Well, that was an exhausting two weeks. And I mean both physically and emotionally.
240 g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
265 g semisweet chocolate (52% cocoa solids), cut into small pieces
95 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids), cut into small pieces
290 g muscovado sugar
4 Tbsp water
5 large eggs, separated
a pinch of salt
cocoa powder or icing sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 170 C / 340 F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch (20 or 23cm) springform cake tin.
Put the butter and both chocolates in a very large heatproof bowl – it should be big enough to accomodate the entire batter. Put the brown sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Pour the boiling sugar syrup over the butter and chocolate and stir well until they have melted and you are left with a runny chocolate sauce. Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Set aside until the mixture comes to room temperature.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand whisk or electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and salt together to a firm, but not too dry meringue. Using a spatula, gently fold the meringue into the cooled chocolate mixture. The whites should be fully incorporated but it's OK if you see small bits of meringue in the mix.
Pour about two thirds of the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level with a palette knife. Set aside the rest of the batter for later. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for about 40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the centre comes out almost clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool almost completely.
Flatten the top of the cake with a palette knife - don’t worry about breaking the crust. Pour the remaining batter on top and level the surface again. Return to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake still has a few moist crumbs when checked with a knife. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. Dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar and serve in small slices.
I'm not sure I've ever slept so well as I have over the past fortnight, even though the bed I've lain down on each night has been an air mattress. Non-stop cleaning, painting, furniture-moving, blind-hanging, curtain-hemming and tea making (to fuel the DIY, natch) will do that to you.
Friends, let me give you some words of advice. I do not recommend ever moving into a house sight-unseen. It is not for the faint of heart or the fussy and particular (that would be me). In our case, we didn't have a choice, but if you can avoid this fate then my suggestion would be avoid, avoid, avoid. Like you'd avoid the bubonic plague.
But actually, it's turned out happily in the end. Paint, window treatments and some nice bits of furniture with transform any space. If I do say so myself, Edward and I have worked aesthetic miracles on the place over the past ten days. In the Church of Interior Decoration, we would be up for canonization.
But actually, it's turned out happily in the end. Paint, window treatments and some nice bits of furniture with transform any space. If I do say so myself, Edward and I have worked aesthetic miracles on the place over the past ten days. In the Church of Interior Decoration, we would be up for canonization.
Once I was feeling a little more cheerful about our new surroundings, Ed dared to ask me when I would be making 'our first house cake'. I mean, a new home calls to be christened with a new cake, right? Luckily, I knew just which book to reach for. I have been dying to finally crack open my new Ottolenghi cookbook since it arrived in June, while we were packing up our London flat and shipping out. And after all these months of anticipation, Ottolenghi didn't disappoint.
The chocolate fudge cake I selected as 'our first house cake' didn't look like much at first glance, but when I delved in I was astonished at how much I liked it. A bit like our house.
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Adapted from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi
265 g semisweet chocolate (52% cocoa solids), cut into small pieces
95 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids), cut into small pieces
290 g muscovado sugar
4 Tbsp water
5 large eggs, separated
a pinch of salt
cocoa powder or icing sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 170 C / 340 F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch (20 or 23cm) springform cake tin.
Put the butter and both chocolates in a very large heatproof bowl – it should be big enough to accomodate the entire batter. Put the brown sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Pour the boiling sugar syrup over the butter and chocolate and stir well until they have melted and you are left with a runny chocolate sauce. Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Set aside until the mixture comes to room temperature.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand whisk or electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and salt together to a firm, but not too dry meringue. Using a spatula, gently fold the meringue into the cooled chocolate mixture. The whites should be fully incorporated but it's OK if you see small bits of meringue in the mix.
Pour about two thirds of the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level with a palette knife. Set aside the rest of the batter for later. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for about 40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the centre comes out almost clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool almost completely.
Flatten the top of the cake with a palette knife - don’t worry about breaking the crust. Pour the remaining batter on top and level the surface again. Return to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake still has a few moist crumbs when checked with a knife. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. Dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar and serve in small slices.
18 comments:
The cake looks very yummy! Glad to hear you got the place in shape. As for "Performing miracles" you also did a good number on the icing revival for my birthday! Thanks again!
Poor you Hilary! Sounds very exhausting, but you sound like you have performed miracles - hope you settle in better now. Lucie x
What a luscious cake, glad the house is getting into shape
Wishing you lots of happiness in your new home. A house cake is the perfect way to start :). If thats an Ottolenghi recipe, I know its awesome :), all their cakes are just divine.
*kisses* HH
I am convinced that there is no moving experience that is not stressful. But it sounds like you were able to make the best out of it and have created a nice home for you both now. And I love this idea of making a house cake to christen moving into a new house. I'll keep that in mind the next time we move, which hopefully won't be for a while :)
Glad to hear it worked out for you Hilary! Will you be sharing a before and after? I'd like to see the miracle transformation.
Your cake looks lovely...perfect for a chocolate lover and I know of just the person to appreciate this. I promised her a thank you treat.
~ingrid
FANTASTIC looking cake. Wishing you joy in your new home :)
Beautiful cake, Hilary! And I am so glad your house turned out ok. It's always rather exhausting moving - but getting there and finding the house isn't everything your dreams were made of is devestating! But you are right, paint goes a long way to making a house feel like home!
Sounds like quite an unheavel - glad it all worked out in the end. I'm sure you needed a slice of that wickely indulgant chocolate cake after all your hard work. It looks divine - so much melted chocolate!
Heres to more restful times in your new home. I definitely think you deserved good cake after all that! And this one looks delicious, thanks for sharing!
Yummy, it looks almost like a brownie cake!
MMM! This looks amazing! I'm currently living without an oven... this is def. a recipe to put on my waiting-for-my-next-house-with-an-oven list.
That looks and sounds marvellous - although I've made tons of savoury stuff from that book I've barely touched the sweet stuff and there's so much to choose from. Hope you are feeling more settled in your new house after a few days?
So glad you guys are settled in. I know I would have thrown a royal fit in your situation so I hope Edward knows how lucky he is. What a beautiful cake and totally up my alley. Good think I have the cookbook. :) Glad to have you back and baking...
Hello Hilary, glad you are settled now (I think baking something in your new home is a great way to announce to the house fairies that you're the new boss!) - I read your blog with some trepidation though because we are moving house in a couple of weeks and have only seen our new abode very briefly. Argh! I think the kitchen's good though... and I will be making this cake when my tins are unpacked, so thanks for the inspiration!
Ooh a twice baked cake, not heard of that before. I've obviously been away longer than I realised as so much seems to have happened to you. Glad things are settling down in your new home after initial traumas - the cake must have helped, it looks delicious.
Congrats on the move, Hilary! Looking forward to hearing about your adventures in the new place!
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