Mini chocolate cakes with salted ganache

A rich, satisfying gluten-free treat!

A few months ago, a fan of my blog pointed out what should have been glaringly obvious to me: there are not nearly enough chocolate recipes on here. There’s a simple reason – while I absolutely adore chocolate, my husband detests it. As a result, whenever I am making desserts for a family meal or dinner party, I tend to gravitate towards fruit flavours. Well, it’s time to right this wrong. Bring on the chocolate, I say, and I’m going to start with these beauties. They’re a snap to make and they bake up with a nice fudgey centre that is perfectly complemented by the ganache. I love that they are gluten-free and very low in sugar too. The cake is delicious on its own, but of course you can serve it with whipped cream or ice cream too!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) dark chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) vanilla
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) 35% whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) dark chocolate chips
• pinch Maldon salt or Fleur de Sel

Method

• Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 4 inch (10 cm) springform pans or one 6 inch (15 cm) pan. Place pans on a baking sheet and set aside.
• In a medium-sized bowl, microwave butter and 1/2 cup chocolate on medium power for about a minute and a half, in 30-second increments, stirring after each interval until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside.
• In a separate, smaller bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 3 minutes, until mixture is frothy and pale yellow. Beat in vanilla. Fold egg mixture into chocolate mixture one-half at a time, combining gently until evenly blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s).
• Bake for 14 – 15 minutes for smaller pans or 17 – 19 minutes for larger. Centre should be set (i.e., it shouldn’t wiggle when you jiggle the baking tray) but still soft. Let cakes cool in pan(s) for 20 minutes then remove from pan and place on a serving tray. When completely cooled, cakes can be placed in an airtight container and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• 5 minutes before serving, make ganache by putting whipping cream in a microwave-safe jug or measuring cup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, but do not stir. Let stand 5 minutes then stir until smooth. Spread ganache on cooled cake and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
• To serve, cut smaller cakes in half or larger cake in 4 pieces. Garnish with fresh berries and ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Serves 4.