Image by Food Thinkers
Because they lack both flour and leavening, these mini cakes have a finished texture of silky dense chocolate with a perfect touch of springy sweetness, giving it a decadence worth savoring without too much heaviness.
Ingredients (Cakes)
Yields 4-6 mini cakes
* ½ stick of butter
* ½ pound semi-sweet chocolate
* ¼ cup sugar
* 4 eggs
* ¼ teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon orange zest
* 1 tablespoon orange liquor
* ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients (Strawberries)
* 1 pint (or desired amount) of strawberries, washed and dried with stems left on.
* 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
Instructions (Cakes)
1. Preheat to 350°F on Bake. (This is a great recipe for your countertop oven.)
2. Grease ramekins lightly and sprinkle with sugar.
3. Over a double boiler, slowly melt chocolate. Meanwhile, heat butter and orange liquor in separate, small saucepan. Once chocolate is just melted, add butter and liquor mixture and incorporate. The mixture should be glossy and creamy.
4. Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, orange zest, and salt in a separate bowl and whip until frothy and increased in volume (about 5 minutes).
5. In small increments, using a spatula, add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture. Lightly fold in each increment until just incorporated before adding the next.
6. Divide the batter between the ramekins about ¾ full (the cakes will rise slightly). Bake for 15 minutes. Leave cakes in oven for an additional 10 minutes after it automatically shuts off.
7. Cool slightly, then gently remove and cool completely on wire rack.
Instructions (Strawberries)
1. Prepare a tray with a sheet of wax paper.
2. As with the cakes, slowly melt chocolate over a double boiler. Meanwhile, heat butter and orange liquor in a separate, small saucepan. Once chocolate is just melted, add butter and liquor mixture and incorporate.
3. Gently dip each strawberry in the chocolate mixture and twirl. Place on the prepared sheet and repeat. Once all strawberries have been dipped, place in the refrigerator for the chocolate to harden.
