This chocolate fondant cake is a famous recipe on the French blogosphere, highly appreciated by chocolate lovers.
Created by the famous French pastry chef Cyril Lignac, this recipe combines the classic chocolate fondant with the richness and creamy texture of mascarpone, giving it an irresistible flavor and texture.
You may like chocolate fondants, but if you don’t, this moist chocolate fondant cake will change your mind.
In French, some call it “moelleux au chocolat,” while others refer to it as “fondant au chocolat.” I would say it has the texture of a large chocolate truffle in your mouth. It’s one of my favorite chocolate cakes, alongside molten chocolate cake.
A truly irresistible chocolate cake. You could say it’s very different from chocolate cakes. Its texture is dense and moist, like eating chocolate mousse. It’s a pure delight. If you’re a chocolate addict, this is made for you!
It’s a cake that made a splash on the blogosphere. It’s very easy to make and will be a hit for a snack or a last-minute Easter dessert.
Table of Contents
Ingredients Details
See the recipe below for detailed quantities.
Eggs, fresh at room temperature.
Mascarpone, at room temperature. This chocolate cake is butter-free. The fat is provided by the mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone is an Italian cheese known, notably, from tiramisu, where it is the main ingredient.
Flour, this recipe contains very little all-purpose flour.
Sugar, Chef Cyril Lignac uses powdered sugar to add even more moisture to this chocolate cake.
Chocolate, Dark chocolate with 55% to 70% cocoa. Since we love cakes with a rich cocoa flavor, I used chocolate with 72% cocoa.
Preparation steps:
NB: Ingredients are detailed in the complete recipe card. at the end of the article, which you can print out. Below are the instructions, which you can also view in images.
For a round pan of 21 or 22 cm (8 or 9 inches) or a 20×20 cm (8×8 inches) square mold
In the original recipe, it is recommended to bake this chocolate fondant in a silicone mold. Personally, I baked it in an aluminum pan placed on a silicone mat in the middle rack of the oven. Silicone helps keep the cake moist.
1. Grease and line the pan with parchment paper, covering both the bottom and sides. If you’re using a bottomless cake frame, place it on a sheet of aluminum foil on top of a silicone mat.
Fold the aluminum foil up around the edges to prevent any leaks. grease it and line it with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) with fan-assisted mode.
3. Whisk the mascarpone until creamy. Do not over-whisk, or you may liquefy it. Beat just to loosen and smooth.
4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and add it in several stages to the mascarpone. Between each addition, beat with a mixer to blend well.
Chocolate fondant preparation steps
5. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, following the previous method.
6. Add the powdered sugar, mix and add the flour.
7. Give it one last mix with the mixer, without overworking it.
8. Pour into the mold and smooth the top.
9. Bake for about 25 minutes. Check for doneness by touching the surface with your hand. It should not stick. The center may be slightly moist, but that’s exactly what we want to keep the chocolate cake very gooey.
10. Leave to cool in the pan, then remove it onto a wire rack. Once cool, prepare the glaze.
Preparation of the chocolate ganache :
1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and add the softened butter cut into small pieces.
2. Stir well to smooth. Remove from the double boiler. It should be smooth, neither liquid nor thick, before pouring over the cake.
3. Pour the glaze over the entire cake. Apply 2 layers to ensure it is thick.
4. Allow to set at room temperature. You can leave it like that or make waves with a saw knife all over the surface. To create a checkerboard effect, you can leave some areas untouched by the knife.
5. Keep the cake in the fridge and take it out one hour before serving. It will regain its gooey texture.
Other chocolate cake recipes
See more great chocolate cake recipes.
- Chocolate Almond Honey Cake
- Chocolate Cake with Ganache
- Chocolate pear cake
French Chocolate Fondant Cake
EQUIPEMENTS
INGREDIENTS
- For a round pan of 21 or 22 cm (8 or 9 inches) or a 20x20 cm (8x8 inches) square pan
- You’ll get slices about 3 cm (1.2 inches) thick Which is perfect for a rich chocolate cake.
- 200 g (7 oz )chocolate with more than 55% cocoa. I use 72%, but it is quite strong. A chocolate with 66% or 70% will be perfect.
- 250 g (8.8 oz) mascarpone at room temperature
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 100 g (3.5 oz) powdered sugar. Cyril uses only 75 g (2.6 oz), but he uses less strong cocoa chocolate.
- 40 g (1.4 oz) all-purpose flour
PREPARATION
- In the original recipe, it is recommended to bake this chocolate fondant in a silicone mold. Personally, I baked it in an aluminum pan placed on a silicone mat in the middle rack of the oven. Silicone helps keep the cake moist.
- Grease and line the pan with parchment paper, covering both the bottom and sides. If you're using a bottomless cake frame, place it on a sheet of aluminum foil on top of a silicone mat.
- Fold the aluminum foil up around the edges to prevent any leaks. grease it and line it with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) with fan-assisted mode.
- Whisk the mascarpone until creamy. Do not over-whisk, or you may liquefy it. Beat just to loosen and smooth.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and add it in several stages to the mascarpone. Between each addition, beat with a mixer to blend well.
- Incorporate the eggs one at a time, following the previous method.
- Add the powdered sugar, mix and add the flour.
- Give it one last mix with the mixer, without overworking it.
- Pour into the mold and smooth the top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes. Check for doneness by touching the surface with your hand. It should not stick. The center may be slightly moist, but that's exactly what we want to keep the chocolate cake very gooey.
- Leave to cool in the pan, then remove it onto a wire rack. Once cool, prepare the glaze.
Preparation of the chocolate ganache :
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and add the softened butter cut into small pieces.
- Stir well to smooth. Remove from the double boiler. It should be smooth, neither liquid nor thick, before pouring over the cake.
- Pour the glaze over the entire cake. Apply 2 layers to ensure it is thick.
- Allow to set at room temperature. You can leave it like that or make waves with a saw knife all over the surface. To create a checkerboard effect, you can leave some areas untouched by the knife.
- Keep the cake in the fridge and take it out one hour before serving. It will regain its gooey texture.
Notes
This french chocolate fondant cake is delicious! I recommend you try it out if you haven’t already.
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