Tartine's Souffle Chocolate Cake

Directions

1.NOTE:

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2.SUCCESS OF THIS CAKE DEPENDS ON TWO THINGS:

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3.FIRST, YOU MUST INCORPORATE AIR INTO THE EGG YOLK AND SUGAR MIXTURE, WHIPPING THEM TO A THICK RIBBON, OR THE CAKE WILL NOT HAVE THE CORRECT LIGHT TEXTURE WHEN IT IS BAKED.

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4.SECOND, YOU MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERBAKE THE CAKE, OR IT WILL TURN OUT DRY. MANY COOKS ARE INCLINED TO TURN THE MIXER TO HIGH SPEED FOR BEATING EGG WHITES TO STIFF PEAKS. BUT, YOU WILL FIND THAT IF YOU WHIP WHITES ON MEDIUM SPEED AND TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, THE WHITES WILL HAVE A TIGHTER, MORE STABLE STRUCTURE AND HAVE FEWER LARGE IRREGULAR AIR POCKETS.

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5.CAKE:

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6.PREHEAT OVEN TO 325

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7.LINE THE BOTTOM OF A 10-INCH SPRINGFORM PAN WITH 3 INCH SIDES WITH PARCHMENT PAPER CUT TO FIT EXACTLY.

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8.(AT THIS POINT YOU COULD PLACE IN A LAYER OF CHOCOLATE CAKE, THIN OR SPRINKLE IN 3/4 CUPS TOASTED FINELY CHOPPED PECANS OR WALNUTS, I HAVE NOT USED EITHER OF THESE)

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9.IN SMALL SAUCEPAN, MELT THE BUTTER OVER MEDIUM HEAT AND THEN ADD THE CHOCOLATE. STIR AS THE CHOCOLATE MELTS, BLENDING IT WITH THE BUTTER. REMOVE FROM THE HEAT AND SET ASIDE.

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10.SEPARATE THE EGGS, PLACING THE YOLKS AND WHITES IN SEPARATE MIXING BOWLS. ADD HALF OF THE SUGAR TO THE EGG YOLKS. USING A MIXER FITTED WITH THE WHISK ATTACHMENT. BEAT THE YOLK MIXTURE ON HIGH SPEED UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY, AND THE MIXTURE TRIPLES IN VOLUME AND FALLS FROM THE BEATER INA WIDE RIBBON THAT FOLDS BACK ON ITSELF AND SLOWLY DISSOLVES ON THE SURFACE,4 TO 5 MINUTES. USING A RUBBER SPATULA, FOLD THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE INTO THE EGG YOLKS. DONT WORRY ABOUT THE MIXTURE BEING PERFECTLY BLENDED IN AT THIS POINT BECAUSE YOU WILL BE FOLDING IN THE WHITES NEXT.

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11.USING THE MIXER, BEAT THE EGG WHITES ON MEDIUM SPEED UNTIL SOFT PEAKS FORM. ADD THE REST OF THE SUGAR AND THE SALT AND BEAT UNTIL THE WHITES HOLD MEDIUM-STIFF, GLOSSY PEAKS. STIR ONE-THIRD OF THE WHITES INTO THE CHOCOLATE-YOLK MIXTURE TO LIGHTEN IT, ANDTHEN GENTLY FOLD IN THE REMAINING WHITES UST UNTIL NO WHITE STREAKS ARE VISIBLE. IMMEDIATELY TURN THE BATTER INTO THE PREPARED PAN.

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12.BAKE UNTIL THE TOP OF THE CAKE IS NO LONGER SHINY, BEING CAREFUL NOT TO LET IT "SOUFFLE"(PUFF UP AND EXPAND BEYOND IT ORIGINAL VOLUME), 30 TO 40 MINUTES. LET COOL COMPLETELY IN THE PAN ON A WIRE RACK. AS THE CAKE COOLS, IT WILL BECOME FIRMER. COVER AND REFRIGERATE UNTIL WELL CHILLED, AT LEAST 3 HOURS OR FOR UP TO OVERNIGHT.

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13.GANACHE: (OPTIONAL, I ALWAYS MAKE THIS FOR THE CAKE)

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14.REMOVE THE CAKE FROM THE REFRIGERATOR, UNCOVER IT, AND LET IT SIT ON THE COUNTERTOP FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO WARM UP JUST A BIT BEFORE YOU TOP IT. I SPREAD ON THE PRESERVES AT THIS POINT(OPTIONAL, I ALWAYS DO)

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15.PLACE CHOCOLATE IN A HEATPROOF BOWL. HEAT THE CREAM IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN AND BRING TO JUST UNDER A BOIL. POUR THE CREAM OVER THE CHOCOLATE. LET THE MIXTURE SIT FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES WITHOUT STIRRING UNTIL THE CHOCOLATE MELTS, AND THEN STIR GENTLY WITH A RUBBER SPATULA (SO AS TO INCORPORATE AS LITTLE AIR AS POSSIBLE) UNTIL SMOOTH. POUR THE GANACHE OVER THE CAKE, AND TILT AND TURN THE CAKE PAN TO COVER THE TOP EVENTLY. THE COLD TEMPERATURE OF THE CAKE WILL HELP THE GANACHE SET UP. WHEN THE CHOCOLATE IS SET, AFTER 20 MINUTES, RUN A THIN KNIFE BLADE AROUND THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE PAN TO LOOSEN THE CAE SIDES. (OR, YOU CAN INSTEAD WRAP A DAMP, WARM TOWEL AROUND THE PAN SIDES, OR USE A KITCHEN TORCH TO WARM THE METAL; BOTH WILL LOOSEN THE CAKE SIDES). RELEASE AND LIFT OFF THE PAN SIDES. USING A WIDE METAL SPATULA, TRANSFER THE CAKE TO A SERVING PLATE, IF USING OR LEAVE IT IN THE PAN BASE (I LEAVE IT IN THE PAN).

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16.TO SERVE:

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17.SERVE THE CAKE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE OR COLD. IF SERVED COLD, SLICE THE CAKE WITH A WARM KNIFE (HAE A TALL CONTAINER FILLED WITH VERY HOT WATER FOR DIPPING THE KNIFE BEFORE EACH CUT AND A TOWEL TO WIPE THE KNIFE CLEAN AFTER EACH CUT). IF YOU PREFER TO SERVE THE CAKE A LITTLE WARMER, IT WILL HAVE A LIGHTER, MORE MOUSSELIKE CONSISTENCY, WHICH IS MORE DIFFICULT TO CUT (I HAD NO PROBLEM, I LOVE THIS CAKE AT ROOM TEMP, EVEN AFTER THE 3 HOURS IT RESTS BEFORE IT HITS THE REFIGERATOR. I USUALLY ONLY REFRIGERATE THE LEFT OVERS)

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18.IT KEEPS FOR UP TO 1 WEEK. WRAP WELL FOR STORAGE; CHOCOLATE ABSORBS REFRIGERATOR ODORS.

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19.I SERVE THIS WITH WHIPPED CREAM, LIGHTLY SWEET OR NO SUGAR IN IT. CAKE IS SWEET AND RICH. I CUT UP STRAWBERRIES WITH THIS AND SERVE ON SIDE WITH WHIPPED CREAM.

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20.THIS IS MY MOST REQUESTED RECIPE ALONG WITH MY CHEESECAKE AND APPLE PIE. Thank you Tartine!

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