Chocolate may be sweet, but it’s best when dark, right? Try this delicious chocolate cake recipe you can make with Peruvian chocolate by Olivia Tortas.
Fernanda Garcia is a freelancer who offers her studied expertise in psychology in between baking amazing creations such as torta de beterragas organicas (a chocolate cake accented with organic beets) or cheesecake de comote y naranja (sweet potato and orange cheesecake).
Oh, and she is a horror-flick buff, as evident in the collection of Chucky dolls and other recognizable scary villains that lurk in key-chain form behind her collection of antique tea cups. Just like a healthy diet, it’s good to have a balance.
Running her self-made baking business, Olivia Tortas, out of her quaint yet picture perfect apartment, Fernanda doesn’t yet see a need to open an official store.
Although she does admit it is a dream of hers to have a small cafe with a few tables and chairs for customers to sit and savor a warm slice of cake or pie. For now, thanks to social media and, largely, word of mouth, she bakes on average 6 to 7 cakes to order – a week. And why Oliva? “If I have a daughter, that’s the name I’d like to give her.”
One of her tips for at-home bakers: use organic eggs and organic chocolate, for a richer flavor. Also use seasonal fruits, best found at local markets and bioferias. Don’t be fooled by the short list of ingredients – the cake’s deep and rich chocolate flavor is sure to impress.
Dark Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
170 gr. dark/bitter chocolate of your choice
80 gr. unsalted butter
4 eggs
100 gr. sugar
30 gr. flour
cocoa for dusting
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease (with butter) and flour a round mold.
2. Mix the eggs with the sugar until the mixture has tripled in volume and acquired a spongy texture. Set aside.
3. Place the butter and chocolate in the double broiler and slowly stir the mixture until smooth.
4. Incorporate the chocolate (now a thick sauce) to the egg mixture with a stirring motion.
5. Add sifted flour and salt, folding into the mixture.
6. Bake on middle rack of oven for 25 minutes.
Sprinkle with cocoa powder and enjoy warm!
To balance the bitter chocolate, or for added sweetness, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you’d like to place an order, send Fernanda a message via her social media channels.
Cover photo: Olivia Tortas Facebook Page
This article has been updated from its original publication on December 5, 2015.