Beer Goes Good with Chocolate Cake

It is true that beer and chocolate cake are a match made in Heaven, or Heaven's Kitchen at the very least...especially porters and stout porters (known more commonly simply as stout).

But this is not about beer.  This is about the cake...chocolate cake.  

Not just any chocolate cake, mind you; I remembered all of my friends with dietary restrictions, so I decided to share this formula for a vegan chocolate cake.  AND if you wished to, you could substitute a gluten-free flour for the wheat flour, (like Cup4Cup), and make a vegan-gluten-free chocolate cake!



SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE DEVASTATION CAKE
(Adapted from a recipe from the Bloodroot Collective, shared by Sandor Ellix Katz)
YIELD: two-9" layers

1/2     Cup              Cocoa Powder
1/4     Cup              Carob Powder (if you can't find/don't want to use carob, use 3/4 cup cocoa powder)
2        Cups            Granulated White Sugar
3        Cups            Unbleached White Flour
2        teaspoons     Baking Soda
3/4     teaspoon       Salt
2        Tablespoons  Grain Coffee (such as Cafix), or Chicory
1/2     teaspoon       Ground Cinnamon

1        Cup              Sourdough Starter
2-1/4  Cups            Water
2        Tablespoons  Vinegar
3/4      Cup             Grape Seed Oil
1-1/2   teaspoons    Vanilla Extract
1-1/2   teaspoons     Dark Rum

Lightly oil and dust two 9" with cocoa powder; preheat oven to 325°F.

Combine first 8/dry ingredients in a bowl with a whip.  Combine last 6/wet ingredients in a separate bowl; add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Turn into the prepared pans immediately and bake 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool on racks.

FROSTING

1        Cup             Chopped good quality semi-sweet chocolate

1        teaspoon      Orange Extract

1/2     teaspoon      Vanilla Extract

3        Tablespoons Maple Syrup, Grade B preferably

1/4     Cup              Grape Seed Oil

3        Tablespoons  Carob, or Cocoa, Powder

Combine all ingredients in a double boiler and cook over low heat until melted; stir vigorously to thoroughly combine.  Set aside and let cool.

Once cakes and frosting have cooled, spread frosting between layers, and over cake.

mmm...pudding...

EVERYONE likes chocolate.

For those people who absolutely LOVE chocolate...this recipe is for you.  Adapted from Larry Forgione's recipe for Double Chocolate Pudding, it is an American classic.  I have accented the creamy, unctuous, and sensual texture of the pudding with the warming and "exotic" flavor of ginger; topped with orange whipped cream, (the recipe makes more whipped cream than you will need for pudding *wink, wink*) Oh, yeah...chocolate and ginger are regarded as aphrodisiacs, too...

TIP: for an extra creamy pudding, after cooking pass the pudding through a fine mesh strainer, (before placing in individual containers to set up.)  For Valentine's Day, you can substitute blood oranges or cara cara oranged for regular navel oranges, (and they'll turn your whipped cream pink!)

Gingered Chocolate-Chocolate Custard with Citrus Whipped Cream

serves 4

2 + ¼          cups            whole milk

1                 Tblsp            ground dry ginger

1/4 +1/4      cup              granulated sugar

1                  each            large egg

2                  each            large egg yolks

3                  Tblsp           cornstarch

2                  Tblsp           unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

¼                 tsp              salt

3-½              ounces        chocolate (78% cocoa), finely chopped

2                   Tblsp          unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1-½              tsp              dark rum

1-½              tsp              pure vanilla extract

for the citrus whipped cream

1                  cup              heavy whipping cream

1-½              tsp              pure vanilla extract

1                  each            sweet orange, juiced and zested, pulp and pith discarded

to taste                           confectioner’s sugar

Put 2 cups of the milk, the ginger, and ¼ cup of the sugar in a large saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until scalded.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Put the egg and egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until blended.  Add the remaining ¼ cup milk, ¼ cup sugar, the cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt; whisk until well combined.

Whisk the cocoa mixture into the scalded milk.  Set over low heat and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture begins to thickens and comes to a low boil, causing large bubbles to form.

Immediately remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate, butter, rum, and vanilla, and stir until the butter and chocolate are completely melted.  (the pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.) 

Pour the pudding into individual dishes or glasses, (the original recipe calls for 4, but life is too short to scrimp on the desserts), and let cool for 10 minutes.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  The pudding will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

For the whipped cream, place the heavy cream in the chilled bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks.  Add the orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla, and whip for five seconds.  Sweeten to taste with confectioner’s sugar and continue whipping to medium-stiff peaks.  Transfer the whipped cream to a container, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.  The whipped cream can be made 1 to 2 days ahead of time, (if your whipped cream looks a little runny or loose, just re-whip it in a chilled bowl).