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Free Friday is here and just in time for Valentine’ Day is this show stopping dessert! Gluten Free never tasted so good! You can make this dessert all in the pot you melt the butter and chocolate in – talk about easy clean up! You can also make this cake, cool it and wrap well to freeze for company or another party.
Check out a few of the health benefits of dark chocolate and cocoa powder, your going to love what you read! Oh how sweet it is!
1. Antioxidants and anti-aging – it fights free radicals and minimizes the effects of aging.
2. Cardiovascular health – cocoa powder has many protective effects for the heart and vascular system and have been documented numerous times.
3. Brain health – protects the brain from high blood pressure, clots and free radical damage. It also affects brain function and mood.
4. Benefits on the effects of diabetes – research suggests that cocoa can help stabilize blood sugar levels, assist with weight control and improve insulin resistance, all of which improves the outcome for diabetics.
5. Inflammation – cocoa powder has been proven to be a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
6. Weight control – cocoa appears to posses properties that can reduce weight gain and suppress appetite.
7. Oral health – cocoa butter in the chocolate coats the teeth and may help protect them by preventing plaque from forming. Research has also shown that parts of cocoa bean, the main ingredient of chocolate, thwart mouth bacteria and stop dental decay.
All the benefits aside please eat it in moderation. The cocoa butter in chocolate does contain saturated fat, which can increase blood cholesterol levels so make sure you go for the the best quatlity and make it count!
If you want to write a message in chocolate on the plate melt chocolate in a pan or in the microwave and stir till smooth. Place melted chocolate in a ziploc bag, cut the tip and away you go.
With all this talk about love here is a good reminder - 1 Cor. 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
Chef Amy
| Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake |
- 12 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips, divided
- 1 c. unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 c. sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- Fresh berries, mint (Optional)
- Whipped cream or chocolate sauce (Optional)
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray, too, then set the pan aside.
- Place two-thirds (8 ounces) of the chocolate and 1 cup (2 sticks) of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Stirring often, melt chocolate with butter until completely blended. Remove from heat and add sugar and mix well.
- Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
- Sift cocoa into pan and stir until just blended.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cake has risen and top has formed a thin crust. The cake should be just firm in the center when done.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate, removing sides of springform pan. Remove and discard parchment paper and set cake aside to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the chocolate glaze. In a small pan heat heavy cream until it comes just to a simmer. Turn off the heat. Add 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes then whisk until smooth.
- When cake has cooled, pour glaze onto the center. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, very gently smooth glaze along the top and sides of the cake. Chill cake, uncovered, for 30 to 60 minutes before serving to set the glaze and make the cake easier to slice.
Adapted from Whole Foods
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