Calorie Monster Chocolate Truffle Cake with Raspberry Sauce

From Denny: This is a flourless chocolate cake from a famous Atlanta restaurant. Like many people in Louisiana we lived in Atlanta for a number of years when the economy nose-dived here. We enjoyed discovering the fast-paced trendy restaurant scene. There was no shortage of chefs who knew how to "romance the chocolate" and create the most awesome desserts! (sorry, couldn't resist the pun!)

There were times when we only went to an upscale restaurant for appetizers, a glass of wine and then demanded the dessert cart be wheeled out, saving our calories for the grand finale. The staff always grinned as that was a common customer behavior after a while. (I could have sworn we pioneered it...)

Other people would spy out our choices as they were brought to the table and start ordering the same. (We looked like we knew what we were doing.) Sort of like that Harry met Sally movie where she is enjoying some ice cream a little too loudly and hedonistically that a woman sitting nearby remarks, "Wow, I'll have what she's having! It must be good!"

Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake with Raspberry Sauce

From: Chef Rex Horrell, executive chef at the McCormick and Schmick restaurant (CNN Center location in Atlanta, Georgia)

Hands on time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

2 cups (4 sticks) butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 eggs
6 egg yolks

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees on a convection setting. In a saucepan, heat butter, milk and sugar to scalding, stirring frequently. Make sure butter is melted. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk eggs and yolks together. Gradually whisk eggs into chocolate mixture, beating until completely combined.

Line an 8-by-2 1/2-inch springform pan with buttered parchment paper, making sure the paper circle comes up 1/2 inch on the side of the pan to seal. Pour batter into the pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes. The sides will be puffy and slightly cracked. The center will be soupy but will set as it chills. Refrigerate overnight. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and release springform.

Notes:

Chef Horrell bakes the cake in a convection oven. If using a conventional oven, bake at 350 degrees and add 20 to 30 minutes to the cooking time. The cake is served with a sweetened raspberry sauce.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 609 calories (percent of calories from fat, 76), 9 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 56 grams fat, 269 milligrams cholesterol, 356 milligrams sodium.

*** Thanks for visiting and come back often!

Recipe: Swiss Chocolate Cake

Image by norwichnuts via Flickr

From Denny: When this gorgeous photo pulled up for another chocolate recipe I just had to investigate for the recipe. Turns out the recipe is for a special diet when people can't tolerate too much cholesterol or animal products: vegan!

This cake is flourless and eggless. Give this recipe a try if you have diet restrictions or allergies.


From: norwichnuts @ flickr

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

1 cup vegetable margarine, melted

1 1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup water

Egg Replacer for 6 eggs

Garnish of your choice (used Soy Whip and a couple pieces Swiss Chocolate with powdered sugar but some other excellent choices are: whipped kreme, mixed berries and sauce, caramel sauce)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put chocolate in a bowl and add melted margarine. Boil water and 1 cup sugar. Add to chocolate and whip well, stirring until smooth.

Whip the replacer with remaining sugar. Fold in chocolate. Pour into prepared 8 to 9-inch cake pan (line bottom with parchment paper and "grease" sides with margarine).

Place on cookie sheet and add water to cookie sheet to create a bath. Bake 50 minutes. Cool and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan, garnish and serve.


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Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake with Coffee Liqueur

Flourless cake is great for two reasons: one, it means more chocolate and two, less flour means less gluten which means your metabolism can stay on higher rev. Gluten has the bad habit of slowing down the metabolism and causes swelling and eventual weight gain. Bummer! Kudos to the genius who invented flourless chocolate cake for us!

Photo by starmist1 @ flickr


Flourless Chocolate Cake with Coffee Liqueur

From: Chef Ray Johnson of Café Mundo, San Jose, Costa Rica

Yield: 12 servings

Serve this with coffee ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Beaten eggs make this cake lighter in texture than most other flourless chocolate cakes.


Ingredients:

1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

¼ cup coffee liqueur

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

7 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

Powdered sugar


Directions: Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4 –inch-high sides. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Stir chocolate, butter, coffee liqueur and vanilla in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until thick and pale, and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes. Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into lukewarm chocolate mixture. Fold remaining egg mixture into chocolate mixture.

Place prepared pan on baking sheet. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 55 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Gently press down edges of cake. Cool completely in pan.

(Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.)

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove sides of pan; transfer cake to platter. Remove parchment paper. Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar and serve.

Recipe: Orange Apricot Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Orange Apricot Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting


Here’s a great flourless cake for Passover, any other occasion or gluten free diet.

Yield: 12 servings.



Ingredients for Apricot Puree:

1 (6 oz.) package dried apricots

1 ½ cups orange juice

6 Tablespoons sugar


Ingredients for Cake:

1 cup sugar

6 large egg yolks

1/3 cup canola oil

1 Tablespoon grated orange peel

½ cup matzo cake meal

½ cup potato starch

6 large egg whites

½ teaspoon salt


Ingredients for Frosting:

1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted pareve margarine


Dried apricots, cut into triangles (optional)

Grated orange peel (optional)


Directions for apricot puree: Combine dried apricots and orange juice in small saucepan over low heat until apricots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor. Add sugar and puree until smooth. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Transfer to bowl; cover and chill.)

Directions for Cake: Position rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 325° F. Using electric mixer, beat ½ cup sugar, egg yolks, oil, orange peel and 1/3 cup apricot puree in large bowl until mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in matzo cake meal and potato starch. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into yolk mixture. Gently fold in remaining whites in 3 additions.

Transfer batter to ungreased 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 42 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will sink slightly).

Directions for Frosting: Meanwhile, stir chocolate and margarine in saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Whisk in 3 tablespoons apricot puree. Remove from heat. Let stand until thickened but still spreadable, about 2 hours.

Cut around cake sides; remove pan rim. Cut cake horizontally in half to form 2 layers, leaving bottom layer on pan bottom. Place top layer, cut side up, on plate.

Spread bottom layer with 2/3 cup apricot puree. Spread ½ cup chocolate frosting on cut side of top layer. Place top layer, chocolate side down, on apricot filling.

Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill until frosting sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before serving. Garnish with apricots and orange peel, if desired.

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog:
Comfort Food From Louisiana