Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake with Fleur de Sel

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch springform pan
• •Fine-mesh sieve for sifting
• •Heatproof bowl for melting chocolate
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your pan

   Set a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 325°F. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with olive oil, then line the bottom with parchment and brush the parchment too. The lower temperature bakes the cake gently, keeping the crumb tender.

2. 2

   Melt the chocolate

   Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly while you prepare the rest. You want it warm, not hot.

   Chocolate seizes when water touches it directly. Keep your bowl and spatula completely dry.
3. 3

   Whisk eggs and sugar

   In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the mixture lightens in color and thickens slightly, about two minutes by hand. You are not looking for stiff peaks, just a pale, slightly airy base that will carry the other ingredients.

4. 4

   Add olive oil and chocolate

   Pour in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream while whisking. The mixture will look like a glossy emulsion. Add the melted chocolate and whisk until everything is uniform and deeply brown. Take your time here. Patience builds structure.

5. 5

   Combine dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and fine sea salt directly over the chocolate mixture. Sifting matters with cocoa. It clumps stubbornly and will leave bitter pockets in your cake if you skip this step.

6. 6

   Bring the batter together

   Fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a spatula, working in broad strokes from the bottom up. When a few streaks of flour remain, add the hot water and vanilla. Continue folding until the batter is smooth and pourable, like thick cream. The hot water blooms the cocoa and creates a remarkably tender crumb.

   The batter will seem thin. Trust it. Olive oil cakes have a looser batter than butter cakes.
7. 7

   Bake until set

   Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top gently. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top looks matte and set, the edges pull slightly from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The center may still wobble slightly. This is correct.

8. 8

   Cool and unmold

   Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. The structure needs time to set. Run a thin knife around the edges, then release the springform ring. The cake will be dark, glossy, and slightly crackled on top. Let it cool completely before finishing.

9. 9

   Finish with fleur de sel

   Just before serving, scatter fleur de sel across the top in an uneven layer. You want some bites saltier than others, some with no salt at all. This contrast is the whole point. The salt should be visible, catching light like tiny crystals of ice on dark earth.

   Apply the salt just before serving. If it sits too long, the crystals dissolve and you lose both the crunch and the surprise.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out chocolate from a maker who lists the origin on the bar. Single-origin chocolate has character that blends cannot match. I look for something with fruit notes, not too bitter.
• •Your olive oil should taste like something you would enjoy on bread. If it tastes flat or slightly rancid, it will flatten your cake. Fresh oil from a recent harvest is best.
• •This cake improves overnight. The olive oil continues to soften the crumb and the flavors deepen. Make it the day before your dinner party.
• •A thin slice goes further than you think. The richness is real. Serve with a small spoonful of crème fraîche if you like, or nothing at all.

Advance Preparation

• •The cake keeps beautifully at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, for up to 4 days. The texture actually improves after the first day.
• •Do not refrigerate unless necessary. Cold dulls the chocolate flavor and firms the olive oil.
• •Add the fleur de sel only just before serving to preserve its crunch and visual appeal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 85g)