Visual Traveler & Chocolate Blog

                                   Happy National Chocolate Day on the 28th! 

When was the last time you swooned over every bite of a dessert? Or exuberantly swore because it tasted...so...unbelievably...amazing. That's how this dessert is for me.

​But make no mistake: I am absolutely certain the quality of extra virgin olive oil I used made all the difference!  Named after the olive from which it's made,  mine was made from a flavorful, fruity, Italian Peranzana olive varietal.  So my first V.O.E. for this post is be sure to use the very best quality of oil you can find.​

When I first looked at this recipe, I wondered if I could substitute pastry flour for the almond flour. Nope-not an option because almond flour lacks gluten. ​

V.O.E.s - I bought some fine Himalayan sea salt for baking, instead of grinding it, for better texture. We have long favored Himalayan salt for its appearance and mineral-rich content.
But I did not add cayenne to the batter, preferring a sprinkle of this flavor, cinnamon, or ground bittersweet atop that dollop of whipped cream, instead. Nor did I add flaky sea salt on top as we're not big on salt+chocolate combos in our house.
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V.O.E.s - If you've read this blog in the last several years, you will recognize the little tool on the right above. It's an egg separator that has served me well for many years. And the parchment paper above? I specifically chose an unbleached version. Then, since my baking pan was nothing to look at, I used the parchment to help me place the finished cake on a serving piece, instead. 

Top image: Adding melted chocolate and olive oil to egg yolks and sugar.
Bottom image: Adding egg whites to the above mixture.
V.O.E. - I quickly decided to use a spatula rather than a spoon, to maximize the quality of the egg whites as they were incorporated.

Wouldn't you know - the moment I decide to save electricity by making a recipe that requires no baking, our outdoor temperature plummets. However, I quickly learned Chef Dennis Littley's creamy, No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake is a great choice any time - despite waiting eight hours before eating!

V.O.E. – Because I’m a bittersweet chocolate fan, I used bittersweet chips as the entire source of chocolate in the batter – because that’s what I keep on hand. But when I tasted my first cheesecake slice I have to admit I wanted a bit more sweetness, so sprinkled previously ground bittersweet chips on top too. Perhaps I will try the original ratio of bittersweet to semi-sweet chips next time.

V.O.E.- Although the original recipe suggests using Biscoff or traditional graham crackers for the crust, I used Teddy Bear-shaped graham snack crackers, which I already had in my kitchen.
 
For my crust, I also buttered the bottom of the pan, although the original recipe did not suggest this. And, when I began spreading the crust batter across the springform bottom, the back of a spoon dipped in olive oil facilitated this. Because the process took me longer than I expected, I think I would create the crust before beginning work on the filling.
 
Once I cut into this cheesecake, my crust was somewhat difficult to remove from the bottom. Perhaps the butter I spread across the surface aggravated things?

                                  Adding vanilla. Adding melted chocolate.

                                                      Ready to eat!

Although this isn't a cupcake recipe, I would be remiss if I didn't wish everyone here a wonderful National Chocolate Cupcake Day tomorrow, October 18. Now - on to this week's chocolate treat. 

Published by the New York Times in June, this recipe intrigued me because of its healthy ingredients - especially chia seeds, which I've never used before! I also appreciated the easy and short prep, given that was in Pennsylvania with family on Tuesday and yesterday. 

The above link will give you all the ingredient specs + preparation details. But you can check out my photos and my brief V.O.E. (Voice of Experience) comments throughout this post, to enhance your recipe-making. 

In terms of toppings, I went a different direction. I first dusted the top of my pudding with a bit of confectioner's sugar and then I added ground semi-sweet chocolate. While I did like the flavor of this dessert, I didn't like the texture so much-considering this is called a pudding. 

​But give it a try and maybe use some of the suggested toppings from the original recipe. Then, let me know what you think of the results!

V.O.E. - Per my habit of pre-measuring ingredients, here's the group for this recipe. The small front bowl holds cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. However, as much as I love cinnamon - and as little as I use cardamom in food prep - I used 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon instead of cardamom. 

V.O.E. - I love the idea of 'breaking up' cocoa powder with a whisk, before adding other components. It's a recommendation I will definitely carry into other recipes!

Here's what my 'batter' looked like after adding all ingredients but before pulling them together. I chose black chia seeds but white seeds also work. 

V.O.E. - As mentioned in the original pudding recipe, the initial 'batter' is quite liquid after you blend all the ingredients together. That's why using a ladle to transfer the batter to your chosen serving dishes is a big help.

If you're one of those people who believes 'the darker, the better' when it comes to chocolate, these super-soft cookies are perfect for you.

If you want a touch more sweetness after trying the original recipe, you might try substituting bittersweet chocolate for half of the unsweetened chocolate. If you stay away from dairy, these cookies fit the bill too. And, if you prefer to avoid processed sugar, the maple syrup in this recipe (or honey, if you prefer) is another plus. 

V.O.E. - A note about my roundup ingredient photos. Although I spent many years doing otherwise, I have found that pre-measuring all of my ingredients before blending them together is very helpful to the process. See what you think!

Flourless Double Chocolate Avocado Cookies
Makes approximately 1 dozen

Ingredients:
​
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tablespoon water
​
1 very ripe avocado
1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
1 egg
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 ounce very well chopped unsweetened dark chocolate

​Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Prep a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Mix baking soda and water in a small bowl and set aside (see small blue-green bowl in above photo).

Using a hand mixer, whip the avocado very well (V.O.E. - Feel free to pre-mash your avocado with a fork, if it's not quite ripe enough).

​Add the maple syrup and continue whipping until smooth. Add egg and incorporate well.

​Then add the cocoa powder  a little at a time while continuing to mix on slow/medium speed. Once it's all added, turn the speed back up to high and mix well.

Add the baking soda/water while still mixing on high (V.O.E. - after giving it another little stir). Add the chopped chocolate and stir to combine. The dough will be quite soft.

​Using about 2 tablespoons per cookie, plop the dough onto the prepped cookie sheet, approximately 2 inches apart. Flatten the cookie slightly with a spoon. Bake for 8-10 minutes (they should seem a bit underdone).

​Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. ​