Chocolate; Je T'aime

It's hard to say when my love affair with chocolate first began. I've had a sweet tooth ever since I was a young girl, never one for craving a hamburger or pizza but always ready for dessert no matter what time of day. I suppose I started to understand the beauty and complexity of chocolate when I lived in France for a semester during college, maybe not just chocolate but food in general. The French take great pride in their gastronomy, they view food as extension of the soul, the heart, an art form that can be shared and enjoyed among friends and companions. For a young American girl this was an entirely new concept for me. In America it seems there are two extremes, over indulging in poor quality cheap food such as"MacDo" as the French call it, or eating cardboard-like substitutes and protein shakes to stay skinny. The French have absolutely no remorse for indulgence, in fact it's seen as the norm to be indulgent in quality foods but of course all with moderation.
One of my fondest memories of my experiences with chocolate would have to be the first time I went to La Maison du Chocolat in Paris. I walked in to an alternate universe where chocolate was treated like gold: granite counter tops above the glass case where the glorious chocolates rested, and OH the selection!! Chocolates with exotic peppers, fresh sea salt and caramels, complex ganaches, perfectly dusted truffles, the list goes on and on. I was in heaven, or at least my version of it anyway. Men in tuxes stood behind the counter delicately selecting the chocolates with their white gloved hands.....tres tres swanky. Only Paris can get away with this over-the-topness. Fifty euros later I had my glorious box of chocolate, I savored every bite...of course I shared as well! (Ok maybe just a little)
When I bake anything chocolate, I always turn to a French recipe for guidance, what can I say? When it comes to chocolate, the French have got it down everything from a tarte au chocolate to a pan au chocolate, it just doesn't get much better!

Buckwheat and Almond Chocolate Cake

This recipe is from one of my favorite cooks Beatirce Peltre, who is of course French! Her cookbook La Tartine Gourmande is a must have, she incorporates simple wholesome ingredients which accumulate to culinary works of art pleasing both the eyes and the taste buds! This cake is pure chocolate deliciousness but perfect for after the holidays because it is not too rich, and gluten free! So now you can have your cake and eat it too...Bon App!

What you need:
-9 inch round cake mold
-7 tablespoons unsalted butter; 100g;3 1/2oz (and more for the pan)
-100g bittersweet chocolate (70% or more cocoa) *don't go cheap on this, get a good quality chocolate such as Valrhona..No Hersheys!
-4 large eggs
-1/2 cup blond cane sugar
-Pinch of sea salt
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1/4 cup (35g;1 1/4 oz) buckwheat flour
-1/4 cup (30g;1oz) almond meal
*I've included weights if you have a cooking scale use that, it is far more precise than cup measurements

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F (180C), butter the cake mold and set aside. Place the butter and chocolate in a bowl and melt it in a bain-marie (this the french word for water bath). This is where you boil a pot of water and place another bowl over that pot so that the steam from the boiling water melts the chocolate and butter evenly. I personally never use this technique....microwaves are always useful. HOWEVER please use caution when using the microwave for every microwave is different and there is nothing worse or more sad than burnt chocolate. My advice is microwave for thirty second intervals and take out to stir the melted chocolate and butter until it has a silky smooth texture with no lumps.
In a mixer beat the eggs and sugar and sea salt, fold in the vanilla and melted chocolate mixture. Gently incorporate the flour and almond meal and work through until smooth. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the blade of a knife inserted into the middle comes out dry. Remove from oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy right away for a warm chocolate treat, or save for later!Don't forget to share with family and friends! This cake pairs beautifully with an almond tea if you have it on hand, if not a chamomile blend is nice as well.
*If you want to kick up the chocolate level a notch try using Ghiradelli Twilight Delight (72% cocoa), I've baked with this many times and it never ceases to please