Heart of (Gluten Free) Chocolate

Tomorrow is the biggest Hallmark Holiday in history- it's Valentine's Day. I think that this is the one holiday that GFers are happy about (or they think they are). Because what do you eat on this holiday? Chocolate. Truffles. Chocolate. Fudge. (I don't want to know where).

Just want to make sure that all the GFers and their beaus and dream girls are aware that just because it's chocolate, doesn't mean it's gluten free. Often times, the cheaper candy factories will use flour on the surfaces to keep the chocolate from sticking. They also might use flour or malt in different syrups and fillings; I actually saw some Jack Daniels truffles, for instance. The Praline topped (that's the brown sugar + chopped nuts) truffles are most suspect- what do you think they use to keep those nuts finely mixed? And cocoa doesn't mean pure cocoa powder- watch out!

To that point, the flourless chocolate cake is quite popular in restaurants and GFers as the perfect dessert...if it's actually GF. I have to say, I was disgusted to learn that the majority of restaurants in the Twin Cities use barley flour in their "flourless chocolate cake". The precise interpretation being used in most restaurants is "wheat/white flourless chocolate cake". Watch out.

But if you're interested in making some heart-shaped (no, it's actually a valentine, but you know what I mean here), if you want to make something sweet and heart-shaped, or something just gooey delicious, take your flourless chocolate cake and do one of the following:



Gluten Free Valentine Cakes


1. Pour the batter into a 9"X13" that is lined with wax paper and bake until done. Do not let this brown, or it will be dry.
2. Let cool 10min, then free from the edges with a child cheater (oh, I mean rubber spatula), and lift onto a cutting board.
3. With a 4" diameter heart-shaped, metal cookie cutter**, cut hearts out of the cake.
4. Place on a dessert plate, top with raspberry, caramel, or strawberry syrup (optional) and whipping cream.
Serve up!



**the cookie cutter, really a "pastry cutter', needs to be metal and very sharp. You can get these at bakery stores (locally: Sweet Celebrations) or a craft store (JoAnn ETC or Michaels).



OR


Gluten Free Mississippi Mud

1. Bake your flourless chocolate cake in a 9"X13" pan until done and remove from oven.
2. While hot, evenly spread 7oz marshmallow creme.
3. Allow to cool completely.
4. Top in Chocolate Frosting, completely covering the marshmallow creme.

Serve as 4" squares, drizzled with chocolate or fudge syrup (optional)



Oh, you want the recipe for the cake? You'll have to stay tuned until tomorrow!


Enjoy the Valentine Goodies!
the irish lass