Kladdkaka – Swedish chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache

Kladdkaka is a dense, creamy and fudgy chocolate cake of Swedish origin that I decided to make even more intensely chocolaty with the addition of a dark chocolate ganache on top. It became almost decadent.

 

 

 

What’s even more special about this cake, apart from its beautiful texture and intense flavor, is the fact that it is a fuss-free cake that takes no more than fifteen minutes to bring together, using just one pan. No mixer in sight.

 

 

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Coconut love

What a difference a week makes. Last week it was cold, dark and raining almost every day and now the sun is shining, with the occasional rainstorms of course because this is the Netherlands after all, and it’s really hot. It’s proper summer around here and what’s better to have during days like these than a cold dessert in the form of round icy scoops of coconut deliciousness.

S and I have declared this the year of the ice cream. We have been indulging in homemade ice cream for more than a couple of months now, through rain or shine, warm or cold weather, and we have officially become addicted.

One of my latest obsessions is coconut and I’ve been using it in many of its forms in every type of dish. Coconut oil for pan-frying fish and steak, coconut flour and sugar for waffles and cakes, coconut milk for smoothies, desiccated coconut for ice creams.

I have tried several coconut ice cream versions with various results, yet I always return to this one. It’s a keeper. It is pure, authentic ice cream, with no nonsense ingredients but the stuff proper ice cream should be made off; eggs, milk, cream.

It’s rich, smooth and creamy and it coats your tongue with its velvety texture while the full flavor of exotic coconut lingers on. But you know me, I always need my chocolate fix, so I had to pair the ice cream with a chocolate sauce. Not just any chocolate sauce though, a chocolate sauce that once you pour it onto the cold ice cream, it hardens and becomes a beautiful shell that cracks with the touch of a spoon.

It’s like those shells that store-bought ice creams have and that you think you can never recreate at home. It turns out, you can, and it can also be healthy and ridiculously easy, with only two ingredients: dark chocolate and coconut oil. It takes five minutes to make and it is spectacular. Frankly, I wanted to pour it over everything but I restrained myself. Even if you don’t end up trying this heavenly ice cream, which you would be crazy not to, you should at least try this insanely delicious chocolate sauce.

PS 1 A little while ago, the site New Diaspora asked me for an interview (ooh that sounded fancy!). If you're interested in learning a few more things about me, then click here to read it.

PS 2 I changed the blog’s header, sidebar, social media buttons and text font and I’m so excited because I have wanted to do this for a while but never could find the time. I made all the changes myself, and being a total novice on matters of design, it makes me even more proud of the outcome. I felt my little space here needed to be rejuvenated and a picture of chocolate sorbet with berries for my header did the trick. By the way, you can see it on this post.

Hope you like it, tell me what you think!

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Here is the link and please subscribe to my Newsletter to get every new post in your email inbox!!

Look forward to seeing you there!!

Food and Drinks 2010

I woke up last Saturday morning with a childlike excitement cause it was food fest day!
Food and Drinks 2010 (Eten en Drinken 2010) to be exact at the Malieveld, a huge park in the middle of The Hague which included a market, different restaurants, workshops and demonstrations.


Well, I don't speak Dutch (yet) so unfortunately the workshops were out of the question but I visited the market which I'm glad to say was full of happy surprises. Stalls with cookbooks, magazines, various kinds of food, coffee, tea, pastries and of course wine. Anyone could sample anything and naturally everyone did. It was a bit chaotic but totally worth the 17,50 euros per person.







I discovered some wonderfully tasty French saucisses and mustard, Spanish sausages, pickles, duck rillettes, jams, chutneys, caviar which of course I didn't sample because it was too expensive for the lady at the stall to just hand out unless you bought a 15gr jar for 300 euros.
But I tasted various tapenades on top of some beautiful rustic bread, many different types of balsamic vinegar and olive oil - unfortunately none of it Greek which was disappointing since Greece has some of the richest and tastier olive oil in the world.
Of course I'm gonna say that. I'm Greek!


I also participated in a French-wine tasting paired with the famous Dutch Beemster cheese, an amazing assortment if I do say so myself. I particularly enjoyed the "pikant", a matured, crumbly, granular cheese which I think would be excellent grated on top of your favorite pasta dish.

I stumbled upon a chocolate stall with the most delicious chocolate in the world, Valrhona (naturally I had to buy at least one) and the most brilliant collection of finger desserts (does this term even exist?).

The most surprising of the discoveries though was the one my boyfriend made. The Shiitake mushroom Beer!! Is that unbelievable or what!? We tasted it and it had a very interesting flavor. Mild and ale-like.


Well, I think it's fair enough to assume that when I got home I had a full stomach and a slightly dizzy head. Wouldn't you?
CAN'T WAIT for the next food fest to come to town!