Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Pecan Cake
- 200 g dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
- 150 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 180 g granulated sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 g salt
- 120 g pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
Tropical Fruit Custard Sauce
- 200 ml whole milk
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 50 ml passionfruit puree, strained of seeds
- 50 ml mango puree, smooth
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Melt the chopped dark chocolate and cubed unsalted butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until completely smooth, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the whole eggs, 180g of granulated sugar, and 10ml of vanilla extract vigorously for about 3 minutes until pale and slightly thickened.
Pour the cooled melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, folding gently with a heatproof spatula until just combined.
Sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt over the wet ingredients. Fold gently to combine, then fold in the toasted chopped pecans. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center remains slightly soft and fudgy.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake cools, prepare the custard sauce. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 60g of granulated sugar until pale yellow.
In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat just until it begins to simmer around the edges.
Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper the yolks and prevent scrambling.
Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula in a figure-eight motion, until the mixture thickens slightly and reaches 82°C (180°F). Do not let it boil.
Immediately remove from heat and pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl to catch any cooked egg bits. Stir in the vanilla extract, passionfruit puree, and mango puree.
Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until cool.
Slice the cooled chocolate pecan cake and serve with a generous pour of the chilled tropical fruit custard sauce pooling around it.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the pecans beforehand is non-negotiable; it draws out their essential oils, deeply enhancing the nuttiness, and prevents them from becoming soggy inside the cake crumb.
- When cooking the custard, always use a heatproof rubber spatula rather than a whisk, scraping the bottom edges continuously to prevent the milk proteins from catching and burning.
- The acidity of the passionfruit and mango provides a brilliant counterpoint to the bitterness of dark chocolate and the richness of the butter, elevating a heavy comfort dish into a nuanced dessert.
- For the purest flavor, try finding frozen fruit purees with no added sugar, allowing you to completely control the sweetness of the custard.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store cake and custard in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze cake only; the custard will separate if frozen and thawed.
