Death by Chocolate

Ingredients:

• Soft Butter (for greasing the pan)
• Flour (for dusting the buttered pan)
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Sugar (sifted)
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar (sifted)
• 8 oz melted Butter
• 1¼ Cups Cocoa (sifted)
• 1 Tablespoon Syrah
• ½ Cup Flour (sifted)
• ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Ganache:

• 6 oz Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream (Use 11 oz Cream if not using Wine)
• 2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• 3 oz Red Wine (Syrah)
• 1/8 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/8 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional, it’s what I would do!!)

Directions:

For Ganache: Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a medium bowl. Heat cream until bubbles begin to appear around the edges (scalding); pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, and then stir until smooth. This is where you add wine if you choose, if not, this is where you put the spices in. Whisk in butter. Cool, stirring occasionally. When using this for the center of cake, scoop cooled Ganache with a 2oz scoop, roll quickly and freeze.

300’F Oven. Butter and flour eight 6oz ramekins.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining cake ingredients and mix to combine. Pour the batter into the greased and floured ramekins. Place frozen Ganache ball (see directions below) in the center of each one, and bake for 15-20 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted ½ in. from the edge should come out clean. When it’s done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to eat it right away, you should let it cool at least 5 minutes and top with vanilla ice cream and more Ganache- don’t forget to serve with a glass of Block 17 Syrah!!

Chef Frank Magaña