Narsai's Original Chocolate Decadence
Submitted by DavidRapoza
Narsai’s Original Chocolate Decadence: the legendary Berkeley flourless chocolate torte with just a tablespoon of flour, whipped eggs, a molten center, frozen overnight, served with raspberry puree.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
25 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsThis is the cake that defined flourless chocolate cake for an entire generation. Narsai David’s Chocolate Decadence at his Berkeley restaurant in the 1970s launched the style and inspired a thousand imitators, but the original technique is still the gold standard. A pound of dark chocolate melts with butter, meets eggs whipped to a pale mousse, and bakes just 15 minutes at high heat, long enough to set the outside into cake while the center stays molten.
Freezing the cake overnight is non-negotiable. The center is completely liquid when it comes out of the oven; freezing sets the interior into something between fudge and chocolate mousse that slices cleanly when served chilled.
The raspberry puree garnish is the classic finish. Sweet-tart berries cut through the intense chocolate and provide visual contrast on the plate. Whipped cream and chocolate shavings dress the top.
Two days ahead is ideal. Bake day one, freeze overnight, decorate day two, refrigerate until serving.
Pro Tips
- Use premium bittersweet chocolate (70% or higher); this cake is nothing but chocolate, so quality shows.
- Whip eggs until they truly quadruple in volume. This is the only leavening in the cake.
- Don’t overbake. Seriously, the center must be liquid; it sets during freezing.
- Slice with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between cuts.
Variations
- Substitute strawberries or blackberries for raspberries in the puree.
- Add 1 tablespoon of espresso powder or brandy to the melting chocolate for depth.
- Serve smaller portions; this cake is intensely rich and a sliver goes far.
Ingredients
Directions
Flour and butter an 8-inch round cake pan.
Cut a round of waxed paper to fit the bottom, butter it, and place in the pan.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a small saucepan over very low heat or in a microwave oven, melt the chocolate with the butter.
Set aside. In the top of a double boiler over very hot water, whisk the eggs with the sugar.
Beat over hot water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is just lukewarm.
Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and beat the eggs until they quadruple in volume and become quite thick.
Fold the flour into the eggs.
Stir ¼ of the egg mixture into the chocolate.
Then, fold the chocolate back into the rest of the egg mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
Bake for 15 minutes; the cake will be liquid in the center.
Cover and freeze the cake in the pan overnight.
To unmold the cake, carefully dip the bottom of the pan in hot water and invert onto a cake plate.
Remove the pan and gently peel off the waxed paper.
Decorate the cake with the whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
Refrigerate until serving.
Purée the raspberries and their juice in a blender or food processor.
Pass the purée through a fine sieve and serve a tablespoon of the sauce with each portion.
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