| How To Cook: |
|
|
|
THE BATTER:
|
1. Preheat the over to 400°F. Sift the flour and cornstarch into a bowl.
|
2. Beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and add the vanilla extract. With a wire whisk or a rotary or electric beater, beat the egg whites until they begin to foam, then, 1 tablespoon at a time, beat in the sugar. Continue beating until the whites form stiff, unwavering peaks.
|
3. Mix about ¼ of the egg whites into the yolks with a rubber spatula, then reverse the process and pour the yolk mixture over the rest of the whites. Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch on top of the yolks, then fold gently until no trace of flour remains.
|
4. Lightly butter and flour a 12-cup muffin tin. Turn the tin over and strike it on the table to remove any excess flour.
|
5. Pour the batter into the cups, filling each cup 2/3 full. Bake in the middle of the oven for 12 minutes, or until the cakes are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and run a knife around each cake to loosen it, then lift them from the tin and cool on a cake rack.
|
|
THE FILLING:
|
1. Whip the chilled cream until it begins to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until the cream holds its shape firmly. Refrigerate.
|
2. With a sharp knife, slice around each cake almost to the bottom, leaving a ¼-inch rim around circumference.
|
3. Pull out the insides of the cakes, leaving thin shells. Fill each cake shell, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
|
4. Another method: cut off a ¼-inch slice from the top and remove the insides. Replace the top after filling.
|
|
THE GLAZE:
|
1. Combine the chocolate, cream, sugar, water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. Stir them together over low heat until the chocolate melts and the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to medium and cook without stirring for about 5 minutes longer.
|
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir 3 tablespoons of the hot mixture into the lightly beaten egg. Then beat the egg mixture briskly into the chocolate mixture and add the vanilla.
|
3. Transfer the cakes upside down to a cake rack set on a jelly-roll pan (or right side up if using alternate method) and pour over them the warm glaze from the saucepan. Refrigerate to chill the glaze, and serve.
|
