Eat Simply, Eat Well

Healthy recipes & tips to help you live the good life. by Ann Plough

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Glaze, Raspberry Sauce and lightly whipped Cream

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One of my favorite people and dear friend is moving away. For her going away party, she asked that I make a chocolate cake – a “real chocolate cake”.  I love a good chocolate cake and so was happy to oblige.  The cake I made is a combination of several recipes:  A chocolate cake base courtesy of the Mast Brothers from the February 2014 issue of Bon Appetit, made gluten-free with the use of an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix so that all the guests could enjoy, and a chocolate butter glaze from my favorite chocolate resource,  Fran Bigelow‘s cookbook Pure Chocolate published in 2004.  To complement the rich flavor of the chocolate, I served the cake with a raspberry sauce and unsweetened, lightly whipped heavy cream.

Since so many people have asked for the recipe, and because I’d like to make it again myself, I’m posting it here.  It’s good for parties as it serves a crowd: the chocolate flavor is intense, so you may only need a small sliver – that is, until later in the evening, after a few nibbles on olives, nuts, cheese…when you’ll surely want another taste or two.

The cake is really easy to make, with just a few tips:

  • Don’t overcook it or it’ll dry out.  You want it to be tender and slightly fudge-like, so once the cooking time is up, test with a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, you are good to go.
  • Make sure the cake is completely cooled before you glaze it, but not cold, as the glaze will stiffen and set up as you pour, making it harder to spread.  If you are making it one day and glazing the next, wrap the cake in plastic wrap at room temperature.  If you are making several days ahead, you can refrigerate; just bring back to room temperature before glazing.
  • Let the glaze cool until it is the texture of runny yogurt: slightly thickened but still pourable.  If it is too thick, put it back over the double boiler/bain marie to warm it up slightly and continue
  • If the glaze on the top doesn’t end up smooth, don’t worry:  use the flat edge of an off-set spatula to make even lines across the top, decorate with a few flowers, and your guests won’t care that glaze isn’t perfect!
  • Don’t be tempted to over whip the cream, nor sweeten it.  The cake is rich and sweet on it’s own, and a soft whipped cream is so perfect with it.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Glaze, Raspberry Sauce and lightly whipped cream

For the cake:  Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F.  Lightly butter and flour a 9″/25 cm springform pan. Take a piece of parchment paper, cover the removable bottom of the cake pan, seal it into the pan, and cut away the excess with scissors.  (this will make the cake easier to transfer to your serving platter after glazing.

1 cup / 225g butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour: regular or gluten-free
8 oz / 225g bittersweet chocolate, chopped at least 70% (I’ve used both Valrhona and Fazer with good success; Valrhona is noticeably better, so use if you can find it)
1 cup/250 ml sugar
4 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt

Set a medium-sized bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water).  Add the chocolate, sugar and butter to the bowl and heat until the chocolate is almost completely melted.  Remove from heat and continue stirring until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth and uniform.  Cool completely; about 15 minutes.

It is easiest to use a hand-held mixer for the next step, but if you are using as stand mixer, transfer the chocolate mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer, or, even easier, use the bowl of the stand mixture for melting the chocolate in the first place.

With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, one at a time, making sure each thoroughly mixed in before adding the next one.  Beat until the mixture has a mousse-like consistency.  Add the salt and flour; mix until smooth.  Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top.

Place pan in the hot oven, and bake 55-65 minutes until the top is firm and the edges slightly darkened. I found that my cake was perfect after 55 minutes, but ovens are different, so watch it closely toward the end of cooking time.

Remove cake from oven and place on wire rack.  Allow the cake to cool completely in pan before removing.

For the chocolate butter glaze:

4 oz / 115g bittersweet chocolate, chopped at least 70% (I’ve used both Valrhona and Fazer with good success; Valrhona is noticeably better, so use if you can find it)
1 stick/8 tablespoons/4 oz/ 115g butter at room temperature, cut into pieces

Set a medium-sized bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water).  Add the chocolate to the bowl and heat until the chocolate is almost completely melted.  Remove from heat and continue stirring until the chocolate is smooth.  Add the softened butter and stir slowly and gently with a rubber spatula until no visible pieces of butter remain.  The glaze should be glossy and smooth with a temperature of 80-85°F / 26-29°C.  When stirred, it will hold a line on the surface for about 10 seconds before disappearing.  If the glaze starts to harden, warm it briefly over the pan of simmering water.

To glaze the cake: 

Set the cake, still on the removable, parchment-covered tray, onto a wire rack set over a parchment-lined oven pan to catch any chocolate glaze drips.

Starting about 1″/2.5 cm from the edge of the cake, begin pouring the glaze and allow it to run slowly and smoothly down the edge of the cake.  Continue pouring until you have poured the glaze all the way around the edge.  Then pour the remain glaze evenly into the middle of the cake and out toward the outside edges, letting any extra glaze run down the sides of the cake. If necessary, smooth the top of the glaze with an off-set spatula. Allow the glaze to set completely before transferring to a cake platter.

Garnish with fresh roses and fresh mint leaves. Serve with raspberry puree and lightly whipped cream.

To make the raspberry sauce:
2 pints/1 quart/1 liter/4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook over a low heat until the sauce thickens slightly; about 10 minutes.  Stir regularly so the sauce doesn’t scorch.  Set aside to cool.

Serve in a small bowl alongside the cake.

For the lightly whipped cream:
1 cup/250 ml heavy cream

Pour the cold cream in to a mixing bowl.  Using a mixer on high speed, beat the cream until it forms light, soft mounds.  Be careful to not over whip.

Serve in a small bowl alongside the cake.

Serves 15-20.

Savory Chèvre Rosemary Buckwheat Crackers

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As I kick off my holiday baking, I’ve decided to start with salty snacks rather than sweet, as that’s what I’m starting to crave after the first inundation of holiday treats.

And people, these crackers are something to talk about.

I debated whether or not to call these ‘crackers’ or ‘cookies’ as they certainly aren’t health food, and play on the concept of shortbread.  In Finnish, the choice would be easier: ‘keksi’ for cookie and ‘suolakeski’,  i.e. salty cookie, for cracker – so cookie either way.

The idea behind creating this is that I wanted a gluten-free cracker that I could serve them to anyone who came to visit.  I wanted them to taste good all on their own, without any topping or accompaniment, as a cookie does, and also be able to play a role on the savory side of the table next to the cheeses, olives and antipasti.  To add a tangy, salty flavor, I included chèvre, along with butter for a tender sweetness, and chopped fresh rosemary because I love the flavor, all wrapped up for delivery in buckwheat flour.

Despite its name, buckwheat is gluten-free: a fruit seed rather than a grain, related to the rhubarb family, with a subtle nutty sweetness and a beautiful, light texture.  Buckwheat is a good source for manganese, copper, dietary fiber and phosphorus.  It has two flavenoids, rutin and quercitin, that have strong health-promoting actions.  On top of all that, it contains a high-quality protein with all eight essential amino acids, including lysine.  The bottom line: it is good for your cardiovascular system, helps stabilize blood sugar, and like other whole grains and seeds, is good for heart health.  What’s not to love?

Fresh out of the oven, these crackers bring the splendid smell of rosemary to the kitchen.  Warm, you can taste the melding of butter and chèvre into a tender, subtle, pleasing flavor off of which the rosemary plays very nicely. Once cooled, they have a crispy bite with a slight tenderness to them that makes them wildly addictive.

I can imagine these, as hoped for, holding their own on a cheese platter or antipasti tray.  But I can also picture them with a small spoonful of bilberry or blueberry jam; nestled next to a bowl of beet and goat cheese soup or beef stew; or, lined up all on their own as part of the sweet offering together with evening drinks, offering a welcome respite from the sugary confections on the table.

Whichever way it is you decide to serve them, they’ll surely be a welcome addition to your table.

Savory Chèvre Rosemary Buckwheat Crackers

Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F

2 cups/340 g buckwheat flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
scant 1/2 cup / 100g cold chèvre, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup / 115g cold, salted butter, chopped into small pieces
2 teaspoons fresh, chopped rosemary
6 tablespoons cold water

Mix the flour, sugar and salt together to combine thoroughly.  Pour into the bowl of a food processor and add the chèvre, butter and rosemary.  Process until fully combined and the mixture begins to clump together.  With the food processor running, slowly add the cold water in a steady stream.  Process until the mixture begins to form a mass.  Turn off the food processor.  Tip the mixture into a bowl or onto a clean countertop.  Knead together until it forms a smooth mass.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes, until cold but not rock solid.

Divide the dough in half.  Sprinkle the counter top with a light layer of buckwheat flour.  Roll the dough out into an even layer, about 1/8 thick, turning the dough over and dusting both sides with additional flour during the rolling out process to prevent sticking.  Cut with the cookie cutter of your choice.  Place the raw cookies onto a parchment-lined oven pan about 1/4″ apart.  Bake 10 minutes until light golden brown.  Cool completely; then store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 75-85 small crackers

 

Borscht

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I first tasted Borscht nearly 20 years ago. It was made during a celebration of Russian food as part of an International week program.  At first I took only a small amount of the soup, certain that, since I’d never liked beets up to that point, this wasn’t going to be a meal that I would be excited about.  It was served with a spoonful of smetana (a version of sour cream found in Central and Eastern Europe, more like creme fraiche than the sour cream I’d eaten in the US) and a few slices of rye bread.  I ended up going back for a second bowl, and then a third, delighted by the sweet, earthy flavor of the beets balanced with the savory beef broth and offset by the addition of either vinegar or lemon – I wasn’t sure which.

Fast forward 15 year later, and I found myself living in Finland, newly married, with a husband who’s favorite soup was Borscht, and decided I would learn how to make it well.  No surprise, really, that there are Borscht lovers in Finland: the soup originates from Ukraine, and can be found in various forms and mildly differing recipes in Russia, Estonia, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland and Belarus, to name a few.  The name and ingredients vary slightly from region to region, but in most places, the unifying factor is that beets are the main ingredient, usually with the addition of tomato paste, and nearly always made with beef or pork broth.  Vegetarian version are good too, as long as mushrooms are used to add the much-needed umami that gives this soup its addictive qualities.

There is no better time to eat Borscht than during the Winter months.  Beetroot is in ample supply, and something about the cold dark days make a flavorful soup like this one a welcome sight on the table.  I nearly always serve it with rye bread or archipelago bread, and typically not with smetana.  If possible, I use beef broth, and pre-cooked beef, added during the last 10 minutes or so of cooking.  A good day to make Borscht is on the day after you’ve cooked a beef roast or braised oxtail.  Save some of the beef for this soup.

If starting with raw beef, you can also cook the diced beef briefly in the bottom of the soup until it is nicely browned on all sides, and then remove it and set aside while you brown the onions.  If you do this, add the beef back in when you add the liquid so it has time to cook and tenderize.  You can also make Borscht without beef, if preferred.  The recipe below includes it; to cook without it, make the recipe as is, but omit the beef.

Because it’s main ingredient is beetroot, this soup is bursting with nutrients as well.  Beetroot is a good source of folic acid, potassium, magnesium and iron, along with Vitamins A, B6 and C.

This version is quicker than other Borscht recipes I’ve made as it doesn’t call for roasting the beets first. Instead, you grate the raw beets and add them directly to the pot where the deep red from their juices provides the soup with it’s stunning color.  If there are leftovers, this soup freezes really well.

Borscht

2 tablespoons rapeseed oil or other cooking oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large raw beets, grated
2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cups / 2.5 dl cabbage, sliced thinly
6 cups / 1.5 liters beef broth (can substitute vegetable broth; if so, add 1/2 ounce dried porcini)
1 cup / 250 ml crushed canned tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup / 2.5 dl cooked beef, cut into small pieces (you can leave this out, if preferred)
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup / 1/2 dl lemon juice or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Heat the oil in a 3-quart/3-liter pot over medium heat; add onion and carrot.  Cook for 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.  Add the garlic, beets, potatoes.  Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring to combine.  Add the beef broth all at once.  Add the tomatoes and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and allow the soup to cook for 10 minutes.  Add the cabbage and beef and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove the soup from heat and add the salt, pepper, vinegar and sugar.  Taste, and if necessary, adjust the seasonings; depending on the saltiness of your beef broth, you may need more salt.  You want there to be a sweet-sour balance in the soup.

Ladle into bowls and serve with rye bread or archipelago bread and soft butter.

Serves 4-6.