Simple Dessert Ideas.

[Diosa]

I had a wicked craving for chocolate yesterday, and decided to make some chocolate dipped strawberries and apples. Well, ok, it was mostly the strawberries, but I had leftover chocolate so I had the DH slice up a few apples for me. Most really good dark chocolate (Green and Black's, Ghiradelli's) are gluten free and dairy-free. I ended up making a ganache out of it as I wanted the chocolate a bit thinner - I used Fleischmann's margarine because it's mostly corn oil and lactose-free. I saw Rachel Ray on Food network do this with bananas as well. I'm curious if one could get oranges to work.

It was also a friend's birthday, so I made a flourless chocolate cake with fresh raspberry sauce. Is it sad that I liked the strawberries better? Not that the cake wasn't good, I was just more on the strawberries last night.

I bet with some experimenting, you could try bittersweet chocolate, or even good baking chocolate and sweeten it with a sweetener, though I haven't tried it in a while. Last thing I did like that was with silken tofu (before the soy allergy was known), dutch processed cocoa powder and splenda for a sugar-free chocolate mousse.

[Guest Viola]

I love chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate dipped bananas Gotta be one of my favourite things to do in strawberry season. You go out and pick the nice warm strawberries (kissed by the sun) and micro some chocolate then sit out on the deck and watch the golfers while I make a pig of myself. A glass of nice cold white wine tops it off ... yummmmm

[Guest mvaught]

oh this is great for valentine's day dinner! thanks thanks thanks!

[Guest mvaught]

oh this is great for valentine's day dinner! thanks thanks thanks!

hey diosa- do you have that recipe for flourless chocolate cake?

[Diosa]

hey diosa- do you have that recipe for flourless chocolate cake?

I do. Here's the one I found/cobbled together.

Flourless chocolate cake with fresh raspberry sauce

For the cake:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (semi-sweet will work, but make sure it’s good quality chocolate)

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 large eggs (separated)

2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (or 1 tsp or so of baking powder)

1 tablespoon cooking oil or cooking spray, for greasing pan

2 tablespoons gluten free flour, for dusting pan

For the raspberry sauce:

1/2 pt. raspberries

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 325 F. Oil and flour a 9” springform cake round. Cut a piece of wax paper or parchment to fit inside the bottom of the pan, place the paper in the bottom of the pan.

In a double-boiler on gentle heat, melt the butter and chocolate together until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a clean mixing bowl (make sure there is no oil residue on the bowl or mixer attachments) beat the egg whites until they become cloudy and frothy; about 30 seconds. Continue beating while adding the brown sugar and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form- be careful not to overbeat- this is most important!

If the eggs curdle, throw them away and start over with new egg whites, seriously.

Whisk the egg yolks and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture in a large mixing bowl. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate (start by folding in about 1/3rd of the whites, then gently fold in the remaining whites), the mixture should end up fluffy and light. Pour into the prepared pan.

Wrap the bottom of the pan with foil and place the pan in a deep cooking sheet with about 1/2 to 1 inch of water in it. Bake the cake for about 60-70 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for about an hour.

Gently run a knife around the edge of the pan, and then carefully invert the cake onto a flat plate or other surface. Remove the paper from the bottom (now the top) of the cake. Invert again onto the final plate for displaying the cake. The cake can be eaten right away but it may fall slightly when it is cut- for best results, it should be refrigerated for at least 6 hours before serving.

Right before serving the cake, make the raspberry sauce by combining all ingredients and bringing them to a boil. Strain and cool the sauce. Garnish the cake with fresh raspberries and serve with the sauce.

[Guest mvaught]

thanks - looks so good!