Mini Flourless Molten Lava Cakes

Of course these are not to be confused with the Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes or the Flourless Molten Lava Cake Cookies. For all of you not yet ready to stock your pantry with those almond, barley, and brown rice flours (I'm still deciding if I am on that list), here is another flourless recipe for all you Gluten-Free bakers out there looking to cheat the system. I may have slightly over-cooked them as the inside didn't have that satisfying ooze of liquid chocolate, but they were still moist, dense, delicious and, most importantly, adorably mini-sized.

 

Recipe From: http://www.mayaskitchen.info/2013/05/09/lava-chocolate-cakes-from-chef-michael-smith-sweet-impressive-and-gluten-free/
 

Ingredients:

8oz semi sweet or dark baking chocolate (I used Bittersweet Ghirardelli)
½ Cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
4 eggs
¼ Cup Sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Melt butter and chocolate completely in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder until smooth.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with sugar and vanilla extract until thick and smooth.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and stir until smooth 
5. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes (I found 10 minutes was a bit too long). The cakes are ready when the tops have just started to crack, the edges are set and the the center still looks wet.
7. Cool for a few minutes, and then use a knife to help you pop the cakes out of the muffin tin.  
8. Serve with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream.   

Makes 6-8 cakes (I doubled the batter and got 16 cakes)

These were so good, I made them again, this time with a little raspberry topping!

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

After the Indian Butter Chicken recipe I made a few months ago, I have fallen in love with the idea of making my own versions of Asian dishes (or at least American-ized Asian dishes) at home. It's nice to know (and control) exactly what is going into your food, and this dish will leave your craving for Chinese food (immensely) satisfied without the guilt!

Recipe From: http://www.ateaspoonofhappiness.com/chinese-chicken-and-broccoli/
 

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 large head of broccoli, crowns only, cut into bite-sized pieces.

1 tablespoon water

 

Directions:

1. Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the marinade into a large Ziploc bag with the chicken and let marinate while you prepare the sauce and broccoli
2. Steam broccoli for just 3 minutes and then set aside.
3. Mix together the sauce ingredients in another bowl.
4. In a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the chicken with its marinade and 1/2 of the sauce mixture in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
5. Once chicken is fully cooked through, add the steamed broccoli, remaining sauce and 1 tablespoon of water.
6. Cook for 2 more minutes to thicken sauce or until broccoli is tender, but still crisp.
7. Serve with Basmati rice.

Makes about 4 servings

Flourless Molten Lava Cake Cookies

 


Until my recent (and short-lived) soiree with a Gluten-Free diet, I used to wonder why anyone would go through the hassle of trying to Gluten-Free-ify baked good recipes when you could just make flour-less chocolate anything instead. All the rich decadence you could ever desire and still tastes amazing? Yes Please.

Of course, there is the argument that we need more than dense chocolatey baked goods to fulfill our lives. (But do we really?)

But experimenting in the kitchen is a wonderful thing, and future Gluten-Free experiments definitely lie ahead, but for now I shall share with you this incredible treat for all of those Gluten-Free (or Lactose-Intolerant!) friends you love.

These come out of the oven completely molten on the inside, and are so rich you may be satisfied with just one (and a half). Plus their snow capped tops crinkle in the most enticing fashion.

Recipe Adapted From: http://www.picklee.com/2012/02/07/deep-dark-chocolate-cookies-butter-flourless/

Ingredients:

*1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (divided)
3 large egg whites, room temperature
 2 cups powdered sugar, divided (plus 1/2 cup for cookie coating)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

*I have made these with bittersweet (60%), 53% and Semi-Sweet chocolate chips. All three were delicious, but I think the 53% were my favorite, the 60% is almost a little too intense for my taste.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray or cover two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips using a double broiler on the stove, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Set aside to let cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl until they form soft peaks. (This takes a while, so just keep at it!) Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow cream.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. 
5. On low speed, gradually add these dry ingredients into the marshmallow cream mixture.
6. Add remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips to lukewarm melted chocolate 
7. Add chocolate/chocolate-chippy mixture to cream/flour mixture and blend well (the dough will become very stiff).
8. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar on a paper plate. Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly (don't skimp on the sugar, otherwise they will not look as pretty when they come out of the oven!) 
9. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Let cool (if you can resist) and enjoy!

Note - these are best fresh from the oven as the insides will be entirely molten. They are still delicious for a few days after, but the insides will harden to a soft, solid chocolate.

Makes About 24 Cookies

Happy Birthday Frances!