Chocolate Chocolate

I am allergic to Chocolates, in any form. Cocoa powder, dark sweet, semi sweet, very sweet, whatever. MC ask me when I found out I was allergic to Chocolates. I told her it was when I was in Secondary 4, after O level exams. My uncle won a lottery ticket and went on a month long tour to most of Europe. As he travel from country to country, he bought chocolates and send it to me.

I think I ate more than anyone could eat chocolates in one session. After that, I became hooked on chocolates. I started to buy more, ate more. When I started working, I developed serious allergies where the skin will just itch and swell almost like having Hives. Severe itching follows and I started scratching. The skin tears and it took me over a year to fully recover from it. I had to take steriods, applied creams and cannot wash my hands with soap or touch detergent.

The skin specialist told me that I can still eat chocolates, except that I had to ration myself. Down to 100g per month. Over time, I learn to live without it. So the craving literally stops there and then.

With Singapore getting more affluent, more people can now afford good quality chocolates and many are venturing into baking it too. I think everyone loves chocolates at some point of time in their lives. Except my hubby. He is a strange creature. Maybe that is why God found him for me. So I don't have to smell chocolates or use it to bake something for him.

But often enough, I had to bake chocolate cakes and other pastries for class, for friends and also for families. This is one Chocolate cake that was created for my supplier who sells the Ao Mori Silicone ware.

For this recipe, I insist that you use Valrhona Cocoa powder..it really brings out the chocolatey flavour, aroma of Chocolates. That is what it should be.

Enjoy!




Chocolate Bundt Cake
Recipe by Gina Choong

Ingredients
250g butter(salted)
100g soft brown sugar
200g Plain flour
50g cocoa powder (Valrhona)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
100ml milk( I use Meadow Fresh New Zealand Full Cream milk)

Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in eggs one at a time.
2. Add flour, cocoa powder. Fold into egg and butter mixture alternating with the milk.
3. Pour mixture into cake tin.
4. Bake in 180 deg C pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Cool outside oven before decorating.

Notes
This cake is deliciously light. Smells of chocolate at every bite.
You can bake this in any size of cake pan or straight into cupcake liners too.
If you bake into cupcake liners, limit the time to 15 to 20 minutes, maximum