November 2014
The lunch table was a spread of pad thai, see yew, woon sen and more. My friend, whose wife consistently pulls him kicking and screaming to the zero level, took full advantage of her absence and had ordered a 10 on the spice scale. As he spooned up the flavorful thai food, a rouge color overtook his cheeks. His tear ducts drained. His nose ran. His brow glistened with sweat, and a crazed look overtook his eyes. He spoke nonsense and gesticulated wildly. He was in the throes of a spice high.
I’m no 10 on the spice scale. I’m a comfortable 6. I like a little kick here and there, but only as a flavor accent, not as a testament to my tolerance or a feat of strength. This cake is just that. Accented with Wigle Whiskey’s Organic Molé Bitters, this cake is a little kick here and there. I erred on the side of caution, adding a modest 3 teaspoons. I would suggest a bolder portion for even more of that molé flavor in each chocolaty bite. The use of raw wildflower honey as the sweetener added a floral note, and incidentally helps keep this cake moist and fresh for a while…if it lasts that long. The coconut topping toasts as the cake bakes, making for a nutty finish to this floral, spicy, chocolate cake. It’s full of nuances.
Flourless Chocolate Honey Cake with Wigle Whiskey Molé Bitters
Ingredients
Organic coconut oil for pan
4 ounces organic semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 stick (1/2 cup) organic, unsalted butter
3/4 cup raw wildflower honey
3 large eggs (organic/free-range)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 teaspoons Wigle Whiskey Molé Bitters
1/2 cup unsweetened, pure cocoa powder, plus additional for sprinkling
1/2 cup organic, unsweetened, shredded coconut
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F and oil a 6-inch spring-form baking pan with melted coconut oil.
Place chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove bowl from heat, and stir honey into chocolate mixture. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until frothy, then pour into the chocolate mixture.
Stir in the vanilla, molé bitters and cocoa powder, until just combined.
Pour batter into pan, and then top with shredded coconut.
Bake in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust.
Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and then remove from spring-form pan.
May your spice level be just right!
-Quelcy