In the Kitchen with Don: Company Cake: Chocolate Of Course!

Of course we all know that Don does not have a very high opinion of all things chocolate- much preferring apples- or rhubarb- or most assuredly cinnamon in his deserts- not that he's much of a "dessert" person actually. But Don is definitely in the minority here. I should probably acknowledge that Don is often in the minority when it comes to opinions (his is always the right one of course!)- and Don rather enjoys this position in the minors!

But if you need a "Company Cake" then I go with chocolate- a crowd pleaser for sure! So since we were having company, chocolate it was! Now this recipe is the first in a "series" of chocolate cake recipes- though not sure how long this "series" will take to complete- that are all totally dependent on "company". But for sure I'd like to explore other chocolate cakes- such as the flourless- and the "sheet"- but for this dinner party the cake was simpler- and easily adorned with ice cream- Graeter's of course!

Now before I start talking about this particular cake I want to talk just a bit about all things chocolate in general. Chocolate has been around a long, long time- since 1100 B.C. for sure! And traveled up to North America from South and Central America. Chocolate actually played a central role in Mayan and Aztec religious ceremonies. It was given as a gift to the fertility goddess! It was the Europeans who added the sugar and fat and placed it squarely in the dessert category in the late 1600s/early 1700s!

Now the most important decision you're going to make whenever cooking with chocolate is both brand and type. These two decisions are absolutely central to the result you're going to get when cooking with chocolate. I use Ghirardelli Chocolate exclusively. Ghirardelli- originating in San Francisco near Fisherman's Wharf in 1852- is the oldest chocolate factory in America- and the only one that controls the production process from start to finished product!

Next you have to decide which choice of "chocolate" you are going to use. Though most recipes specify which chocolate to use you actually have some freedom of choice here- and if you know your chocolates you can select the "chocolate" that best matches your own taste buds! Unsweetened chocolate (also called Bittersweet) is the chocolate for "adult" tastes. It's available from 100% to 60%. I usually use 70% because that's what's most readily available to me. Bittersweet chocolate will definitely need some "sweetening" for a dessert! Bittersweet chocolate contains cocoa solids, and cocoa butter that is then diluted with sugar (thus the 100%, 70%, 60%). Semi-sweet chocolate is even less cocoa solids and butter and more sugar. Milk chocolate (probably the preferred chocolate for children because it has the least "bite") adds in milk products- and usually contains around 20% cocoa solids and butter. I like the "rich" taste of the chocolates with more chocolate and less sugar when cooking- but in cooking with chocolate always feel free to select the chocolate that best suits your own taste buds! White chocolate contains only cocoa butter, sugar and milk- no cocoa solids at all- and is not even considered chocolate in some countries. I really don't like the taste so seldom use it!

So lets get to cooking! Of course first things first- let's gather the ingredients!

Company Chocolate Cake (Adapted from Taste of Home Chocolate Ganache Cake):

Ingredients:

2 ounces 60-70% Ghirardelli Baking Chocolate

2 tablespoons of Butter

3/4 cup Boiling Water

2 teaspoons of Espresso Instant Coffee

1 tablespoon of Amaretto Liqueur

3/4 cup of Sugar

1/4 cup of Buttermilk

1 Egg

1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1 cup Flour

1 teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Ganache:

1/4 cup of half and half

3 ounces Ghirardelli Baking Chocolate , coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan. I also lined mine with parchment paper I had cut to fit. (If you use parchment paper, first butter the bottom of the pan, then place the parchment paper on top, and then butter the top of the parchment paper.)

Place chocolate, butter, espresso instant coffee and Amaretto in large bowl. Add boiling water and stir until smooth.

Stir in sugar, buttermilk, egg and vanilla (I used my stand mixer and made sure that this mixture was very, very smooth!).

Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt). Beat into the chocolate mixture just until blended. Don't over mix at this point!

Bake for 18-22 minutes. Don't overbake! Toothpick inserted into center should come out clean. Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan before cooling on a wire rack.