Ceramic-style Cup with a Chocolate Centre

It's up to you.

10 detailed steps, from preparation to service.

1. Preparing the mold

   Turn the oven on at 165 °C in conventional oven setting (no fan). Tap the bottom and sides of the mold 14 cm with baking paper, letting the edges go past. Melt 140 g of dark chocolate and 100 g of butter in a bain-marie, then let cool for 5 minutes.

2. Mix the cake

   Break the 3 eggs in a bowl, remove any chips and beat them with 100 g of sugar for 1 minute. Add the chocolate-butter mixture. Incorporate 100 g of flour mixed with 4 g of baking powder, in a spatula. Pour into the mold and smooth.

3. Cook and cool

   Bake 32 to 35 minutes. The center should be taken; a blade springs out with some wet crumbs, without raw dough. Wait 15 minutes before unmolding, then let cool for at least 1 hour on a rack. Cut only the top bump to get a stable cylinder and keep this drop for tasting.

4. Make a milk ganache

   Chop 180 g of milk chocolate. Heat the 100 g of cream until the first bubbles, pour over the chocolate and wait 1 minute. Stir slowly until you get a smooth ganache. Reserve 80 g still fluid for the top and let the rest thicken 45 minutes at cool temperature.

5. Cut and garnish

   Cut the cold cake horizontally in half with a bread knife. Spread half of the thickened ganache on the bottom disc. Lay the second disc and cover the sides with the rest, in a thin layer. Refrigerate 30 minutes to set crumbs.

6. Preparing the ceramics

   Take 70 g of the 300 g of marzipan for the handle and 30 g for the rim. Colour the remaining 200 g and 100 g reserved in pale blue, adding the gel gradually. Powder the plane with 20 g of icing sugar and spread the 200 g in a 45 x 9 cm strip, about 2 mm.

7. Wrap the cup

   Apply this band all around, join the ends at the back and cut off the excess at the bottom. The top of the strip protrudes about 5 mm from the cake to form an edge. Roll the reserved 30 g in long thin cord and lay it on this edge to round the lip of the cup.

8. Put a supported handle

   Roll the reserved 70 g in 1.5 cm thick pudding and shape a wide C. Slightly flatten both ends and moisten them with a drop of water. Stick them to the side of the cup, with the bottom of the C placed on the plate: the handle must never hang in the vacuum. Marks the junction with the finger to melt it with the wall.

9. Imitating hot chocolate

   If necessary, use the 80 g of ganache reserved for a few seconds in the bain-marie. Pour them on top, inside the ledge, and smooth. Melt the 30 g of white chocolate in a bain-marie, then draw three small commas on top with the tip of a spoon. Keep the surplus in fine chips to serve next to.

10. Revealing the edible cup

    Refrigerate 1 hour before cutting a part opposite the handle. The cut should show a thin blue skin, two layers of chocolate cake and ganache. Go out 20 minutes before tasting. The handle rests on the plate and is not used to carry the cake.