They say that eating chocolate releases hormones in the body similar to those released when in love. And who can resist being in love? With chocolate that is.
I do have one relative who is not a fan of chocolate, but he is a rather odd chap and we don’t talk about him much. For the rest of us the sight of a Snickers bar on the counter or Easter bunnies in the Shoppers is enough to elicit a minor drooling.
Death by Chocolate is a pudding cake, the sort you mess together in a pan and pop into the oven to fill the house with the amazing smell of chocolate, somewhat like if you were to take a long, hot bath in a mug of cocoa (with marshmallows of course).
In my former life in the country it was not unusual to find neighbours appearing for coffee in hope that I had a fresh batch in the oven or at least a cold slice in the fridge. It is a sinful treat I will warn you, but certainly worth falling off the diet wagon for – once in awhile. And please NEVER make it with decaf coffee! THAT would be debauchery!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, divided in half
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups water, boiling
- 2 tsp instant coffee/espresso powder
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Combine flour, sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt in an 8 inch square baking pan, stirring with a fork to combine.
- Pour in the milk and oil, and stir again with the fork until batter is uniform.
- Sprinkle brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa evenly over batter.
- Stir vanilla extract and instant coffee powder into the hot water, then pour the mixture over everything.
- Do not mix.
- Place pan in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until surface of the cake looks dry.
- The pudding will be bubbling around the edges of the pan.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
- Serves 8.