Flourless Almond Chocolate Cake

Happy New Year! 
May 2018 brings you good health, more bakes and more sharing!

This has got to be one of the best flourless chocolate cake I have baked and ate. The cake is chocolaty and soft, without feeling too much of the almond. The texture is smooth with bits of ground almond. This is not those dense thick chocolate kind of cake. It's light and soft. I was really satisfied with this cake. I made blueberry coulis to top the cake. However, my sister commented that she preferred the cake without the blueberry coulis. Nevertheless, this cake is easy to prepare and good to the last bit.

Recipe for Flourless Almond Chocolate Cake, adapted from Food52.
(Makes a 10" cake with 1 1/2" height)

Ingredients:
250g Ground almonds (lightly toasted)

250g Couverture chocolates, 76% cocoa

250g Unsalted butter

140g Caster sugar

Freshly brewed espresso (approx 25g), let it cooled slightly

6 Large eggs, separated

Blueberry Coulis (Optional)
250g Blueberries
2 Tbsp Sugar

Method:

1. Line a removable base 10" round pan.
2. Preheat oven to 150ºC.
3. Place the chocolate in a glass bowl set over a bain marie (double broiler, or a pot of simmering water).
4. When melted, remove the bowl from the heat and add the butter, stirring with a spatula to help it melt and mix. 

5. Add in the cooled espresso and stir well.
6. Then add the sugar and the almond meal, stir to incorporate.

7. Once the mixture is no longer hot, add the egg yolks and stir to combine.
8. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with beaters to soft, fluffy peaks.

9. Fold the whites gently through the chocolate and almond batter.

10. Pour the batter into the cake tin, smooth over the top and bake for approximately 40mins or until the top appears dry and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (not wet batter). It is important not to overcook this cake so that it retains its wonderful moist consistency.

11. Let it cool completely in the tin before removing. Dust with powdered sugar (if desired).

12. For blueberry coulis: Cook the blueberries and sugar together in a pot. Let it simmer and stir constantly. Cool slightly before topping on the cake.

Earl Grey Tea Cakes

I baked this a couple of months back. I like to use Nordic wares for butter cakes as I found that they bake well. The shape also came out beautifully when unmould. This is one of the moulds which I like very much - Rose. However, this cake a little to the dry side. Would be better if my earl grey was more fragrant too. Will add more milk in future.

Recipe for Earl Grey Tea Cakes, from Okashi, adapted from Anncoo.
(Makes 11 rose and a mini loaf)

Ingredients:

150g Plain flour

1/8 tsp Baking powder

150g Unsalted butter, softened

130g Icing sugar

1/2 tbsp Honey or Glucose/golden syrup

3 Eggs (70g each)

1/8 tsp Salt

5g Earl grey tea dust from 2 tea bags

15g Ground almond

1 tbsp Fresh whole milk

Lemon zest from 1 large lemon

(I omitted the lemon syrup)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150C. 
2. Sift flour and baking together twice, set aside.
3. Beat butter, icing sugar and honey together until light and very fluffy. 
4. Gradually add eggs and beat well, then add salt, tea dust, ground almonds, lemon zest and milk. Mix well.
5. Add flour mixture and fold through completely using a spatula. Surface of batter should be glossy and smooth.
6. Pour batter into prepared loaf tin and bake for 25 mins or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Note that the baking time may vary according to your oven and the size of your pans.
8. When the cake is done, unmould cake and place cake on a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
9. Enjoy with a cup of coffee.