I've talked a bit in my Hump Day Healthy Writer posts about the food allergies I've developed over the last couple of years. The change in my diet is never felt more keenly than at the holidays, when all the traditional family treats I've made for years are now off limits. So what's a girl with gluten, soy, and dairy allergies supposed to do? Find new treats, of course!
It takes time, but I'm finding it can be done. And with Christmas just around the corner, I'm even more determined to make new food memories. And who doesn't love chocolate? That's why this month's recipe is:
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Just a couple of things before we get to the recipe. First, this recipe is one I found on the King Arthur Flour website (click on the recipe title to go to their original post). Ironic, isn't it? They have a great gluten-free (GF) flour blend, one of the few I've found that includes no soy or dairy. And their website has great GF recipes as well.
Second, most chocolate contains soy lecithin. Some people with soy allergies can tolerate soy lecithin or even soybean oil, as both contain only trace amounts of soy protein, but I am not one of them -- I'm allergic to the plant itself, not just the protein. I use Enjoy Life brand chocolate, available in many grocery stores in the organic section. (There is a store guide on their website.) You can also substitute cocoa powder: 1 tablespoon of cocoa, 1 teaspoon of oil, and 3.5 teaspoons of sugar = 1 oz. of semisweet chocolate. (1 cup = 8 ozs, so you do the math :) ) Nix the sugar for bittersweet chocolate
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter (I substitute coconut oil to avoid dairy)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Glaze:
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream (I substitute coconout milk)
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9" round cake pan. Cut a piece of parchment or wax paper, place in the bottom of the pan, and lightly grease.
Melt the chocolate and butter/oil in the microwave until just melted, then add the sugar, salt, and vanilla, mixing thoroughly with a beater. You can also add 1 to 2 teaspoons of espresso powder if desired. (I haven't tried this yet. :) ) Add the eggs, beating until smooth, and then do the same with the cocoa powder.
Pour the batter into your pan and bake for 25 minutes until the cake's internal temperature is 200 degrees. Take out and cool for 5 minutes. Turn onto a serving platter (the cake is now upside down on your plate, which is fine) and allow to cool completely.
For the glaze: heat the chocolate and cream/milk in the microwave until the liquid is hot. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Pour the glaze over the cake and cool for several hours before cutting.
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Sound yummy? I love this cake. I've never been a huge chocolate cake fan because they tend to be dry, but we have a family recipe that is moist and delicious. This cake is equally so! Let me know if you try it -- I'd love to hear about your results.
Until next month's recipe...
~ Ella
