There are so many amazing food blogs “out there” it is hard to consider a favourite. But one that I follow is called Butter and Brioche (two of my favourite foods!!!) by Thalia Ho. I don’t know a lot about Thalia, but I do know she is quite young (oh to be young again!), and has attained many awards in the short time she has been blogging. Her recipes are amazing (although sometimes a bit involved), and the accompanying photography is stunning! I am always drawn to what she is doing and get great inspiration from her.
A couple of weeks ago Thalia posted a recipe for an olive oil chocolate cake (see here) … it used hazelnuts (which are not really a favourite of mine in baking … love nibbling on them though!), and also a full bodied olive oil (which can sometimes overtake other ingredients in baked cakes).
So I adjusted the recipe to use sunflower seeds instead of hazelnuts (due to nut allergy in our family), and also a light olive oil. I have also tested this recipe using almonds (delicious!), and when I use nuts or seeds in baking I prefer to lightly toast them first for extra flavour.
NB: To toast nuts/seeds place a little more than you need for a recipe onto a baking tray (they will weigh a little less after baking), and put into a preheated 180 degree fan forced oven for 5 minutes for seeds, and 8 minutes for nuts, turn nuts/seeds around and continue at 2 minute intervals until toasted to the level you want (sometimes I toast more, other times I toast less depending on how I am going to use them). Allow to cool before using.
I also used a slightly larger cake tin then recommended which I preferred.
This is a rich dark dense chocolate cake which keeps well at room temperature for a few days. It is perfect for an after dinner dessert, and equally perfect for a special morning tea or dessert after a light lunch.
For the coffee cream I used an electric hand beater to keep track of the whipping process … and once whipped it will hold in the fridge for a couple of days. If held longer you may see a slight separation of the coffee mix … simply stir it back in and make sure you lick the spoon after … it is so yummy! If there is any left after serving the cake it is amazing spooned on top of an aromatic cup of espresso coffee!
I buy a lot of my herbs direct from Herbies in Sydney, and they have a great range of extra items like rose petals so this is what I used to “dress” the cake (see here).
NB: To toast nuts/seeds place a little more than you need for a recipe onto a baking tray (they will weigh a little less after baking), and put into a preheated 180 degree fan forced oven for 5 minutes for seeds, and 8 minutes for nuts, turn nuts/seeds around and continue at 2 minute intervals until toasted to the level you want (sometimes I toast more, other times I toast less depending on how I am going to use them). Allow to cool before using.
This is a rich dark dense chocolate cake which keeps well at room temperature for a few days. It is perfect for an after dinner dessert, and equally perfect for a special morning tea or dessert after a light lunch.
For the coffee cream I used an electric hand beater to keep track of the whipping process ... and once whipped it will hold in the fridge for a couple of days. If held longer you may see a slight separation of the coffee mix ... simply stir it back in and make sure you lick the spoon after ... it is so yummy! If there is any left after serving the cake it is amazing spooned on top of an aromatic cup of espresso coffee!
- 1 tbls instant coffee granules
- 120g boiling water
- 150g lightly toasted sunflower seeds or almonds (weight after toasting)
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 130g light olive oil (full bodied olive oil is a touch bitter)
- 50g dark chocolate, chopped into small pea size pieces
- 3 x 60g eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 2 tsp vanilla bean extract
- 80g Dutch cocoa powder
- ½ tsp bi carb soda
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes, or ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules
- 2 tsp water, room temperature
- 300g whipping cream
- 2 tbls icing sugar
- ½ level tsp ground cardamom (no more as it is quite strong)
- Dried rose petals
- Mix coffee granules and water together and put aside to cool
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan forced, and place rack into middle of oven
- Line base and sides of a round 20cm (base measurement) spring form tin with baking paper
- Place sunflower seeds or almonds into TM bowl and mill 3 seconds / speed 7, put aside, do not clean bowl
- Place sugar, olive oil and chocolate into TM bowl and heat 2 minutes / 50 / speed 2, then continue 1 minute / speed 2 without heat
- Add eggs and vanilla and blend 10 seconds / speed 7
- Add sunflower seeds, cocoa powder, bi carb soda and salt and blend 10 seconds / speed 4
- Add coffee and water and blend 10 seconds / speed 4
- Scrape around bowl and repeat 10 seconds / speed 4
- Pour batter into cake tin and bake 35 minutes until the edges are firm and middle is just set (the edges will feel firm when lightly pressed with your finger, and the middle will feel quite soft - it will continue to firm up a little as it cools)
- Remove from oven and allow tin to sit on a wire rack for 30 minutes
- As the cake cools its dome will drop a little in the middle which is how it should be
- Unclip sides of tin and remove, then slid the cake - with the baking paper still on its base - onto the cake rack to cool completely
- Once cool upturn the cake (I used my left hand to hold it) and carefully remove the baking paper from the base (I used my right hand to do this) and place onto a serving tray
- If desired just before serving sprinkle with icing sugar, or leave plain (which is what I like) and serve with coffee cream
- Combine coffee granules and water, stir and put aside
- Combine cream, icing sugar and cardamom and whip until soft peaks are just starting to form
- Add coffee mix and continue whipping until the cream is starting to have firm peaks
- Place coffee cream into fridge and chill until ready to serve
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