Daring Bakers Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Today is already February 28th…the end of the month means another Daring Bakers reveal.

The February 2009 challenge was hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. For this challenge we selected Chef Wan’s Chocolate Valentino cake along with two vanilla ice cream recipes — one from Dharm and one from Wendy.

Here’s what the challenge required:
1. Use Chef Wan’s Valentino Chocolate Cake recipe.
2. Make homemade ice cream using your preferred flavor and recipe.
3. Use your favorite chocolate — I used semi-sweet.

I’ve been very busy lately, so I appreciated that this challenge was straightforward and didn’t require days of prep or a long list of ingredients. I already had everything I needed in my pantry and fridge. I also pulled out my KitchenAid ice cream attachment, which saw a lot of use over the summer but hadn’t been used since October. I knew immediately which ice cream I wanted to pair with the cake: Tyler Florence’s Vanilla Bean ice cream, which tastes remarkably like crème brûlée. I usually make a smaller batch by cutting Tyler’s recipe into thirds. It’s an excellent base and adapts well to variations.

The Valentino Chocolate Cake batter came together so quickly I worried I had missed a step. I have a heart-shaped pan but opted to bake in a variety of ramekins I’d collected recently. Fearing the cakes might cling to the ramekins, I also prepared a small 4-inch springform as a backup. In the end, the cakes released easily from the ramekins, so the extra precaution wasn’t needed.

I served the mini flourless chocolate cakes with the homemade vanilla bean ice cream, freshly whipped cream, and a bright raspberry sauce. The combination was harmonious — the rich, intense chocolate paired beautifully with the creamy vanilla and the tart berry sauce. We were impressed by how simple the recipe was and by how elegant the finished dessert tasted.

Many thanks to Dharm and Wendy for choosing this delightful dessert. If you’re craving another version of a flourless chocolate cake, the Daring Bakers blogroll features many more takes on this sinfully delicious treat.