Chocolate Nut Rum Gâteau
I call this my almost flourless cake, well except for 1 tbsp. It is an easy cake to make with the chocolate glaze providing a shiny crown of glory, not to mention what it does for your taste buds!
Ingredients:
Cake:
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp. dark rum
2 cups ground pecans or hazelnuts
1 tbsp. flour
Glaze:
1/3 cup light cream/coffee cream
2 tbsp. dark rum (optional)
2 tsp. instant espresso powder
1/2 lb. Scharffen Berger 70% chocolate, rocky mountain chocolate or other quality 70% chocolate
1/2 cup whipped cream, to garnish
8 whole toasted pecans, to garnish
8 whole coffee beans to, garnish
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F, grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.
2. For the cake: Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Set aside. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and rum until light and lemon colored. About 5 minutes fold the nuts into the yolks mixture. Then take 1/3 of the beaten whites and mix into the yolks. Taking care, fold in the remaining 2/3, trying to keep the batter light.
3. Turn into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan, then release the cake onto your serving plate.
4. For the glaze: Place the light cream, rum, espresso powder and chocolate in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Simmer on low heat until the glaze is melted and smooth. When cooled, but still liquid, pour over the cake in an even coating.
5. If desired, chop 1 cup toasted nuts and press evenly into the sides of the cake. Whip the 1/2 cup of cream, place in a piping bag, fitted with a star tip and pipe 8 rosettes on the top of the cake. Garnish each rosette with a pecan half and a coffee bean.
Serves 8.
