I’ve been dieting. Valentine’s Day marks Day 29 of vigilance, and I am seeing results, although not as quickly as I’d like. (I’d like to wake up tomorrow and be 10 lbs. thinner.) But I didn’t want to let the day for hearts and chocolate and appreciation for my sweetie pass without some treat. (And yes, I wanted it for me, too!)
I’ve been avoiding wheat, so a flourless cake came to mind. Heavy on chocolate and also light on dairy — another item on my avoidance list. I chose this one from many recipes online — we both like spice, and this one had less butter (though more chocolate and sugar) than the other recipe I was considering. I tweaked it a bit — used different kinds of chocolate, rather than only the semisweet called for, used one-third less sugar (next time I’ll try stevia), and added a teaspoon of instant coffee, a trick I learned from Ina Garten (of Barefoot Contessa fame), who swears it makes any chocolate recipe taste better.
The cake is a winner — chocolaty heaven, even though I left it in the oven too long. I looked at it with 4 minutes to go and the top hadn’t cracked at all, but when I checked again (I can’t hear the oven timer from upstairs), it looked like this.
Something trying to hatch?
Fortunately, nothing a few raspberries couldn’t fix — not called for in this particular recipe, but a nice complement. The final texture is a bit dry; when I make it again, I’ll bake it less. But neither of us is complaining too much.
A Valentine’s Day splurge. Compliments of the chef du maison. For my sweetie and me.
All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!
~ Lucy (courtesy of Charles Schulz)
Mexican Flourless Chocolate Cake
- 10 oz. chocolate, roughly chopped (I used a mix of semisweet, dark, and even 2 or 3 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate)
- 7 TBS unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. chili powder (recipe called for chipotle chili powder, I only had regular)
- 1 tsp. instant coffee
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Pinch of salt
- Raspberries to top (optional — I used frozen, thawed a bit)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-1/2″ springform pan with a circle of parchment paper. Grease the sides and the parchment with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth.
- Whisk together the eggs and the sugar in a large bowl. Slowly, a bit at a time, whisk in the (cooled) melted chocolate. (Mine looked very grainy at first — like I hadn’t dissolved the chocolate or sugar enough, but it smoothed out).
- Add the spices, and adjust to taste, if needed.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Top with raspberries, if desired.
Writing by Ear 
mel said,
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 8:22 am
that looks divine!!! and I love the touch of “heat” in it!!! will have to try it…once I start walking again (I, unlike you, have no chariot).
WritingbyEar said,
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 8:34 am
Mel, I bet the local Play It Again Sports may have a chariot — lots of people buy them with the best of intentions, but…we all know how that goes. I’m just happy I’ve gotten my money’s worth out of mine (it’s a low-end model, too!).
mel said,
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 10:44 pm
oh, my friend… my sweet hopeful friend who thinks there’s a chance in h**l that I’ll actually climb on one of those even if it’s sitting at the foot of my bed… I’ve already purchased and sold at least 2 of them. I wish I had your dedication. if I made the purchase again, I fear it would only a) trip us up in the tiny basement, and b) become a clothes-drying rack. sigh.
WritingbyEar said,
Friday, February 19, 2010 at 9:27 am
Oh, Mel, there has been many the month — even year — that mine collected dust and took up space. I do feel better (mentally and physically) when I use it though. The key is never to stop (remind me I said that).