GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE COCONUT CAKE

Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Cake

• To make the cake:
• 8 ounces Green & Black’s bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup cold water
• 8 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup pure cane sugar
• ¼ cup sweet sorghum flour
• ½ cup  + 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• ½ cup + 2 Tbsp tapioca starch

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Grease and line a standard 12 x 16 inch sheet pan with vegetable shortening and parchment paper.  Grease the paper.  Set aside.
3. Heat the chocolate and water in a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring with a whisk until the consistency of thick pudding. Remove from the heat.
4. Combine the eggs and sugar and beat on high speed in the bowl of your stand mixer for 12 minutes (20 minutes with a hand held) to the ribbon stage—when there is a nice ling ribbon that drips off the tip of your whisk.  Using a rubber spatula, alternate between folding in the melted chocolate and the flour into the eggs, until you can no longer see dry ingredients.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, testing with a toothpick in the center at 15 minutes.  If it comes out clean and the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, the cake is done.
6. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then invert onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Remove the parchment paper before you walk away.
7. In the meantime, make your filling and the ganache used for icing the cake.

• For the ganache filling:
• 2 cups shredded organic coconut
• 24 ounces Green and Blacks dark chocolate
• 6 Tbsp pure coconut oil

1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and the coconut oil until very sooth, stirring occasionally.  When you can no longer see any lumps of chocolate, the ganache is done.  Immediately remove from the heat and fold in the shredded coconut.  Allow the mixture to cool and thicken; at least 15 minutes. 
2. When the cake has cooled, cut it in half and then spread the coconut filling over the top of one half.  Cover with the other half of the cake and then place in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

• For the coconut ganache:
• 24 ounces Green and Blacks Dark chocolate
• 6 Tbsp pure coconut oil

1. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Allow to sit for 15 minutes after you have removed it from the double boiler.
2. After you remove the cake from the freezer, cut ½ inch strips and then divide each strip into 1 inch pieces. 
3. Place the petit-four on a wire rack, symmetrically spaced, over a jellyroll pan.
4. Pour the coconut ganache over the petit-fours. Scrape the run off back into your bowl and re-use it until the cakes are evenly coated. I usually do this at least 3 times before I have reached the coating I am looking for.

• To make the royal icing:
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2-4 tsp water
• 1 Tbsp gluten-free meringue powder, like Lorann Oils
• splash vanilla extract

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the confectioner’s sugar, meringue power, vanilla extract and water until piping consistency. Begin with 2 teaspoons of water, and keep adding, one teaspoon at a time until you have the consistency you are looking for. 
2. Once the ganache has set, and you’ve made the royal icing, pour the royal icing into a paper cone.  Pipe a fine detail on the top of each petit-four and finish with edible gold.
3. Makes 24.

GREEN SMOOTHIE FOR GLOWY SKIN & HAIR