for a moment to give his approval of this recipe, before devouring the rest of his slice. Success! I was thrilled (especially since he had told me I might as well throw it out and start over when he heard I had initially forgotten the flour!). So, there you have it - proof that this is a recipe that anyone can successfully make :)


Thanks again, Nikki, for choosing this week's recipe. I had fun making it (although I was a nervous wreck between the time it went into the oven to the time it was tasted) and I think it's perfect for the next time we have dinner guests over. As the group continues to grow weekly, make sure you check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blog to check out how everyone else enjoyed this chocolately decadence!

Almost-Fudge Gâteau
from Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan


5 large eggs
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 60% cocoa, will use semisweet next time)
1 cup of sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons coffee or water (I used Kona coffee)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt

For the Glaze (optional)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 60% cocoa, will use semisweet next time)
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Getting Ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper, dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.


Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a mixer bowl or other large bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add the chocolate, sugar butter and coffee. Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are melted; the sugar may still be grainy, and that's fine. Transfer the bowl to the counter and let the mixture sit for 3 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, stir in the yolks one by one, then fold in the flour.

Working with the whisk attachment of the mixer or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until they hold firm, but glossy peaks. Using the spatula, stir about one quarter of the beaten whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest. Scrape the butter into the pan and jiggle the pan from side to side a couple of times to even the batter.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake has risen evenly (it might rise around the edges and you'll think it's done, but give it a few minutes more, and the center will puff too) and the top has firmed (it will probably be cracked) and doesn't shimmy when tapped; a thin knife inserted into the center should come out just slightly streaked with chocolate. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Run a blunt knife gently around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Carefully turn the cake over onto a rack and remove the pan bottom and the parchment paper. Invert the cake onto another rack and cool to room temperature right side up. As the cake cools, it may sink.


To Make the Optional Glaze: First, turn the cooled cake over onto another rack so you'll be glazing the flat bottom, and place the rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper to catch any drips.

Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.

Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave oven – the chocolate should be just melted and only warm, not hot. Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a small sauce pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir very gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in the corn syrup.

Pour the glaze over the cake and smooth the top with a long metal icing spatula. Don't worry if the glaze drips unevenly down the sides of the cake – it will just add to its charms. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature or, if you're impatient, slip the cake into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. If the glaze dulls in the fridge, just give it a little gentle heat from a hairdryer.