The Catalan TableIngredients
Servings:
4
Ingredients
- 4 egg (L)
- 125 gbutter
- 65 gweak flour or pastry flour
- 50 g100% cocoa powder
- 150 gsugar
- 500 mlwhole milk (warm)
- 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
- salt
- 1 teaspoonvinegar
- cocoa powder for decorating (or powdered sugar if making it regular)
- a little butter to grease the mold
Nutritional Information
Per Serving (Approx.)
Calories
668 kcal
Protein
22 g
Fat
39 g
Carbohydrates
65 g
Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.
Step-by-step Guide
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 160 ºC, ensuring it reaches this temperature at least one hour before baking the cake.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat until it is completely liquid. Remove from the heat and let cool until warm. Set aside.
- Gently heat the milk in a small saucepan until it is warm (approximately 37 ºC) and add the vanilla essence. Mix well. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder together into a large bowl to ensure there are no lumps. Set aside.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks by breaking each egg separately. Pour the white into a glass; only add it to the others if there is no presence of yolk. Repeat with the other eggs.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vinegar until stiff peaks form. Remove the beaters.
- Separately, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes pale and triples in volume, about 6 minutes using an electric mixer.
- Gradually add the melted butter (almost cooled) to the yolks and continue beating on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder, and incorporate them into the yolk mixture in several stages, stirring after each addition until there are no visible lumps.
- Gradually add the warm milk, stirring continuously until well integrated into the batter.
- To combine the chocolate mixture with the whipped egg whites, we will do it in two distinct phases.
- First, add three tablespoons of whipped egg whites to the chocolate mixture and gently fold with a spatula until a homogeneous mixture is achieved.
- Then, pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl of whipped egg whites in three stages, carefully folding with a spatula from the inside out. Try to avoid losing volume by folding slowly and gently.
Must not Remain Fixed
- Grease and flour the mold, ensuring that the entire surface is well covered to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Fill the mold with the prepared batter evenly, making sure it is distributed uniformly.
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC. After the 60-minute baking time, check that the cake is properly cooked by inserting a toothpick into the center, which should come out clean.
- Once cooked, turn off the oven and leave the cake inside with the oven door half-open. This will allow it to cool slowly to room temperature without subjecting it to a sudden temperature change.
- When the cake is cold, place it in the refrigerator without unmolding it to ensure it maintains its consistency.
- When it is time to serve, it's best to cut the pieces directly inside the mold, as it is a type of cake that can easily break if unmolded.
- Before serving, sprinkle some sifted cocoa powder or powdered sugar over each piece to decorate and add an extra touch of sweetness.
Recommendations & Tricks
- Once baked, the cake will separate into three layers: the base will be like a dense pudding, the center a smooth cream, and on top, a fluffy sponge cake. It is important to respect the cooking time and temperature to achieve this magical effect.
- If you prefer a chocolate-free version, replace the amount of cocoa with the same amount of all-purpose flour. This will create a cake with a similar texture but a more neutral flavor.
- Use a solid mold, not a removable one, as the batter is very liquid and could spill. Suitable materials include glass, silicone, or aluminum.
- Use a mold with a diameter of approximately 22 cm or 20x20 cm, with a one-liter capacity. This will help to clearly define the three layers of the cake.
- When beating the egg whites, ensure the bowl is completely clean and dry; any trace of fat will prevent them from whipping properly. Start with the egg whites to avoid having to clean the beaters before beating the yolks.
- Preheat the oven accurately to the temperature indicated in the recipe to prevent the cake from cooking unevenly.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before unmolding to ensure the layers remain intact and well-defined.