Home » Cakes » La Bete Noire AKA The Black Beast

La Bete Noire AKA The Black Beast

posted by Liz Berg on May 23, 2021 (updated 10/6/22)

This sublime French flourless chocolate cake, also known as La Bete Noire or Black Beast, is dark, decadent and out-of-this-world delicious.

This easily could be the Best Chocolate Cake Recipe in my repertoire. I’ve been making it for nearly 2 decades and it’s never failed to get rave reviews and recipe requests. When you need the ultimate chocolate dessert guaranteed to impress, THIS Flourless Chocolate Cake is the answer!!!

A rich, decadent slice of La Bete Noire on a white plate with a red handle fork.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 Expert Tips

3 Ingredient Notes:

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like:

6 La Bete Noire AKA The Black Beast Recipe

Why You Must Make

This is my absolute favorite flourless chocolate cake recipe. There are 18 ounces of semisweet chocolate in the cake and glaze!!!
It’s my go-to dessert recipe for special company!
When friends ask for a tried and true dessert for entertaining, this is the recipe I share.
Chocoholics will love the double dose of chocolate: the cake and the ganache topping.

Unlike the others (and, yes, I’ve shared a lot of flourless chocolate cakes), this one starts with a hot simple syrup which is incorporated into the melted butter and sugar before the eggs are added. La Bete Noire is truly exquisite, smooth, creamy, and perfect for any chocoholic.

Slice of la bete noire with a dollop of whipped cream.

Expert Tips

The name, la bete noire, is French for “the black beast,” but in 1844 this phrase meant an insufferable person, adversary, devil, or enemy, not a chocolate cake. Nowadays, you’ll see this phrase on dessert menus, referring to a rich, dense flourless chocolate cake. Beastly delicious, I’d say!

Different from most other flourless chocolate cakes, this bete noire incorporates a simple sugar syrup as a sweetener. Sugar and water is simmered until the sugar dissolves; it’s as easy as that!
PRO-Tip: If you’re careful, it’s super easy to use the microwave to gently melt the chocolate mixtures. It’s safest to decrease the power to 50% or just use 30, then 15-second intervals, stopping and stirring to avoid overheating the chocolate. Plus, it’s OK to stop when there are just a few teeny pieces of unmelted chocolate in the bowl. Let the residual heat finish the melting process instead of risking overcooking and ruining the chocolate.
This cake is made in a springform pan with removable sides. It’s the same kind of pan used to make cheesecakes.
La bete noire, like most of my cheesecakes, is baked in a water bath. This helps the cake to bake at an even temperature and the added humidity keeps the cake moist. PRO-Tip: Make sure to wrap the exterior of the pan well with foil to prevent any water from seeping in from the water bath into the springform pan.
Cool the cake completely before adding the ganache, then refrigerate 2 hours or longer before serving.
Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and berries or use a vegetable peeler and a chocolate bar to make shavings. A little more chocolate never hurts, either! Bon appetit!

Overhead shot of a slice of La Bete Noire on a white plate.

Ingredient Notes:

Check your pantry and refrigerator for these staples: Sugar, Butter, and Eggs. Plus you may need to purchase:

Semisweet Chocolate – I prefer using bars of chocolate instead of chocolate chips. The quality is better. I keep a stash of Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate bars on hand.
Heavy Cream – with 36-40% fat, it gives a delicious richness to desserts and is perfect when sweetened and whipped to garnish.
Whipped Cream, Shaved Chocolate, and/or Berries to garnish

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Sugar Syrup Used in This Recipe?

It gives the cake a wonderful custard-type texture.

Why is a Water Bath Needed to Make a Bete Noire?

The steam that a water bath produces in the oven keeps the cake extra moist. It also helps stabilize the baking temperature and allows for gentle baking.

How Should You Serve a Slice of this Black Beast?

It should chill for at least 4 hours so the cake is well set before serving time. But it needs to come out of the refrigerator about 2 hours before serving to enhance its silkiness.

Serve a slice of any super-rich dessert with a dollop of whipped cream and berries. The light, creaminess of the cream is a nice contrast to the dense chocolate cake.

How Should You Slice this Flourless Cake?

For a clean slice, use a hot knife. I like to dip my very sharp knife in very hot water, then dry it off to slice. Wipe it clean, and repeat dipping and drying as needed.

Can Bittersweet Chocolate Be Used Instead of Semisweet Chocolate?

Yes, these two types of chocolate are almost always interchangeable. If you love dark chocolate desserts, try bittersweet chocolate in this recipe.