Lower-fat Deep Chocolate Bundt Cake

This recipe is titled "lower-fat," which is essentially meaningless, but at the same time offers an excuse to eat two pieces of cake instead of one. This cake is ridiculously easy to make, and it looks super classy on a pretty platter. Bundt cakes are weird though. I wonder why people wanted to make cakes in that shape. It's like a wheel...or a doughnut. Did I just answer my own question? Well, after using my excellent online research abilities, I have found the answer. Apparently bundt cake was invented in Germany a very long time ago and no one cared about it until a bundt cake won a baking contest in the 60s, and then it became very popular and housewives were falling all over themselves to buy bundt pans because they make cake look fancy with virtually no effort.

Although apple sauce replaces some of the oil in this recipe, this cake is (probably) not that healthy. However, it is highly chocolaty and it is not too sweet or rich, so it is perfect with coffee as an after dinner treat. If you are like me and serve it after a huge Easter meal, you will find a way to make some room to eat some even if you feel like you are going to burst. Not that I would advocate gluttony. Just...you know...dessert is important.

Lower-fat Deep Chocolate Bundt Cake (serves 12)
Adapted from Veganomicon.

1 3/4 cups fresh brewed coffee
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Icing sugar and strawberries to garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease an 8- or 10-inch bundt pan

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring coffee to a simmer, turn down heat, and whisk in cocoa until it is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool until it reaches room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, canola oil, applesauce, and cornstarch until well-blended. Whisk in cooled chocolate mixture and extracts.

Sift in dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from oven, let cool 20 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Let cool completely, dust with icing sugar, and garnish with fresh strawberries.

Old School Chocolate Chip Cookies

Making these cookies reminded me that everything in life can relate to a Friends episode (or Seinfeld, but in this case it's Friends). For example, chocolate chip cookies remind me of "The One With Phoebe's Cookies," in which Monica really wants Phoebe's late grandmother's super-secret chocolate chip cookie recipe, but it burned up in a house fire. So, Monica must use one frozen cookie to reverse engineer the recipe, and tries out all these variations with different spices and ingredients and taste testing. In the end, the super secret recipe turns out to be from Nestle Tollhouse (or, "Ness-LAY Toll-HOOS"). Haha what a waste of time. It's funny because it's true; everyone wants the unique, definitive version of a classic, but the simplest cookie recipe is probably the best. Whatever's on the back of the chocolate chip bag you happen to buy is just fine. Use it as a base, then modify to your taste. I use all brown sugar so they are extra chewy, and the "optional" walnuts are a must. They cut down on too much sweetness and add a satisfying crunch.

This recipe is adapted from the back of a Nestle Tollhouse bag and it makes a lot of cookies (4-5 dozen).

1 cup Earth Balance shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon egg replacer powder mixed in 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with aluminum foil.

Soften shortening in a large bowl (either let stand at room temperature or microwave for about 30 seconds), then use a wooden spoon to beat in brown sugar. Add egg replacer mixed with water and vanilla and continue to beat mixture until light and fluffy. Work those arm muscles!

Sift in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir a few times then add chocolate chips and walnuts and stir until combined. Over-mixing is not your friend.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Let cool a few minutes on the sheet to keep them from falling apart, then transfer to sheets of old newspaper to cool completely.

Classic Brownies

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a hopeless chocolate addict. The cravings usually start after breakfast, and by the time mid-afternoon hits I need to have a bite of something, anything chocolate.

Last week, my parents stopped by to drop the last load of odds and ends I had forgotten to pack during my move from my childhood bedroom to my new New York apartment. In addition to my collection of Harry Potter books, framed photographs, and a hookah, my mom had also brought some baking essentials. She had flour, sugar, baking powder, and vanilla tucked away in a bag, but, more importantly, an entire Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Baking Bar. I knew if I didn’t bake with it soon, the chocolate would end up in my stomach. And this is how I ended up making brownies.

The Ghirardelli brownie recipe is of the one-bowl variety, making it both easy to prepare and easy to clean up after. There’s also no need for fancy equipment (aka an electric mixer – I still haven’t had a chance to buy one yet!), which means that however sparse your kitchen is, you can definitely whip out a batch of these babies. And I mean it. I don’t even own the 8x8 pan the recipe called for, so I used a loaf pan. Although I was nervous that I’d end up with a crumbly, over-baked mess, the narrower pan made for a thicker, very fudgey brownie, which I was more than happy to sink my teeth into.

Classic Brownies (serves 16)
Adapted from Ghirardelli

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (or

1 Ghirardelli bar)

1 stick butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons flour

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350. Butter an 8x8 pan (or a loaf pan, if need be). Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan, or in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring inbetween until smooth. Let cool until room temperature. Stir in sugar and vanilla, followed by eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing well.

Pour batter into pan, and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Avoid over-baking – no one likes a dry brownie!