Dark Chocolate Meringue Cake
Our chefs went all out with the chocolate: They finished a rich flourless chocolate cake with an airy meringue topping and drizzled on melted dark chocolate. Offer this showstopping dessert as a grand finale for your holiday feast or other celebratory gathering. When beating the egg whites, watch closely—as soon as they form stiff, glossy peaks, you’re there. If overbeaten, they will appear grainy and can separate. You can bake the cake up to 12 hours in advance; let it stand at room temperature until ready to serve.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 8 Tbs. (1 stick) (4 oz./125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces, plus more for greasing
- 10 oz. (315 g) dark chocolate chips
- 5 eggs, separated
- 3 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz./105 g) sugar
For the chocolate meringue topping:
- 5 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (4 1/4 oz./133 g) sugar
- Scant 1/3 cup (2 oz./60 g) dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 275°F (135°C). Butter a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper cut to fit. Butter the paper.
To make the cake, fill a small saucepan with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water, place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Set a large heatproof bowl on top, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Put the butter and chocolate chips in the bowl and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.
Remove the bowl with the chocolate mixture from the saucepan and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With the mixer running on medium-high, slowly add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 1 minute. Transfer the egg whites to the bowl with the chocolate mixture and gently fold to combine until no streaks remain.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes. The cake will still be underdone and jiggle in the center but should have a semisolid top. Remove the cake from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
Meanwhile, make the chocolate meringue topping: In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With the mixer running on medium-high, slowly add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 1 minute.
Place the chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high power until melted and smooth. Stir the chocolate, then let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Carefully and evenly dollop the meringue on top of the cake (a large ice cream scoop works well for this). Then drizzle on the melted chocolate. Using the tip of a knife, swirl the chocolate into the meringue, being careful not to mix them together, as you want a clear distinction between the two.
Return the cake to the oven and bake until the meringue has a semihard shell when gently tapped, about 15 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan, cut the cake into slices and serve. Serves 8.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
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