Kitchen Mailbox: Chocolate desserts for two
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I miss the days when my kids were little and used to devour my cakes and pies. There was nothing left but empty plates.
Unless they have have a few grandkids nearby, most baking empty-nesters end up with too much dessert for too few people. I often have this problem because so many of the recipes I test for Kitchen Mailbox are desserts. You can guess what happens when all of those goodies are in my kitchen: I nibble, a bite here and there, until it's all gone.
But I recently got my hands on "Small-Batch Baking for Chocolate Lovers" by Debby Maugans and my problem was solved. The cookbook is full of recipes for cookies, cakes, tarts, pies and other sweets for two people. And you don't need special baking pans. For cakes, cupcakes and pies you can use standard or jumbo muffin pans or recycled cans. I used two clean 14.5-ounce cans for the Classic Chocolate Cake below. This recipe makes 2 cakes or 4 muffins. To make muffins, line 4 regular-size muffin cups with paper liners and proceed with the recipe.
This recipe is the perfect ending to a Valentine's Day dinner at home -- also for two.
CLASSIC CHOCOLATE CAKE
PG tested
- Unsalted butter for greasing the cans
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons well-beaten egg (I used a large egg, which is about 3 tablespoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Sour Cream Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
Position a rack in the center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter the insides of 2 clean 14.5-ounce cans and lightly dust them with flour, tapping out the excess. Line the bottoms of the cans with rounds of parchment paper and set them aside.
First Published February 9, 2012 11:03 am
