Amazing Flourless Chocolate Cake

Sugar free, grain free and dairy free and it taste amazing?!?!? How can it be?? Oh, it be! ;-) Sometimes mishaps in the kitchen turn into masterpieces and this is the case with this recipe.  In making ganache for strawberries this week and trying to skip a step to speed up the process, I "broke" the ganache, or the emulsion holding the cream and chocolate together.  Then I did it again.  I looked online trying to fix what I had broken and it was just too complicated.  One site suggesting splitting ganache in half and heating one to 130 degrees and cooling the other to 60 degrees. This required two thermometers and too much thinking!  Then Martha Steward suggest adding water (which I didn't think would work) and it didn't work. So I just put it to the side and started a new one.  Well, I did it again.  Very angry and wondering if I know what I am doing, I sat the third batch to the side and carefully (having learned from my mistakes), made another, this time, a successful batch of ganache appeared on my stove! ;-)  Now what to do with 3 batches of good chocolate?  When all in double, make a cake! ;-)  


I poured off the liquid/oil that had separated from the ganache then I added some eggs, then beat in some butter and more vanilla and stevia.  Baked it and wow... a perfect, rich chocolate  cake.

Since I didn't have measurements exactly for the ganache (I had poured off oil/liquid), I tried duplicating the recipe 2 times.  Each time, just not the same as my original creation.  Well, the 3rd time was a charm but with this creation, I omitted all dairy and used only coconut milk and coconut oil.  So now the recipe is grain-free, sugar-free and dairy free and I am very happy with the results.  Nice, rich, chocolaty flavor.  Surprisingly, it is not a strong coconut flavor as you would expect because the coconut taste is mainly in the oil, not as much in the milk.  The more that I work with coconut milk and coconut oil, I am so surprised how much you can interchange the two ingredients.  


*You can use butter and heavy cream in the place of the oil and coconut milk but I encourage you to try the coconut version.


**If making this recipe from a broken ganache, just start from step #3.  You will need to measure how much "broken" ganache you have.  Be sure chocolate mixture is warm or room temperature before adding liquid and eggs.  You may have to add to your broken ganache to get right amount of chocolate. 


As always, sweeten to taste with Stevia (I use Kal brand). When I made this recipe using heavy cream, I added a bit extra stevia but when using coconut milk (unsweetened in the can), I didn't have to add any.  Taste batter and add small amounts at the time to your liking. 


To make sure the cake didn't get stuck, I cut out an 8" parchment circle for the bottom of the spring form pan and also cut long strips for the sides.  This is not necessary but I didn't want to have any problems getting cake out.  This cake is best when baked in a water bath.  I used an 8 " spring form pan, covering the bottom with 1 piece of aluminum foil so that the water does not enter the cake and placed it in a 10" pan (or another bigger pan).  Bring some water to a boil and once you place both pans in the oven (one inside the other),  carefully pour boiling water into larger pan.  If you don't want to use a water bath, you will get more cracks and the cooking may not be as even but it will still taste amazing!


You can also make these into mini cakes using small ramekins.  Using 1/4 cup of batter in each, they will take about 20-25 minutes.  Will make about 15 mini cakes. 


I prefer this cake slightly warm or room temperature served alone or with fresh berries or with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream.


Chocolate Flour-less Cake


16 oz Homemade Chocolate Chunks Recipe (Approximately 4 cups)
10 oz (1 cup and 2 tbsp) plus 1-1/4 cup Unsweetened Canned Coconut Milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp Coconut Oil 
5 eggs
2-1/2 tbsp vanilla
Stevia if needed for sweetness

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Melt chocolate chunks and 10 oz of coconut milk in double boiler.
3. Remove chocolate from heat and blend in vanilla and coconut oil until smooth.  The warmth of chocolate will melt coconut oil.
4. Add 1-1/4 cup coconut milk and eggs, one at a time.  Blend well.
5. Pour into a lined 8 inch spring from pan (you could use a deep cake pan) and place in water bath.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Center will still look a little wet.
7. Serve warm (allow to cool at least 30-45 minutes) or refrigerate overnight before serving.

Nutrition:


1/16th of my Amazing flourless Chocolate Cake: 4 carbs


1 slice of chocolate flourless cake off of Whole Foods website: 35-40 grams of carbs (This recipe does contain a thin layer of ganache)