Gateau Marcel
Gateau marcel makes one rich chocolate mixture do two jobs. Dark chocolate, butter, egg yolks and whisked egg whites are folded together, and half is baked into a soft base while the other half is chilled and spread over it as a mousse. There is no flour, so it is naturally gluten-free. The baking takes 25 minutes, but the cake then needs about 4 hours to cool and set.
- Total
- 5 h 15 min
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Serves
- 8
- Per serving
- 510kcal
Ingredients and swaps for gateau marcel
Use good dark chocolate with 60–70% cocoa solids, as it is the main flavour. Unsalted butter keeps the salt low and the taste clean. Caster sugar dissolves quickly in both the yolk mixture and the whites.
A 22cm springform or loose-bottomed tin is ideal. If you only have a 20cm tin, the layers will be a little deeper, and the base may need 3–5 more minutes.
Gateau marcel method
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Prepare the tin and melt the chocolate Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), gas 4. Grease the tin and line the base with baking paper. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. The bowl should not touch the water.
- Add the sugar and yolks Take the bowl off the heat and stir in 100g of the sugar. Leave for , until the mixture is only just warm, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
- Whisk the whites In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites with the electric whisk until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 100g sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking for until the whites are stiff and glossy.
- Fold Stir a large spoonful of the whites into the chocolate to loosen it, then fold in the rest in three batches with the spatula, cutting through the middle and turning, until no white streaks remain.
- Bake the base Pour about half of the mixture into the tin and level it. Cover the bowl with the rest of the mixture and put it in the fridge. Bake the base for , until risen and set at the edges with a slight wobble in the middle.
- Cool the base Leave the cake in the tin on a wire rack for 1 hour, until completely cold. It will sink and crack a little, which leaves room for the topping.
- Add the mousse and chill Take the reserved mixture out of the fridge before you need it and stir it gently. Spread it over the cooled base, smooth the top and chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- Serve Run a thin knife around the edge, release the tin and dust the top with cocoa through a sieve. Slice with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
Slicing and serving
A little whipped double cream or a few raspberries cut through the richness, and the cake is rich enough that small slices go a long way. For a different bake, try classic chocolate cake, or make homemade rum balls for a smaller chocolate treat.
Common problems and fixes for Gateau Marcel
- The egg whites will not whisk to stiff peaks.
- A trace of grease or yolk is the usual cause. Wash the bowl and beaters in hot soapy water, dry them well and separate the eggs carefully, one at a time, over a small bowl.
- The reserved mousse is too firm to spread.
- It has set in the fridge. Leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes, then stir it gently with a spatula until spreadable. Do not whisk it, or you will knock out the air.
- The yolks turned lumpy when stirred in.
- The chocolate was too hot. Let it cool until it feels only just warm on the back of a spoon before beating in the yolks.
- The base has sunk and cracked.
- That is normal for a baked mousse. As long as the edges are set and the centre has only a slight wobble when it comes out, the topping will hide it.
Frequently asked questions about Gateau Marcel
Can you make gateau marcel ahead, and how do you store it?
Yes, it is better made the day before. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can freeze slices for up to a month, defrosting them in the fridge overnight.
Is gateau marcel safe to eat with uncooked egg?
The topping contains raw egg, so use British Lion eggs, which the Food Standards Agency says are safe to eat raw, including for pregnant women. Otherwise use pasteurised egg.
What chocolate is best?
Dark chocolate with 60–70% cocoa solids. Anything higher can taste bitter and set harder, and milk chocolate makes the cake too sweet and soft.
Is it gluten-free?
Yes, the recipe contains no flour. Check the label on your chocolate and cocoa powder, as some brands carry a may-contain warning.
How did you like the recipe?
4.6 / 5 · 18 ratings
