Bittersweet chocolate cake for those in need of revenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Cake Doctor

A co-worker has taken credit for an idea I’ve spent most of the summer working on. I’m eager for revenge, but don’t want to appear unprofessional or let my colleague know he’s rattled me. Is there a cake that can help me get over this occupational set back?

Defeated

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Dear Defeated

It’s extremely frustrating not receiving credit for something you’ve worked so hard on, especially if you don’t feel comfortable confronting your colleague about his theft or letting your boss in on the story. You’ve done well to sit back and consider your response before exacting revenge on your co-worker – it’s a dish best served cold after all.

By way of revenge that neither directly harms your professional reputation or hurts your colleague, I’d recommend whipping up a bittersweet chocolate cake. This prescription serves three functions: (1) distraction, (2) venting frustration, and (3) attracting attention.

The melting and stirring, beating and folding of this chocolatey delight will momentarily divert you from your colleague’s nastiness, the beating of egg whites into soft peaks will expel your annoyance, and the unctuousness of the end product will focus your colleagues’, and your boss’ attention on you, attracting praise and acclaim that your ungenerous colleague is likely to resent. And if none of this makes you feel any better, scoffing just one slice (or indeed several if need be) of this bittersweet gooey concoction yourself is bound to have you feeling a little smilier.

Best of luck!

Love,

The Cake Doctor x

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Complaint: in need of revenge

Prescription: bittersweet chocolate cake

Ingredients

250g bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

150g unsalted butter

4 eggs, separated, and preferably at room temperature

150g caster sugar

3 ½ tablespoons plain flour

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celcius (180 if your oven is non-fan-forced) and line a medium springform cake tin (this means the outside rim can separate from the base) with baking paper (lightly grease with butter first to help the paper stick).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of gently simmering water – but make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slowly melt together and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place the egg whites in a large, clean, dry bowl, and beat with a freestanding electric mixer, a handheld electric whisk, or just a wooden spoon. Start by beating on a low speed, then, as your egg whites become foamy, turn up the speed to medium for about one minute, then increase the speed to maximum until they form soft peaks. You’ll know you’re at ‘soft peak’ stage when you lift the beaters from the egg whites, or pull a finger out of the whites, and leave a soft peak that falls slightly. Set aside carefully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until they have thickened slightly and have changed colour to a pale yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir in the flour, then pour in the melted chocolate and butter mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gently pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cake passes the wobble test – if a gentle push produces a jelly-like wobble, put the cake back in the oven for a few more minutes. And remember – your cake will continue to cook and set a little after it’s come out of the oven.

Your cake will probably fall a little as it cools – this is perfectly normal and reflects a delicious crust over a soft, chocolatey centre. If you want to keep the crust high, leave the cake to cool in the oven with the door open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the cake has had some time to cool and set a little, remove the rim of the cake tin and gently transfer the cake to a cooling rack or plate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, dust with icing sugar and watch your thieving colleague’s eyes open in despair as you produce the best work product of all to your boss – a deliciously gooey, homemade chocolate cake – bittersweet revenge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love,

The Cake Doctor x