"The Temptations": February 2010

I'm back again with a Temptation which is called C3, CHOCOLATE CHILE CAKE . If you are a chocolate person, this is the cake for you bcoz it is the GOD of chocolate!! I happened to watch the first episode of Daisy Martinez on food network by accident and knew right away once she stated that there was NO FLOUR in this cake that I had to make it right then for no occasion and no reason at all.

I followed the recipe and could hardly wait to see what it looked like the next morning. I would have loved to serve this cake with the cinnamon ice cream but last minute did not find any so I got a mint ice-cream instead and served with raspberries. Thanks to the FN for a great tasting flavorful cake.

The reason why this cake is so special is.........Easy to make. Looks beautiful. Incredibly rich. No flour needed. Strong coffee flavor and a small slice is plenty. This cake turned out perfect on the first try and it tasted like something out of a gourmet chocolate shop, in other words just EXQUISITE . The espresso really brings out intense flavors in the chocolate, while the cayenne pepper creates a subtle warmth in the back of the throat giving a new level of complexity. Adding chili to cake may seem counter-intuitive, but it actually adds a subtle depth of flavor. But do not worry bcoz the ice cream cools everything down.

This moist layer cake offers a nice twist on an old classic. It needs the ice cream to cut down the "oh so richness" of the cake. It's a wonderful finish to a special meal. Make it for a dinner party or get-together event and i bet ya they are gone before you know it! Your guests cannot stop raving about it. I will make this cake again and again and again....boy, I'm so gonna get fat!

Here's the recipe you are waiting for:

Prep Time :10 min

Inactive Prep Time :6-8hrs

Cook Time :1 hr 20 mins

Servings : 12-16

You will Need:

1 cup espresso

1 packed cup dark brown sugar

1-3 cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed

12 ounces (2 cups) semisweet chocolate

4 ounces (4 Squares) unsweetened chocolate

6 large eggs, beaten

Ice cream and raspberries, for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan: Cut a circle of parchment the size of the removable bottom of the pan. Fit the parchment circle into the bottom of the pan. Tear off an 18-inch length of aluminum foil. Center the pan over the sheet of foil and crumple and crimp the foil all around the sides of the pan. (The foil will prevent water from seeping into the pan during baking.) Set the pan aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the espresso, brown sugar and the cinnamon sticks to a simmer over very low heat.

Simmer until the syrup is very fragrant, about 20 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted, and then stir in the cayenne pepper. Set aside.

Pulse the chocolate in the food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a deep bowl.

Pour in the warm coffee syrup and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the beaten eggs until completely blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Set the pan in a large, deep, oven-proof skillet or a roasting pan and set on the oven rack.

Pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake until center is set and barely wiggles when you shake the pan gently, 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool the cake to room temperature. Remove the foil and chill the cake in the pan at least 8 hours.

Run a wet knife around the sides of the pan then pop the spring to release. Place a platter on top of the cake and flip over.

Remove the bottom of the pan, and peel off the parchment. Serve with ice cream of your choice and raspberries.

Quick Notes:

1) Make sure that the pan is crumpled properly with the aluminium foil, preferably a thicker one bcoz even a small leak can spoil the whole cake.

2) You can use white sugar instead of brown sugar but y go for a plain one when you can get wonderful molasses and caramel notes with this brown sugar. And i like to go for dark brown instead of a light brown b'coz it really packs in the flavor and it has got nice spongy tackiness.

3) Cinnamon ice-cream goes well with this cake, but you can also try flavours like mango, coconut, mint and even vanilla.

4) For those concerned about the chile heat,be aware that not all cayenne is created equal. It can be either standard or hot with the "glow" level dependent on what kind and where it was produced.

To lower the heat but keep the chile flavor, try using ancho chile powder.

You can also try this cake without using cayenne but i like that little kick in my cake.