Chocolate Gateau

Ingredients

• 7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/3 cup minus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup minus 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5 oz. good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 cold eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Raspberry for garnish
• Powdered sugar

Directions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch baking pan, dust the inside of the pan with flour, and tap out the excess. Line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper, dust the paper with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
2. Combine the flour and cocoa powder and sift, set aside.
3. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (140F) and add the semisweet chocolate. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted. Add the coarsely chopped butter and let it melt completely. Transfer the bowl to the counter and let the mixture cool.
4. Separate the cold eggs, putting the whites in a mixer bowl or other large bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.
5. While the chocolate is cooling, place the egg whites in a clean bowl with a pinch of salt. Working with the whisk attachment of the mixer, beat the egg whites until they are foamy and start adding half of the sugar (1/2 cup) in 2-3 separate additions.
6. Continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved (about 5 min total). To test for stiff peaks, the peaks should stand straight up when you lift up the beaters. The whites should not slide around. Transfer the meringue into a bowl and wash the mixing bowl for next step.
7. In the clean mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and the rest of sugar (remaining 1/2 cup) until creamy, and stir in the heavy whipping cream.
8. With a rubber spatula stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Then add the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture.
9. Using the spatula, stir about 1/3 of the meringue in to the batter, then gently fold in the rest until the color is uniform.
10. Pour the batter into the pan and give the pan several sharp taps on the counter to bring up any air bubbles that may be trapped in the batter.
11. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes and then lower the setting to 340 degrees F and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick pulls out moist crumbs when inserted near the center of the cake. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for 15 minutes.
12. Run a knife along the edges of the cake and carefully turn the cake over onto a rack and remove the pan and the parchment paper. Invert the cake onto a serving platter before serving. As the cake cools, it may deflate a bit. Decorate with raspberry and dust the powder sugar before serving.