Chocolate Valentines!

Chocolate apple cake

There’s is something so utterly satisfying about good chocolate that I immediately said a wholeheartedly YES when Kate from Serendipity asked me if I would like to participate in a valentine chocolate cooking. Kate was kind enough to supply the chocolate for this and it was within days that I had a package of really fabulous chocolate from Christof…. (effe checken). It contained 1 large dark chocolate bar, two cooking chocolate bars and one bar which Kate mentioned would be fabulous for making chocolate milk. We couldn’t resist the chocolate so we ate the large bar just as it was with a good cup of coffee and it was absolutely wonderful. Not too sweet and great chocolate flavor.

But then I had to think about what to do with the rest of the chocolate. I mean; let’s face it, the possibilities are almost endless. Would I make an old time favorite; the Italian chocolate mousse or would I go for something new? When going through a Donna Hay book the decision was easily made. It featured a delicious chocolate cake and having never made one (i know, I know..) before I figured that would be perfect. The idea was to bake this in a heartshape but when you put baking paper in the heart it… eh… becomes a little bit strangely shaped heart, but who cares..? Take it from me that the shape IS a heart (of sorts) to keep with the Valentine theme. The original recipe called for making this with raspberries, but the raspberries that we have here right now are really not the best in terms of flavor plus I was having some apples that really needed to be eaten so I substituted the raspberries of the original with apple and I think that was a great choice. I actually think the apple worked better then the raspberries would have as it also gives it a little bit of crunch of sorts and the taste together is just lovely. I have to confess that the reason I used this recipe is also partially because I did not want to leave the house.

The temperatures are roughly between -13 and -4 C (8 to 20 Fahrenheit) at the moment and I didn’t feel like going outdoors at all, as I was having a lazy day at home. As luck would have it I had all the ingredients for this gorgeous chocolate cake so it was also the perfect excuse to get rid of some leftover flours. If you’re like me; you have multiple packs of flour around the house. I always think I have run out so I buy a new pack only to discover that I have some leftover in the cupboard. I finished most of the half-packs today! The recipe is very simple with wonderful results so try it out! You won’t regret it… And ofcourse perfect to share for Valentine. Thanks Kate for sending the chocolate!! Check out Kate’s blog for more of the Valentine cooking!!

CHOCOLATE APPLE CAKE

185 gr butter

185 gr dark chocolate, broken in pieces

3 eggs

1 vanillabean

1,5 cup sugar

1 cup flour

2/3 cup selfraising flour

1/2 cup almondflour

2 apples, cut into small chunks

In a double boiler heat the chocolate and the butter on low heat and slowly let them melt together. Once melted let them cool slightly.

Stir eggs, vanillaseeds and sugar in a large bowl to a light, creamy mass. Add flour, almondflour, selfraising flour and the apple and mix well.

Depending a bit on which forms you use line them with baking paper and put the batter in. I used a larger heart, a smaller heart and one small cake tin. I lined them all with baking paper (parchment paper) which made it incredibly easy to remove from the tins but also kind of gives them funny shapes… Fill them for roughtly 3/4th. It will rise some but because it’s heavy batter it will not rise extremely high.  Bake them in a preheated oven at around 180 C for about 35 minutes or until the top of the cake feels firm. You can check with a wooden pin but keep in mind that it has to be moist still on the inside. Otherwise it will be too dry.

Leave the cake to cool before you cut it and serve with whipped cream, extra apple or – if you can’t get enough of the chocolate – chocolate milk…!

Chocolate cake