flourless

Food Friday: Flourless Chocolate Cake

FoodLogo

IMG_1867

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a craving for chocolate and how better to satisfy a chocolate craving than with a flourless chocolate cake?  No better way.  This recipe is courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

1 cup butter

1 ¼ cups sugar

6 eggs

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Butter a 9-in springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.  Butter the paper and set pan aside.

IMG_1861

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melt 8 oz chocolate and 1 cup butter in a medium saucepan stirring often.  Remove from heat and transfer to large bowl.  Add sugar and mix well.  Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.  Sift cocoa into bowl and stir until just blended.

IMG_1862

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes, or until cake has risen and top has formed a thin crust.  The cake should be just firm in the center when done.  Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate, removing sides of springform pan.  Remove and discard parchment paper and set cake aside to cool completely.

IMG_1864

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, make the chocolate glaze.  Melt remaining 4 oz chocolate and 3 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan (I used the same pan).  Remove from heat, then stir in milk, honey and vanilla.  Set aside to cool slightly.

IMG_1865

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When cake has cooled, pour glaze onto the center.  Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, very gently smooth glaze along the top and sides of the cake.  Chill cake, uncovered for 30-60 minutes before serving to set the glaze and make the cake easier to slice.   It is good both warm and cold.  It becomes kind of like fudge after refrigerated.

Food Friday: Santiago Almond Cake

FoodLogo

 

 

 

This cake is a specialty of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.  The area is famous for the pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.  Santiago translates to English as James and the story is that St. James’s remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried on the site of what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela.  There are several routes you can take to Compostela and they were heavily traveled in the Middle Ages.  Today people travel from all over the world to walk the route and it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sword of St James
Sword of St James

 

 

 

This is a flourless almond cake named after St James.  It is usually topped with the symbol of the sword of St James.  Although crosses are also appropriate.

IMG_1038

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 ¼ cups finely ground almonds

IMG_1039

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Separate 4 eggs into 2 large bowls.

Beat yolks, gradually incorporating ¾ cup sugar.

IMG_1040

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fold in 2 ¼ cups finely ground almonds.

IMG_1042

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whisk egg whites until foamy

Gradually beat in ¼ cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff

Stir 1/3 of egg whites into almond mixture, then carfully fold in remaining egg whites in 2 batches.

IMG_1044

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour batter into buttered 9-inch cake pan and bake until done – about 30-35 minutes

Allow to cool

Dust with powdered sugar.

IMG_1048

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!  Yum!