ROSEMARY + DARK CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE (with SPELT FLOUR)

Blogging is a funny thing.  When I decided to start Chocolate + Chard last November, I knew that I wanted it to be a space for more than simply the sharing of recipes.  I wanted (and want) it to be a platform for sharing information about health and nutrition, about why the ingredients that I feature in my posts are not only delicious but also incredibly enriching for our bodies.  I aimed for it to be personal and personable, compelling and inspiring--like so many blogs have been for me.  I wanted to be a producer within and member of the foodie community of which I had, until that point, only been a passive receptor.

As it turns out, blogging in that vein is difficult.  While I love it and am so surprised and thrilled every time one of you leaves a comment, writing continuously is also a challenge sometimes.  I realize that this space has been quiet for the past few weeks.  To be completely honest, I have been struggling to find the energy and focus to write this post.  This is surely related to a number of factors, one of which is that there are too many narratives in my head circling this totally divine olive oil cake.

I want to talk about the genius baker who devised the recipe, Kim Boyce, and her book Good to the Grain from which it came.  I want to talk about how light and moist it is, fragrant with rosemary and decadent with chunks of rich dark chocolate.  I want to tell you that it very well may be my new favorite quick bread/cake, ever.  I want to describe the delightful and inspired event where I brought this cake, shared it and photographed it: a casual gathering at a friend's cafe, where diverse people worked on independent projects in a communal space--reading, sketching, making origami cranes--that was augmented by a live string quartet and impromptu conversation.  And I want to extol the virtues of spelt flour, which it is fair to say I am properly obsessed with.  Figuring out how to address and weave together all of these discrepant narratives sent me into a bit of an incapacitated state, as I want to do this post justice but have had such trouble figuring out where to begin.

I suppose this writing so far is my explanation and apology for being absent for three weeks.  And maybe a bit of it is me attempting to justify and understand the absence for myself.  At any rate, this cake is absolutely stunning.  It made its rounds in the blogosphere three years ago, when Good to the Grain was first published, so you may have already encountered it.  But if you haven't--boy are you in for a treat.

Kim Boyce's Good to the Grain
Published back in 2010, this cookbook champions baking with whole grains not so much for their nutritional value as for their flavors and textures.  Divided into sections by flour (ranging from whole wheat to spelt to teff), Boyce highlights the ways in which these atypical ingredients (which also happen to be much better for you than white flour) can enhance all kinds of baked goods.  Her version of this heavenly olive oil cake uses a combination of whole spelt and all-purpose flour, but I have substituted the all-purpose for white spelt in my version.  I find that it acts basically the same as all-purpose--barring the fact that it is less glutenous so may not rise quite as much--but it is far more nutrient-rich!

The Power of Spelt Flour
Spelt flour is an ancient grain--so ancient, in fact, that it is mentioned in the Bible--that was originally cultivated in Iran around 7000 B.C. and has expanded its growth to Europe in the past 300 years.  A cousin of wheat, spelt contains less gluten and more protein than its most common relative, making it easier to digest (even possible for some people with gluten intolerance) and a great grain option for vegetarians (or, everyone, because we all need protein!).  Whole grain spelt flour is an excellent source of fiber and contains a wider array of nutrients than many grains in the extended wheat family, including significant levels of manganese, copper, vitamin B3 and zinc.  As it is a whole grain that hasn't been processed to the point of nutritional obliteration, spelt flour is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (if you have space) or in a cool, dark place (if you don't).  

Spelt has a mild nutty flavor that isn't as overpowering as whole wheat flour and adds a lovely dimension to baked goods.  I have baked items that necessitate lightness--like scones--substituting up to half of the requested all-purpose flour with whole spelt to great success.  In addition to whole spelt, two other varieties of the flour are available: light spelt, which has had some of the bran sifted out, and white spelt, which has had the bran and germ entirely removed.  While the lighter white spelt isn't a whole grain flour, it still contains more nutrients and is less refined than all-purpose flour, making it an ideal replacement.*

*Nutrition information from World's Healthiest Foods and What's Cooking America.

(An Important Note) 
...about this wholesome, flavorful, light and delectable cake. I have made it twice so far, the first time in a round cake pan, as directed.  While I loved the flavor, it was so light and tea-cake-y that I thought it would be even more appropriate baked as a loaf.  Enter baking, round two (photographed here).  Yet this time around, I missed the previously more pronounced presence of the delightful top crust that the larger surface area of the cake pan produced.  Consequently, I would recommend baking this in a round cake tin, as Kim Boyce instructs in her book.  I guess she knew what she was talking about.


Kim Boyce's Rosemary + Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake (with spelt flour)

Ingredients
3/4 cup (85 grams) whole spelt flour
1 1/2 cups (153 grams) white spelt flour  [if using all-purpose, 187 grams]
3/4 cup (170 grams) white sugar [or a less-refined substitute, like fine demerara]
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 eggs
1 cup (235 ml) olive oil [good quality, cold-pressed]
3/4 cup milk [Boyce calls for whole; I used almond]
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
5 oz. dark chocolate (70% cacao), from a thick bar chopped into 1/2" (1cm) chunks

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F / 180C / Gas 4.  Rub a 9 1/2" (23cm) removable bottom cake or tart pan with olive oil and cover bottom with a round of parchment paper.
2.  Sift the dry ingredients (the first five) into a large bowl, pouring any remaining bran into the bowl after sifting.  Set aside.
3.  In another large bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add the oilve oil, milk, and rosemary and whisk until thoroughly combined.
4.  Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and gently fold together with a spatula, until just combined.
5.  Gently fold in the chocolate.
6.  Pour batter into prepared cake/tart pan, spreading the top out evenly.
7.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

This cake is delicious warm or cooled and will keep best wrapped tightly in plastic for 2-3 days.

DECEPTIVELY DECADENT, TRULY WHOLESOME TRUFFLES: ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE, MAPLE CINNAMON CASHEW, and CHAI SPICE

This is not a negative post, I promise.  Just bear with me for a minute. 

I’ve always found Valentine’s Day to be a bit tiresome.  Supposedly commemorating the martyrdom of St. Valentine, this now secular holiday has become an excuse for the heteronormative, consumeristic valuing of love and relationships.  As to be expected in a capitalist and hardly health-conscious society, we are told and expected to display our love for our romantic partners through the purchase of gifts and terrible-for-you treats.  Alas, this blog is not a space for politics.  This is a space for food!  So on this Valentine’s Day, I would like to present you with a (foodie) alternative.  Sure, share love with and appreciation for your partner, if you have one.  But don’t stop there.  Share love with and appreciation for your family and your friends, the people whose presence in your life makes it all the more positive, enjoyable and fulfilling.  But don’t stop there.  This Valentine’s Day, share love with and appreciation for yourself.  Make sure you do one thing—however grand or small—for yourself, to say ‘good job’, to make yourself happy.  And after you do that thing, give yourself another treat: Go make these ridiculously tasty, totally whole foods-based truffles.  You can absolutely share them with the people you love, but consider this your warning: You may not want to.  (And I totally won’t blame you for hoarding them in your fridge.)

Amazing Dates

The common ingredient across these three very different truffles is dates.  Can I use this Valentine’s Day to express my overwhelming love for dates?  They’re amazing.  Originating in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, this incredibly saccharine fruit (soft and succulent raw, but most often found dried in markets) will satisfy any craving for sweets you may have; but unlike processed sugars and their byproducts, dates are nutrient and mineral-rich!  Aside from being an excellent source of fiber, dates contain high amounts of vitamin A, iron, calcium, manganese, and copper.  Due to their sweetness, dates make for an excellent addition to dishes like oatmeal or smoothies, plus they are ideal for health-ifying certain types of desserts without compromising flavor.  Raw desserts are prime among them.

In all my food blog reading over the past year, I have come across countless variations of ‘energy bars’, raw brownies, ‘healthy cookie bites’, and so forth that are made out of dates, nuts, and various other ingredients and natural sweeteners.  The first of these truffles—the Espresso Chocolate—comes directly from the stunning blog Green Kitchen Stories.  They are so silky, so chocolaty, so decadent tasting that it is truly difficult to believe that they do not contain a trace of butter, cream or processed sugar.  The other two are my creation, inspired by many the raw desserts I have encountered online over the past year.  Like most of my posts on this site aim to be, they are wholesome, they are healthy, and they are damn delicious.  Eating in this manner is one of the best and simplest ways to love yourself, I’ve found.  I hope you do too.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Espresso Chocolate, Maple Cinnamon Cashew, and Chai Spice Truffles

Each makes 15-20 truffles

Ingredients

Espresso Chocolate Truffles from Green KitchenStories

15 (medjool) or 20 (deglet noor) dates

4 Tbsp. rolled or porridge oats

2 Tbsp. dried, unsweetened coconut (shredded or flaked)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil (or other cold-pressed neutral oil)

2 Tbsp. cacao powder

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. ground cardamom

1 shot (2 Tbsp.) cold espresso or strong coffee

extra cacao, cinnamon, chopped coconut, oats or ginger for rolling

Maple Cinnamon Cashew Truffles

½ cup (3 oz.) raw cashews, soaked in filtered water for 4 hours and then oven dried at the lowest possible temperature for 30+ minutes, OR roasted at 325°F / 162°C / Gas 3 for 15-20 minutes

2 Tbsp. rolled or porridge oats

10 (medjool) or 15 (deglet noor) dates

½ Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil (or other cold-pressed neutral oil)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. salt

¾ Tbsp. 100% pure maple syrup

extra oats and cinnamon (mixed together) for rolling

Chai Spice Truffles

10 (medjool) or 15 (deglet noor) dates

4 Tbsp. rolled or porridge oats

2 Tbsp. dried, unsweetened coconut (shredded or flaked)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil (or other cold-pressed neutral oil)

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. maple syrup

½ Tbsp. chai spice mix (recipe below)

pinch of salt

extra oats for rolling

Chai Spice Mix from Fox in the Kitchen

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground all spice

1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1.  If dates are tough or dry, soak in filtered water for at least 30 minutes to soften.

2.  Roughly chop dates.

3.  Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend for a couple minutes, until completely combined and a tacky paste or ball forms.

4.  Put truffle dough in the fridge for 10 minutes.  This will allow it to firm up a bit and make rolling it into balls much easier.

5.  Take small handfuls of the dough and roll into balls, a bit smaller than a ping pong ball (or whatever size you prefer).

6.  Roll balls in the ‘extra’ dry ingredients listed at the end.

7.  Let truffles chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Keep stored in fridge.

HONEY ALMOND BUTTER TART with CHOCOLATE GANACHE

I know, I know, it's the middle of January.  The month after the Month of Unapologetic Gastronomic Overindulgence.  The month where everyone is trying to eat lighter, healthier, to get 'back on track'.  I'm sure you're all thinking, "Really?  Is she seriously posting a ridiculously decadent tart recipe right now?  Give me kale!  Give me beets!"  Well, I hate to break it to you, but I am.  Partly because I made this tart back in December, when eating such things was not only acceptable but expected.  And partly because I simply cannot wait to share it with you any longer. 

Now, a word about this tart.  Some meals or dishes are special because they're ridiculously delicious.  Others are special because of the people you made or shared them with.  This tart is both.  It is so delicious, it begs to be made and shared with people you love.

While the many separate elements required to construct this creamy, crunchy and truly decadent dessert may seem daunting, it is actually rather simple to make.  Don't let the time requirement deter you.  Yet do leave yourself plenty of time; in addition to the various stages of assembly, the tart also needs to chill in the fridge before serving.

My version of this tart has been adapted from the wonderful Joy the Baker, who originally made it with a shortbread crust.  While I'm not a particular fan of shortbread, I was also interested in adapting the crust to include whole grains and omit the butter and sugar.  I have absolutely no problem with these ingredients in certain recipes, but I felt that the filling of this tart would be well complimented by a heartier, nuttier crust.  (And, ultimately, I'm interested in experimenting with and substituting whole foods for processed ones wherever possible.)  The crust I made instead of Joy's shortbread worked like a dream, delicious in its own right and the perfect match for the smooth almond butter and cream filling and hardened, dark chocolate it held.

Whether or not you make this tart in January (which apparently is National Staying Healthy Month) is totally your call.  Regardless, put the recipe in your back pocket, your bookmarks folder, your obsessively-organized digital recipe archive, wherever you like to put these things, and pull it out when you want to make something with love for people you love.

Honey Almond Butter Tart with Chocolate Ganache
Crust from Megan B. via My New Roots
Filling from Joy the Baker
Serves eight

Ingredients
For the Crust (to be made in a 9" removable bottom tart pan):
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans
75 g (between 1/2 and 2/3 cup) whole grain flour (I used spelt flour)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla

For the Filling:

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup almond butter (unsweetened)

1/2 cup honey

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the Ganache:

6 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

handful toasted sliced almonds, for garnish

sea salt, for garnish

Directions

Make the crust:

1.  In a food processor, blend oats and pecans until relatively finely crumbled.

2.  Add flour, salt and cinnamon and pulse a few times, until combined.

3.  Add the remaining wet ingredients and pulse until a coarse meal is formed.

4.  Grease a 9" removable bottom tart pan with coconut oil.  

5.  Place the crust mixture into the pan and, using your fingers, press the mixture evenly across the bottom and along all the sides.

6.  Pierce the bottom a few times with a fork.

7.  Put crust in freezer and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

8.  When ready to bake crust, preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C / Gas 7.

9.  Remove crust from freezer and press a sheet of aluminum foil on top, covering the surface.

10.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove the foil.  Bake for another 7 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.  Remove and let cool.

Make the Filling:

1.  In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Set aside.

2.  Using either an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer and a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, almond butter and honey until creamy and fully incorporated.  Beat in salt and vanilla extract.

3.  Stir in 1/3 of the whipped heavy cream until combined.  In two rounds, lightly fold in the remainder of the heavy cream.  Filling should be light and voluminous, like a heavy mousse.  Store in fridge until the tart crust has cooled completely and you're ready to fill it.

Make the Ganache (once you have filled the crust--still in the tart pan--with the mousse filling):

1.  Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.

2.  Heat heavy cream in the microwave until steaming hot (about one minute).  

3.  Pour the cream over the chocolate and let rest for 30 seconds.

4.  Stir the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is fully melted and completely smooth.

5.  Stir in vanilla.

Finish the Tart:

1.  Pour the ganache over the filled tart and smooth to edges.

2.  Sprinkle toasted almonds and sea salt on top of the ganache.

3.  Let sit in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.