Help--lost 2002 Cook's Illustrated recipe

[veryveryrosalind]

On several occasions I have made a fantastic flourless chocolate cake that I found in a Cook's Illustrated issue from summer or fall 2002. I want to make it again but can't find the issue. I own "The New Best Recipe," but I'm sure the flourless chocolate cake recipe in that book isn't the same--I recall that the one I used to make didn't include any butter, just many eggs and many ounces of high-quality semisweet chocolate. Maybe the one I want wasn't called "flourless"--maybe it was a "dark chocolate torte." Does anybody happen to have this recipe? Thanks!!!

[Rubee]

Are you sure it's from 2002? I just went through all 6 issues and there are only two chocolate cakes, though neither fit your description. One is a Hot Fudge Pudding Cake from May/June 2002 and the other is a Chocolate Mousse Cake from the November/December issue pikawicca mentions above.

[Becca Porter]

It sounds like it could be the chocolate mousse cake...which is fantastic. Does it use eggs or gelatin?

[Rubee]

Eight eggs (with butter, chocolate, vanilla, salt and light brown sugar).

[veryveryrosalind]

Thanks so much, everyone!! It was, in fact, the Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake from Nov/Dec 2002 that I was thinking of; I remember the orange variation and the recommendation to use Hershey's Special Dark (although I've always used Ghirardelli instead). I don't know why I remembered that it didn't contain any butter--very strange. Maybe that was just a lie I told myself as I consumed a third piece. :) In any case, THANK YOU, I am thrilled to have the recipe back and will be making it for my mom's 62nd birthday this weekend!!!

[Mother of four]

This is the one that I make, have no idea where I got the recipe but it is excellent. It does have butter, but I can't imagine one without butter.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Cake

1 cup (60z) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
½ cup (1 stick, 4 oz) unsalted butter
¾ cup (5 ¼ oz) granulated sugar
1/8t salt
1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder
3 large eggs
½ cup (1 1/2 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-Process preferred

Glaze

1 cup (60z) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
½ cup (4oz) heavy cream

Topping

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350 degree oven till golden brown, about 10 min.

Oven to 375 degrees
Lightly grease an 8 round cake pan; cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit, grease it, and lay it in the bottom of the pan.

Directions for cake

Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat till the butter is melted and the chips are soft. Stir until the chips melt, reheating briefly if necessary. You can also do this over a burner set at very low heat. Transfer the melted chocolate/butter to a mixing bowl.
Add the sugar, salt, and espresso powder. Espresso enhances the chocolates flavor much as vanilla does: using 1 teaspoon will simply enhance the flavor, while 2 teaspoons will lend a hint of mocha to the cake. Add the eggs, beating briefly until smooth.
Add the cocoa powder and mix just to combine.

To prepare the glaze: Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the cream is very hot, but not simmering. Remove from the microwave, and stir till the chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth.

Spoon the glaze over the cake, spreading it to drip over the sides a bit. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake.

Yield: one 8 cake, 12 servings

[lulou23]

A quick look thru CI website only brought up cakes with butter. Could it have been a special summer or fall issue that combined CI and Cooks Country, and the recipe originates from CC?

[JaneEYB]

I know that Cook's Illustrated recycle a lot of magazine recipes through their books so I'll give you a few options in their cookbooks and hopefully one of these is the right one:

Flourless chocolate cake - Baking Illustrated
Large fallen chocolate cake - Baking Illustrated
Flourless chocolate cale - The Best Make-Ahead Recipe
Fallen chocolate cake - The Best Recipe
Large fallen chocolate cake - The New Best Recipe
Flourless chocolate cake - The New Best Recipe

As you can see the same recipes come up often. With just eggs and chocolate it's possible it has a name like chocolate soufflé cake or chocolate mousse cake. You could also try Cook's Illustrated's website.

[blue room]

On their website, I see "Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Cake" but it is from 1998. Has butter though.

Could it be "Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake" from 2002? oh, no-- this one has butter, 8 eggs.

[pikawicca]

This is the only chocolate cake recipe from 2002 that I could find. It does contain butter, though.
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recip...