Got a chocolate craving? Flourless Chocolate Cake

Kathy Holcombe and Ruth McLeod ready to indulge.

Dinner with friends at the Rokerji is always fun especially when we ended with this decadent chocolate delight! Wanted to try it at home and surprised at how easy it is.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.
Dust cake with additional cocoa powder. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

Suggested Toppings: Fresh blueberries and raspberries.
Drizzle with Caramel.
Serve with sorbet if desired.

YIELD: Makes one 8-inch cake

There are also several great chocolate cake recipes in Tastes & Treasures to satisfy your chocolate craving!

Frozen Mocha Pudding Pops

How to cool off on those hot days? Turn to your refrigerator and freezer for delightfully cool treats. Tastes & Treasures has Chocolate Icebox Cake on page 80.

Panera Bread (Paradise Bakery in Phoenix) suggests Pudding Pops.

Frozen Mocha Pudding Pops

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 egg

2 cups 2 percent milk

1 cup brewed espresso or double-strength coffee

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces (about 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch. Whisk in egg (mixture will be thick). Add milk and coffee, and whisk over medium heat until blended and smooth. Cook, whisking often, until mixture bubbles and thickens, about 10 minutes. Cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate and vanilla until the chocolate melts and incorporates.


2. Cool mixture slightly, and then pour into nine 2-ounce plastic ice pop molds or paper drinking cups. Insert ice pop handles, or let cool enough for wooden craft sticks or small metal spoons to stand upright. If using drinking cups, cover with plastic wrap, allowing sticks or handles to poke through the plastic. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 2 weeks.


3. To unmold, run warm water around the outside of the mold until pops can be loosened free.

TIP: If you don’t like coffee, replace it with an additional cup of 2 percent milk.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 9

Nutritional info: 151 calories, 4 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 28 mg cholesterol, 36 mg sodium, 1.5 g dietary fiber