Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake: EARTH DAY

Earth Day 2025! Be sure and take a walk today and appreciate our planet earth. As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare. I'm the Editor of the Mystery Readers Journal. We had an issue a few years ago (Volume 36:1) that focused on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries. Today on Mystery Fanfare, I blog about Reservoir Noir: books that deal with intentional flooding of towns and villages because of building dams and reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, power and other reasons--a sad addition to the environmental crime fiction list.

I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about today when you make “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

The recipe for the cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake: Earth Day

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE MARGARITA CAKE: National Margarita Day!

Today is National Margarita Day, and I like to eat my drinks! You're going to love this Flourless Chocolate Margarita Cake! It's a great Gluten-Free chocolate cake recipe -- aka a Flourless Chocolate Lime Cake with Margarita Cream. I originally found this recipe at the Nigella site, but then again on the BHG site. Very similar. As always, use the very best ingredients. I have easy access to almond flour, but you can always make your own. I do love chocolate and citrus, and this recipe "takes the cake!"It's great for Passover, too, so be sure and bookmark this page!

Flourless Chocolate Margarita Cake

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar*
1 cup almond meal/flour
4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 lime, zest and juice
Confectioner's sugar to dust (optional)

1 recipe Margarita Cream (recipe below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and butter sides of pan.
Melt chocolate and butter together either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
With electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar together until about tripled in volume, pale, and mousse-like. Mix almond meal with the cocoa powder. Gently fold into egg mixture, followed by the slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in lime zest and juice.
Pour and scrape into prepared pan.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes.
Cake will be just firm on top but still have a bit of a shake below.
Remove from oven.
Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.
Once slightly cool, drape clean kitchen towel over cake to stop it from getting too crusty, though a cracked and cratered surface is to be expected.
When completely cool, loosen cake edges from pan using a metal spatula or knife.
Unmold and dust with confectioner's sugar.
Serve with Margarita Cream.

Margarita Cream 

Ingredients
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon Tequila
1 tablespoon Triple sec or Cointreau
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Directions 
Whip heavy cream in separate bowl until it holds its shape. Whisk in margarita mixture and keep whisking until mixture is light and aerated.
Stir lime juice, tequila, and triple sec or Cointreau together in large bowl. Whisk in confectioner's sugar and let it dissolve in the liquid.

*Superfine sugar is not powdered sugar. It's granulated sugar that is ground even finer than regular sugar. It's also known as castor sugar. To make your own, put the amount of granulated white sugar called for, plus 2 extra tsp, in the recipe and put in food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes until it feels like fine sand. Be sure and let it rest before opening your food processor.

TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE: Toasted Marshmallow Day!

Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day, and, of course, you can make S'mores--and all the variations. But how about something other than Smores? Something easy and great for the Gluten-Free Folks? The following Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Topping is fabulous!

You can use your favorite flourless chocolate cake recipe or try this easy Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe. For the Marshmallows, I recommend using high quality marshmallows or making your own. If you only have 'regular' marshmallows, that will work, too.

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients 
8 ounces dark chocolate (70-75% cocao) 
1 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
25 marshmallows 

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Butter 10-inch spring form round baking pan. Line bottom with buttered wax paper.
Break chocolate into pieces.
In double boiler or metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Sift cocoa over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 35-40 minutes, or until top has formed thin crust and toothpick comes out moist but not wet.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Remove springform sides. Leave cake on bottom of pan.
Put cake (still on springform base) on cookie sheet.
Top with marshmallows while still warm (leave an inch free around edge - they spread).
Put cake back in oven at 375 for 5 minutes--until marshmallows are 'toasted'
Remove from oven.

Tip: If the marshmallows are not toasted enough, use a mini-torch (one of my favorite kitchen tools) to toast.

Cool on rack.

CRACKED EARTH CHOCOLATE FLOURLESS CAKE: Earth Day

Earth Day 2021! Be sure and take a walk today and appreciate our planet earth. As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare, as well as Chocolate. I'm also the Editor of the Mystery Readers Journal. We had an issue last year (Volume 36:1) that focused on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries. Today on Mystery Fanfare, I blogged about Reservoir Noir: books that deal with intentional flooding of towns and villages because of building dams and reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, power and other reasons--a sad addition to the environmental crime fiction list.

I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about today when you make “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

The recipe for the cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Chocolate Flourless Cake: Earth Day

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE: Toasted Marshmallow Day

Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day, and, of course, you can make S'mores--and all the variations thereof. Here's a link to a S'mores Round-up on National S'mores Day that I posted several years ao. I've added lots of other Smores recipes since then.. but it's a start.

But how about something other than Smores? Something easy and great for the Gluten-Free Folks? The following Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Topping is fabulous!

You can use your favorite flourless chocolate cake recipe or try this easy recipe. For the Marshmallows, I recommend using high quality marshmallows or making your own. Here's a link to Michael Recchiuti's Marshmallow recipe. If you only have 'regular' marshmallows, that will work, too.

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients 
8 ounces dark chocolate 70-75% cacoa
1 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
25 marshmallows 

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Butter 10-inch spring form round baking pan. Line bottom with buttered wax paper.
Break chocolate into pieces.
In double boiler or metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Sift cocoa over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 35-40 minutes, or until top has formed thin crust and toothpick comes out moist but not wet.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Remove springform sides. Leave cake on bottom of pan.
Put cake (still on springform base) on cookie sheet.
Top with marshmallows while still warm (leave an inch around edge free - they spread).
Put cake back in oven at 375 for 5 minutes--until marshmallows are 'toasted'.
Remove from oven.
If they're not toasted enough, use mini-torch (one of my favorite kitchen tools) to toast.
Cool on rack.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CAKE: National Hazelnut Cake Day

Today is Hazelnut Cake Day! Hazelnuts are a staple in European baked goods. Did you know that hazelnuts are also known as filberts?

I'm always looking for a good flourless chocolate cake recipe, and this one for Flourless Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake adapted slightly from Epicurious is fabulous. Both Hazelnuts and Chocolate are heart-healthy. One caveat, hazelnuts are high in calories, but you're making a chocolate cake, so...what the hey! Don't have time to make this today? Bookmark this Gluten-free Recipe!

Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Ingredients 
12 ounces 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
6 large eggs
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur, divided
1 cup (about 5 ounces) finely ground hazelnuts (ground in food processor)
1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Chopped toasted hazelnuts

Directions:
Put rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round. Wrap outside of pan tightly with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil.
Combine chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Whisk until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water.
Whisk eggs, golden brown sugar, and 1/4 cup Frangelico in large bowl to blend. Add chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in ground hazelnuts and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Place in oven and tent springform pan loosely with foil.
Bake until cake is set in center and top is dry to touch, about 1 1/2 hours (top of cake will remain shiny).
Remove cake from roasting pan; remove foil from top and outside of pan.
Cool cake in pan on rack.
Chill cake until cold, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Whipping Cream:
Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup Frangelico in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides.

Cut cake into wedges. Transfer to plates. Top with whipped cream; sprinkle with chopped toasted hazelnuts.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE MARGARITA CAKE: National Margarita Day

Today is National Margarita Day, and I like to eat my drinks! You're going to love this Flourless Chocolate Margarita Cake! It's a great Gluten-Free chocolate cake recipe--aka a Flourless Chocolate Lime Cake with Margarita Cream. I originally found this recipe at the Nigella site, but then again on the BHG site. Very similar. As always, use the very best ingredients. I have easy access to almond flour, but you can always make your own. I do love chocolate and citrus, and this recipe "takes the cake!"It's great for Passover, too, so be sure and bookmark this page!

Flourless Chocolate Lime Cake

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar*
1 cup almond meal/flour
4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 lime, zest and juice
Confectioner's sugar to dust (optional)

1 recipe Margarita Cream (recipe below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and butter sides of pan.
Melt chocolate and butter together either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
With electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar together until about tripled in volume, pale, and mousse-like. Mix almond meal with the cocoa powder. Gently fold into egg mixture, followed by the slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in lime zest and juice.
Pour and scrape into prepared pan.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes.
Cake will be just firm on top but still have a bit of a shake below.
Remove from oven.
Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.
Once slightly cool, drape clean kitchen towel over cake to stop it from getting too crusty, though a cracked and cratered surface is to be expected.
When completely cool, loosen cake edges from pan using a metal spatula or knife.
Unmold and dust with confectioner's sugar.
Serve with Margarita Cream.

Margarita Cream 

Ingredients
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon Tequila
1 tablespoon Triple sec or Cointreau
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Directions 
Whip heavy cream in separate bowl until it holds its shape. Whisk in margarita mixture and keep whisking until mixture is light and aerated.
Stir lime juice, tequila, and triple sec or Cointreau together in large bowl. Whisk in confectioner's sugar and let it dissolve in the liquid.

*Superfine sugar is not powdered sugar. It's granulated sugar that is ground even finer than regular sugar. It's also known as castor sugar. To make your own, put the amount of granulated white sugar called for, plus 2 extra tsp, in the recipe and put in food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes until it feels like fine sand. Be sure and let it rest before opening your food processor.

TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE: National Toasted Marshmallow Day

Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day, and, of course, you can make S'mores--and all the variations thereof. Here's a link to a S'mores Round-up on National S'mores Day that I posted a few years ago. I've added lots of other Smores recipes since then.. but it's a start.

But how about something other than Smores? Something easy and great for the Gluten-Free Folks? The following Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Topping is fabulous!

You can use your favorite flourless chocolate cake recipe or try this easy Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe. For the Marshmallows, I recommend using high quality marshmallows or making your own. If you only have 'regular' marshmallows, that will work, too.

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients 
8 ounces dark chocolate 70-75% cacoa
1 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
25 marshmallows 

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Butter 10-inch spring form round baking pan. Line bottom with buttered wax paper.
Break chocolate into pieces.
In double boiler or metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Sift cocoa over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 35-40 minutes, or until top has formed thin crust and toothpick comes out moist but not wet.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Remove springform sides. Leave cake on bottom of pan.
Put cake (still on springform base) on cookie sheet.
Top with marshmallows while still warm (leave an inch free around edge - they spread).
Put cake back in oven at 375 for 5 minutes--until marshmallows are 'toasted'
Remove from oven.
If they're not toasted enough, use mini-torch (one of my favorite kitchen tools) to toast.
Cool on rack.

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake

Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day, and, of course, you can make S'mores--and all the variations thereof. Here's a link to a S'mores Round-up on National S'mores Day that I posted last year. I've added lots of other Smores recipes since then.. but it's a start.

But how about something other than Smores? Something easy and great for the Gluten-Free Folks? The following Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Topping is fabulous!

You can use your favorite flourless chocolate cake recipe or try this easy Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe. For the Marshmallows, I recommend using high quality marshmallows or making your own. If you only have 'regular' marshmallows, that will work, too.

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients 
8 ounces dark chocolate 70-75% cacoa
1 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
25 marshmallows 

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Butter 10-inch spring form round baking pan. Line bottom with buttered wax paper.
Break chocolate into pieces.
In double boiler or metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Sift cocoa over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 35-40 minutes, or until top has formed thin crust and toothpick comes out moist but not wet.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Remove springform sides. Leave cake on bottom of pan.
Put cake (still on springform base) on cookie sheet.
Top with marshmallows while still warm (leave an inch free around edge - they spread).
Put cake back in oven at 375 for 5 minutes--until marshmallows are 'toasted'.
Remove from oven.
If they're not toasted enough, use mini-torch (one of my favorite kitchen tools) to toast.
Cool on rack.

Flourless Chocolate Margarita Cake

Today is National Margarita Day, and I like to eat my drinks! You're going to love this Flourless Chocolate Margarita Cake! It's a great Gluten-Free chocolate cake recipe--aka a Flourless Chocolate Lime Cake with Margarita Cream. I originally found this recipe at the Nigella site, but then again on the BHG site. Very similar. As always, use the very best ingredients. I have easy access to almond flour, but you can always make your own. I do love chocolate and citrus, and this recipe "takes the cake!"It's great for Passover, too, so be sure and bookmark this page!

Flourless Chocolate Lime Cake

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar*
1 cup almond meal/flour
4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 lime, zest and juice
Confectioner's sugar to dust (optional)

1 recipe Margarita Cream (recipe below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and butter sides of pan.
Melt chocolate and butter together either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
With electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar together until about tripled in volume, pale, and mousse-like. Mix almond meal with the cocoa powder. Gently fold into egg mixture, followed by the slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in lime zest and juice.
Pour and scrape into prepared pan.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes.
Cake will be just firm on top but still have a bit of a shake below.
Remove from oven.
Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.
Once slightly cool, drape clean kitchen towel over cake to stop it from getting too crusty, though a cracked and cratered surface is to be expected.
When completely cool, loosen cake edges from pan using a metal spatula or knife.
Unmold and dust with confectioner's sugar.
Serve with Margarita Cream.

Margarita Cream 

Ingredients
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon tequila
1 tablespoon Triple sec or Cointreau
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Directions 
Whip heavy cream in separate bowl until it holds its shape. Whisk in margarita mixture and keep whisking until mixture is light and aerated.
Stir lime juice, tequila, and triple sec or Cointreau together in large bowl. Whisk in confectioner's sugar and let it dissolve in the liquid.

*Superfine sugar is not powdered sugar. It's granulated sugar that is ground even finer than regular sugar. It's also known as castor sugar. To make your own, put the amount of granulated white sugar called for, plus 2 extra tsp, in the recipe and put in food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes until it feels like fine sand. Be sure and let it rest before opening your food processor.

Gluten-Free Better Than Almost Anything Cake

Photo: Betty Crocker

Recently a friend sent me this recipe for Gluten-Free Better than Almost Anything Cake from Betty Crocker, It's basically a Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake made with a Flourless Chocolate Cake. Whatever you call it, it's delicious! As I always say it's all about the ingredients. Always use the best caramel, the best chocolate, and if you're using dairy--the best whipped cream!

The original recipe uses Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Devil's Food Cake Mix. I've tried the mix by itself, and it's o.k., but the caramel really takes it up a notch. You might also want to make your own Flourless Chocolate Cake. If you don't have a recipe, try one of these:

Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Flourless Cake for Passover (or any time!)

For the Caramel sauce, I use FatToad Farm Goat's Milk Caramel... oh my.. it's sooo good. I also use Recchiuti Burnt Caramel Sauce. So rich and good. Both are good to have in the pantry!

For the Toffee bits, I use toffee from ToffeeTalk, my favorite toffee.

And, I don't usually use whipped topping. This cake is just fine without a topping, but if you have to have one, use real whipped cream!

GLUTEN-FREE BETTER THAN ALMOST ANYTHING CAKE

Ingredients
Box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil's food cake mix  (or make your own Flourless Chocolate Cake!) Water, butter and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 jar (12 or so ounces) Fat Toad Goat's Milk caramel topping (or sometimes I use Recchiuti Caramel Sauce!)
1 cup whipped cream  (the original recipe calls for frozen (thawed) whipped topping)
1/2 cup toffee bits

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan).
Make a flourless chocolate cake (recipes above) or make and bake cake mix as directed on box, using water, butter, eggs and any of the pan choices.
With handle of wooden spoon, poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch.
Drizzle caramel topping evenly over top of cake; let stand until absorbed into cake.
Cover; refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
Spread whipped cream over top of cake. Sprinkle with toffee bits.
Store covered in refrigerator.

Earth Day: Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake

Earth Day! As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare, as well as about Chocolate. I'm also the Editor of the thematic review Mystery Readers Journal. Last year (Volume 29:1) focused on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries.

Today on Mystery Fanfare, I blog about Reservoir Noir: Books that deal with intentional flooding of towns and villages because of building dams and reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, power and other reasons--a sad addition to the environmental crime fiction list.

I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about while you enjoy “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

I've posted many flourless chocolate cake recipes, but this cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Chocolate Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Chocolate Flourless Cake

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick sweet butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

Chocolate Flourless Cake for Passover (Gluten-free)

This is one of my favorite Flourless Chocolate Cake recipes for Passover (A Cake to Die For). It's richer and higher (more eggs) than most. Nadine Rosenthal of YouLittleTarte shared this with DyingforChocolate several years ago, and I'm reposting this amazing recipe again in time for this year's holiday. Be sure and visit the rest of the wonderful recipes and stories at YouLittleTarte! Posted with permission from Nadine.. why mess with perfection!

I now make this dense delicious flourless chocolate cake every year for the Seder. Last year people were so full by the end of the Seder meal, that very few actually ate any of this wonderful cake that evening. The host insisted that I take half home with me. All I can say is I gained about 5 pounds that week, as I nibbled away. You will absolutely love this cake -- Passover, Easter, or any time!

NADINE ROSENTHAL:

I am a self taught cook and baker. With the exception of a couple of classes many years ago, everything I have learned to do in a kitchen has come by trial and error. And believe me, there's been a lot of error. But, as with anything, practice makes perfect, and while I'm not perfect I can read a recipe. Being able to read a recipe and follow directions is a key component in being able to cook.

Do you know how some people think they are destined to write the "great American novel"? Well, on You Little Tarte, I'll give you a great couple of paragraphs. Every recipe has a story, and I'll tell you mine.

A CAKE TO DIE FOR

I have to start by saying that I look at Passover, which begins at sundown on April 14th, as a low-carb holiday. I'm not a matzo eater so I just do without the bread and pasta. It's a meat and veggie time for me. The only exception I make to the Adkins/South Beach approach to Passover is for macaroons, which I love year round, and this really decadent chocolate cake.

This cake has a good story. Back when I first got married and had absolutely no culinary skills, I decided to take a cooking class. Never mind learning how to roast a chicken, I took a baking class taught by Donald Wressell. Donald, who was then the pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, was just at the beginning of his career and is now a HUGE deal in the pastry world. He's won zillions of awards. Nothing like over reaching one's skill level. There were all these professional pastry chefs in the class and me. Needless to say, I was outclassed in every culinary way possible.

I recognized my situation very quickly, when on the first day of class everyone went around and gave a brief bio of themselves. "Hi, I'm Joe Pastry Chef and I work at (name your fancy restaurant or hotel)." I was in real trouble. When it was my turn, I did what any self respecting Santa Monica newlywed would do. I went to the bathroom, thus avoiding the "Hi, I'm Nadine and I have no idea what I'm doing here" speech.

The good news in all this was that it was a demonstration class so I never actually had to do anything besides watch and learn. And I did. I came out of that class armed with a bunch of fancy schmancy recipes that I have only mastered in more recent years. Hey, you live and learn.

One of the recipes Donald demonstrated was this one for flourless chocolate cake. It takes flourless chocolate cake to a whole new level. Do not be put off by the 18 egg yolks. Yes, you heard me right. There are 18 egg yolks in this cake. The cake is amazing and really spruces up the dessert offerings at a sedar. I'm not saying the Passover brownies aren't tasty but this cake is better. Really. It's worth the calories and the cholesterol. Have a small piece and you'll avoid the emergency room and an angioplasty.

And, if you're not a Passover person, make the cake anyway. It's not actually a Passover cake. I just adopted it as such because it's sans flour. I'm probably breaking some other kosher rules with it anyway.

Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake (Donald Wressell)
Note: You can use the whites of the eggs for your macaroons.

Ingredients:
1 pound 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
12 ounces unsalted butter
18 egg yolks
4 ounces granulated sugar
3 ounces cocoa powder

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter and flour a 10 inch round baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate with the butter. Let cool slightly.
In a stand mixer, whip the egg yolks with the sugar until very light, about 5 minutes. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg sugar mixture. Sift in the cocoa powder. On medium speed, beat the mixture just to combine. Mixture will appear fudgy and heavy.
Transfer to prepared pan and bake in a water bath for 25 minutes.
Sift more cocoa powder or confectioner's sugar on top of cake to serve, if desired.

Flourless Chocolate-Orange Cake for Passover

Today I welcome a Facebook friend who shares my love of gardening, photography and baking, among other things. I 'met' Emily Stashhower on Facebook through another garden lover. Little did I know at the time that we would have so much in common -- both friends and relatives, as well as interests. What a small world! I just love the Internet!

This recipe is great for Passover since it's Flourless. It may be described as a pudding in the original recipe, but it's definitely a cake. Yummy!

Emily Stashower is an amateur nature enthusiast, blogger and mother of twins. After a career in healthcare and numerous community organizations, her current endeavor, her blog www.rootsinreality.com, was started on a lark to combine a love of gardening, writing, photography, nature and an inability to meet deadlines. The blog notes that "sometimes an empty nest is just a nest without a bird. Other times, it's a middle aged suburban woman rediscovering interests and cultivating passions."

EMILY STASHOWER:

In September, 1990, the New York Times (in some section or another) published many recipes for “puddings.” 

Foolishly, I tried one out – Chocolate-Orange Pudding. I figured it would be something eaten with a spoon and in texture, resemble other puddings; one of my favorite desserts. The combination of flavors drew me to this particular selection but, in the decades since that first attempt, I’ve learned a great deal about this specific “pudding.”

First of all, it’s not what I consider a pudding. It’s a dense, flourless cake that could be eaten with a spoon but truth is, a fork will take care of the job just fine.

Second, though many puddings are cooked, few are cooked and then taken out of the “form” so it stands on its own (don’t let your mind wander to flans . . .).

Last, even if it is a “real” pudding, it’s best served as a dense, moist cake accompanied by ice cream or a whipped topping (or another decadent drizzling of taste across the slab of chocolate orange goo).

The recipe has a lot of advantages; once you have the ingredients, all you need is a food processor, a microwave safe dish and microwave. The “pudding” can be partially cooked, then frozen, and reheated in the microwave to warm it up and finish the cooking time. The dessert can be served hot or cold (I prefer hot) and is appropriate for any time of the year. However, I notice a flurry of requests for this recipe when it is Passover because it’s made without flour (but it is dairy, and I’ve not played around with it to make it parve).

The recipe below can be doubled – just make it in a soufflé dish with a larger diameter. The pudding will rise and make a mess of your microwave but when the chocolate settles, I can guarantee you – you’ll be thrilled and in a chocolate orange frenzy.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE-ORANGE CAKE aka Pudding (which it's not)

Ingredients
Vegetable oil for greasing bowl
1 cup slivered almonds
Zest of 1 medium orange
1 cup packed light brown sugar
16 ounces semi sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 teaspoon baking soda
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tsp Triple Sec (I use vanilla & orange extract)

Steps
• Grease a 3 quart soufflé dish or non metal bowl with vegetable oil
• Place almonds in food processor and process until finely chopped. Add orange zest & sugar, processing until finely chopped. Then add the chocolate, baking soda and butter – process until smooth.
• Add eggs, cream and Triple Sec and process until combined. Pour into the prepared dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap. All microwaves are different so the rule of thumb is to cook until it slightly pulls away from the sides of the dish but it will be jiggly. Instructions say “cook at 100% power in a 650-700 watt oven for 12 minutes. Prick the plastic to release steam.
• Uncover and allow to stand, covered with a plate for 10 – 20 minutes
• Unmold and serve.

The recipe does qualitfy the pudding as a “rich cake” but personally I don’t think the reverse could ever be true. A pudding it is not.

A thin slice is plenty but the recipe as above serves at least 12.

Hope you try it out and enjoy!

Happy Passover!

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake: National Toasted Marshmallow Day

Today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day, and, of course, you can make S'mores--and all the variations thereof. Here's a link to a S'mores Round-up on National S'mores Day that I posted last year. I've added lots of other Smores recipes since then.. but it's a start.

But how about something other than Smores? Something easy and great for the Gluten-Free Folks? The following Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Topping is fabulous!

You can use your favorite flourless chocolate cake recipe or try the easy Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe below. For the Marshmallows, I recommend using high quality marshmallows or making your own. Here's a link to Michael Recchiuti's Marshmallow recipe.  If you only have 'regular' marshmallows, that will work, too.

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients 
8 ounces dark chocolate 70-75% cacoa
1 cup sweet butter
1-1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
25 marshmallows 

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Butter 10-inch spring form round baking pan. Line bottom with buttered wax paper.
Break chocolate into pieces.
In double boiler or metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Sift cocoa over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 35-40 minutes, or until top has formed thin crust and toothpick comes out moist but not wet.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Remove springform sides. Leave cake on bottom of pan.
Put cake (still on springform base) on cookie sheet.
Top with marshmallows while still warm (leave an inch around edge free-they spread).
Put cake back in oven at 375 for 5 minutes--until marshmallows are 'toasted'.
Remove from oven.
If they're not toasted enough, use mini-torch (one of my favorite kitchen tools) to toast.
Cool on rack.

Photo: Wikipedia

Gluten-free Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

Some times you feel like a nut! Well today's the day! It's Hazelnut Cake Day, so it's time to get a bit nutty.

Did you know that a hazelnut is also known as a cob nut or filbert nut according to species? O.K. I don't know from cobs, but I do know about filberts. A filbert is a little more elongated.

I've always thought that hazel nuts reminded me of acorns, and I know you can't eat acorns, or at least I've been told that. Let the squirrels have them. But hazelnuts are fabulous, and they add texture and taste to many dishes and cakes.

I'm always looking for a Gluten-free cakes, and the following two cakes fit the bill. Ground nuts or nut flour give these cakes a bit of texture and a lot of taste. Well, since today is National Hazelnut  Cake Day, I thought I'd add chocolate and celebrate the day with not one but two easy recipes. Both cakes are dense and decadent.

The first Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake recipe is adapted from Jill Wilcox (appeared in the Toronto Sun), who adapted the original recipe from Gourmet Magazine. Flourless Chocolate Cakes are terrific!  I've posted recipes HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE. So in this recipe, you'll love the additional unique hazelnut flavor.

Want to make these cakes even more delicious? Splash some Fra Angelico in the sweentened whipped cream topping before serving!

I. Flourless (Gluten-free) Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sweet butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1/3 cup finely roasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
sweetened whipped cream
Fra Angelico

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease 8-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with round of parchment paper.
2. Place chocolate in a double boiler (or a saucepan over a saucepan with simmering water) along with butter. Stir until butter and chocolate is melted and smooth.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Whisk in eggs one at a time until smooth.
5. Sift cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.
6. Fold in hazelnuts.
7. Spoon into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until top has formed crust.
8. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes. Run knife around the edge and invert onto plate.
9. Optional: Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream that has been flavored with a spoonful of Fra Angelico

If one recipe is good, two are even better. Here's another recipe for Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake-- this time the Fra Angelico is in the batter! Adapted from Bon Appetit!

II. Flourless (Gluten-Free) Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup hazelnut liqueur such as Frangelico, divided
12 oz bittersweet chocolate, at least 60 per cent cacao--75% is even better!
3/4 cup sweet butter, cut into chunks
1 cup finely ground hazelnuts (aka filberts)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup chilled whipping cream

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 9-inch springform pan, line bottom with parchment paper and wrap outside with three layers of heavy foil.
2. Whisk eggs, brown sugar and 1/4 cup liqueur in large bowl to blend.
3. Combine chocolate and butter in metal bowl over simmering water. Whisk until smooth, about 3 minutes.
4. Add to egg mixture and whisk. Add ground nuts and salt.
5. Transfer batter to pan. Place in large roasting pan (water bath) and pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up side of springform pan. Tent loosely with foil. Bake until center is set and top is dry to touch, about 1-1/2 hours.
6. Remove from pan; remove foil. Cool cake in pan on rack. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight, covered.
7. Using electric mixer, beat cream and remaining 1/4 cup liqueur until soft peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes.
8. Run knife around pan to loosen, release and cut into wedges. Serve with whipped cream.

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake

Today is Toasted Marshmallow Day, and, of course, you can make S'mores--and all the variations thereof. Here's a link to a S'mores Round-up on National S'mores Day on August 10.

But how about something different? Something easy and great for the Gluten-Free Folks? The following Flourless Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Topping is fabulous!

You can use your favorite flourless cake or try the easy Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe below. For the Marshmallows, I recommend using high quality marshmallows or making your own. Here's a link to Michael Recchiuti's Marshmallow recipe.  If you only have 'regular marshmallows', that will work, too.

Toasted Marshmallow Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients 
8 ounces dark chocolate 70-75% cacoa
1 cup sweet butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
25 marshmallows 

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Butter 10-inch spring form round baking pan. Line bottom with buttered wax paper.
Break chocolate into pieces.
In double boiler or metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Sift cocoa over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 35-40 minutes, or until top has formed thin crust and toothpick comes out moist but not wet.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
Remove springform sides. Leave cake on bottom of pan.
Put cake (still on springform base) on cookie sheet.
Top with marshmallows while still warm (leave an inch around edge free-they spread).
Put cake back in oven at 375 for 5 minutes--until marshmallows are 'toasted'.
Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Photo: Wikipedia

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Hot Buttered Rum Sauce

As if I don't already have enough Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipes, my friend Laura-Kate Rurka, mystery writer and fantastic baker, made yet another cake from a different recipe for the Literary Salon the other night for authors Hilary Davidson and Brad Parks. The cake is gluten free, so it was just perfect. Hilary has Celiac Disease and hosts the blog: Gluten-Free Guidebook (on the road with travel journalist Hilary Davidson). Brad Parks, as far as I know doesn't care about gluten, but he did sing for his supper--or in this case, his cake! What a great voice. Be sure and check out both of these mystery authors.

This recipe is also perfectly timed for Passover which starts this Friday night, so if you're celebrating Passover--or just want another Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe, this one is terrific--and easy! What is the 'crowning' touch on this recipe, though, is the sauce... a warm rum sauce that sinks into the rich dark cake, giving it a unique moistness and taste. The recipe for the cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Chocolate Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. The Rum Butter Sauce is from the Jr. League Centennial Cookbook that accompanies a 'floured' Cake. Works well with the Flourless one. All I can say is YUM!

Cracked Chocolate Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 stick sweet butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

Put the chocolate and butter into the top of a double boiler (or in a heatproof bowl) and heat over (but not touching) about 1 inch of simmering water until melted. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl until light yellow in color. Whisk a little of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep the eggs from scrambling from the heat of the chocolate; then whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture.

Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared pan (spray the bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until the cake is set, the top starts to crack, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 30 to 35 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake). Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

Hot Buttered Rum Sauce

1 Cup Heavy Cream
3/4 cup Packed light brown sugar
8 Tbsp (1 stick) sweet butter
3 Tbsp dark rum
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine cream, brown sugar and butter in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently until mixture boils. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and rum. Spoon warm sauce on plate and top with a wedge of cake or drizzle or pour sauce on top of a wedge of cake.

Chocolate Flourless Cake for Passover

Last year, I was browsing one of my favorite sites, Months of Edible Celebrations, when I noticed a chocolate cake on the sidebar links. Well, you know me and chocolate. A bit more exploration on the fabulous YouLittleTarte site brought me to an amazing Flourless Chocolate Cake (A Cake to Die For) that was perfect for Passover. It's even richer and higher (more eggs) than mine! I asked Nadine Rosenthal of YouLittleTarte if she'd care to share, and of course she did, so I'm reposting this amazing recipe again in time for this year's holiday. Be sure and visit the rest of the wonderful recipes and stories at YouLittleTarte! Reposting with permission from Nadine.. why mess with perfection!

I made this dense delicious flourless chocolate cake for last year's Seder. People were so full by the end of the Seder meal, that very few actually ate any that evening. The host insisted that I take half home with me. All I can say is I gained about 5 pounds that week, as I nibbled away. You will absolutely love this cake -- Passover, Easter, or any time!

NADINE ROSENTHAL:

I am a self taught cook and baker. With the exception of a couple of classes many years ago, everything I have learned to do in a kitchen has come by trial and error. And believe me, there's been a lot of error. But, as with anything, practice makes perfect, and while I'm not perfect I can read a recipe. Being able to read a recipe and follow directions is a key component in being able to cook.

Do you know how some people think they are destined to write the "great American novel"? Well, on You Little Tarte, I'll give you a great couple of paragraphs. Every recipe has a story, and I'll tell you mine.

A CAKE TO DIE FOR

I have to start by saying that I look at Passover, which begins at sundown on April 6th, as a low-carb holiday. I'm not a matzo eater so I just do without the bread and pasta. It's a meat and veggie time for me. The only exception I make to the Adkins/South Beach approach to Passover is for macaroons, which I love year round, and this really decadent chocolate cake.

This cake has a good story. Back when I first got married and had absolutely no culinary skills, I decided to take a cooking class. Never mind learning how to roast a chicken, I took a baking class taught by Donald Wressell. Donald, who was then the pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, was just at the beginning of his career and is now a HUGE deal in the pastry world. He's won zillions of awards. Nothing like over reaching one's skill level. There were all these professional pastry chefs in the class and me. Needless to say, I was outclassed in every culinary way possible.

I recognized my situation very quickly, when on the first day of class everyone went around and gave a brief bio of themselves. "Hi, I'm Joe Pastry Chef and I work at (name your fancy restaurant or hotel)." I was in real trouble. When it was my turn, I did what any self respecting Santa Monica newlywed would do. I went to the bathroom, thus avoiding the "Hi, I'm Nadine and I have no idea what I'm doing here" speech.

The good news in all this was that it was a demonstration class so I never actually had to do anything besides watch and learn. And I did. I came out of that class armed with a bunch of fancy schmancy recipes that I have only mastered in more recent years. Hey, you live and learn.

One of the recipes Donald demonstrated was this one for flourless chocolate cake. It takes flourless chocolate cake to a whole new level. Do not be put off by the 18 egg yolks. Yes, you heard me right. There are 18 egg yolks in this cake. The cake is amazing and really spruces up the dessert offerings at a sedar. I'm not saying the Passover brownies aren't tasty but this cake is better. Really. It's worth the calories and the cholesterol. Have a small piece and you'll avoid the emergency room and an angioplasty.

And, if you're not a Passover person, make the cake anyway. It's not actually a Passover cake. I just adopted it as such because it's sans flour. I'm probably breaking some other kosher rules with it anyway.

Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake (Donald Wressell)
Note: You can use the whites of the eggs for your macaroons.

Ingredients:
1 pound 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
12 ounces unsalted butter
18 egg yolks
4 ounces granulated sugar
3 ounces cocoa powder

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter and flour a 10 inch round baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate with the butter. Let cool slightly.
In a stand mixer, whip the egg yolks with the sugar until very light, about 5 minutes. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg sugar mixture. Sift in the cocoa powder. On medium speed, beat the mixture just to combine. Mixture will appear fudgy and heavy.
Transfer to prepared pan and bake in a water bath for 25 minutes.
Sift more cocoa powder or confectioner's sugar on top of cake to serve, if desired.

Passover: YouLittleTarte's Chocolate Flourless Cake

Oh, the vagaries and surprises of the Internet. I was browsing one of my favorite sites, Months of Edible Celebrations, when I noticed a chocolate cake on one of the sidebar links. Well, you know me and chocolate. A bit more exploration on the fabulous YouLittleTarte site brought me to an amazing Flourless Chocolate Cake for Passover that is even richer...and higher (more eggs) than mine! Well, I think this is the one I'll be making to take to the Seder. I asked Nadine Rosenthal at YouLittleTarte if she'd care to share. And, the rest is history. Do comment, and do visit the rest of the wonderful recipes and stories at YouLittleTarte!

NADINE ROSENTHAL
I am so excited to be here to write a guest post for Dying for Chocolate.
   I am a self taught cook and baker. With the exception of a couple of classes many years ago, everything I have learned to do in a kitchen has come by trial and error. And believe me, there's been a lot of error. But, as with anything, practice makes perfect, and while I'm not perfect I can read a recipe. Being able to read a recipe and follow directions is a key component in being able to cook.
  Do you know how some people think they are destined to write the "great American novel"? Well, on You Little Tarte, I'll give you a great couple of paragraphs. Every recipe has a story, and I'll tell you mine.
   I hope you'll stop by and visit.

A CAKE TO DIE FOR

I have to start by saying that I look at Passover, which begins at sundown on April 18th, as a low-carb holiday. I'm not a matzo eater so I just do without the bread and pasta. It's a meat and veggie time for me. The only exception I make to the Adkins/South Beach approach to Passover is for macaroons, which I love year round, and this really decadent chocolate cake.

This cake has a good story. Back when I first got married and had absolutely no culinary skills, I decided to take a cooking class.

Never mind learning how to roast a chicken, I took a baking class taught by Donald Wressell. Donald, who was then the pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, was just at the beginning of his career and is now a HUGE deal in the pastry world. He's won zillions of awards. Nothing like over reaching one's skill level. There were all these professional pastry chefs in the class and me. Needless to say, I was outclassed in every culinary way possible.

I recognized my situation very quickly, when on the first day of class everyone went around and gave a brief bio of themselves. "Hi, I'm Joe Pastry Chef and I work at (name your fancy restaurant or hotel)." I was in real trouble. When it was my turn, I did what any self respecting Santa Monica newlywed would do. I went to the bathroom, thus avoiding the "Hi, I'm Nadine and I have no idea what I'm doing here" speech.

The good news in all this was that it was a demonstration class so I never actually had to do anything besides watch and learn. And I did. I came out of that class armed with a bunch of fancy schmancy recipes that I have only mastered in more recent years. Hey, you live and learn.

One of the recipes Donald demonstrated was this one for flourless chocolate cake. It takes flourless chocolate cake to a whole new level. Do not be put off by the 18 egg yolks. Yes, you heard me right. There are 18 egg yolks in this cake. The cake is amazing and really spruces up the dessert offerings at a sedar. I'm not saying the Passover brownies aren't tasty but this cake is better. Really. It's worth the calories and the cholesterol. Have a small piece, and you'll avoid the emergency room and an angioplasty.

And, if you're not a Passover person, make the cake anyway. It's not actually a Passover cake. I just adopted it as such because it's sans flour. I'm probably breaking some other kosher rules with it anyway.

RECIPE: FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
(Donald Wressell)

Note: If you are making this cake for Passover you can use the whites to make your macaroons.

Ingredients:
1 pound 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
12 ounces unsalted butter
18 egg yolks
4 ounces granulated sugar
3 ounces cocoa powder

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter and flour a 10 inch round baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate with the butter. Let cool slightly.
In a stand mixer, whip the egg yolks with the sugar until very light, about 5 minutes. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg sugar mixture. Sift in the cocoa powder. On medium speed, beat the mixture just to combine. Mixture will appear fudgy and heavy.
Transfer to prepared pan and bake in a water bath for 25 minutes.
Sift more cocoa powder or confectioner's sugar on top of cake to serve, if desired.

Photos: You Little Tarte