These mini-cakes are dense and similar in texture to a brownie. I use almond flour which I make myself as a substitute for ap flour. One of my husband's close friends is allergic to gluten, so I always make this when she visits.
The cakes are ideal for chocolate addicts. The small sized bites make your guests feel less guilty, but will also have everyone coming back for seconds.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
5 oz dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup almond flour
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs butter, room temperature
1 tsp Imitation brandy extract
3 Tbs heavy whipping cream, cold
1 pinch salt
1 Tbs red colored decoration sugar
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Separate eggs yolks from white. In a bowl, whisk yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar with an electric mixer until the color becomes a pale yellow. Add the egg whites and beat for another 3 minutes.
Cream the butter with the rest of the sugar.
Place the chocolate in a separate bowl and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Beware! Don't burn it... Add the butter to the melted chocolate.
Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the chocolate. Mix the resulting chocolate mixture with the almond flour and salt.
Apply a thin layer of butter to 12 of the slots in a min-muffin pan. Pour the cake batter in each cavity.
Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave the mini muffin pan aside for about 15 minutes. Unmold each cake. Let them cool down.
While the mini-cakes cool down completely, melt the butterscotch chips and put it in a mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar, the butter, the brandy extract and the salt to the bowl. Use a single whisk electrical blender, you'll get a more even texture. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes until the texture is smooth and creamy.
Frost each petit four with the butterscotch icing then top with a little red colored sugar.
Serve with a nice hot tea.
Bon appétit!
Tips
This picture was digitally corrected by Kate Jordahl. I took her photography class in the fall of 2008. Thanks Kate!
To guarantee quality baked goods, use the best butter you can find.
You can either buy ready-made almond flour, or make it yourself. Remember to get a little more than 125 grams of whole almonds to get the correct amount of flour. Place whole almonds in a metal bowl, then cover them with boiling water. Let it sit for no longer than 2 minutes. Strain and transfer them into a cold water bath. Pat them dry on a towel, and the skins should come right off. Then grind them with a food processor or spice grinder. Make sure you stop before it turns into almond butter. I use the VitaMix Dry Blade Container. The result should be a fine white mill.
You can bake the chocolate almond cake in a bigger cake pan but I find it more appealing as bite size treats for a tea party. I used a nonstick 12-hole mini muffin pan.
When icing each petit fours make sure the cakes are cooled completely otherwise the frosting will melt.
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Hi! My name is Jacqueline Pham and I am a self-taught home cook based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am French-Vietnamese, born and raised in Paris, France. I live with my husband Lulu and his family.
My hubby's family is from India, so our home is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines with all the rewards and challenges that you can imagine. There are vegetarians, meat-lovers and allergies of every kind. This site is a way for me to share my love of food and interact with all you Femme Fatales out there putting food on the table for your loved ones everyday.
