The air is still, it hangs motionless. Occasional steps on the floor above. My fingers tapping on the typewriter, soft clicks. So quiet that I can hear myself speaking words as I type. Light floods in from the windows, the sun is weak, so typical for a January afternoon. I’ve just eaten lunch, a risotto with broccoli, peas and spinach, equal proportion of rice to vegetable, as the recipe from Ellie Krieger suggests. I drop Vasisht off to school, rushing back to take a conference call at noon, so focused on the clock in the car that reads 11:57 when I return. I start the morning with a slice of cold chocolate cake with my tea, leftover from the birthday party yesterday, decorated with those tiny golden stars we find at Michael’s – a splurge but there’s something magical about fallen stars twinkling up at you from a slice of cake. ,
Here’s the recipe, adapted heavily from Amanda Hesser.
Chocolate Dump-it Cake, heavily modified
Dry ingredients
130g all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
Wet ingredients: to be heated slowly over a low flame and mixed thoroughly
2oz of butter (1/2 stick)
3.5oz of 70% dark chocolate chunks or chips, preferably high quality
100-150g light brown or white sugar (if you prefer it sweeter)
1/2 cup water or black coffee
Add when mixing wet + dry ingredients
1/2 cup milk +1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar / or 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pre-heat oven to 350F, line an 8″ or 9″ round pan with parchment baking paper
- First, combine wet ingredients over a low flame stirring constantly then remove from flame and cool; mix together dry ingredients
- Egg and milk/or buttermilk should be at room temperature
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and add the vanilla essence, egg, milk with vinegar; mix thoroughly but don’t over-mix
- Pour into pan and bake until sides pull away and tester poked into the center of the cake comes out clean
- Slather with frosting of choice or eat as is
- Note: can double recipe and bake in 2-3 layers
Calcutta Chow 