Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Separate the egg whites and yolks. Place the egg whites in a clean, grease-free mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine pastry flour, cocoa powder, and oil. Stir until smooth and lump-free. Add the egg yolks and room-temperature milk, and mix until well combined.
Heat the whipping cream in the microwave for 10 seconds until it reaches 60–70°C. Pour it over the chocolate and set aside.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed. Once the large bubbles start to refine, add one-third of the sugar and continue beating at medium speed. When faint lines begin to form, add the second third of the sugar. Continue mixing. Once the lines become clear and the beaters feel slightly resistant, add the remaining sugar and switch to medium-low speed. Beat until stiff to medium peaks form—the tips should stand firm when the beaters are lifted.
Stir the cream and chocolate mixture until smooth. If it hasn’t melted fully, microwave for another 10 seconds. Pour into the yolk batter and mix thoroughly.
Gently fold one-third of the meringue into the yolk batter. Then return the mixture to the rest of the meringue and fold until fully combined.
Pour the batter into the mold from a slight height. Tap the mold lightly on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes.
After baking, firmly tap the mold on the counter to release steam. Immediately invert to cool completely. Once cool, remove from the mold and serve.
Use an aluminum chiffon cake pan (not non-stick). Avoid lining the bottom with parchment paper, which can cause collapse.
To avoid breaking the yolk and contaminating the whites, crack each egg into a small bowl first.
Ensure the bowl for egg whites is grease-free, as fat prevents proper whipping.
Eggs used here weigh 55–60g with shell, yielding ~55g yolk and ~95g white. Adjust quantity based on egg size.
Mixing flour with oil first reduces gluten formation and eliminates the need to sift flour. But do not substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour, as it will still overdevelop gluten and cause collapse. Avoid gluten-free flours as well—some gluten is essential for structure.
Trust the flour label (cake flour vs. all-purpose) rather than protein percentage on the nutrition label.
If milk is cold, warm it slightly in the microwave to avoid solidifying the chocolate later.
A small amount of acid (lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar) helps stabilize the meringue and prevent overwhipping, but it is optional.
Start meringue on high speed to incorporate air, then medium to refine bubbles, and finally low to smooth the texture.
Use fine granulated sugar to help it dissolve evenly in the egg whites. Coarse sugar or sugar substitutes may destabilize the meringue.
For meringue consistency, when lifting the mixer from meringue, no peaks or soft hooks means soft peaks. Bent but firm means medium peaks. Straight and stiff means stiff peaks. When in doubt, stop when the meringue is glossy, smooth, and holds shape without flowing. Softer meringue folds in more easily.
Oven temperature varies by model. When the cake rises to its peak and starts to shrink, bake another 5–10 minutes. Slight variations from 150°C are okay. Too high temperature will lead to a dry exterior, raw interior, and collapse when cooling. Too low temperature will cause the cake to have pale surface, weak structure, and shrinkage also.
Oven temp naturally fluctuates during baking—don’t overadjust.
Tapping after baking releases trapped steam and reduces soggy centers.
Inverting helps maintain height as the structure stabilizes during cooling.
YouTube