While this is the last stop for me in the Project Food Blog competition, this blog must go on! The challenges really pushed me to dig a little deeper and show a little more of myself in my posts. To tell you the truth, I actually pulled an all-nighter for the last challenge something I hadn’t done since working on a competition while working at Pei, Cobb, Freed over ten years ago. It wasn’t the actual dinner that took all night, but the compilation of the entry! I was exhausted, but exhilarated to care so much about this little project not knowing or caring whether I was going to advance to the next round. (Okay, maybe I cared a little bit.)
I learned so much about myself and about food blogging through this experience. I also “virtually” met so many great people in this community! And of course, a big THANK YOU to all my friends and family who supported me throughout this competition! I hope you enjoyed the ride. This ain’t the end for me, so I hope you continue to follow me!
And BEST OF LUCK to the remaining competitors!
On that note, I will end with Warm, Soft Chocolate Cake. You may remember this dessert from my “luxurious” cassoulet dinner.
Warm, Soft Chocolate Cake
adapted from Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman
Makes 4 individual cakes
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus some for buttering the molds
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
2 eggs
2 eggs yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons flour, plus more for dusting
1 – In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, heat the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate is almost completely melted. While that’s heating, beat together the eggs, yolks, and sugar with a whisk or electric beater until light thick.
2 – Beat together the melted chocolate and butter; it should be quite warm. Pour in the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour, just until combined.
3 – Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds, custard cups, or ramekins. tap out the excess flour, then butter and flour them again. Divide the batter among the molds. (At this point you can refrigerate the desserts until you are ready to eat, for up to several hours; bring them back to room temperature before baking.)
4 – Preheat the oven to 450°F. bake the molds on a tray for 6 to 7 minutes; the center will still be quite soft, but the sides will be set.
5 – Invert each mold onto a plate and let sit for about 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate. Serve immediately.
