Picnics, friends, wine, and maybe a waterfront. A birthday could be sprinkled in, but it’s not necessary. A cake, however, is necessary. Not just any cake, but the quintessential chocolate cake, the one that dreams are made of—you know the one. You crave it every now and then, thinking about it’s perfect crumb and simply sophisticated icing. It’s a challenge to find these days as it seems like you can’t just buy a slice of cake like this anymore. This is why we have good recipes.
I was turned on to this recipe by my friend Laura Beth. During a photoshoot at her place a few weeks ago, this cake was regally sitting on her dining room table under a glass dome magnifying it’s gorgeousness. Time seemed to stop as I took one look at it, looked at her, looked back at the cake and then politely asked for a piece to go. At home, time stopped altogether, the sounds of city life outside my balcony ceasing as I took a bite. When I opened my eyes, I was transcended back to my kitchen, standing with fork in hand, hovering over the piece of cake unwrapped on foil on my counter. Wow, I’ve got to try that again, I thought. After a few more bites, I was satisfied, mentally noting that this cake was going on the forever list.
We were, in fact, celebrating three birthdays last weekend so the cake made it’s grand debut. While picnicking and waiting for the fireworks to begin, we sliced thick pieces onto paper plates and sipped Vino Verde. As evening grew darker and anticipation for the show grew stronger, the cake dwindled in size but our happiness was overflowing. It was a perfect summer evening.
I had to share a little piece of absolute radness with you. Yesterday, this amazing chocolate heart was given to me by my dear friend Leela Cyd Ross made by Alma Chocolates. Have a happy, heartful weekend! xo
Phew! It’s not only a mouthful to say, it’s a mouthful to try. Another semi-finalist of Pietopia, this entrant’s story won the hearts of the food-writer judges for her honesty, clarity of feelings, and ability to relay her deep relationship to these specific tastes. The story is touching, the pie is a chocolate-caramel-banana flavor bomb, what better combination is there for a contest like Pietopia?
If you make this pie, you’ll instantly understand her story on a deeper and more meaningful level. This is what happened to me! Sure, I “understood” with my mind that banana’s, fudge, caramel, and kids were all a little messy and sticky–but I didn’t realize to what extent this could be taken to and how wonderful it all was together! You might even be surprised yourself.
Caroline Ford, Pietopia Semi-Finalist 2010
My younger brother has a spirited, cheerful three-year-old daughter and a giggly, flirtatious one-year-old son. Except, my brother is a drug addict and dealer and is in prison with a 20-year sentence. He has completely missed the exciting “firsts” of his babies and will continue to be absent for their early years. It breaks my heart, but I love the kids so much I can hardly stand it.
The little lives of my beautiful niece and nephew are like my Gooey, Sticky, Banana Caramel Fudge Brownie Pie. The soft, mushy bananas are the muddled circumstances and easily bruised emotions. Layered with salted caramel for all the tears along the way, a little chewy for my brother’s stubborn resistance. And the pie is oozing with dark, bittersweet chocolate for unexpected pregnancies that have brought two delightful babies.
The filling isn’t very stable. It is sticky and messy, but the combination is a sweet harmony. Each bite of the pie is happy and rich. The lush texture and comforting flavors make me swoon and grin and dive in for more. These two young souls have brought my family and the mothers’ families more joy than we could have ever imagined. They are perfect, adorable, laughing and smiling children surrounded by love, and they are exactly the delightful surprise we have all been craving. Sometimes messy is deliciously right.
Banana Caramel Fudge Brownie Pie
Crust: (makes enough for 2 single crust pies, save the other for later!) 2 ¼ c all-purpose flour ¼ c cornmeal 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 12 T butter, chilled, cut into ¼” pieces ½ cup shortening, chilled, cut into 1/4” pieces 1/2 cup water, very cold Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in food processor; pulse to mix. Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (pea sized pieces). Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing just until mixture comes together. Remove dough and shape into 2 equal discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. To roll out, remove one disc from refrigerator and place on floured surface. Flour disc and rolling pin; roll out dough to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8” thick. Transfer dough to pie tin, press gently into pan. Fold excess overhang under and crimp edges. Prick bottom and side of shell with a fork and chill for at least 30 minutes. While chilling, preheat oven to 375 degrees with a baking sheet on the middle rack. Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights; bake on sheet for about 25 minutes, or until pastry is set and golden. Set aside.
Fudge Brownie Filling: 4 large eggs 1 cup sugar, sifted 1 cup brown sugar, sifted 2 1/4 cup cocoa, sifted 1/2 cup flour, sifted 8 ounces melted butter 2 tablespoons ground espresso 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Beat eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow; add both sugars and combine. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Set aside.
Other Layers: 3 ripe bananas, cut into ¼” pieces 1 cup caramel chews, cut into small pieces 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips To assemble: Layer cut bananas, caramel and chocolate chips in bottom of par baked pie shell. Pour brownie batter over top in spoonfuls, gently smooth over filling. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until brownie is set. Insert toothpick into center to check for doneness. Serve warm and gooey.
Last week, a friend of mine sent me a recipe for chocolate cake. This cake, unlike the regular good-ol’ butter variety, is made with avocado for it’s main source of fat (because we all know that in order for a baked good to be truly good, there needs to be some good fat in there!). I had never tried substituting avocado for butter before, but was definitely up to the challenge. This cake is vegan, and one of the best vegan cakes I’ve ever tried, at that. Vegan baking used to scare me a little–if there isn’t butter or eggs in it, what IS in it? I used to think. But, after experimenting with lots of recipes and sampling delicious vegan baked goods from the numerous vegan bakeries around town, I’ve decided they are absolutely equal players in the baking field.
I was pleasantly surprised with how light and moist the crumb of this cake was as well as how much chocolate flavor each bite packed. I was even more pleased about the fact that I was eating something packed full of healthy fats (the avocado), no white flour (whole wheat pastry flour), no white sugar (brown rice syrup and sucanant), and it was delicious. What is happening here? I wondered out loud. My mind used to get so boggled when thinking about baking things that wouldn’t make my teeth fall out, grow an extra tire around my waist, make my blood sugar soar, or all of the above. But, it’s possible! I think I am more amazed than anyone here, haha.
Give this cake a try! You won’t be disappointed. However, if you are looking for something super sweet, you might not enjoy it as much. But that is precisely why I did! I could actually taste the chocolate flavors and not just an overpowering sweetness. There are a couple of options for frosting too! I made a simple, very non-vegan frosting with some cultured cream cheese, whipped cream, and maple syrup. My friend made a fantastic coconut cream frosting (vegan) that, she said, rocked her world. And I’ve also seen another recipe for a spinach-whipped cream frosting. No joke, but she said it was good! I’d have to try it to believe it though. This cake is really versatile when it comes to toppings, so take your pick and go for it!
ps–Just a gentle reminder that Friday is the last day to enter Pietopia this year! Just 300 words (about a short paragraph) and and a recipe and you could win!
Cheers!
Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake, adapted from the edible perspective 3 cups whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour 8 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 cup brown rice syrup 3/4 cup sucanat or granulated sugar 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado 1 cup water 1 c almond milk or rice milk 2 Tablespoons vinegar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch rounds or 1 9 x 13-inch pan. Sift together all of the dry ingredients except the sugar. Set that aside.
Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl, including the super mashed avocado. Add sugar into the wet mix and stir.
Mix the wet with the dry all at once, and beat with a whisk (by hand) until smooth. Pour batter into a greased cake tins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, remove from pan and place on rack to cool completely before frosting.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting 1 package regular cultured cream cheese 2 cups heavy whipped cream 1/4 cup maple syrup
Whip the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. In another bowl, whip all the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Add a few scoops of it to the cream cheese, folding it in and then blend well, then add the rest and whisk until completely blended.
Cheese by Rogue Creamery
This year’s IACP was my first conference and it was fantastic. What a treat it was to have over 900 food lovers, chef’s, food writers, food photographers, food stylists, and recipe developers descend on our already food-obsessed town! I volunteered for several events which in turn I was allowed to go to them. Other than designing the signage for the opening reception, I was able to help out with the lovely Ellen Jackson‘s dinner A Culinary Duet, a fundraiser for The Culinary Trust.
by Chef David Machado of Nel Centro
The opening reception was, in retrospect, a dream. Imagine yourself walking into a rococo ornate hall with ceilings that seem to reach the sky, all decorated with real pears hanging from branches, deep low lighting, and then being handed a sparkling glass of champagne as you enter. As you walk a little further over the soft, plush carpeting padding your footsteps, you are handed plate after beautiful plate of fresh, aromatic, and at times sensual foods from over 18 different local chefs. The roaring noise from hundreds of people’s chatter and exclamations slowly fades as you sip and nibble your way through the room. Every now and then you close your eyes to take in the layers of flavors and textures from what you are nibbling only to open your eyes to see the chef who made it smiling back at you. “That’s what I thought too” he might say, “the first time I tried this.” Fantastic. There was an entire room dedicated to local wines and beers where it was all flowing quite freely. And yet another room, rouge red and dark, solely dedicated to absinthe tasting. It was like a secret club that actually took me quite a while to find. The only reason I knew it existed was because I made a sign for it. I had never tasted absinthe before and it is interesting. It has a heavy anise flavor, like black licorice, but just slides right down. I wouldn’t be able to drink much of it (I’m not an anise fan), but it was wonderful to try.
Pix Patisserie macaroons
Bunk Sandwiches (seriously the best sandwich I’ve ever had: spicy chorizo, avocado, messy, amazing street food…)
Paley’s Place seafood gnocci
Raw beef nigiri
Absinthe pouring, by owner and distiller Gwydion Stone
Then there was Ellen’s dinner. Also not a dream, I have to remind myself, but a true taste of the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. There were seven local chefs and artisans, as well as the farmers and ranchers with whom they collaborated. They created an exceptional family-style meal dinner that “blended old and new” cooking traditions with Oregon’s culinary heritage. Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, authors of The Flavor Bible introduced each chef through out the meal. The menu was exceptional:
Appetizers included carrot soup with roasted Braeburn apples and chervil, a goat’s milk ricotta on walnut bread, pea shoots, and olive oil, as well as a flank steak, grilled beef heart and beef liver pate (which was actually my favorite!). All of the appetizers were done by Executive Chef Aaron Dionne of Bon Appetit Management Company.
Fresh rosemary tied around the bases of the branches, such a wonderful touch!
For the first course we ate wild morel puff pastry with gathered spring greens and aged sauvignon blanc vinaigrette (wine pairings: Trisaetum 2008 Estate Riesling and Willamette Valley Vineyards 2007 Dry Reisling) by Chef Naomi Pomeroy of Beast restaurant.
The second course was a lamb, purgatorio bean, and spring vegetable roast (incredible!) (wine pairing: Erath 2006 Prince Hill Pinot Noir) by Chef Jason French of Ned Ludd as well as a grilled country ham, south carolina grits and wild mushroom red eye gravy (wine pairing: Grochau Cellars 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir) done by Chef Adam Sappington of The Country Cat Dinner House.
The cheese course was done by Steve Jones, of The Cheese Bar. There was a Borenkaas (raw cow’s milk aged Gouda), a Tin Willow Tomme (raw sheep’s milk), and a Cynthian (raw goat’s milk with herbs). The latter was my favorite–it was soft, but not creamy like a brie, and infused with the essence or perfumes of the herbs instead of them being right in there. Amazing.
Then, for dessert we had a hazelnut cake, rhubarb compote and creme fraiche ice cream by Pastry Chef Lauren Fortgang of Paley’s Place (wine pairing: Francis Tannahill 2008 Gewurztraminer) and a Piment d’Esplette & chocolate by David Briggs of Xocolatl de David. The chocolate was actually two small round chocolate cookies with a foie gras chocolate (called Foitella) sandwiched between. About half the table loved it, the other half did not. I fell into the latter category–but then again, I’m not a mole fan (and I wish I was!) so meat and chocolate together just are not my taste all too often.
I’d say Portland exceeded in showing the culinary crowd how well they do food here, beyond even their wildest imagination. The dinner was set in an old converted building that literally transformed itself as the sun set, with candles hanging from the branches at each table, easily yet daintily illuminating every place setting just enough so the diner could see what they were eating. The entire experience was a little bit like magic. I even pinched myself the next day when I woke up. As I was making my morning tea, I looked over on the counter and saw the menu sitting there–it wasn’t just a dream.
Vanilla or chocolate? Put the two together and the debate becomes officially moot. I think it is hard to find a better flavor pairing–they perfectly compliment each other, adding aroma and depth to each of their respective tastes. Especially when it comes to making a cup of hot chocolate.
I have somehow acquired an entire book on hot chocolate–recipes, the history, you name it which I finally sat down the other day and read it through. It is not a long book and the methods of making hot cocoa were all fairly similar with the exception of a few interesting ingredients in some of the recipes. But I did notice one ingredient that none of the famous European and South American chocolatiers did without in their cocoa–vanilla. When thinking of hot cocoa, I can get fairly one dimensional–all I can think about is the chocolate. So when I noticed this trend and read about vanilla becoming the essence to any good cocoa, I had to wrap my brain (and hands) around this concept and make some. Logic was telling me that this makes total sense. My experience in the kitchen was also telling me this makes total sense. But this was just one of those things that I had to try–and am I ever so glad I did.
We took a few hikes on the Oregon coast this weekend (I couldn’t help but share some of these photos with you!)–the perfect weather to stop in a tiny fishing town for a cup of cocoa. In my imagination, I envisioned something like the cup I made tonight. However, I was sorely disappointed with a syrupy concoction that made my teeth want to fall out. Even so, I was determined to have the perfect cup–so I did what any good lover-of-all-things-food-cooking-flavor-and-taste did–I made it in my own kitchen.
Chocolate has a fascinating history, all wrapped up in scandal, seduction, power, and pleasure. It has literally rocked people (yes, like head-banging, horn throwing, total rocking machines) for centuries. But I think that one of my all time favorite gourmands summed chocolate up better than anyone: “If any man has drunk a little too deeply from the cup of physical pleasure; if he has spent too much time at his desk that should have been spent asleep; if his fine spirits have become temporarily dulled; if he finds the air too damp, the minutes too slow, and the atmosphere too heavy to withstand; if he is obsessed by a fixed idea which bars him from any freedom of thought: if he is any of these poor creatures, we say, let him be given a good pint of amber-flavored chocolate…and he will experience a marvel.” Jean-Anthelme, I think we’ve all been there. I say, bring on the chocolate!
This recipe is simple and sophisticated. You can have your own cup-of-Vienna and pretend you are actually sitting on a square there while you sip this down–it’s that good. I suggest drinking it in small amounts, it is quite rich and you may feel the energetic effects of the chocolate more easily than you would with cocoa powder. But if you are in need of a serious, and I mean serious chocolate fix, go ahead and pour yourself a big ‘ol mug. And don’t forget the real whipped cream on top.
Hot Chocolate (as it should be) via Michael Turback
*this makes one serving
1 cup whole milk (treat yourself and use a really nice, organic whole milk)
1 vanilla bean
4 oz bittersweet chocolate (around 70%), finely chopped (use a really nice bar of chocolate–go to a nice specialty shop, organic grocery, or someplace where you can find only the best for yourself)
1 teaspoon sugar
Combine the milk and vanilla bean in a small saucepan over low heat (slice the vanilla bean down the middle, using the blunt end of a butter knife, scoop out most of the seeds, put them into the pot, and then throw the entire bean-pod in as well). Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the bean. Add the chopped chocolate and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until completely melted. Add the sugar and stir. Remove the mixture from heat and allow to steep for 2-3 hours, uncovered in the pot (I just moved it to a back burner of the stove and let it sit). When ready to drink, ladle some into a small mug and microwave a minute at a time and stir between heatings. Or, if you are going to drink the whole pot, just reheat on the stove, stiring with a small whisk, ladel into mugs, and serve. If you want to be really decadent, serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
A note on letting your hot chocolate steep, or rest: Hot chocolate acquires wisdom and grace with a little age. When the mixture cools down, the chocolate crystallizes and the ingredients are bound together in a way that improves the drinks velvety texture. “As far back as the eighteenth century, Madame d’Arestrel, superior of the Convent of the Visitation in Belley, France, instructed the epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin on the importance of letting hot chocolate rest: When you would like to have some good chocolate, have it made the night before in a coffee pot and leave it. resting overnight will concentrate it and give it a velvetiness that makes it even better.” –M. Turback
Cheers!
Every year my mother makes a Buche de Noel for Christmas dinner. She started when she was 14, the first year she took french. And each year that I can remember, it has been made a little different. Depending on time, sometimes she brought out the duncan heinz chocolate frosting instead of making her own, or there were little decorations made from candies, powdered sugar, and the end scraps cut off from the cake. It was the ritual of making and eating this cake that was important though and no matter what, the “buche” as she so lovingly calls it, made its way to our family table each year.
Living across the country does not make it especially easy to share a slice of cake. So I called her up and asked for her recipe so I could share and enjoy this cake thousands of miles away. Growing up, I always imagined much more whipped cream in the middle than what was there. I mean MUCH more. I remember scraping through the insides trying to get each little bit of cream before I even started on the cake or icing part. Some years, for whatever reason, there seemed to be such a scant amount that I even asked for a dollop on the side. “No, honey” was the usual response, “there isn’t any more, I used it all in the cake.” Hmm. My little baking mind was already devising ways to make improvements in that department for the next year.
This year, I loaded the Buche with lots of cream in the center–my favorite part. The cake is light and airy and chiffon-like. It is like biting into a cloud–with a surprise middle. The dark chocolate icing pulls the whole thing together, grounding the flavors back to earth, and gives it sophistication. Let the chocolate icing just pour right on top of the rolled cake and cream combo, then scoop the excess that has gathered at it’s base and reapply. The messiness of the process–the excessive amount of bowls, utensils, rolling, unrolling, rolling again, and dousing chocolate–are just as much a part of this cake as it’s flavor. One bite and you’ll know what I mean 
.
For the next week I will be in the Rockies to celebrate the holidays and frolic in the snow–snowshoeing, making snowmen, cross country skiing, attempting to snowboard– so I’ll be signing off for a little while. Have a wonderful week and see you soon!
Buche de Noel, via my mother
*Read the directions carefully before you begin as the process of making, the cake is a little more involved than just reading through the ingredients. Cheers!*
The cake:
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla
4 egg whites
1/2 cup of sugar
2/3 cups of sifted flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 cups of cocoa
Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup of sugar, add vanilla. Beat egg whites until soft peeks form, gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold yolk mixture into whites. Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt. Fold into egg mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan (151/2×101/2×1). Bake in a moderate oven at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
How to prepare the jelly roll pan:
Grease the pan then line with parchment paper making sure it extends over the edge of he pan. Grease the paper as well. Pour the batter so it covers all corners. Loosen edges as soon as cake comes from the oven. Reverse the pan onto a clean towel that has been dusted with sifted confectioners sugar. Immediately peel off the paper and trim the crust edges. Roll up before cake cools-roll in a dusted towel an place on a rack to cool.
Filling:
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1-3 tsp of sifted confectioners sugar
optional: 1 tsp instant coffee
Chocolate butter icing:
3 tbs butter
2-3 oz of unsweetened chocolate
1/4 hot water,cream or coffee
1/8 tsp of salt
Melt the above over low heat in medium sauce pan
Gradually add the following:
2 cups of sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
achieve a glossy finish by dipping the spatula in hot water frequently.
You can make a log knot with some of the crusts if you are industrious
I have used candies to make a holly leaf and berry
Sometimes I have sprinkled confectioners sugar lightly over the log to look like snow.
From Julie Rapp’s French class 1970 (I have been making this since I was 14 years old)
I just devoured the last three Kokosbollar–or chocolate oat truffles–left from a batch I (or Noel Bakerina, actually) made yesterday. Andrew just found out I finished them off and was offended. Not ten minutes ago I had said something to the effect of: let’s eat those chocolates in the fridge, both of us nodding in agreement. I went into the kitchen to get them–but something otherworldly came over me–and I ate them all, one right after the other! Sometimes, there is nothing that comes between a woman and her chocolate.
These truffles are something you could polish off a handful for an afternoon snack (like I just did) easily. Why? While they have that rich, earthy, and tantalizing chocolate mass, they are also made with crushed rolled oats which adds texture and bulk. Essentially, you are not eating a small lump of pure chocolate, but something a little more. Something that tastes like an afternoon chocolate or a late night chocolate–not necessarily an after dinner chocolate–although they could definitely do well then too . They also have a nice added kick of espresso or espresso powder–something else that makes them wonderful afternoon treats.
Noel dropped these off for Laura, Chauncey, and Gemma who were excited about them. I think that they may be enjoyed more by Laura and Chauncey as they have a bit more adult-like tastes–not very sweet, the bitterness of the espresso–but then again, Gemma is a four year old who requests smoked salmon on a regular basis. Noel wrote that she loves the coconut they are rolled in because it reminds her of snowflakes. Gemma wholeheartedly agreed . Noel used a Kokosbollar recipe very similar to the one featured in this month’s Saveur magazine–great minds think alike.
Kokosbollar or Chocolate Oat Truffles via Saveur
16 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
6 tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 tbsp brewed espresso (at room temperature) or espresso powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened finely shredded dried coconut
Combine the butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and use a mixer set to medium speed to beat the mixture until pale and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the chocolate, cocoa powder, espresso, and vanilla and continue beating until combined, about 1 minute more. Place the oats in a the bowl of a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped, about 5 pulses. Add the oats to the chocolate-butter mixture and mix until combined; refrigerate one hour. Using a tablespoon, scoop out and roll in your hands to form a ball, then roll in the coconut flakes in a shallow dish. Transfer balls to a baking sheet or large plate and refrigerate for another 2 hours before serving.
Bon apetit!
I found these chocolates yesterday at a small Russian store way, way out in deep South East Portland. There is a vibrant Russian community here and I would love to spend more time exploring it (and tasting it! Do I hear a food tour coming up?). It was a fun adventure full of stops for cake decorating items, Leela’s wedding dress alterations (done by Tatyana of Tatyana’s Wedding Alterations, the best in Portland OR), and Russian treats like these chocolates. I especially like the girl with the yellow scarf on her head. Now I must taste them!
Sometimes I swear chocolate has magical powers. And I mean this in the most matter of fact ways. Yes, there have been studies which prove the chemical reactions that happen in people when they eat chocolate, but that is the last thing I am thinking (or feeling) about when I have a chocolate craving.
Chocolate, in it’s purest form, is something of a treat for me. I use chocolate as a compliment in many things I make. However, something solidly chocolate is not usually on my baking rounds. But ever since making this cake a few months back, it has become my turn-to, catch-all, never-fail chocolate recipe.
I first read about this cake in Molly Wizenberg’s book, A Homemade Life. The cake is called Winning Hearts and Minds Cake, and boy does it ever. Not only does it win hearts and minds, but bodies and souls as well. It is easy to make and perfect to freeze; it is dense, rich, and amazing. It has won me over in totality not just as a woman who appreciates good chocolate but as a baker and a person with a busy schedule.
Tomorrow I am going to be needing to win over some hearts and minds at my oral defense. I couldn’t think of a better ritual to prepare myself for such an event, thus making this cake. Sometimes it is imperative to woo oneself before one tries to woo others; what I mean is if I don’t feel great, my audience certainly won’t feel great after the presentation either. And this cake makes me feel fantastic. (I wish I could serve it at the defense…that would be amazing!) Alas, I can not, but must speak for 30-40 minutes about my work, my journey into eating design, the how, what, and why I am doing what I am doing, get questioned and finally graded on my efforts. Public speaking has always made me nervous! But this time around, I am feeling more ready than ever. This is such a great opportunity for me to share and celebrate in what I have done in the past few years, explain to people and bring them in, giving them entry and maybe even excite them about it .
Well I accomplished the first step by winning over my heart and mind (and made a chocolate cake to go with it). Tomorrow it’s time for step two: winning theirs (sans the chocolate cake). Wish me luck!!
The Winning Hearts and Minds Chocolate Cake, Molly Wizenburg
7 ounces (200 grams) best-quality dark chocolate
7 ounces (200 grams) unsalted European-style butter (the high-butterfat kind, such as Lurpak or Beurre d’Isigny), cut into ½-inch cubes
1 1/3 cup (250 grams) granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment, and butter the parchment too.
Finely chop the chocolate (a serrated bread knife does an outstanding job of this) and melt it gently with the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for a few moments. Then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition, and then add the flour. The batter should be smooth, dark, and utterly gorgeous.
Pour batter into the buttered cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake looks set and the top is shiny and a bit crackly-looking. (I usually set the timer for 20 minutes initially, and then I check the cake every two minutes thereafter until it’s done. At 20 minutes, it’s usually quite jiggly in the center. You’ll know it’s done when it jiggles only slightly, if at all.) Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it, so that the crackly side is facing upward. Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools.
Serve in wedges at room temperature with a loose dollop of ever-so-slightly sweetened whipped cream.
