This dark and decadent cake is a crowd-pleaser. A perfect St. Patrick's Day dessert, it will satisfy your chocolate lovers and those avoiding gluten.
INGREDIENTS
12 oz good quality semisweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup of Guinness or stout beer
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
6 eggs (room temperature)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder + some for dusting pan
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
METHOD
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan, dusting with 1 tbsp of cocoa powder. Tap out any excess.
Melt chocolate with the butter in a bain marie or double boiler. Stir well until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can microwave the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in 15 second intervals, stirring in between. Allow mixture to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together stout, sugar, and salt. Add eggs and whisk until combined.
Time to temper the eggs. Slowly pour a small amount of the melted chocolate/butter mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Continue drizzling the warm chocolate into the egg mixture. Go slow and keep stirring or you may wind up with scrambled eggs.
Whisk the unsweetened cocoa powder and instant espresso powder into the mixture until well combined.
Pour the batter into greased and "floured" pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges have set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. A few crumbs are fine, you don't want to over bake it.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar or serve with dollops of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Adding a bit of Bailey's Irish Cream to the whipped cream is a decadent treat.
Store the cake in the refrigerator. Most people prefer this cake served cold.