Heidi-Ho everyone! I welcome you to the last post of the first theme of the new year (you got that.. last, first, new.. not confusing AT ALL right!?!). I think it's fitting with Valentine's just around the corner that we have a recipe for chocolate heaven (flourless chocolate cake). Today's reicpe is brought to you by MommyMae! I have never made or even tried one of these - but I definitely have all of the ingredients... so tempting... but really... I MUST work on "Embroidery Week" all day today!!!
Let's get to know MommyMae before we dive into her delicious recipe!
LollyChops :: What's your favorite ingredient when cooking?
MommyMae :: chocolate! i am a firm believer that dessert should not be called so without chocolate. and since i'm the pastry chef of the house, i tend to gravitate toward chocolate. of course, daddyjay did most of the work for my recipe since i had a sick baby and had to take pictures.
LollyChops :: What leftovers do you have lurking in your fridge right now?
MommyMae :: not a whole lot. we have rice and noodles on hand for the kids, and smashed potatoes from saturday night.
LollyChops :: What topping(s) do you like on your pizza?
MommyMae :: i like a pizza with one or 2 toppings. any more is too much for me. and my favorite topping varies. right now it is pepperoni.
LollyChops :: What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
MommyMae :: nothing added, sweet cream
LollyChops :: Butter cream frosting or whipped?
MommyMae :: butter, butter, butter!
LollyChops :: Who is your favorite celebrity chef?
MommyMae :: thomas keller. we can't wait to be able to afford a dinner at french laundry.
LollyChops :: If a recipe calls for a clove of garlic – how much do you really use?
MommyMae :: i usually double garlic. man that stuff is good.
LollyChops :: If a recipe calls for vanilla – do you let the vanilla spill over the measuring spoon a little or a lot (or do you just double it like I do)?
MommyMae :: i don't use a spoon. i just pour it right in and usually add more than it calls for.
LollyChops :: What is your all-time favorite comfort food?
MommyMae :: chicken-n-dumplings. my grandma betty makes the dumplings from pillsbury biscuits. yum. we have tried to make it and it is not the same, so my second favorite comfort food is daddyjay's great-great grandma ruth's chicken-n-dumplings. a roasted chicken, homemade buttermilk rolled dumplings, gravy, on mashed potatoes. delish!
LollyChops :: Have you ever started a vegetable garden. If the answer is yes - what did you grown in your last one. If no, what would you grow in one if you started it.
MommyMae :: i love my garden. last year, i was successful with tomatoes, herbs, & greens. i grew sun golds, early girls, and a pineapple heirloom tomatoes. the sun golds were perfect for salad or to just pop in your mouth off of the vine. just enough sweetness to keep me away from store bought cherry toms. the early girls were pretty flavorless, which was a disappointment since they tasted great when i grew them in arizona. different soil, i guess. the pineapples were a completely different story, while good, i only had the chance to make fried green tomatoes out of them since they never ripened. 80 days, my behind?!? after 100 days, we packed it in. i also had the most delicious arugula from my grandpa's 10 year-old seeds. so peppery and nutty! ended up with cilantro, dill (which i used to can pickles,) parsley, & basil (which i used to freeze pesto.) none of my melons took. i was pregnant and all i wanted was good melons. it was so sad.
LollyChops :: Oh wow... your garden sounds dreamy! I cannot wait to get mine going this year!
LollyChops :: Sharp, silky, mild, tangy, moldy, stinky... what kind of cheese would you be?
MommyMae :: mmm...roquefort. the bluer, the better.
LollyChops :: How do you like your coffee..heck.. do you even drink coffee?
MommyMae :: lots of cream and lots of sugar.
LollyChops :: Gas or electric?
MommyMae :: gas top and electric oven. our current oven is a gas oven and heats so unevenly i want to stick my head in it!
LollyChops :: Butter or I can't believe they call it butter?
MommyMae :: butter, butter, butter. unsalted for cooking and salted in my butterbell.
On to the recipe!
IMPORTANT NOTE* Even though the cake may not look done, pull it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. (Make sure not to let tip of thermometer hit the bottom of the pan.) It will continue to firm up as it cools. If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch, reduce the baking time to 18 to 20 minutes.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
8 large eggs, cold
1 pound bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup strong coffee or liqueur (optional)
confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder for decoration
Instructions:
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.
Beat eggs with hand-held mixer at high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes. Alternately, beat in bowl of electric mixer fitted with wire whip attachment at medium speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid) to achieve same result, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee or liqueur, if using) in large heat-proof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate and butter together at 50 percent power until smooth and warm, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once or twice.) Fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.
Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).
About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired. OR make
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE!
Ingredients:
8 ounces imported white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped
1 cup chilled whipping cream, divided
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Instructions:
Stir white chocolate, 1/4 cup cream and syrup in heavy small saucepan over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Pour into medium bowl, making sure all chocolate is melted; chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Using electric mixer, beat chilled chocolate mixture to medium-firm peaks and transfer to a separate bowl. 
Using mixer again, beat 3/4 cup cream in medium bowl to medium-firm peaks. Fold cream into white chocolate mixture in 2 batches. Cover and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
Spoon chilled mousse into piping bag and pipe on top of Flourless Chocolate Cake (OR do what I did and spread it on since I used a bunk recipe and didn't get firm mousse!)
To make it a little more festive, I sifted cocoa on top by cutting a heart shape out of parchment paper and laying it on top. I had planned on piping a heart, but you know how that goes.
ENJOY!
Thanks so much for being a guest Jenny!!! HUGS!
You guys can download the recipe cards for these two recipes below!
Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe Card
AND
White Chocolate Mousse Recipe Card
If you are interested in being a guest here.. please take a look at the recipe sign-up page HERE and email me (link at the top right side) and let me know which date you are interested in!
HUGS for a Happy Week!
P.S. Are you guys ready for embroidery week??? WOOT!
P.S.S.T. My recipe guest next week is going to be Penny from Sew Take a Hike! She's already sent me the pics and recipe and I cannot wait to share it with yalls!
O.M.T. I think MommyMae was nursing some really sick kiddos (they have 4) when she and her hub were making this recipe for the post today. That pic way up at the top of the tiny small one is of one of her poor sick babies.. poor lambs. She says they are on the mend now - but I have to tell ya...I was extra grateful to hear that she made the recipe for you guys today despite her sick household! Extra thanks MommyMae!
