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Chocolate: Chocolate and Prune Soufflé Cake

Source of Recipe

Chef Terry Mitchell


Recipe Introduction

"This recipe gives you a rich chocolate pudding with the rich prunes to help moisten and provide extra flavour. I usually cook these in individual moulds, but a 15-20 cm (6-8 in) cake tin or flan mould can be used. If so, cook the pudding for 35-40 minutes instead of 20 minutes. The pudding rises and has an almost soufflé consistency when warm, but once cold becomes a sunken soufflé, giving it a pudding texture. The cakes are light to eat and can be served as puddings or cakes. As a pudding, I like to serve them with thick whipped or clotted cream or perhaps an Anglaise Sauce."

List of Ingredients

8-10 prunes, stoned and cut into strips
1 tbsp brandy
225 gm (8 oz) dark plain chocolate
100 gm (4 oz) unsalted butter
4 eggs, separated
100 gm (4 oz) caster sugar




Recipe

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius / 350 degrees Farhenheit Gas mark 4. You will need individual, loose-bottomed 9 cm (3 1/2 in) cake tins 2.5 cm (1 in) deep, lightly dusted with flour and base-lined with greaseproof paper. Before using the prunes, soak them in the brandy until plump and soft. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a pan of warm water, not allowing the water to boil or come into contact with the bowl. Once melted, remove the bowl from the pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Whisk together the egg yolk and sugar until the mixture is pale and has thickened so that it trails off the whisk in thick ribbons. Fold the egg yolk mix into the chocolate, making sure both are at room temperature. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then carefully fold them into the chocolate mix. Divide the mix between the moulds and add the prunes. Bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 20 minutes until the cakes have risen like souffles. Once removed from the oven, they will take on a sunken soufflé look. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes, then carefully remove and serve as a cake or pudding. Accompany with Anglaise sauce, cream or both ! You can also garnish the plates with a dusting of icing sugar or cocoa.

Serves 4