Warm Chocolate Cake

Today we head back to the elegant, marbled halls of Boston's Four Seasons Hotel for the final installment in our series about our private cooking class which features the dessert dish.


The dessert demonstration was presented by Executive Pastry Chef Tim Fonseca. As a baker, this was particularly interesting to me.


The first step: melted butter and chocolate. What could be a better start?


Chef Fonseca talks for a moment about building the liquid base for the cake recipe which features a soft center.


I glanced over at the monitor in the kitchen to check out the live tweets from the event. This seems to have become standard for food bloggers attending such fun events.


Next up, Chef Fonseca shows us the slow mixing technique employed to combine the eggs into the dry ingredients.


The cake is beautifully presented with fresh ice cream, raspberry sauce and berries.


Cutting into the cake and revealing all that gooey chocolate goodness is the real treat.


Needless to say, we all devoured the dessert in record time.

Here is the recipe ...

Warm Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups (approx. 14 oz.) chopped, semi-sweet chocolate
3 sticks unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
1 tbs. Dark Rum or vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectionery sugar
1 1/4 cups cake flour
8 large eggs
6 egg yolks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray or butter dish or ramekins (ramekins suggested).

Melt the butter. Melt chocolate and combine with butter.

Add the rum or vanilla to the melted chocolate/butter mixture.

In a mixing bowl, sift and combine the flour and confectionery sugar.

Combine eggs and egg yolks together. Slowly add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, whisking continuously, creaming eggs slowly to avoid lumps, combine until smooth.

Slowly add the melted chocolate and butter mixture and mix until combined smoothly.

Divide evenly into the ramekins.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. (Baking time will vary depending on type of oven but keep in mind that this cake should have a soft or even liquid center).

Let cool just enough that you can unmold or serve in the dish. Either way, the cake should remain warm when served.

Yield: 12 individual portions

Chef Fonseca was also kind enough to provide us with the recipe for their Apple Crisp which we would be happy to provide to readers upon request. Great desserts both!