My Non-St.Patrick's Cakes

Hello guys,

Have you eaten your trout and veggies yet? Because dessert is ready, but you have to finish your dinner before you can have any. That's how it works.

I sincerely hope my American and Irish readers out there aren't already in a St. Patrick's Day-infused sugar coma, because I come to you today with something sweet. There may be a couple of you hating me for not bringing you anything green today, I know, but I didn't want to. I don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day. That's not to say I don't enjoy watching all those lovely Ireland-inspired recipes popping up on blogs all over the blogosphere, because I do. It's just that green frosting-covered cakes and cookies don't really look good. 

Sorry. I'm just not a frosting girl. And get this: I don't have a drop of Irish blood in me! But I wanted to share something sweet today, so no beer and beef stews either.

So, like I said, I don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I like chocolate, though. And hazelnut also.

Especially if the two are baked together.

I first began experimenting with this beautiful chocolate-and-hazelnut recipe six months ago, but it took me until now to share them with you. I know, I know, that wasn't a kind thing to do, but I'm sharing them with you now, and as they say, better late than never. Imagine this: out they came out of the oven, soft and moist as ever, the approximate size and shape of small brioche, with a deep brown colour and filled with chunks of melted chocolate. Doesn't that sound yummy? They're elegant and sophisticated, but not in a ''looks down at anything that costs less than €900 kind of a way''. Instead, their homely and comforting. They're also very, very edible: intensely cocoa, warm and rich and very hazelnutty. In short, if these cakes were a man, I'd want to kiss him passionately and maybe even invite him for lunch. That's how good they are.

Friends, I wish you a very happy St. Patrick's Day. And a very nice weekend too! :-)

Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut Cakes Original recipe by © Marion Fløysvik *Ingredients*  90 g. (nearly ½ cup) butter, at room temperature 30 g. (6 tbsp.) cocoa powder 70 g. (2/3 cup) flour 70 g. (½ cup) hazelnut meal 75 g. (6 tbsp.) sugar  1 ½ tbsp. dark syrup 1 ½ tbsp. sugar 2 eggs, separated, at room temperature 100 ml. (½ cup) milk ½ tsp. baking soda 80 g. (½ cup) chocolate, chopped 50 g. (1/3 cup) chocolate chips (optional) 1.In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add half of the sugar and mix to a glossy meringue. In a second bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining sugar together. It should have a texture of runny mayonnaise. Carefully mix the egg whites and yolks together. 2.Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over a water bath. In a bowl, whisk the butter with the 1 ½ tbsp. sugar and syrup together. Add the milk, flours, cocoa powder and baking soda, and mix thoroughly. Add the melted chocolate and mix together. Incorporate the egg mixture carefully. Finally, add the chocolate chips, if using.  3.Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Divide the cake batter into 10 cupcake or muffin moulds. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before serving.

Mørk sjokolade- og hasselnøtt småkaker Original oppskrift av © Marion Fløysvik *Ingrediensar*  90 g. smør, ved romtemperatur 30 g. kakaopulver 70 g. mjøl 70 g. hasselnøttmjøl (kverna hasselnøtter) 75 g. sukker 1 ½ ms. mørk sirup 1 ½ ms. sukker 2 egg, delte, ved romtemperatur 100 ml. mjølk ½ ts. natron 80 g. sjokolade, hakka 50 g. sjokolade, finhakka (valfritt) 1.Visp eggekvitane stive i ein bolle. Ha i halvparten av sukkeret og bland godt saman. I ein bolle, visp eggeplommene og resten av sukkeret saman. Det skal likna på majones. Bland så forsiktig eggekvitane og eggeplommane saman. 2.Smelt samstundes sjokoladen over eit vassbad. Visp smøret, 1 ½ ms. sukkeret og sirupen saman i ein bolle. Ha i mjølka, mjøla, kakaopulveret og natronet og bland godt. Ha i den smelta sjokoladen og bland. Ha i eggeblandingane og bland forsiktig saman. Til slutt har du i den finhakka sjokoladen, om du ynskjer det. 3.Varm opp omnen til 180°C. Fordel deigen på 10 cupcakes- eller muffinsformer. Steik i 20-25 minutt. La kolna før servering.