This whiskey laced dessert has a subtle, mysterious complexity in its flavor that is hard to pin down. The booze is not immediately recognizable, but it’s enough to elevate this simple chocolate dessert into something far more sophisticated. A complimentary note comes from a tablespoon of hot espresso, added to the ganache. A topping of unsweetened whipped cream is just right here.
Note:
This recipe calls for potato starch, not the same thing as potato flour.
Chocolate Whiskey Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Medium6
servings35
minutes23
minutesWhiskey adds a splash of elegance to this simple dessert.
Ingredients
- For the cake
1/4 cup good whiskey
1/2 cup raisins
6 oz chocolate (60 – 70% cocoa)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, preferably European
3 large eggs, separeted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons potato starch
2/3 cup almond flour
- For the ganache
3 oz dark chocolate
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon hot espresso (optional)
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C. Warm up whiskey and pour it over raisins. Set aside.
- Place a round of parchment paper in the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan and butter the sides. In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth and remove from heat.
- Use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl for a good five minutes, or until pale and fluffy. With motor running, pour in chocolate in a slow, steady stream. Add potato starch and almond flour, and beat until smooth. Fold in raisins and whiskey.
- In a clean mixing bowl, whip egg whites until firm. Stir a fourth into chocolate batter to lighten it, then gently but decisively fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks of white remain.
- Pour batter into pan and bake until a knife inserted in cake comes out moist with a smudge of chocolaty batter, 23-26 minutes. Don’t overbake. The cake should be soft in the middle.
- Set cake aside to come to room temperature. After about 5 minutes, remove sides of springform pan.
- Make the ganache: In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter with espresso, if using. Stir until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and stir until perfectly smooth.
- Once cake reaches room temperature, frost with ganache. Refrigerate at least half an hour, or up to 8 hours. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Serve with unsweetened whipped cream.
Notes
- This recipe calls for potato starch, not the same thing as potato flour.
