Chocolate Cake with Armagnac Ice Cream

In a mixing bowl, whisk the whole eggs plus the yolks together. Add in flour and then sugar until well blended, being careful not to incorporate air. When chocolate/butter mixture has cooled, add egg and sugar mixture by hand with a whisk, again being careful not to incorporate air.

Butter and flour 4 individual (approximately 4 oz.) cake molds, tapping the pan to remove excess flour, and pour the chocolate batter into the pan.

Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Unmold and serve warm.

Armagnac Ice Cream

1 quart half & half

250 grams sugar

9 egg yolks

3 tbsp. Armagnac

Method:

Warm the half & half and Armagnac in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil, then remove the saucepan from the stove. While the half & half is heating, whisk the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until pale lemon in color. Add the sugar/egg yolk mixture to the half & half and return to the stove over very low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the foam on the top disappears and the mixture is thicker and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from the stove immediately and stop the cooking by placing the saucepan in a bowl of ice, stirring the mixture to cool it. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.