If you’ve never made or heard of brown butter, let me give you a simple overview. All you need to do is to melt the butter and let it stay on the stovetop longer until it starts browning. If you try this cake once, you will most likely want to go brown butter on all cakes and frostings. The flavour is outstanding and wonderfully paired with chocolate as it has a nutty/hazelnutty flavour.
Ingredients for the cake batter
- 115 g (0.2lb) almond paste cut into small pieces
- 50 g (1/4cup) granulated sugar
- 50 g (1/4 cup) brown sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 125ml (1/2 cup) milk, at room temperature
- 128 g (1 cup) plain flour
- 30 g (3 tbsp) cocoa powder
- 1 g (1 tsp) baking powder
- 50g (1/4 cup) milk or dark chocolate chips or chocolate bar roughly chopped
- 125 g (1.1 sticks) melted and slightly browned unsalted butter
Ingredients for an optional chocolate glaze- 100ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream
- 100 gr (1/2 cup) milk or dark chocolate
Line a 23cm (9 inch) cake tin with baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 180c (356f)
To melt and brown the butter, heat the butter on the stovetop on low heat.
Let it melt and wait until it turns slightly browned. Be careful not to burn the butter at this stage.
Remove the foam that is formed on top to be able to see clearly when you should turn off the heat.
Set aside to cool. Once cooled completely, pass it through a sieve to get rid of the burnt milk. Set aside.
Break the almond paste into small pieces in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer beat for one minute.
Break in the eggs one at a time and continue beating until the eggs are well-incorporated.
Add the milk. Add the flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
Mix well at the low speed.
Add the browned butter and mix well.
Turn off the mixer.
Add one teaspoon of flour to the chopped chocolate and mix through and then add it to the cake batter. The flour will prevent the chocolate to sink to the bottom of the cake.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake it in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes.
To make the optional chocolate glaze:
Put the chocolate and the heavy cream in a small saucepan and on medium heat until the chocolate is melted.
Mix well and set aside to cool
Once the chocolate cake is out of the oven, let it cool and only then pour the chocolate glaze over the cake and sprinkle atop some chocolate shaves if desired.
