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This image shows a rich Gateau Au Chocolat on a white cake stand with a light dusting of icing sugar and vanilla ice cream, captured top-down over a white marble countertop with no distractions in the background.

Gateau au Chocolat Recipe

This decadent gâteau au chocolat is rich, gooey, and deeply satisfying. Made with melted chocolate, whipped egg whites, and just a touch of flour, it’s the perfect balance of light and fudgy. A French classic best enjoyed with cream or fruit.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course desserts
Cuisine French
Servings 6 people
Calories 305 kcal

Equipment

  • Ovenproof dish
  • Mixing bowls (at least 2)
  • Electric whisk or hand whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Fine sieve
  • Measuring scale or cups
  • cake tin (greased or lined)

Ingredients
  

  • 155 g min 70% dark chocolate
  • 4 fresh eggs
  • 155 g soft brown sugar
  • 35 g all-purpose flour
  • 115 g butter
  • pinch salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180 °C and place the chocolate and butter in an ovenproof dish to melt gently in the warming oven.
    This image shows a glass bowl with dark chocolate and butter beginning to melt in a warm oven, viewed from the top over a white marble surface.
  • Once melted, remove and set aside to cool slightly.
    This image shows a glossy chocolate and butter mixture cooling in a glass bowl placed on a white marble countertop.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar and a pinch of salt until the mixture becomes pale and frothy.
    This image shows a pale, frothy mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a glass bowl on a clean white marble surface.
  • In another clean bowl, beat the egg whites into firm peaks.
    This image shows stiffly whipped egg whites in a clean glass bowl, viewed from the top on a white marble counter.
  • Combine the cooled chocolate-butter mixture with the yolk-sugar mixture, then sift in the flour and mix gently.
    This image shows the chocolate-butter mixture being combined with the yolk-sugar mixture and sifted flour in a glass bowl over a white marble surface.
  • Add a small amount of the whipped egg whites to loosen the batter, then carefully fold in the rest, ensuring no streaks of white remain.
    This image shows a chocolate cake batter being lightened with whipped egg whites in a glass bowl on a white marble countertop.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
    This image shows a cake tin filled with smooth Gateau Au Chocolat batter, ready for baking, placed on a white marble countertop.
  • Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes.
    This image shows the Gateau Au Chocolat baking in an oven on the middle shelf, with a view from above over a clean marble countertop.
  • Though some prefer 35 minutes, a slightly gooey centre is ideal—check with a knife; it should come out with a smudge of batter.
  • Once the cake is just cool enough to handle, turn it out of the tin.
  • Dust with icing sugar and serve with cream, ice cream, or fresh fruit.
    This image shows a dusted Gateau Au Chocolat served with whipped cream on a white marble surface, captured from the top with no background clutter.

Notes

  • For best results, use high-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa.
  • Be sure the bowl for whipping egg whites is completely clean and grease-free—any residue can prevent stiff peaks.