Yes, my lovelies, I have been away for a while. Blame it on the holiday season, the rotten economy, dealing with issues with a terminally ill cat, dealing with issues as my friends and I get to know each other better, but the fact is, Annalena has been on a bit of a sabbatical. I shall try to make it up to you by doubling my entries until I make up for what has been lost.
Last year, at this time, I did a series of entries on what Nigella Lawson, wonderful woman that she is, called her "temple day" food. As she explains it, "temple days" are the days you spend making up for the excesses of one or more days before.
May I have a show of hands? Has anyone had a day or more of excess over the last three weeks. Let's not lie now.
Hmmmm. Just as I thought. My readers are shy. Well, I shall start by giving you an excuse for excess, by special request from my friend Robert. My recipe for a chocolate chestnut cake.
This cake has been in my repertoire for at least ten years. And it has won a permanent place in the dessert buffet at our "no holes barred" New Year's Day party. Indeed, it has replaced every other chocolate cake that I have ever made at that party. People love it. And lest you recoil at the thought of "chestnuts," in the finished product, they add more texture and density than taste.
Thi sis a very rich, dense cake. I first saw it made on an episode of a television show based on chefs and teachers cooking at the California Culinary Academy. It was a beautifully made show to watch, although NOT to learn from. I remember that on the episode where I saw this cake made no mention was made of quantities, temperatures, and so forth. Naif that I was, I learned later that this was to encourage people to buy the cookbook that came with the show. I do recall that finding that cookbook was one of the most frustrating incidents in my life. NEVER buy a book as an advertisement from a television show, children. You will find it on line very quickly thereafter, probably pay less, and suffer much less aggravation.
I still have the book, but I only use two recipes from it. This is one of them.
I laughed when I first read it because it calls for "leftover champagne." Uh, have any of you ever had leftover champagne? Besides, everyone knows you use leftover champagne with grapefruit sorbet (this is true. If you make grapefruit sorbet, and you "happen" to have a bit around, use it. And if you don't, when you serve the sorbet, pour some champagne around it. It is BLISS).
So, "leftover champagne." I use white wine because, after all, champagne IS a white wine, yes? No one has ever said "needs a bit more of a yeasty nose," and if they had, they would wind up with a nose that looks risen, perhaps from yeast.
The preparation for the cake is a bit of work, but the finished product is HUGE, delightful, and you will be a big hit. People will fall at your feet worshipping you and you will get marriage proposals.
Well, maybe not. But they will love you. The original recipe says this serves 16. I think 20 is more like it, especially if you use the optional whipped cream, which I never do.
Okay, let's get started.
You need a pound of really good chocolate, chopped up. DON'T try to cheat with chips. Get a block of chocolate, and start chopping with a serrated knife. I use Schaffenberger semisweet chocolate, which in my view, is as strong as most bittersweet chocolates. Adjust your choice accordingly.
This chocolate comes in 9.7 ounce blocks. Rather than try to guestimate a pound, chop up two blocks. Shred it as fine as you can. You do this by pushing the serrated knife into the chocolate at a 45 degree angle, until it's all cut. You will also need half a cup of dry white wine (actually, any white wine will do), a stick of softened, unsalted butter, a half cup of heavy cream, a pound of chestnut puree (I get mine from an Italian grocery store. Try to get it unsweetened, but if you can't, no big deal). Also, 1.5 cups of granulated sugar, .5 cup flour and six eggs.
Get a BIG pan. A ten inch springform, or a twelve inch layer cake pan, would be ideal (I've made it in both. I like the springform better). Preheat your oven to 350, and butter the pan all over.
In a small pan , combine the chocolate, the wine, and turn the heat on low. Melt them together, stirring occasionally to keep the chocolate from burning. Then put this aside to cool
Get your electric mixer going, and combine the butter, the cream and the pureed chestnuts. You will not get a completely smooth product. That's ok. Do the best you can. Then add the chocolate mixer (I suggest turning off the mixer and pouring the stuff in, then turning it back on at a low speed. It won't take much. Then add the sugar. When that's combined, add the flour, a pinch of salt (I know, I didn't say that at the top), and finally, the eggs, one at a time.
Did you notice the eggs come in last in this recipe? Isn't that odd? Wish I could tell you why.
Ok, you have a big, heavy pot of batter. Run a spatula through it to see if it's even and uniform. It should be, and if it's not, stir it a bit more. Then pour this all into your prepared pan. Put it on top of a baking sheet, especially with a springform, because sometimes they leak, and bake it for about an hour, maybe an hour and a quarter. When it doesn't jiggle at all, it's done.
Let this cool. It will crack a little. Run a knife around the perimeter, and be ready to use some strength to do that. Release the spring, and let the cake sit until you're ready to serve.
A bit of whipped cream, sweetened with powdered sugar and vanilla, or perhaps some vanilla ice cream, melted or frozen, completes this if you feel it needs completion. Again, no one has ever complained to me about this cake being less than enough.
You may not want this now, and you may be asking "why didn't you give me this recipe LAST week, Annalena, you......" Oh well. Save it for next year. Or make it for the next birthday party you have. You'll make new friends.
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