Chocolate Nemesis
2.11.2024, recipes
Probably the most requested dessert at The River Cafe in London is the Chocolate Nemesis. It contains three main ingredients which need to be of the highest quality: eggs, butter and chocolate. It is a flourless chocolate cake that slices like ganache and melts immediately upon eating. We applied only two small changes to the original recipe: salted butter instead of unsalted and the addition of a shot of espresso to the melted chocolate.
Ingredients
10 eggs
450g salted butter
575g sugar
675g high quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 shot of strong espresso
Crème fraîche, for serving
Method
Beat the eggs with a third of the sugar using a stand mixer on medium-high speed for about 10 minutes. The mixture should inflate or double in size.
In the meantime, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pot of boiling water (bain-marie). Add the shot of espresso and mix to incorporate. Allow to start cooling just enough so it’s no longer piping hot.
In a separate pot, make a simple syrup by heating 220ml of water and dissolving the remaining sugar in it. Add the simple syrup to the chocolate mixture.
Reduce the speed of the stand mixer to low and slowly pour in the warm chocolate and simple syrup mixture to your eggs. Continue to mix on low to incorporate.
Grease two 10-inch cake tins and line them with parchment paper. Place each tin in a deep tray and fill the trays with hot water. The water should reach at least two-thirds up the side of the cake tins. This is essential for the cakes to cook evenly.
Bake for about 75 minutes or until the cakes are set. Allow to cool completely before removing from their tins.
Slice and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.
10 eggs
450g salted butter
575g sugar
675g high quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 shot of strong espresso
Crème fraîche, for serving
Method
Beat the eggs with a third of the sugar using a stand mixer on medium-high speed for about 10 minutes. The mixture should inflate or double in size.
In the meantime, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pot of boiling water (bain-marie). Add the shot of espresso and mix to incorporate. Allow to start cooling just enough so it’s no longer piping hot.
In a separate pot, make a simple syrup by heating 220ml of water and dissolving the remaining sugar in it. Add the simple syrup to the chocolate mixture.
Reduce the speed of the stand mixer to low and slowly pour in the warm chocolate and simple syrup mixture to your eggs. Continue to mix on low to incorporate.
Grease two 10-inch cake tins and line them with parchment paper. Place each tin in a deep tray and fill the trays with hot water. The water should reach at least two-thirds up the side of the cake tins. This is essential for the cakes to cook evenly.
Bake for about 75 minutes or until the cakes are set. Allow to cool completely before removing from their tins.
Slice and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.
