CHOCOLATE CAKE WITHOUT FLOUR, TOO GOOD

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What is special about chocolate cake?

Chocolate Cake without flour, Too Good! The chocolate cake is a classic of the Italian confectionery tradition, if not European. However, it is constantly being revisited by neophytes or skilled pastry chefs. Also because the original recipe (if there is one) leaves a lot of room for creativity. Space that I used in its entirety when I thought of this recipe. The first element of differentiation is the total absence of flour, here replaced entirely by cocoa and dark chocolate. This is a choice that I wanted to reward precisely because of the more literal meaning of the expression "chocolate cake".

Nonetheless, it is very simple to prepare and can even be made by beginners or by those who are preparing for the first time to make a dessert at home. Among other things, this also allows it to be consumed by celiacs and those intolerant to gluten. Same thing for lactose intolerant, since none of the ingredients contains this substance. Among other things, chocolate is dark and therefore does not contain lactose. Same goes for butter, which is clarified.

The recipe is quite easy. In fact, it is a question of creating a mixture of dark chocolate and butter, and then combining it with the other ingredients, and in particular with the sugar and eggs, which will then be beaten and mixed. Finally, bitter cocoa powder is added. In principle, it can be said that this is a real chocolate cake or a cake in which the predominant scent is chocolate.

The many advantages of dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is one of the protagonists of this cake. It is one of the few foods that disproves the saying "if it's good it's bad". Dark chocolate is not only exquisite, it is the statistically most loved type of chocolate in the world, it is also good for you. It acts on several levels, not least that of mood, it is, in fact, a natural antidepressant as shown by many scientific studies. In addition, dark chocolate is also very rich in antioxidants, which contribute to the good health of the cardiovascular system, promote cell regeneration and help prevent tumours.

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However, dark chocolate has a flaw, that is, it is very caloric. Paradoxically, it is much more caloric than milk chocolate. The reason is simply due to the fact that milk is less fat than cocoa, a component that is present in higher doses in dark chocolate. Obviously, it also depends on the "percentage" of the dark chocolate, ie the quantity of cocoa. The one considered more balanced, even at the cost of increasing the sugar dose, is 70%. In any case, it is sufficient not to abuse dark chocolate to enjoy its taste, taking advantage of its qualities from a nutritional point of view and without suffering any side effects. In this recipe, not surprisingly, the doses are very balanced, that is just necessary to enhance the presence of dark chocolate but without exaggerating.

Which sugar to choose for our cake?

When it comes to desserts, and in particular the chocolate cake, great importance is covered by the choice of sugar. In fact, the final result depends on this choice in terms not only of taste but also of visual impact. So which sugar to choose for this kind of cake? The advice is to opt for the finest cane sugar.

There are two reasons. First of all, brown sugar always contains a little molasses, which gives a note of colour and flavour, giving the cake a caramel aftertaste. Secondly, the fact that it is "very fine" guarantees a better yield of the dough, a more complete amalgam and therefore a more solid seal.

You may be interested to read pumpkin and courgette recipe/ Meatballs with a pumpkin recipe.

Here is the recipe for the chocolate cake:

Ingredients for a 22 cm cake pan:

200 gr. 72% dark chocolate;

125 gr. clarified butter;

100 gr. of very fine cane sugar;

3 eggs;

50 gr. bitter cocoa allowed;

Powdered sugar allowed as needed

Preparation:

To prepare the chocolate cake, start by reducing the chocolate into small pieces, then melt it in a bain-marie as slowly as possible together with the butter (you can also use the microwave if you prefer). Now take a bowl and pour in the sugar and eggs, beat and mix everything until you have obtained a fairly puffy and frothy mixture. At this point, add the chocolate and butter mixture, and mix well using a large spatula.

Sift the bitter cocoa and pour it into the mixture, then mix and mix again. Now butter a pan or line it with baking paper. Roll out the dough well and bake in an oven pre-heated to 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool, then turn it upside down on a serving dish (or tray), taking care not to flake it. Finally, finish by decorating with plenty of icing sugar. Serve and enjoy your meal!