Pierre Hermé’s Pick for France’s Best Chocolate Cake Recipe!

With its irresistible crust and a melt-in-your-mouth texture boasting a deeply chocolate flavor… This is how the judges of the competition describe the best chocolate cake in France. And these judges are no amateurs. The panel includes pastry chef Pierre Hermé, culinary critic François-Régis Gaudry, and renowned chocolatier Jade Genin, just to name a few. Among the cakes sampled, one stole the hearts of all: the creation of Terence de Ladoucette, the proud winner of the contest. The good news is that he has shared his family recipe and all his production secrets… Ready to tantalize your taste buds?

In his show “On va déguster,” François-Régis Gaudry asked Terence the burning question: “So Terence, what’s the secret behind this family cake?“. To answer, the young winner first mentioned a twist in the ingredients: to enhance the chocolatey flavor of the cake, he adds unsweetened cocoa powder. But that’s not all: to win over the refined palates of the judges, he has a few more tricks up his sleeve. To make his chocolate cake, he starts by preheating the oven to 340°F. Then, he selects a suitable oven-safe container, large enough to accommodate his cake pan, and fills it halfway with hot water to prepare… a water bath! This innovative cooking method results in a uniquely tender texture, the judges note. Next, he melts 7 ounces of dark baking chocolate in a saucepan, gradually adding 7 ounces of butter. He mixes in 5.3 ounces of sugar, 2.8 ounces of sifted flour, and a pinch of salt. He separates 4 eggs, adds the yolks to the previous mixture, and beats the whites until stiff to add lightness to the cake, the winner points out. Once the whites are stiff, he gently folds them into the batter with a spatula. Finally, he adds 1.8 ounces of cocoa powder, ½ a packet of baking powder, and pours the mixture into a buttered mold.

He bakes everything for 27 minutes in the water bath, as explained earlier. Then, all that remains is to patiently let the cake cool down. The verdict at tasting? “A jolt of flavor!“, exclaims François-Régis Gaudry. Now it’s your turn!