I've made this recipe 3 times in as many weeks! It's low effort, can easily be modified, perfectly wonderful made a day in advance and keeps well (assuming there's any left over). It's also dairy and gluten free! A winning dessert all round.
You will need...
50g slightly fancy cocoa powder
125ml just boiled water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20-40mls of a booze of your choice, I've used whiskey but I think Grand Marnier or Cointreau would be lovely too
170g raw almonds, ground - Do this in a food processer or in batches if your blender or coffee grinder is strong. Fresh ground almonds make all the difference to this cake, but if you don't have the equipment to achieve that use store bought meal.
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
pinch of salt
150ml olive oil
200g caster sugar
3 free range eggs
springform cake tin - around 20-23cm - greased and lined
Preheat oven to 160°C.
Place the cocoa in a small bowl and gradually add the hot water, whisking as you go to create a smooth paste. Add the vanilla and booze and whisk until just incorporated, set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the freshly ground almonds, bicarb and salt.
Beat the olive oil, sugar and eggs briskly in a large bowl with an electric mixer. This could be done by hand with a whisk, but you'd need to have far superior biceps to mine (NB this would not be hard). Beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture resembles thick cream.
Add the cocoa to the egg mixture, beating more gently until just combined. Tip in ground almonds and gently fold through with a spatula.
Place the springform tin on a baking tray (for ease of transport in and out of the oven) and pour the velvety chocolate gloop into the greased and lined cake tin. Cook for 40-45 minutes. This cake is very moist, so it will (should!) still look just undercooked in very middle at the top.
Cool for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Can be enjoyed warm or room temperature. The cake keeps very well and if making it in advance, allow it to cool completing before wrapping well or placing in an airtight container.
Serve with embellishments of your choice. For our family pre-Christmas lunch (photo above) I layered the cake with rhubarb cooked using this recipe, generous blobs of marscapone, grated dark chocolate and syrup from the rhubarb. It's also delightful dusted with a combination of 1 part cocoa and 1 part icing sugar, but just as enjoyable all on it's own.
You will need...
50g slightly fancy cocoa powder
125ml just boiled water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20-40mls of a booze of your choice, I've used whiskey but I think Grand Marnier or Cointreau would be lovely too
170g raw almonds, ground - Do this in a food processer or in batches if your blender or coffee grinder is strong. Fresh ground almonds make all the difference to this cake, but if you don't have the equipment to achieve that use store bought meal.
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
pinch of salt
150ml olive oil
200g caster sugar
3 free range eggs
springform cake tin - around 20-23cm - greased and lined
Preheat oven to 160°C.
Place the cocoa in a small bowl and gradually add the hot water, whisking as you go to create a smooth paste. Add the vanilla and booze and whisk until just incorporated, set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the freshly ground almonds, bicarb and salt.
Beat the olive oil, sugar and eggs briskly in a large bowl with an electric mixer. This could be done by hand with a whisk, but you'd need to have far superior biceps to mine (NB this would not be hard). Beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture resembles thick cream.
Add the cocoa to the egg mixture, beating more gently until just combined. Tip in ground almonds and gently fold through with a spatula.
Place the springform tin on a baking tray (for ease of transport in and out of the oven) and pour the velvety chocolate gloop into the greased and lined cake tin. Cook for 40-45 minutes. This cake is very moist, so it will (should!) still look just undercooked in very middle at the top.
Cool for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Can be enjoyed warm or room temperature. The cake keeps very well and if making it in advance, allow it to cool completing before wrapping well or placing in an airtight container.
Serve with embellishments of your choice. For our family pre-Christmas lunch (photo above) I layered the cake with rhubarb cooked using this recipe, generous blobs of marscapone, grated dark chocolate and syrup from the rhubarb. It's also delightful dusted with a combination of 1 part cocoa and 1 part icing sugar, but just as enjoyable all on it's own.
Hell yes - gluten free, chocolately AND boozy? I am going to have to give this a crack asap.
Posted by: HarbourMaster | 31 December 2012 at 05:58 PM