I love Chocolate, so I thought it timely to write a little bit about the best type to buy this Valentine’s Day. I’m also sharing my fool-proof Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe, that we served recently at my husband’s 40th birthday celebration. With its mild caffeine hit, and rich, silky flavour, this cake is a winner for drinks and dinner parties, especially when people are needing a little late-night-pick-me-up.
Is Chocolate good for you? Well, that’s open to some debate. We know that cacao beans extracted from the Theobroma Cacao plant contain some health-promoting antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. It’s also rich in theobromine; a compound similar to caffeine, which has remarkable focus-enhancing and mood-boosting properties.
Yet, to gain any health benefits from chocolate, you really need to read the fine print. Look for brands that are cold-processed (increasing the antioxidant content) and free from soy lecithin (an amphiphilic emulsifier that can irritate the lining of the gut), also tick off refined sugars / high fructose corn syrup and skim milk powders.
A good quality chocolate should taste slightly bitter, not sweet, and have a rich creamy texture (thanks to the ample presence of cacao butter).
Some brands that I’ve been able to sample this week include Pana, Pico and Monsieur Truffe.. but there are plenty more edging their way into the market (have any suggestions? hit me in the comments).
What I’m Loving This Week-
On the topic of the day, I did enjoy David Lebowitz description of pate de cacao (ground cacao paste sourced from French cooking stores) in his update of the chocolate ice-cream recipe that he is perhaps most famous for. I love David’s writings; they a beautiful combination of food knowledge and the life and culture of Paris. Take a look.
My home-brew of Apple Cider Vinegar. Yes.. this is off the topic of Chocolate entirely, but my brew has been fermenting on my kitchen bench for the past few weeks and it’s causing much excitement in our home. I used one of my favourite heirloom apple varieties, Bedfordshire Foundlings, thanks to their tangy, tart flavour, and overt abundance in our local orchard. I have shared some bubbly updates on my instagram page, and hope to have the recipe here soon. In the meantime, hit me with any questions on home-brewing cider vinegar, and/or it’s health benefits? Comment below, and I hope to share more in the coming weeks..
RECIPE:
Fool-proof Flourless Chocolate Cake with added oomph:
I first served this cake at my husband’s 40th and it was a hit. True; it gave our guests a good second wind as the night wore on, and I’ve been serving it at late-night functions ever since. But why the oomph factor? Well, it’s rich in quality cacao compounds, with a good hit of caffeine. It’s also grain free, low in starch and quite easy to digest (so it keeps people moving, and back to the dance floor). I’m making a few guesses and extrapolating on the oomph factor here, but bear with me and give it a try..
What you will need:
200g butter*
180g good quality chocolate (try for 40-60% cocoa content)
2 tablespoons cacao powder
4 eggs, separated
3/4 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
1/4 cup coffee (I use a french press to extract mine)
2 cups almond meal
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
To do:
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celcius, and prepare a 20cm cake tin by greasing the edges with butter, or lining it with grease-proof baking paper.
Place the chocolate, sugar, cacao powder, butter and coffee is a small bowl or jug and assemble this inside a saucepan filled with 2 inches of water at the bottom (see pic). Place the saucepan on a low heat and stir the mixture frequently with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted and a smooth mixture forms.
Next, place the whites in a large mixing bowl and whisk with beaters to create stiff peaks. Perform the ‘upside down’ test and check that the whites stick to the bowl when the bowl is turned upside down (if they slip, the need further whisking… keep going).
When the chocolate mixture is properly melted, stir through the egg yolks and vanilla. Next, combine the chocolate mixture with the almond meal in a large mixing bowl and stir well (use the beaters, and give it some oomph). Fold through the egg whites and make sure the mixture is well combined. At this point, you may want to check that its sweet enough (this depends a bit on the cacao content of the chocolate you used. adjust accordingly, and add more sugar if you need to).
Pour the mixture into the cake tin and place it in the oven. Check after 40 minutes to see if a skewer comes out clean. If it doesn’t, try again in 5-10 minutes, taking care not to overcook.
When ready, remove cake from the oven and leave it to rest for a good ten minutes before taking it out of its tin. Serve with cream and berries, or a warm drizzle of honey.
If you enjoyed this article and the recipe, please feel free to leave a comment, like or share it with some amazing friends, I am grateful for your support.