Le Francais Gâteau Au Chocolat

Submitted by Dan-Amer 1

"This is from Le Francais restaurant in suburban Chicago which was absolutely the best French restaurant in the Chicago area when I lived there. I was fortunate enough to dine at the restaurant several times and we were always very pleased with each experience."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 1 12 inch cake

ingredients

• 14 ounces semisweet baking chocolate (Ghiradelli recommended)
• 1⁄4 lb unsalted butter, plus
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 10 eggs, separated
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• powdered sugar, for dusting cake

directions

1. Preheat your oven to 250°F
2. Break the chocolate up into chunks and place it with the butter into the top of a double boiler. Melt and blend this mixture over simmering water.
3. Stir 1 1/4 cups of the sugar into the melted chocolate and continue heating until the sugar has been completely absorbed.
4. Best the egg yolks in a separate bowl and little by little beat the chocolate mixture into. Put back in double boiler and cook over simmering water until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and cool, then add the Grand Marnier and the vanilla extract.
5. Beat the egg whites into soft peaks, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
6. Spoon 1/3 of the chocolate mixture over the egg whites and fold in carefully. Fold in the remaining chocolate mixture. Spoon into aa greased and floured 12 inch springform pan. Bake for at least 3 hours, or until done. Let the cake cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Transfer to a serving platter, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with boiled custard (crème anglaise).