With so many chocolates and treats on Valentine’s Day, it’s not easy to stay healthy. We asked a senior instructor at Johnson & Wales University's Charlotte campus how to keep it light and healthy in the kitchen when serving up dessert this year.
If you're choosing to dine-in this Valentine's Day, whether with friends, family or that special someone, you can end the night with a healthy dessert that won't disappoint. February 14 is a day that can fly under the radar when it comes to healthy versions of sweet treats, so we asked Rhonda Stewart, senior instructor, College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University's Charlotte campus, for a chocolate cake recipe that’s easier on the waistline but destined to impress your culinary Cupid.
Chocolate Quinoa Cake with Dairy-Free Ganache
Notes: Gluten-free, dairy-free, whole grain, high protein–but NOT fat-free or sugar free.
Cake Ingredients
2 cups (13 oz.) cooked quinoa
⅓ cup (2.75 oz.) almond or soy milk
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup (6 oz.) coconut oil or canola oil
1½ cups (12 oz.) granulated sugar
¾ cup (1.75 oz.) cocoa powder
½ cup (2 oz.) almond flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
Ganache Ingredients
1 can (16 oz.) coconut milk (not light)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand and others provide dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free option)
Method of Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 8-inch (or one 9-inch-by-13-inch) cake pans with parchment paper.
Combine eggs, milk and vanilla in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add quinoa, blending until mixture is thick and very smooth. Mix in oil until blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add blended ingredients into sugar mixture, whisking until smooth. Mixture will be very liquid.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake in a preheated oven until cake feels firm, at least 35 to 40 minutes. Let cakes cool 15 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack.
Refrigerate.
For Ganache
Heat coconut milk and vanilla to a boil. Put chocolate chips in a bowl. Pour hot coconut milk over chocolate, let rest for a couple of minutes. Whisk together until smooth. Set aside until cool.
To Assemble Cake
Place one cake layer onto serving plate, spread with about one-third of the ganache. Set second layer on top of ganache. Warm remaining ganache slightly. Pour ganache over layered cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Chill cake for several hours to set.
Enjoy!
Rhonda Stewart, senior instructor, College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University's Charlotte campus
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After you've removed the cake from the oven, set it on a wire rack and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes. A screaming-hot cake is too delicate to be removed from the pan. But don't wait too long to take it out; you don't want condensation to form, or the cake to steam in the baking vessel.
Bake your cakes at 325° not 350°. This will allow your cake to rise more. Don't grease the sides of your baking pan. Greasing the sides of the pan will not allow your cake to climb the edges of the pan and grow tall.
This helps create more consistent results for home bakers replicating a recipe. In general, salted butter is preferred for cooking (or simply spreading) as it adds more flavour and has a longer shelf life, while unsalted butter is the go-to for baking.
After removing from the oven, place the pound cake, right side up, in the pan on a wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes away from drafts. This allows the cake to become firm enough to remove from the pan without breaking apart. Cooling too long in the pan will cause the cake to be damp and stick to the pan.
The depth of your cake pan and the volume of batter in your cake pan can also contribute to a sunken cake. If the cake pan is too full and the oven temperature is too high, the cake will again cook around the edges and not in the center. End result? Sunken cake.
Using an air-tight container is the best and easiest way to keep your cake from getting exposed to air. However, if you don't have one of those, you can wrap your cake in cling film, or if it's iced, place a large inverted bowl over it to trap the air.
The general rule of thumb when baking is “the bigger the pan, the lower the temperature”. You bake a 9” round chocolate cake for about 30-35 minutes at 350° F (175° C). However, if you were putting the same recipe in a 14” pan, you would need to lower the temperature to 325° F (162° C) for 50-55 minutes.
Most cakes bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. ... You can also insert a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out with just a few moist crumbs, your cake is done.
Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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