The lyrics to “Darkness on the Delta” are painted on the risers of the stairs that come down into my home kitchen. The wall next to the old barrel-house piano off the living room is papered with faded copies of sheet music for the song by Mildred Bailey; Author Tracy, “Street Singer of the Air”; Paul Whiteman’s Rhythm Boys (No, I did not make that name up); Ambrose and his Mayfair Orchestra; and Yazoo City’s own Herbie Holmes and his Orchestra. If this flood plain had an anthem, this song would be it. As the song drifts to a conclusion, it trails off with the aspiration “When it’s darkness on the delta, let me linger ‘neath the shelter of the night.”
This deep, dark-as-night fudgy dessert is a cool ending to a dinner party on a starry evening.–Martha Hall Foose
Bittersweet Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- Fresh grated nutmeg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon bourbon
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for serving
- Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
Directions
- 1. Put the chocolate in a large bowl and set aside.
- 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and a little nutmeg to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Slowly whisk in half of the milk mixture. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens; about 5 minutes. Do not boil.
- 3. Pour the hot mixture over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the butter a little at a time, and then add the vanilla and bourbon. Whisk until the mixture is very smooth.
- 4. Spray a 6-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, and line with plastic wrap. Scrape the mixture into the pan and smooth with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours.
- 5. When ready to serve, invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Dust with cocoa and confectioners’ sugar.
Notes
- I like to stencil sugar stars across this cake, using a piece of cardboard with a cutout in it as a guide.
- Be aware that egg yolks should not sit in sugar too long. The sugar will sort of “cook” the yolk and make it grainy.
- This dessert can be frozen, well wrapped, for a month.
Bittersweet Chocolate Cake Recipe © 2008 Martha Hall Foose. Photo © 2008 Ben Fink. All rights reserved.
[Sandy Hill] Wow! What a heavenly dessert that melted in your mouth like a divine chocolate truffle! My husband and guests couldn’t quit raving about this chocolate cake. I made it a week before our dinner party, froze it and it was perfect. The instructions were very easy to follow and I would definitely make this again and again.
[Mary Fletcher] Dear Martha, you have successfully found the cure for PMS. I will “over medicate” further.
[Susan Epstein] WOW! This chocolate cake was simple to make, had a beautiful presentation, and was deadly rich and delicious. Definitely a keeper. I served it with a small dollop of whipped cream. It’s a perfect way to end a special meal—everyone asked for the recipe. Next time I might substitute rum or chocolate liqueur for the bourbon but bourbon is very Southern.
[Leanne Abe] I love chocolate desserts, and this one didn’t disappoint. It helped to let the “cake” sit at room temperature for a little while, to make serving and eating a bit easier. I served it with whipped cream and a sprinkle of grated nutmeg on the cream. Definitely rich, definitely satisfying. And perfect for parties because it can sit in the freezer ahead of time! Although, I’m tempted to serve it in small cups as a warm pudding-like dish, too.
[Kim Vengler] This cake recipe is pure chocolate sin. It’s very easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly as stated. I’m not sure why the nutmeg is there since there was no hint of its taste, and I’m not sure it is important you include it in the recipe. It took me 15 minutes, not about 5 minutes as stated in the recipe, for my mixture to start to thicken. Your butter must be at room temperature because it won’t all melt if it is the least bit cool. The taste of bourbon is not overpowering. In fact it’s just the right touch. This is a perfect dessert to serve when you want to make a big impression or when you are just serving your family.