VeganMoFo 2019 Day 24: Elegant Cake

"Bittersweet Ganache-Glazed Chocolate Torte
To Live For"
Recipe by Fran Costigan
(topped w/bittersweet chocolate truffles)

There she is.

Rarely do I invest so much expense in a dessert as I did today, especially for the reason I did (just for me). If you want a book of chocolate recipes, and ONLY chocolate recipes, I recommend "Vegan Chocolate" by Fran Costigan. This book has not gotten much use in my world because the recipes I do want to make are more labor intensive and precise. This book is truly a fine baking book, some of the most decadent elegant chocolate desserts live in this book, in fact the pictures alone make this book (for me) worth the money. This recipe for her torte is one I have seen repeatedly photographed by Fran as well as others who have made it. Each time I'm impressed by the glaze, and the way everyone describes it. Now I have joined the club.  Look at the glaze and honestly my glazing was rushed yet its still magnificent (my rushing caused those teeny bubbles you see, I'll do better next time). The cake has such beautifully layered notes of chocolate I cannot describe it with true justice. I brought out the big guns from my pantry for this cake as far as chocolate, the finest bittersweet baking chocolate I have which I keep in reserve for REALLY special bakes. Of course it is fairly traded and organic, hopefully you wouldn't consider otherwise either. It's so tender and flavorful. The glaze is unbelievably decadent. And the truffles, well they are my own recipe, although Fran has quite a few truffle recipes in her book, I knew I wouldn't have time to do both the cake, the glaze and her truffles today. And, it was all today.

I woke up this morning weary and with puffy red eyes. I had an ugly cry last night upon getting some news that came so unexpected out of left field. That, right on top of the loss of one of our core advocates down here, taken far before her time. I knew I had to do a cake today, I could've just posted one of the ones I have "in reserve" but I decided to "eat my feelings" and no one can stop me. With that I reached for Fran's book which is full of elegant and delicious chocolate items to fill my dark heart. And so I did.

Yes, this cake was made to soothe my once again battered heart, but the super majority of it is being packed up and taken to Food for Thought where my friends there will hopefully eat it for the sake of enjoyment, not as plaster to fill in the cracks of broken hearts.

Chocolate. It's what's for dinner.

#24 out the door.

xo