How-to Chocolate cake (gluten-free)

There may still be a chill in the air but spring is definitely here.  A hike yesterday through a park near our home yielded ample opportunity for wildlife spotting.  Not expecting to see anything, we stumbled upon black birds with striking red-tipped wings foraging with their female mates in a nearby wetland, marmots hanging out near a chicken-coop, and quail shouting their spastic alarm calls as we strolled past their hiding places underneath the forest brush.

As you can expect, after our long walk we were pretty hungry and, following a healthy lunch wink wink, I got to work on a double-layer chocolate cake!  I tried a recipe for a decadent-looking gluten-free chocolate cake that I’d been meaning to try for a while.  It took a little more prep time than I’d hoped for at the beginning, but the results were excellent. When I told my boyfriend there was no flour in the cake batter he was absolutely astonished, “just almonds” I said, and of course wished the cake batter recipe had been born of my own ingenuity. Apart from my additions of the chocolate ganache topping, and cream cheese, kiwi and Bing cherry filling, and I’ll keep the credit for these thanks very much, the credit goes to Dinah Alison whose book ‘Totally Flour-free Baking’ I bought while still living in London.

Although not all of the recipes are as easy to recreate as the one for chocolate cake, Dinah’s experiments in creating the lightest batters possible have resulted in a very nice cake, with nearly the same ‘crumb’ texture as a flour-based cake. I personally find regular (non gf) cakes too floury; the cake usually more reliant on the raspberry filling, or the thick topping of icing to deliver the wow factor, instead of what should probably be a superb flavour distributed throughout the cake itself. This cake delivers exactly the latter; a great punch of super chocolaty-ness while at the same time not being too rich.

Dinah has discovered a cake’s “lightness of being” so to speak, or as they call it in Chinese ‘Qin Gong’, but don’t quote me on the spelling.  It’s a bit like the Kung Fu flying scenes in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon…only in a cake… is that a little abstract?  Anyway, the secret to achieving lightness, and this will only apply to cake I’m afraid, is using lightweight ingredients such as icing sugar instead of cane or granulated sugar, cocoa instead of melted chocolate (unless you’re going for the dense chocolate brownie effect), and always, always stiffly whisked egg whites.

But there’s more…Dinah Alison goes the extra mile and pre-whisks the egg yolks and then pours this over top of the whisked egg whites, which is then quickly folded all together. What a brilliant idea! And then, after sifting the dry ingredients, not once, but twice, through a large sieve (I used a colander because the mesh of my trusty sieve is too finely woven for the ground almonds to get through it), the dry mixture is dusted over the top of the eggs and folded in with a large spoon, as you would do with any recipe where you want to keep as much air in the batter as possible.

So, now that I’ve let the cat out of the box, I’d better stop talking, and let you source the original recipe for yourself.  But if you keep these techniques in mind and play around with quantities of ground almonds, icing sugar and cocoa and the eh hem…6 eggs (separated) that are required…then you might easily come up with an equally brilliant recipe for a double-layered chocolate cake, fit for any occasion.

Also, I must recommend trying the chocolate ganache topping described below. And the cream cheese filling is as easy as a bit of milk blended with cream cheese, or simply use fresh cream cheese if you can find it without adding any milk, mixed with your favourite sweet liquor- Bailey’s is always nice, but don’t use anything too rare or expensive like I made the mistake of using, because you won’t necessarily taste it in between the cake’s already flavourful layers.

In terms of the filling, what matters most is the type of fruit you use and the amount of creaminess in the middle. If you opt for fruit in the middle, then try using fruit that is high in acidity or sweetness such as kiwi, raspberries, dark pitted cherries (fresh or frozen), and mango. For an ‘in-season’ filling I’d recommend using the best local raspberries, preferably from a corner in your own backyard as these should have a much better flavour than often watery store-bought varieties, and try using generous slices of freshly picked, sun-ripened apricots or melon- absolutely the nectar of the gods- all lavishly surrounded by lashings of slightly sweetened whipped cream.

Hmm…well this has me thinking about summer already.  I’d better get out and enjoy the first sights and sounds of spring while there’s still a chance.

Chocolate ganache topping:

80 grams (more or less- this doesn’t have to be too accurate) of your favourite dark chocolate*

3/4 cup whipping cream, brought to the boil, and immediately poured over the chocolate. Stir until it makes a smooth chocolate sauce and pour over the top of the assembled cake, being sure to pour around the outer rim of the cake so that drizzles of chocolate run down the outside**.


* You could even try using half an organic, fair trade chocolate bar like Cocoa Camino Espresso chocolate mixed with half of a 70% Lindt dark chocolate bar for example, to easily achieve a rich, mocha flavour. Or you could try using other types of chocolate too, like milk chocolate, chilli-infused, tea-infused, orange chocolate etc…

** If you’d like to get even more decadent, maybe for a special occasion, then double the ganache recipe. Place the cake on a wire rack with a tray beneath to catch the run-off chocolate, and pour the topping all over the top. Cover the sides completely in chocolate with the help of a spatula. The cake will require refrigeration for a few hours until set.

(After Dinner) Nut & Ginger Chocolates

 

It's especially fun to learn new words when they concern my favourite subject- food.  In the case of these chocolate clusters they might be called, as the French say, mignardises; an after-dinner sweet typical in households and French restaurants alike – usually an elegant chocolate or delicate miniature pastry to accompany post-feast coffee or tea.  Mignardises, however small, do require some care and attention to detail; taking the time to do so may even transport your guests to a post-feast state of nirvana.

One might call these clusters mignardises, but in truth, although they’re quite cute, their easy-to-make nature does not quite befit the title.  The focus here is more on taste and texture than transporting people to other realms of being. 

Their crunchy, complex texture and energy-boosting quality makes these clusters an intriguing snack, and if offered to guests after dinner, can satisfy either a brief craving for chocolate, or a full-blown chocolate appetite if given the chance.

And, not to detract business away from local coffee shops, but they’re also small enough to keep in your purse for that panic-ridden time of emergency when you’re craving a little something sweet, but are faced with the giant, not to mention glutinous, coffee cakes and cinnamon buns on the other side of the sweet case.  I promise that despite it’s size, this subtle yet decadent treat will leave you feeling great…perhaps even a little naughty, and is best enjoyed mingling in the mouth with a meltingly hot drink.

Nut & Ginger Chocolates

3-4 pieces candied ginger
1 handful organic pumpkin seeds

100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate at least 65% cocoa solids

Handful cashews (unroasted, unsalted)
Handful unsalted almonds or pistachios

Chop the ginger and pumpkin seeds together until very fine – this requires a few minutes of chopping but it’s worth it.  (I found my food processor couldn't get the pieces small enough, but if you have a small processor or grinder it just might work.)

In a heat-resistant bowl melt the chocolate – either in the oven or over a hot water bath.  When melted add the chopped ginger and pumpkin seed and stir thoroughly. Working quickly, add the cashews and, using your trusty fork, coat with the chocolate mixture.  Remove two or three cashews at a time and drop them carefully, so they hold together nicely, onto a silicone mat or baking sheet. Repeat with the almonds.  Sprinkle some cane sugar on top for a sparkly appearance and allow the clusters to cool until set.

Fragrant Rice Pudding with Rose Water and Earl Grey tea

I just finished watching the sappiest love film ever...and couldn't stop watching until the very end.  I've done the bad thing, and allowed myself to be consumed by the cheesy TV specials geared to warming everyone up for the big climax- the Valentine's weekend of l'amour.

And speaking of predictable...with Valentine's Day only a day away, one can hardly count the number of web and newspaper articles relating to chocolate.  I agree that really excellent chocolate tastes truly amazing; in fact I love chocolate and take it very seriously, but just like one's love for another, should it not be celebrated every day?

Amazing as it is, chocolate is not the only senses- arousing ingredient out there.  What about orange and rose water, saffron and tea, mint and honey, and the taste of a perfectly grown honeydew melon freshly picked in the morning sun?

Alright, now I might be dreaming of warmer days, but I do believe that my best friend chocolate well deserves to take the day off.

Now, perhaps it's because I've taken some time away from Asian and Indian cuisine that my past love of infusing food with teas such as jasmine and Earl Grey, and spices like fenugreek and mustard, has once more gallantly leapt to the fore of my attention.

For the last few days, I've been having a lot of fun playing with traditional Indian dishes and techniques, turning them into more modern, fresh, and (scary as this may sound) healthier meals.  I can't say it necessarily took much less time than creating traditional dishes, although I didn't go so far as to marinate or ferment anything for 24 hours, but the finished products tasted great, and made the most of the ingredients I had around me.  Dishes such as crêpes filled with south-Indian style turmeric potato and lentils topped with cumin-spiced Greek yoghurt, and lightly pickled cauliflower salad with cucumber and wild boar bacon bits, all made for an exciting return to Indian-style food, but this time using the classic recipes as a guide and not the rule.   

Inspired, I made a dessert that aroused the senses many more times than I believe the finest chocolate ever could.  So much so that I was quietly giggling at the table; luckily my boyfriend was equally enjoying it, or maybe he was just amused...  A simple rice pudding- who would have thought right?  But taken to the next level, infused with coconut milk and Earl Grey tea, cardamom and rose water, its perfumed essence was simply uplifting.

I recommend trying this, or something equally non-chocolaty, for something different this Valentine's Day.  Presented in a martini glass, topped with honey roasted nuts, or even a few organic red rose petals nestled on top, this exotic creamy pudding could likely transport you and your loved one to exactly the place where you want to be (wink, nudge, say no more!)

Earl Grey and Rose Water Rice Pudding

Big pinch (almost 1 tbsp) of Earl Grey tea leaves – put inside a square of muslin/cheesecloth and tie tight
1/8 cup cane sugar
1/2 a cap-full of rose water
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (from whole pods it will be almost 1/2 tsp once ground: smash open 3 green cardamom pods and remove the seeds- grind in a mortar and pestle until fine)
1.5 cups milk plus 1/4 cup coconut milk (optional- add extra milk if omitting coconut milk)

1/2 cup Basmati rice, cooked in 1 cup water (if you'd like it even creamier then use Arborio short-grain rice)

Bring the rice to a boil, cover with lid, and lower heat to just above minimum and cook for 10 minutes or until water has evaporated.

About 5 minutes into the rice cooking, place everything else in a small pot and bring to a boil.  Then remove the lid, add the cooked rice to the milk and reduce the temperature to medium heat- just high enough to keep the milk and rice at a low boil.  After about 7 minutes, reduce heat once more to medium low and cook for another 3 minutes.  Remove the bag of tea and stir to release some of the heat.  I suggest serving this fragrant rice pudding in small bowls, or alternatively, allow the pudding to cool a little and pour into clear serving glasses.  Garnish with rose petals, honey-roasted nuts, or dried rose hips and cardamom.

Enjoy and Happy Valentine's!