Bert Greene's Chocolate Cut Velvet

Submitted by coconutty

"I am posting a few cake recipes of food writers who are no longer with us and whose recipes may be hard to find. Bert Greene was a well-known food columnist in the 1980's. This was one of his famous recipes, an "almost flourless" cake. I haven't tried it but I hope someone does and enjoys it. Bert Greene insisted on using imported chocolate, such as Tobler's Milk Chocolate bars. Allow extra time for the cake to cool in the oven when baking and to stand after it has been chilled in the refrigerator."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 1 lb imported european sweet chocolate
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat chocolate, water and vanilla in the top of a 2-quart double boiler over hot water over low heat. Allow the chocolate to melt very slowly since sweet chocolate, if melted too quickly, can turn into a lump. If this starts to happen, beat in butter immediately. Remove from heat and stir in the flour, sugar and butter.
3. Beat egg yolks lightly and whisk into the chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites just until stiff but not dry and fold gently into the chocolate mixture.
4. Line a buttered 8-inch springform pan with waxed paper. Butter the paper and pour in the batter.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the oven door ajar. Cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour.
6. Carefully remove the outer rim of the cake pan. Place a serving plate over the cake and invert. Remove the waxed paper.
7. Whip cream with the Grand Marnier until stiff. Using a pastry bag, pipe cream over the top of the cake in a lattice pattern. Pipe stars around the base of the cake. Refrigerate.
8. Remove the cake from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
9. Cut into small pieces as it is very rich.