Flourless Chocolate Cake

I have a thing for chocolate. The more the better. I can never resist chocolate cake for desert at a restaurant especially if it is flour-less. Flour-less chocolate cakes are always so deliciously dense and full of that wonderful chocolate flavour.

I basically followed the recipe from here, but I doubled it since my pan was 10 inches round. I also added a raspberry sauce on top since I felt it needed a little something extra. 

For the cake:

8-oz dark or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 large eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup cocoa powder (pref. dutch process)

Preheat oven to 375F. Line an 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt together chocolate and butter, stirring with a fork until very smooth.
Pour warm chocolate mixture into a medium mixing bowl with sugar. Whisk to combine. Beat in eggs one at a time, waiting until each has been fully incorporated to add the next, then mix in vanilla extract. Sift cocoa powder into the bowl and whisk until well-combined.
Pour into prepared cake pan.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Allow cake to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto a serving platter. Dust with cocoa powder, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

For the sauce: 

1 cup Frozen Raspberries 

3/4 Cup Sugar 

1/2 cup Water 

1 TBS Corn Starch 

A add raspberries, water, sugar and corn starch to sauce pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Raspberries should begin to break down on their own. Once all the raspberries have broken down bring mixture to a boil to activate corn starch. Strain through a mesh sleeve. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

What is your favourite desert?
Jaclyn

Stressed

Its that time of year again. Mid-terms every other week and assignments piling up. You are short on time and energy. Study sessions run into the early morning hours and junk food suddenly becomes the staple in your diet.  The lack of sleep, overload of junk food and overall stress of midterms often leads to colds which are never fun, trust me I've been there.
Here is my advice for beating midterms and staying healthy (or at least trying too) during them:

1. Get some sleep! 

2. Take a multi vitamin 

3. Wash your hands regularly

4. Make a study schedule...stick to it

5. Don’t forget to schedule time for yourself, even for an hour

6. Do your best to eat healthy. (Green Smoothie anyone?) 

7. Get in some exercise... or at least some fresh air!

Veggie and Goat Cheese Pizza

The other night I was deciding what to make for dinner. I wanted something quick and easy and that I could have leftovers for lunch the next day.  I had a red pepper, red onion and a zucchini in my fridge, so I decided to go with a veggie pizza.  It was fast and simple and as an added bonus: I had plenty of left over veggies and sauce to make pasta with the next day! 

Ingredients: 

1 red pepper

1/2 a red onion 

1 zucchini 

2 cloves of garlic 

tomato sauce 

olive oil 

spices

goats cheese

pita bread

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut up the veggies and garlic, toss in olive oil and spices.  Roast veggies and garlic for about 25-30 mins. 

 While veggies are roasting spread a thin layer of sauce on pita. Once veggies are roasted remove from oven, top pita with veggies and crumble goats cheese on top.  Place in oven until goats cheese has softened (another 3-5mins).  Enjoy!

What is your favourite quick dinner recipe?
Jaclyn