it is rare these days that i straight up steal a recipe from someone. even when it comes to baking. if i decide to go the more scientific route instead of straight up throwing things together and hoping for the best, i'll scour the internet for recipes close to what i'm hoping to achieve, and then i'll usually work out some combination of everything i found in order to please my own taste and desires. or in some cases, the tastes and desires of my clients. 

so to find a recipe that so perfectly nailed it on the first try was truly impressive. well done WELL PLATED. well done. i applaud your perfect (and really REALLY easy) recipe. you can't seem me right now, but i'm giving you a solid golf clap. 

i've already devoured my test run of this recipe and i'm contemplating making another run before i make it for this weekends baby shower. anyone want to come over and help me eat torte?

flourless chocolate torte
serves: 10-12 slices
prep time: 15 minutes
bake time: 30-40 minutes total time: 55 minutes
ingredients: 9 oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped. 9 oz butter, cut into cubes plus 1 tbs to grease your pan. 1.5 cups sugar. 7 eggs at room temperature. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .25 tsp almond extract. powdered sugar for dusting. 9 inch spring form pan. parchment paper. heat safe medium bowl. larger mixing bowl. large pot of boiling water. fresh berries & whipped cream optional for serving.
start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. combine your chocolate and butter in a heat safe bowl. place your bowl over a pot of boiling water (creating a double boiler) and allow the butter and chocolate to melt, stirring to combine every minute or so once things start to melt. about 5 minutes. you can always take a shortcut and use the microwave (i don't have one so i don't really have a choice). 

when the chocolate and butter are melted together, add in the sugar. 

allow the batter to cool for a minute or two and then one at a time, start to add in your eggs. combining each one completely before adding the next. 

when all the eggs are added, pour in the extracts and stir until the batter thickens and becomes glossy. 

gently grease the pan and then place a 9 inch parchment round in the base of your pan. pour your batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the torte is set and the center is just barely set (has a bit of jiggle in the middle). 

start checking on it right at 30 minutes to make sure it does not go over. remove the torte from the oven and allow it to cool a bit.

gently dust the top with powdered sugar. 

i added some blueberries on top as well. if you are adding whipped cream, wait till the torte has cooled completely. serve warm or room temperature. 

xo, a

flourless chocolate torte serves: 10-12 slices
prep time: 15 minutes
bake time: 30-40 minutes total time: 55 minutes
ingredients: 9 oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped. 9 oz butter, cut into cubes plus 1 tbs to grease your pan. 1.5 cups sugar. 7 eggs at room temperature. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .25 tsp almond extract. powdered sugar for dusting. 9 inch spring form pan. parchment paper. heat safe medium bowl. larger mixing bowl. large pot of boiling water. fresh berries & whipped cream optional for serving.
start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. combine your chocolate and butter in a heat safe bowl. place your bowl over a pot of boiling water (creating a double boiler) and allow the butter and chocolate to melt, stirring to combine every minute or so once things start to melt. about 5 minutes. you can always take a shortcut and use the microwave (i don't have one so i don't really have a choice). when the chocolate and butter are melted together, add in the sugar. allow the batter to cool for a minute or two and then one at a time, start to add in your eggs. combining each one completely before adding the next. when all the eggs are added, pour in the extracts and stir until the batter thickens and becomes glossy. gently grease the pan and then place a 9 inch parchment round in the base of your pan. pour your batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the torte is set and the center is just barely set (has a bit of jiggle in the middle). start checking on it right at 30 minutes to make sure it does not go over. remove the torte from the oven and allow it to cool a bit. gently dust the top with powdered sugar. i added some blueberries on top as well. if you are adding whipped cream, wait till the torte has cooled completely. serve warm or room temperature. 

as previously expressed, i have kumquats coming out of my ears. but, i'm kind of loving it. it has me hyper focused on one ingredient and figuring out all the wonderful things i can do with that ingredient. 

plus, if you haven't noticed, they are really freaking adorable. 

so i'm getting very creative with kumquats. kumquat squares. kumquat jam. kumquat cocktails. 

but my favorite so far has been these lavender + kumquat cupcakes. 

one of the women i work with at one of my yoga studios and her friends bought a whole lavender plant when they made my lemon + lavender cake and were so sweet to give me the plant when they were done. and i've absolutely fallen in love with it. lavender has proven to be an amazing compliment to the tart and sweet kumquats and together they made a scrumptious cupcake.

lavender + kumquat cupcakes
serving size: 18 cupcakes
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 15-20 min
total time with frosting: 1.5hrs
ingredients: 2 cups flour. 2 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp salt. .5 cup shortening. 2 eggs. 1.5 cups sugar. 1 tbs diced kumquat (about 2 kumquats). 1 tsp lavender leaves, minced. 1 tsp lavender flowers, minced. .75 cups buttermilk. .5 cups whole milk .5 tsp vanilla extract. .5tsp almond extract. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. with a mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening.

while the shortening and sugar are being worked, combine the extracts, kumquats and lavender in a small bowl. 

with the mixer on a medium speed, add in the eggs until just combined. then add in the kumquat, lavender, extract mixture. 

still on medium, pour in the milk and buttermilk and mix till smooth. 

with the mixer on a slow speed add in the dry ingredients until just combined. 

spoon the mixture into a large ziplock or piping bag. 

into prepared cupcake pans, add 2-3 tbs batter to each pan. 

bake until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. about 15 to 20 minutes
allow to cool completely.
frost with cream cheese frosting and serve. 

xo, a

lavender + kumquat cupcakes
serving size: 18 cupcakes
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 15-20 min
total time with frosting: 1.5hrs
ingredients: 2 cups flour. 2 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp salt. .5 cup shortening. 2 eggs. 1.5 cups sugar. 1 tbs diced kumquat (about 2 kumquats). 1 tsp lavender leaves, minced. 1 tsp lavender flowers, minced. 75 cups buttermilk. .5 cups whole milk .5 tsp vanilla extract. .5tsp almond extract.
preheat your oven to 350 f. with a mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening.
while the shortening and sugar are being worked, combine the extracts, kumquats and lavender in a small bowl.
with the mixer on a medium speed, add in the eggs until just combined. then add in the kumquat, lavender, extract mixture.
still on medium, pour in the milk and buttermilk and mix till smooth.
with the mixer on a slow speed add in the dry ingredients until just combined.
spoon the mixture into a large ziplock or piping bag.
into prepared cupcake pans, add 2-3 tbs batter to each pan.
bake until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. about 15 to 20 minutes
allow to cool completely.
frost with cream cheese frosting and serve.