tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14758459.post-77341433933542126582007-02-02T20:25:00.000+01:002007-02-02T21:00:51.399+01:00<b>[Mandarin chocolate cake]</b><br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/377296984_06efbda61e_o.png" alt="" border="0" />When I was younger – and by younger I mean <em>a lot more younger</em> -, my father who worked at home used to take me to Cannes where we would go to Rohr, a posh <em>salon de thé</em> for tea.<br /><br />He always had <b><em>orangettes</em></b>: candied orange peels dipped in bitter chocolate.<br />That was the kind of <em>love me, feed me and hug me</em> moments; except that I secretly loathed orangettes.<br /><em>C’est amer et dégoutant!</em> [it’s bitter and horrid], I would think hard (<em>penser fort</em>).<br /><br />From then, I happily declined every chocolate/citrus treat I have been offered.<br />This combination <em>is</em> just not appealing to me. Well, I should say <b>was</b>, because I’m now happily and officially converted.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/161/377296563_786858eae1_o.png" alt="" border="0" /><br /><b>Gâteau au chocolat et à la mandarine</b><br />adapted from Bill Granger’s <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bills-Open-Kitchen-Bill-Granger/dp/1740452267">open kitchen</a><br /><br /><em>This cake combines the deep flavour of dark chocolate and the subtle sweetness of mandarin.<br />I think it works particularly well because mandarin is both fragrant and sweet; definitely not too sharp and it gives a satisfying intensity to the flourless chocolate base.<br /><br />Serve the cake with mandarin slices to enhance the citrus taste and provide lovely juices.</em><br /><br /><div class="recipe"><div class="recipe-title">Mandarin chocolate cake</div>serves 8-10<br /><br />250g quality dark chocolate<br />250g unsalted butter, diced<br />6 eggs, separated<br />1tbsp mandarin zest<br />115g caster sugar<br />3 tbsp plain flour<br />25g almond meal<br />a pinch of salt<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 190°C and line a 23cm spring form pan with baking paper.<br />Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until just melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.<br /><br />Place the egg yolk, mandarin zest and sugar in a bowl and mix until combined.<br />Gradually add the melted chocolate-butter, stirring.<br />Mix in the flour, almond meal and salt.<br /><br />In a clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff and fold gently into the chocolate mixture until barely combined.<br />Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes. The cake might look wet in the centre, but don’t worry, it’ll firm up while cooling.<br />Allow to cool completely in the tin and transfer to a serving platter.<br />Serve with mandarin slices.</div><div class="recipe-bot"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/14758459-7734143393354212658?l=foodbeam.blogspot.com'/></div>*fanny*noreply@blogger.com9