Three ingredients for a cake that is one of the deepest, darkest, most chocolatiest things to come out of my oven.

The end of February brings us to Daring Bakers time.  This month, the Daring Bakers presented us with the following challenge…

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.  We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Hmm, my thoughts…well…have I mentioned I’m not a big fan of chocolate?  I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of making a plain chocolate cake, but they won me over with the bonus of being able to choose whatever kind of ice cream I wanted.  My family has a long standing tradition of making homemade ice cream, and we all know that everything tastes better when it’s homemade (except twinkies).  But ice cream is 500 million times better when it is homemade.  I went immediately to David Lebovitz‘s The Perfect Scoop and decided on the Malted Milk Ice Cream.  I adore malted milk and think it’s great that it has the chance to really show itself as the star of this ice cream.

flourless chocolate cake with malted milk ice cream

16 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (I used a mix of both, because I had a half bag of each)

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter

5 eggs separated

Butter and line the bottom of your pan with parchment and the butter the parchment.  You can use one 8 inch round pan, but I used 6 traditional sized ramekins and 4 mini round baking dishes. 

Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

While the chocolate is cooling, separate the eggs into two different medium sized bowls.  Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed (do not over whip or the cake will be dry).  With the same beater, beat the egg yolks together.  Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate. 

Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3.  Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s), the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake for 25 – 30 minutes.  Cool cake on rack for 10 minutes, then unmold.

as for the ice cream

adapted from David Lebovitz (The Perfect Scoop)

1 cup half and half

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 malt powder

6 large egg yolks

Warm the half and half, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan.  In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla, and malt powder and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back in the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  Pour the custard through the stainer and whisk it into the malted milk mixture.  Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Now if you will excuse me I’m going to wrap myself in my new sweater and crash in front of the television.  My dear children have given me their miserable cold and now I ache and sniffle and am planning on spending the rest of my evening watching television.  Bad television in fact, the kind of stuff that softens your brain to mush, just like on that hulu commercial with Alec Baldwin.  And I won’t feel bad about it because it’s my birthday week, and that’s how I roll.