Chocolate Espresso and Chickpea Fudge Cake
This irresistible recipe for a Chocolate and Espresso Fudge Cake uses chickpeas instead of traditional flour, a failsafe secret ingredient to gluten-free baking. With a perfectly moist texture and delicious flavour, this is the ultimate decadent dessert.
From the book
The Chickpea Cookbook: Over 50 recipes inspired by our favourite little superfood
Delicious, fuss-free recipes made with chickpeas
Creative twists on family favourites
Easy recipes for budget-friendly meals
Introduction
Don't worry if this cake slumps as it cools; it is meant to be squidgy and soft inside, similar to a brownie. The chickpeas replace the traditional flour, making it gluten-free. For the best results, you need a food processor or food mixer or, at the very least, a good electric whisk.
Ingredients
| 150g/5oz (generous ½ cup) | unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing |
| 200g/7oz | plain (semisweet) chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids) |
| 2 tbsp | strong espresso coffee |
| 150g/5oz (generous ½ cup) | caster (superfine) sugar |
| 1 x 400g/14oz can | chickpeas, rinsed and drained |
| 4 | medium eggs, separated |
| Icing (confectioner's) sugar, for dusting | |
| Crème fraîche and your favourite summer berries, to serve |
Essential kit
You will need: a 23cm/9in spring-form cake tin, and a food processor or food mixer or, at the very least, a good electric whisk.
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4. Grease 23cm/9in loose-bottomed cake tin (springform pan) with butter and line the bottom with baking parchment.
2. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place them in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. When the chocolate melts, remove from the heat and stir well. Add the espresso coffee.
3. Beat the sugar and butter together in a food mixer or processor until light and fluffy. Beat in the chickpeas and keep whisking until the mixture is smooth. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then gradually beat in the melted chocolate.
4. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold them gently into the chocolate mixture in a figure-of-eight movement with a metal spoon until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes until well risen. The cake should spring back when you press it gently with your finger. Remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool.
6. When the cake reaches room temperature, remove it from the tin and dust with sifted icing sugar. Serve still slightly warm and cut into slices with crème fraîche and summer berries.
Or you can try this…
– Instead of espresso, flavour the cake with grated orange zest or a few drops of vanilla extract
– Serve with ice cream, Greek yoghurt or even some mascarpone cheese.
