Chocolate Raspberry Souffle Cake
(Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 8-12)

The sumptuous contrast of intense raspberry flavor and rich dark chocolate is timeless. It never goes out of style because the two flavors have such an affinity for each other. In this dessert, a dense, very moist chocolate cake is brushed with your choice of raspberry (Framboise) or blackcurrant (cassis) eau de vie or liqueur, or other berry flavored liqueur, and then coated with Chocolate Ganache, and served with a raspberry sauce. It is lovely and delicious. The cocoa I used in this recipe is Callebaut, a very dark cocoa with a deep chocolate flavor. Look on the Recommendations page of this web site for information on where you can buy it. You can also use your choice of other high quality cocoas. For this cake, a rich chocolate batter is folded into an egg white meringue. See the Tips section for information on how to fold ingredients. The batter for this cake will come up almost to the top of the pan before it is baked. Your pan must be at least 3 inches deep to accommodate this. You will also need a baking pan, such as a roasting pan, that is large enough to hold the springform pan. This cake is baked in a water bath to keep the sides from over baking before the center is done. It’s not difficult to use a water bath, but be mindful of the hot water so you don’t burn yourself.

For the cake batter:
3 ounces excellent quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 egg yolks from eggs graded large
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cake flour

For the meringue:
6 egg whites from eggs graded large
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the raspberry coating:
3 tablespoons excellent quality seedless raspberry jam or preserves
1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur, such as Framboise or Razzmatazz

For the chocolate glaze:
Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degreed Fahrenheit and arrange the racks so they divide the oven into thirds. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment on the bottom only, and spray the parchment and the sides of the pan with a non-stick spray. Wrap the entire outside of the pan, bottom and sides, with heavy-duty foil. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a teapot.

Set up your mise en place. (See the Helpful Hints section of this web site.) Melt the chocolate according to the directions in the Tips section of this web site. Place all of the remaining ingredients for the batter into a large bowl with a wide rim. Mix them thoroughly with a wire whisk. Add the melted chocolate and mix well.

Make the meringue by placing the egg whites and cream of tartar into a mixing bowl and beating them on high speed until they are starting to form soft peaks. With the mixer running add the sugar very slowly and continue to beat on high speed for 3 more minutes, until the mixture becomes very stiff and holds a peak when the beater is removed.

Add 1/3 of the meringue to the bowl with the batter, and use a flat whisk or a large rubber spatula to stir the meringue into the batter. Then half of the remaining meringue and gently fold it into the batter until it is a consistent color. Fold the remaining meringue into the batter and then pour it into the prepared pan. Put the larger pan into the preheated oven and place the filled pan, wrapped in foil, into the larger pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the larger pan so the water comes up about an inch or more on the outside of the springform pan, being vigilant about not getting any water into the cake batter. Bake the cake for about 50-60 minutes. The cake will be done when it registers between 155 and 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Remove the springform pan very carefully from the water bath and place it on a wire rack. Remove the foil from the pan and throw the foil away. Let the cake cool completely in the pan. If you are not using your oven for anything else, let the water bath cool in the oven until it can be safely handled. If you must remove it to use the oven, be extremely careful that you don’t spill hot water on yourself or someone else.

While the cake is cooling, make the Ganache. Set it aside to partially cool. Next make the raspberry coating: Place all of the ingredients into a small saucepan and heat the coating, stirring constantly, until it starts to simmer. Remove from the heat.

When the cake is completely cooled, run a sharp knife along the sides of the springform pan to loosen the sides of the cake. Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto a wire rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan. You may need to gently pry it loose with an icing spatula. Peel the parchment from the bottom of the cake. Place a serving dish over the bottom of the cake and turn it right side up, removing the wire rack. Brush off any loose crumbs with your fingers. Use a pastry brush to brush the raspberry coating onto the top and sides of the cake. Use up all of the coating. Let the coating set for about 10 minutes, and then pour the slightly cooled Ganache onto the top of the cake. Using an offset icing spatula, push the Ganache to the edges of the cake, letting a little of the Ganache fall over the sides. Smooth the sides with a spatula. Keep doing this until the cake is completely covered with Ganache. Let the cake cool. You can keep it at room temperature in a covered cake saver, or you can chill it and then wrap the chilled cake in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator.

This cake is very moist and soft inside. It cuts best when it is cold. The easiest way to cut it is by using dental floss. I use Glide brand, because it is synthetic and can be rinsed off after each cut. Cut off a piece of floss about 2 feet long. Hold one end of the floss in each hand, and pull it through the center diameter of the cake. Rinse the floss and wipe it dry. Move the floss perpendicular to the first cut and pull it through again, making 4 pieces of cake. Rinse the floss and continue cutting the cake until you have as many pieces as you want. Use a pie server to carefully lift each piece from the serving plate. Serve with whipped cream and Raspberry Sauce (see recipe below) if desired.

Raspberry Sauce
(Makes about 2 cups)

Chocolate cake always tastes so much better to me when Raspberry Sauce accompanies it. This sauce is easy to make, and can be prepared days in advance.

One 12-ounce package frozen raspberries, without sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup, or to taste, raspberry liqueur, such as Framboise or Razzmatazz

Set up your mise en place. (See the Helpful Hints section of this web site.) Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and heat it to a simmer, stirring often. Don’t let it boil over. Remove from the heat and use a large spoon to skim off the foam. Stir the sauce and pour it into a serving container. Serve warm or cold with fresh raspberries if you prefer.

Chocolate Ganache
(Makes about 2 cups)

Chocolate Ganache is the classic standby of most professional pastry chefs when it comes to frosting a cake. The recipe never varies. It can be used as a frosting, a filling, or cooled and piped as a decoration. Use the best quality chocolate you can buy. The flavor of Ganache is true and clean. It has always been my favorite for flavor and texture, but it is also a quick fix when I am running on a tight clock.

8 ounces excellent quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Place both ingredients in a microwave-safe container and microwave the mixture on high for 1-1/2 minutes. Check to see if most of the chocolate is melted. If not, return the container to the microwave for another 20-30 seconds. When most of the chocolate is melted, stir with a wire whisk until all of the chocolate has melted and the Ganache is perfectly smooth. If you are using it as a glaze, let it cool slightly and pour it over the cake or dessert. If you are using it as a filling or frosting, cover it with plastic wrap so that the wrap is covering the surface of the Ganache, and set it in a refrigerator to cool. When it is completely cool stir it gently with a wire whisk and frost or fill the cake. Be very careful that you do not beat the Ganache, because it will become grainy if it is beaten.

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