Ohhh chocolate.....I've had a love affair with it for most of my life....in all its glorious dark-rich-creamy-fudgy-cakey- warm-molten-melt-in-your-mouth forms. As much as I love to cook, I'm not into baking fancy desserts. This cake, from Beatrice Peltre, is uncomplicated baking at its best.
This cake paired with vanilla ice cream and mixed berry sauce is divine. Gluten-free baking mix gives it a surprising lightness. The chocolate is rich and deep. The berry sauce is lively and fresh.
Simple Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Minimally Adapted from Beatrice Peltre's recipe in her beautiful cookbook La Tartine Gourmande.
Some Notes:
A tiny sprinkling of sea salt, both in the batter and sprinkled on top really enhances the dark chocolate flavor. Love the combo of dark chocolate and sea salt immensely.
Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix can be found at Whole Foods or online at Amazon.com
Ingredients
3.5 ounce bar of best quality dark chocolate. I used Green and Black's 85% organic. It's an intensely dark chocolate. Use a quality brand with 70% cocoa or more.
4 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup of sugar. I use my Vanilla Bean Sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt or kosher salt
Sprinkle of course or flaky sea salt, fleur de sel or grey celtic salt are good choices.
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of Pamela's Gluten-Free Baking mix (see notes)
1/4 cup ground almond meal
To Serve: powdered sugar and/or whipped cream for serving. Also great with vanilla ice cream and berry sauce (recipe below.)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line the bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan with a piece of buttered parchment paper.
Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it just until melted, stopping and stirring the mixture as you go.
With a handheld mixer beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of fine sea salt or kosher salt until the batter is pale yellow and doubled in volume. Fold in the vanilla and melted chocolate. Gently fold in the baking mix and the almond meal.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 8 minutes. Quickly sprinkle some coarse sea salt over the top of the cake and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the blade of a knife comes out dry. All ovens are different, so try not to over-bake.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.Remove from the pan.
Dust with powdered sugar and/or serve with whipped cream and mixed berry sauce.
Enjoy!
Mixed Berry Sauce Recipe
Makes a small bowl full
Double this recipe if you want extra for pancakes, crepes or oatmeal the next morning. It reheats well. Store in the fridge in an air tight container for a few days. Enjoy!
Ingredients
6 tablespoons of my Vanilla Bean Sugar or regular sugar
1/2 cup of water
1-2 tablespoons of Chambord Black Raspberry liquor (optional)
1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon of cold water to thicken the sauce a bit and make it glossy. Add more of the cornstarch and water solution if you want it thicker.
Instructions
Put the sugar and water in a pot and heat on medium high until boiling. Take the pot off the heat and add the raspberry liqueur (if using). Put back on the heat and simmer on low until syrupy (about 3-5 minutes). Add the frozen berries and gently heat, being careful not to mush them up too much. Once they start to get warm and release their liquid, add the corn starch and water solution. Cook an additional one minute or so until glossy and slightly thickened.
Serve with pound cake, ice cream, yogurt, cheesecake or chocolate desserts, yogurt, light ice cream, gelato or stir it into oatmeal.
*** If making this sauce for your morning oatmeal, leave out the liquor***
Thank you Jill -- I really appreciate your kind words! xo, a
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. You inspire me with every single post. Thank you for your lovely blog. It's such a wonderful place to visit! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment too!
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