Apricot

Gateau Mami

January 27, 2010
5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 10-12 thin slices
Author Notes

This may seem like a banal chocolate cake, but it's anything but! It's the secret family recipe of my grandmother (Mami, who is French, Swiss and Austrian, if that can explain her culinary pedigree). It's a perfectly balanced cake with a hint of apricot, it's simple yet sophisticated and not overly sweet. It melts in your mouth. Also my mother would be very disappointed if she knew that I "outed" the family recipe - so enjoy! —Culinista Annouchka

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 6 eggs, separated
  • 150 grams white sugar
  • 150 grams butter, room temperature
  • 210 grams semisweet chocolate
  • 30 grams all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup apricot jam
Directions
  1. Butter two 8" square cake pans & line with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 230C or 425F.
  2. Melt the chocolate on top of a double boiler. Set aside to let cool.
  3. In a mixer, beat the butter until it is thick & fluffy, about 10 minutes - the butter will become pale yellow.
  4. When the butter is ready, add the sugar and the egg yolks one by one and little by little. Beat until each is incorporated before adding the next.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  6. Add the chocolate to the butter/yolk/sugar mixture and combine.
  7. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and fold in until fully incorporated. Then add the rest of the egg whites and fold in.
  8. Sprinkle the flour on top of the chocolate cake mixture and fold in gently. Pour batter evenly into the two cake pans.
  9. Place in the center rack of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cake is set and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let the cakes rest for 10 minutes before removing from the cake pans. While the cake is cooling, place the apricot jam in a saucepan on medium low heat for 5 minutes. Pour the jam through a sieve so that it is very smooth.
  10. To assemble: place 1 cake on a serving platter and top with the warm apricot jam, spreading evenly. Top with the second cake layer and dust with confectioners sugar. Delicately slice the edges off to make an even square. Serve thin slices with real whipped cream.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Culinista Annouchka
    Culinista Annouchka
  • KitchenKim
    KitchenKim
  • AntoniaJames
    AntoniaJames
  • shachar
    shachar

5 Reviews

shachar February 14, 2019
hi there..
how would you use whipped cream in this recipe?
 
Culinista A. January 28, 2010
Yes its what I love as well! No messing around: chocolate, eggs, butter & sugar!
 
KitchenKim January 28, 2010
I love the simplicity of the ingredients.
 
Culinista A. January 27, 2010
You're welcome, just don't tell my mom!

Great idea with the pluot jam! I'm sure it would work very well.
 
AntoniaJames January 27, 2010
Mmmmmm, how very interesting. Sounds so tasty. I can see how the slight tartness of the apricot would be such a nice counterpoint . . . . I'd like to try this with my late-season pluot jam, which was particularly tart this year, but flavorful. Thanks for sharing the family secret recipe!! ;o)