Are you ready? Gooey chocolate brownie base with walnut chunks topped with a rich flourless chocolate cake covered with chocolate ganache. If there is such a thing as death by chocolate then I must have died and gone to heaven. This is so decadent, rich, creamy, delicious, so very chocolatey, it will blow your mind. It’s not difficult to put together and it’s the perfect dessert to impress your guests.
No cake layers to split either. You will bake the whole thing in a 25 cm spring-form pan, then cover it with ganache and refrigerate. Transfer on your best dessert platter and serve with a proud look on your face. Your guests will love you.
Flourless, Chocolate Brownie Cake
Gooey chocolate brownie base with walnut chunks topped with a rich flourless chocolate cake covered with chocolate ganache. If there is such a thing as death by chocolate then I must have died and gone to heaven. This is so decadent, rich, creamy, delicious, so very chocolatey, it will blow your mind.
Ingredients
For the brownie layer
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 125 grams unsalted butter
- ¾ cup cocoa
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
For the cake layer
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 125 grams unsalted butter
- 500 grams bittersweet chocolate, I use Cadbury’s Bournville
- 6 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the ganache
- 200 grams bittersweet chocolate, I use Cadbury’s Bournville
- 1 cup cream
- 2 Tbs Cointreau, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175° C. Butter the base and sides of a 25cm round spring-form pan. Line base and sides with greaseproof paper.
- Put walnut halves in a baking tray and roast in the oven for 6-7 minutes until fragrant. Cool slightly and roughly chop in big chunks.
- Reduce oven temperature to 160° C. Melt butter over low heat. Add cocoa and sugar and mix. Put mixture in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add eggs one at a time and whisk until combined. Stir in vanilla.
- Sift the flour directly into the mixture and fold in with a spatula. Mix only until combined. Fold in nuts.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread allover the base using a small offset spatula or a spoon. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the cake layer while brownie base bakes. In a small saucepan put the water and sugar. Bring to boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- In another pot melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Stir until chocolate has melted completely and mixture is smooth.
- Add syrup into the chocolate mixture. Stir until smooth and glossy. Transfer chocolate mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Whisk in vanilla.
- Gently pour chocolate cake mixture over the brownie mixture. Do it slowly so as not to smash the surface of the brownie. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cake will rise and may crack in places. It may still be a bit wobbly in the middle but will set when completely cool. Cool cake completely in the pan. Cake will sink slightly as it cools and that’s ok.
- Make the ganache. Chop the chocolate and put in a bowl. Heat the cream and as soon as it comes to almost boiling point, pour over the chocolate in the bowl. Let the chocolate stand for a few minutes. Stir until chocolate has melted completely and mixture is smooth. Stir in the liqueur if using. Let ganache cool about 30 minutes.
- Pour ganache over cooled cake in the pan. Transfer cake to fridge and refrigerated for 12-48 hours before serving.
- When ready to serve, remove the sides of the spring-form pan. Peel off the greaseproof paper from the sides of the chilled cake and discard. Use a small spatula to lift the cake and release it from the base of the pan. Remove the greaseproof paper from the bottom of the cake and discard. Transfer cake on a serving platter.
- Slice thinly as cake is rich. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. To the hard-core chocoholics serve it plain.
