I’m not in love with chocolate the way many other people are. I don’t daydream about it. Honestly, the 10-pound bag of cocoa powder I had shipped from France may lead you to suspect otherwise, but in fact, I’m just not wild about it. Unless I’m making bouchons au chocolat.
I usually like my chocolate in little doses, the way L.A. Burdick does it (just one or two of those a day was enough for me). I’m kind of a chocolate snob; maybe that’s why I don’t love all chocolate — because I want the really good chocolate.
The bouchons use four different types: a cocoa powder (Callebaut dutch-processed, at least in my kitchen), a 70-75% chocolate bar melted down, a 100% chocolate bar also melted down, and some bittersweet chocolate chips, the serious chocolate usually being Scharffen Berger (which I like to pronounce “Shaffen Bergernergerner” or some such, just because it’s fun to say it like that) and the chips Ghirardelli.
The bouchon has been my recipe to impress: the chocolate-chocolate-chocolate combination that makes others swoon and nearly worship the ground I walk on — or at least steal the container I brought them over in to scoop up all the little pieces that had fallen off from the main bouchons in transit. These are my boyfriend’s brother’s favorites; the first time we met, he ate some of my baked goods but I don’t think I was officially accepted until the bouchons. Now they’re repeatedly requested and a hit at every party (or in my case, in every classroom I bring them to).
Bouchons au chocolat
originally discovered via Orangette
3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 70-75%, chopped
3 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, 99/100%, chopped
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed, if you have it)
Pinch of salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and move rack to middle. Grease mini-popover pan (or muffin tin, if you don’t have a mini-popover pan, though I recommend you invest in one for these.)
In a glass (or other heatproof) bowl set over a pot of simmering water on the stove, melt the two chocolates. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, mix together salt, cocoa powder, and cake flour.
In a large bowl (of a stand mixer, if you have it), cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until just combined, then mix in melted chocolate.
Fold dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined. Refrain from eating this batter straight — it is quite delicious but you’ll be so happy you finished this treat. Divide batter evenly among wells of popover pan. Bake 15-18 minutes. The top should be soft, but they shouldn’t wiggle too much. Just make sure you don’t overbake them; you will regret that. Bitterly.
Let the bouchons cool about 10 minutes. I’ve been privy to debates about whether bouchons are best immediately out of the oven or after they’ve cooled and the chocolate has been allowed to settle. In my opinion, these are best a few hours after they’re made, but the same day; however, they won’t last long (at most 5 days) — and if you’re not going to eat them right away, freeze them for a few days.
Oh, and you will most definitely need a large glass of milk.