A New Tradition : Chocolate Coffee Cake (INeedCoffee.com)

A New Tradition : Chocolate Coffee Cake

This all started with some coffee, some leftover ingredients, and shear boredom. It culminated into a new tradition. One which I hope to pass on to guests, to friends, and of course, to family. Many of my compatriots already know both my passions for fine specialty coffees as well as my love of cuisine and the culinary arts. It is my desire that, through this piece, you the reader might also become acquainted with how I have melded the two together and ended up with a new tradition.

Alongside my love for cooking and coffee I also indulge in, and perhaps to too great a degree, a love for chocolate. These three passions lead me to a new after-dinner treat; one that pleases the senses as well as sharpens the home chef's culinary skills. And this is exactly what I look for in new foods: something simple and yet challenging; something that, when shared with others, makes for a wonderful experience for the chef as well as the guests.

Simply, it is a light chocolate and egg white cake dipped into espresso. The two tastes compliment each other as they combine the simplicity of the two to make a simplicity of one. One act that can only be had from two distinctive parts. There is much joy found at the end of a wonderful meal, where an individual can sit and relax, and partake of two of the most common after-meal traditions: coffee and dessert.

From My Family to Yours

And like all traditions, it has the leeway to evolve into more, if you so desire. Traditions tend to have a greater significance when coupled with particular event. For my household, this new tradition is perfect for those times when close, personal friends are over, because they know how much I love coffee, and how I much I enjoy baking. They share in the taste and the significance to the host. It doesn't need to stop there. As it is a very easy tradition to learn from, it becomes all that much easier to pass it along to the guest. Imparting them with the tradition, for them to take to their homes and for thier own personal enjoyment. And, hopefully, that they might pass their version along to others.

The Coffee

To start, we need coffee. While I could wax poetically about the proper brew, grind, and tamp I need only reinforce that one can not truly live this experience without a good coffee. Does this mean that you must go out and buy a fancy new home espresso/cappuccino machine? No. Can you get by with a wonderfully strong pot of drip/pour-over coffee? I wouldn't suggest it. Instead, I stress the importance of Italian espresso from a stove top espresso machine.

Stove Top Espresso

Found in the kitchens of Italians, adorning the stove top, is a coffee pot. This simple pot implores a bottom vessel for holding water, a fluted filter for holding coffee, and a top portion with a built-in screen that screws onto the bottom vessel. Add coffee, add water, apply heat, and in a few moments, you have made stove top espresso. It works on the principle of energy expansion and mass transport. The water, as it is heated in the bottom vessel, expands into gas. The gas pushes the heated water up the flute and into the bed of coffee. It too expands and brews, as it is continually forced upward into the upper chamber.

Stove top Espresso Machine

And while it is not truly espresso, it is a great way to make a richly aromatic, and robust brew. Dark roasted coffees and blends for espresso lend themselves well to this device. They are readily had both at specialty retailers and on the Internet. Look for names such as Bialetti and Mr. Moka.

I particularly enjoy the coffee from a stove top espresso machine because it seems to make some many different blends of coffees always end up very rich and aromatic. And because it uses a larger volume of water for brewing, your demitasse is somewhat larger than a shot of true espresso from a pump driven machine.

The Cake

Once you have conquered the espresso, you can turn to the cake. This is a variation between a sponge cake, a torte', and a brownie. I call it Rotondo Luce Torta di Cioccolata, in Italian, or, Round, Light Cake of Chocolate in English. Its simplicity is paralleled by the dessert itself.

Ingredients

4 egg whites
2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons baking flour, sifted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (do not use margarine)
2 ounces unsweetened dark baking chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup granulated white sugar

Step by Step Directions

In a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl, whisk or beat on high with a mixer the 4 egg whites until it stiffens. While continuing to beat, gently add the powdered sugar a little at a time until thoroughly incorporated and the whites form stiff peaks. This is the beginning of a simple meringue. Next, gently fold in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. Take care not to break down the whites. Set aside and chill for five minutes.
While the meringue is cooling, prepare the chocolate sauce. In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, over a low flame, melt the butter, chocolate, and sugar together until thoroughly melted. Stir rapidly off of the heat to cool.
Prepare a shallow cake pan. Lightly cover the bottom and sides with a non-stick cooking spray. Gently dust with flour or unsweetened baker's cocoa.
Remove the meringue and, while folding with even strokes, add the sauce quickly but gently. Incorporate fully but leaving small, lighter streaks within. Immediately fill the prepared pan.
Cook in a pre-heated oven, at 325 degrees F, for 25 - 35 minutes. Test regularly for doneness with a toothpick or cake needle. Cake is finished when it begins to pull from the sides of the pan or when needle runs clean.

Times

Prep. Time = 10 minutes
Bake Time = 25-35 minutes
Total Time = 35-45 minutes

The Presentation

The presentation is key to this new-found tradition. Each person is served a thin slice of the warm cake with his or her shot cup of coffee. They are then allowed to indulge in dunking the cake into the coffee. This is the final step to insure a proper exposure to the treat. Alone, the cake is dry and airy. The coffee rich and strong. Together, they are sweet and moist, yet bold and robust. Hence, a compliment and balance of tastes, textures, and flavors.

This tradition lends itself well to follow a hearty meal, and on cooler days. However, I would argue, that it would be acceptable for any day. It might also be served as a stand-alone dessert served with a sweet, heavy liquor.

About the Author / Chef:

Chris Schaefer is a product development engineer for the West Bend Company. He has also written articles for an online cooking magazine at www.seasoned.com. You can reach him via email at javaman@lightdog.com.

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