This recipe with the wonderful name and even more wonderful flavor comes from Pastry Chef Jessica Campbell of the Yarrow Bay Grill in the Seattle area. Check out our interview with Chef Jessica.

Chocolate Chocolate Bang Bang With Gianduja Truffle Sauce

Chocolate Bang:

12 ounces                     high quality bittersweet chocolate (chopped)

1 cup                            high quality cocoa powder (I use Valrhona)

¼ cup                           all purpose flour

1 cup                            sugar

1 cup                            brown sugar

½ teaspoon                  salt

1 ¼ cups                      water

½ cup                           port

1 teaspoon                   vanilla

4                                  eggs

2                                  egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Either use 6 ounce ramekins or a muffin pan, well greased, with the bottom lined with parchment circles. Make sure the ramekins or muffin pan will fit into a larger pan, as the Bang needs to bake in a water-bath.

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized bowl and set aside. Combine the cocoa, flour, brown sugar and the salt in a small saucepan. Using a whisk, stir in enough of the water to make a smooth paste. Whisk in the rest of the water and the port.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent the bottom from burning.  Once it has begun to simmer, cook gently, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until thickened.  Pour over the chocolate in the bowl and stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Whisk in the vanilla.

In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and egg whites together with the regular sugar, until doubled in volume. Fold this into the melted chocolate mixture.  Pour into the ramekins or muffin tins.  Fill the larger pan with warm water so that it comes ¼ inch up the sides of the ramekins or muffin tins.  Put in oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the cake is set and springs back when you touch it.  Let cool in the water bath until you can touch the ramekins and then pull them out and chill.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

I like to serve the Bang Bang at room temperature, so pull it out about an hour before you want to serve it.  Run a knife around the edge or the ramekin and flip over the dish onto a serving plate.  Remove the parchment.  Serve with Gianduja sauce and fresh cream.

Gianduja Sauce:

8 ounces                       Gianduja chocolate  (chocolate and hazelnut paste), chopped

1 ½ cups                      half and half

Heat the half and half in a small sauce pan.