Realised by now that the top 3 ingredients you need for a cake/ dessert/cookie are: 1) good quality chocolate (i mean at least >60%), 2) unsalted butter, 3) raw/brown sugar.Had the above ingredients at home and decided to whip up some cup cakes.
Recipe? Sorry.... I did not use any form of measurement this time round.... I am serious. Lazy to take out my scale and beaters, so decided to do everything by estimation. :P Don't anyone of you out there has such feelings once in a while? When you see Nigella Lawson just scooping flour from the container and says that's 2 cups of flour when you CAN'T tell at all and you are just amazed/ wondering how she manage to guage? hahaha...
But... steps wise, here's how I do it.
1. Combine the softened and cut butter, 64% choc pieces and brown sugar in a mixing bowl over simming water. Its about 80g of choc and 100g of butter. Sugar... about 2 1/2 tbsp.
2. Use a plastic spatula to mix it during the melting process. When it's done, let it cool about 5 min.
3. Sift in this combination: 2 tbsp wholemeal flour, 1tbsp cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp of baking soda, 2 tbsp of almond meal. I sift this directly into the choc mixture.
4. At this point, use a whisk to combine everything together.
5. I added an egg to the mixture, which bounded everything together... So, I added approx 1/4 cup of whipping cream to loosen the mixture abit.
6. Added some brandy soaked raisins for flavour. I guess you could add anything at this point... chopped walnuts, dates, prunes, choc chips.... whatever you have in your pantry. :) Sounds fun right?
7. Pop them into a 180C pre-heated oven for 20 mins. Check for doneness with a wooden skewer. Depending on your oven temp, might need a little while more. I had mine inside for additional 3 mins.
Made 6 cupcakes.
They are on the office table now, for my colleagues breakfast. :)
Have fun experimenting, be daring and try out... think about it? what's the worse that can happen? Overcooked cake, I suppose? :)
