I try making famed French pastry chef Pierre Herme's chocolate cake and the results are pretty impressive

Perhaps not everyone thinks the same, but when I think about France, I think about their desserts and specifically, their macarons.

And when it comes to French macarons, the ones from Pierre Herme are within the top few of any best-macarons-in-France list you may find on the internet.

And one may say this is to be expected of a chef who was awarded "the world's best pastry chef" by the World's 50 Best Restaurants guide in 2016. 

Like many of us stuck at home, the chef has also started baking at home instead of at his usual kitchen, and has taken to Instagram, together with his other co-workers, to share recipes and videos of how he makes various desserts. And yes, he even shares how to make his famed macarons. 

Just a heads up that while the recipes and steps are translated into English in the captions or comments, the videos are all in French, with no subtitles. Still, they do help you understand the written steps a bit better.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/B-l_vlVhp75/[/embed]

For me, macarons might be just a tad too challenging, and I instead hone in on a (literally) half-baked chocolate cake recipe that has been shared. Here's how I made it: 

Ingredients

• 250g room temperature butter
• 180g sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 70g all-purpose flour
• 250g melted chocolate

Steps

1. Add butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and mix well. Add eggs and mix well. 

2. Sift in the flour and mix in the melted chocolate.

3. Pour the mixture into a pan. I used a 6-inch round pan, or you can use a loaf pan like the chef himself. Bake in an oven that is pre-heated to 180 degrees Celcius for 30 to 35 mins. 

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The verdict: It's so easy to make and impossible to go wrong with such simple steps. Yet the results are kinda impressive looking 

If you have ever been intimidated by baking, this is a great recipe to build your confidence, because unless you make a misstep with the measurements, there is really nothing you can do to screw the cake up. 

And aside from the baking time, it takes just 15 minutes or less to complete.

As an added bonus, you get to brag that is it the recipe that Pierre Herme uses. If you get confused looks, just say it's the guy behind the famous French macarons that is not Laduree, and a knowing look will likely come over their faces. 

We call it the perfect cake to make if you are looking to impress someone. After all, how many people really say no to chocolate cake?

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kailun@asiaone.com