Chocolate Orange Marquise

Submitted by Miss Erin C.

"This is very rich and moist and doesn't need any accompaniment, but you can add light cream if desired."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup fresh orange juice
• 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 5 eggs
• 1 orange, zest of
• 3 tablespoons flour
• powdered sugar
• 1 finely pared strips orange zest (to decorate)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, grease a 9" cake pan to the depth of 2", line bottom with parchment.
2. Place 1/2 c of sugar in a saucepan, add orange juice and stir over gentle heat until sugar has dissolved completely.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until melted, then add butter, cube by cube until melted and thouroghly mixed.
4. Whisk the eggs into the remaining sugar in a large bowl until very thick, add the orange zest.
5. Using a metal spoon, fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture lightly and evenly.
6. Sift the flour over the top and fold in.
7. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan.
8. Place in a rosting pan, transfer to the oven and pour hot water into the roasting pan to abut halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
9. Bake for about 1 hour or until the cake is firm to the touch.
10. Remove the cake from the water bath and place on a wire rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.
11. To turn out, invert the cake onto a baking sheet, place a serving plate upside down on top, then turn plate and baking sheet over together so the cake is transferred to the plate.
12. Dust with confectioners sugar and decorate with stips of pared orange zest.

Reviews

[Claire312]

Based on the simple directions and the everyday ingredients, I thought for sure this would be a 3 star dessert...if I was lucky. Boy was I wrong! This is spectacular -- one of the best cakes I've ever made -- and I feel so proud to have made it from scratch. The cake is dense but not heavy and has a full orange flavor. I used Hershey's Best Dark Chocolate and 2 tablespoons (the recipe doesn't say how much) of orange zest. Thanks you so much, Erin!

 

[Anya4405]

It may be the best chocolate cake I ever tasted and it is quite easy to make. I'll have to remember not to try to eat it warm; I find that its flavour is much better if you let it cool completely and keep in the fridge for at least an hour or so before serving. I got away with not greasing the tin or the paper - there is quite enough butter in the mixture to allow it. I also don't invert it the second time - I find that the bottom side looks better than the top side.

 

[Mirj2338]

I was on a roll this weekend and made three of Erin's concoctions. This one was by far the best! I have nothing to add to this recipe, it is perfect as is and needs no improvement!

 

[skat5762]

My MIL makes Julia Child's Incredible Grand-Marquis of Everlasting Chocolate Cake every year for her husband's birthday (okay so maybe that isn't what it is called, but its a 4-page recipe that is *loaded* with chocolate and takes some definate attention to make). I made your Chocolate Orange Marquise in honor of mine and my mother-in-law's birthday. As FIL was sampling, he said, I think we have a new yearly cake!! (the man loves dessert). This cake is *very* easy to make, and when I finally get my microplane zester, it will be just that much easier. I ended up baking it a 9-inch springform pan, and I didn't grease the insides. Big mistake. I released the sides of the springform and went to flip the cake out onto the cooling racks. All but a quarter of it came out nicely. I ended up having to very carefully cut that side from the pan. Luckily, the cake was extremely moist and almost fudgey, so I was able to get it back together very nicely with water-moistened fingertips. Thank goodness for garnishes. I decorated it with shaved chocolate curls, julienned orange zest, and a trio of fresh flowers. It looked absolutely stunning, and the taste was rich, decadent and perfect for a celebration. Thank you, Erin!

 

[Mrs. Mike F]

I absolutely love this, as do the members of my family! There is a great coffee shop in Portland Oregon (Rimsky Korsakoffee House)that has a secret recipe which turns out like this. A secret to me no longer! I am making it as a baby shower cake next weekend...any suggestions for a glaze? It would need to be pretty special to go on this cake! Thanks so much for the recipe.