Recipe Share: Flourless Chocolate Cake

Finally, the recipe for the Flourless Chocolate Cake. Sorry it took that long. I got this one from my Baked cookbook and made this for my birthday.  Flourless cake is gluten-free so it is dense, much like your fudgy brownie than a cake but the flavor just bursts in your mouth with every bite. This is also a great treat for cake lovers who are allergic to gluten or who are finding the path to healthier eating.

Recipe: 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

• 10 ounces dark chocolate (60%-70% cacao)
• 1 cup sugar
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter,softened
• 7 large eggs (separated)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Chocolate Ganache Glaze

• 9 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur (optional)

I used Casino and Villars dark chocolate bars

 For The Cake 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the sides and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment.

Tip: to measure the right size of parchment paper for the pie pan, turn over the pan and press down parchment at the corners of the bottom pan. Cut along the dent you made on the parchment.

Using a double boiler melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with  a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until pale, light and thoroughly combined, about 5 minutes.

 

At low speed,  add the egg yolks one at a time beating slowly. Add the cooled chocolate, vanilla, and beat until all combined.
In another bowl beat the egg whites and the salt until they form stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, fold 1 cup of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Continue to fold in the remainder of the egg whites 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Do not rush the folding process but do not over fold as well.

Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotate the pan if needed depending on your oven. When the cake is ready the top should be firm to touch. Be careful not to overbake. Cool on a wire rack.

To Make the Chocolate Ganache Glaze
Put the chopped chocolate in a heat resistant bowl and set aside. Heat the whipping cream and sugar until it reaches a boil then pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes then whisk starting at the center of the mixture. Whisk until nice and creamy and until it cools. Add the liqueur and stir until mixed in. I didn't add liqueur, though so kids can enjoy the cake.

my handy helper decorated the cake with melted white chocolate

Glaze the Ganache

Pour the ganache over the cake so that it just reaches the edge of the cake. Smooth the top of the cake, it should not cover the side of the cake at this point. Refrigerate for 5 minutes to set the ganache. Remove from the fridge and pour the remaining ganache over the cake, this time letting it drip over the edges. Smooth the ganache on the top and sides. Put the cake back in the fridge for a few hours to let the ganache set. The texture and flavor of the cake improves slightly if let set overnight. Believe me, this recipe does not disappoint :)

 

Travel: Mifaña's Place

There's no better way to beat the 36 degrees summer heat than to lounge in the pool and chug down a bottle (or two, or three) of ice cold cerveza or a fantastic mix of cherry vodka. 

In case you're and looking for a good place to hold the family or office outing or just need a place to parteee, Mifaña's Place is the palce to be. 

This place is nestled in a village in Novaliches, QC (so accessible especially to north residents). Being fairly new (just opened to public last November 2012), it's clean, well equipped and very comfy. The song selection on their videoke machine we ♥. Check out their sulit ad here.

They can throw in a mobile bar for your party for an additional fee. The owners were dear enough to accommodate us for our unit outing and made us feel so at home.

pool by day; there's also a kiddie/wading pool for the little tots. 

photo courtesy of Mifaña

you can cook and eat here. The kitchen got fridge, dining set and  basic stove. They also got grilling station near the pool.

everyone's favorite, the videoke room :)

one of the 3 rooms can accommodate 3-5 pax

clean T&B at the ground level. 

 *photos c/o APF.

Perspective

A friend and I were in car one weekend driving to a wedding when we heard this song played over the radio.
I googled the song and here's an interesting background story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wear_Sunscreen

When was the first time you heard this song? It was first released in 1999 and became an instant hit (with several versions and parodies). I was already in the workforce then but still a novice. I enjoyed the song so much, it was very engaging and uniqueMoreover, it provides pieces of advice that even decades after it came out are still very timely and valuable.

Why this song post? Since I turned 37, I've been contemplative and it was mainly on how I have gone so far; from being the new girl at work to being a mom and a head of an efficacious work team.This song reflects some of my realizations in life and the reason why applying sunscreen is now part of my daily routine :)

I wanted to share my views and perspective on getting older (to say the least) and how I'm surprisingly happy as I turned a year older. 'Surprisingly' because I expected to feel rather sullen as weeks trickled down to days before my birthday because that had been my mood for the past birthdays.

As I shared here, I'm just thankful for everything but mainly for the years God has given me and how I have become wiser, the continuous inspiration and drive to be better and to achieve my goals, to never give a damn about the frivolities of the world and unclutter my life and, last but not the least, for the wonderful family that are my most precious treasure.

I'm a firm believer of the phrase 'don't sweat the small stuff' and over the years I have become more confident and be less critical of myself. The eyebags will always be there, the Jlo-ish butt will forever be a trademark no matter how skinny I get, I will always be petite (and cute hehe). There will always be limitations to what I am and what I can do but getting in more in touch with my inner self makes it easier to accept me more and not mind what the world thinks I should rather be.

As the kids from the orphanage we visited sang, 'this is my temporary home...I'm just passing by...'
Let's make the most of the time we have here and not bother with all the 'small stuff.'
Happy singing :)

Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)
Baz Luhrmann version

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '99. Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you one tip for the future, sunscreen 
would be it. The 
long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by 
scientists whereas the 
rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my 
own meandering 
experience... I will dispense this advice now

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh, 
nevermind, you will not 
understand the power and beauty of your youth until 
they've faded. But trust 
me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself 
and recall in a way 
you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before 
you and how fabulous 
you really looked. You are NOT as fat as you imagine. 

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that 
worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by 
chewing bubblegum. 
The real troubles in life are apt to be things that never 
crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle 
Tuesday

Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't 
put up with people who 
are reckless with yours. 

Floss. 

Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're 
ahead, sometimes you're 
behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with 
yourself. 

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the 
insults. If you succeed in doing 
this, tell me how. 

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank 
statements. 

Stretch. 

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do 
with your life. 
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 
what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year 
olds I know still don't. 

Get plenty of calcium. 

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're 
gone. 

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll 
have children, maybe you won't. 
Maybe you'll divorce at 40. Maybe you'll dance 
the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, 
don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - 
your choices are half chance, 
so are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can... don't be 
afraid of it, or what other people think of it... it's the greatest instrument 
you'll ever own. 

Dance... even if you have nowhere to do it but in 
your own living room. 

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. 

Do NOT read beauty magazines they will only make 
you feel UGLY. 

CHORUS
Brother and sister together we'll make it through.
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there. 
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be there for you. 
And I'll be there just helping you out whenever I can. 

Get to know your parents, you never know when they 
might be gone for good. 
Be nice to your siblings; they're your best link to your 
past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future

Understand that friends come and go, but for the 
precious few you should 
hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography 
and lifestyle because the 
older you get, the more you need the people you knew 
when you were young. 

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes 
you hard. 
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes 
you soft.

Travel. 

Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise, 
Politicians will philander, you too will get old. 
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when 
you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians 
were noble, and children respected their elders. 

Respect your elders. 

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe 
you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; 
but you never know when either one might 
run out. 

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 
40, it will look 85. 

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with 
those who supply it. 
Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of 
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly 
parts, and recycling it for more than it's worth. 

But trust me on the sunscreen. 

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Everyone's-Free-To-Wear-Sunscreen-lyrics-Various-Artists/041A48DED1152C3348256BFE00107D76

RA 9845 or Anti Red Tape Act of 2007

The week that my dad was in the hospital, my brother and I had to go to the city hall in Pasay City and got documents for his health care benefits. 

Honestly, there are so much more the city needs to mprove on in so many aspects but I am proud to say it has gone a long way after its change of governance and I can't be happier. It even now offers free health care program to city residents who are senior citizens, like my dad. 

Another indicator that the city has improved is that the city hall now looks better from my last visit in 2004. So much better I was able to use their bathroom without hesitation. 

One important indicator that this city is serious about getting out of the dump (if you've seen this place 15 or 20 years ago you'll know what I mean) is this: copy of the Republic Act (RA) 9485 or the Anti Red Tape Act of 2007 posted at the entrance of the Mayor's office with specific emphasis on NO LUNCH BREAK. In case you're interested, here's a link I found about RA9485: http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2007/ra_9485_2007.html

When I read through the RA, it's stated under SEC.8e

SEC. 8

(e) Adoption of Working Schedules to Serve Clients - Heads of offices and agencies which render frontline services shall adopt appropriate working schedules to ensure that all clients who are within their premises prior to the end of official working hours are attended to and served even during lunch break and after regular working hours.

I hope this is the start of better government service for us. It's frustrating when you have to take a leave from work and because of the bereaucratic red tape, spend almost all day in a government agency to process a document or get a license (arrgghh!). I better bring a copy of this next time I visit a givernment office.

P.S. : this is a very approriate post for #dapattama #malingmali.