Chocolate Pudding Cake & Chocolate Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon creme de cacao
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (not pictured)

Step 1:

Pour the cream into a bowl. Add the creme de cacao and vanilla extract, then sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder over it.

Step 2:

You have two choices now. You can either beat this manually/in a mixer until it reaches the desired consistency, or pour the mix into a whipped cream charger. I chose the latter because I have one.

Step 3:

Seal the charger, inject a canister of nitrous, and shake until dispensed product attains the desired level of whippy goodness.

Refrigerate until needed.

Step 4:

Chocolate Pudding Cake

4.5 ounces (~1/2 cup by volume) super dark chocolate
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
3/4 cup + 4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon creme de cacao
red food coloring (optional)

Step 5:

Put the chocolate and butter in a double boiler and melt.

Step 6:

Melt:

Step 7:

Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Cream the eggs, yolks, and sugar in another bowl, then add the creme de cacao and vanilla and stir to combine. You could also add the red food coloring at this stage, or you could add it later like I did.

Pour the melted chocolate onto the flour mixture and stir to combine into a very solid ball.

Add the egg mixture and work it into the dough until you have a unified mass.

Step 8:

At this stage you can also add the food coloring to get a sort of marbled effect that I find rather nice in the finished product.

Step 9:

Grease and "flour" your baking device with cocoa powder.

Step 10:

Put half of the mixture into your heart pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for twelve minutes, no more. You want the insides to be moist and pudding-y while the outside is crunchy and durable.

Step 11:

While the cake is in the oven, take 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and spin it in a food processor while adding red food coloring drop by drop. Aim for a nice medium pink.

Step 12:

Pull your finished cake from the oven. Allow it to cool for a few minutes before handling.

Step 13:

Sift the colored powdered sugar over the top. I did this while the cake was still in the pan to keep the sides clean.

Step 14:

Remove from pan and plate, garnishing with chocolate whipped cream and raspberries as appropriate.

Step 15:

Closeup:

Step 16:

Here's a picture of the ooey-gooey insides. This is perhaps slightly over baked, I think my oven may be a bit hotter than it says.