The Many Degrees of Yum

Day 130.

When eating, there are many stages of deliciousness that one can experience. They look like this:

Degrees of Yum

Stage One: Yuck. I can't believe my taste buds! This is the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten! I can't bring myself to take another bite. I will never, ever eat this again. I need water. Quickly.

Stage Two: This is not very tasty. It's not worth spending my appetite on. It's not the worst thing ever, but burnt toast tastes better than this. I'm putting my fork down and looking for something better to eat.

Stage Three: Well, it's not terrible, but it's not great, either. If it means not hurting someone's feelings, I can bare to eat the rest of this. If it's all that's available, it's fine. I'll eat it. It wouldn't be my go-to dining option, but it's food, and I'm hungry.

Stage Four: This isn't bad at all! Could use something...maybe some salt, or a sauce, but this dish has potential. I will definitely eat this again, perhaps with some revisions to the recipe.

Stage Five: Wow! Now THIS is tasty. Whoever came up with this dish was a genius! I wonder if they'll share their recipe with me. I must have this dish again! I can't imagine going through my life without having had this dish at least one more time, and I'm going to recommend this dish to all my friends. Yum! There's a party in my tummy!

Stage Six: THIS dish is so good that I can't help but gobble it up as quickly as I can possibly choke it down! I can't believe I've never had this before! Where was I? Where was this dish? It's so good that I want seconds. And thirds. Can I bring some home with me? Hey, you over there! You have GOT to try this. It's amazing!

Stage Seven: The elusive stage seven. I suspect many people go through life having never reached this level of culinary ecstasy. At stage seven, nothing else exists but me and the dish. All movement in the room has ceased. There are no sounds except the sound of angels singing. I am beyond shoveling, for shoveling wouldn't do this dish justice. No, this is a dish best savored slowly. Very slowly. Let your lips feel it. Let your tongue feel it. Smell it. Taste it. Slowly. Eat it very, very slowly. Enjoy every morsel of this heavenly delight. This is the most delicious dish I've had in a long, long time. It's so good that it brings tears to my eyes. It's so good that I can't adequately describe it. It's so good that all I can do is enjoy it and gush over it, and I think about it for hours, days, weeks, and months after I experience it. It's so good that continuing to describe Stage Seven is pointless. One must experience Stage Seven to understand. Allow me to help you get there.

The Most Delicious Chocolate Cake. Ever. (a.k.a. Flourless Chocolate Cake)
adapted from Whole Foods

What You Need:

• 2 cups dark chocolate chips, divided (1 1/3 cup for the cake, 2/3 cup for the icing) (the recipe calls for bittersweet, but to be honest, I don't know the difference and bittersweet was twice the cost)
• 2 sticks of butter (plus 3 Tbsp later for the icing)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (recipe calls for 1 1/4 but I used 1 1/2 accidentally and it was fabulous)
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp honey (recipe calls for 1 Tbsp but I found it needed more)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (recipe calls for 1/4 tsp, but again, I thought more was better)

How it's Done:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9" spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray. The recipe calls for us to line our pan bottom with parchment, but a.) I didn't have any, b.) I am trying to use less stuff that goes in the garbage, and c.) I like to keep things cheap and simple when possible, so I didn't use it.
2. In the microwave (or in a double boiler, your choice), melt the 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips with the cup of butter. Do this 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each go, just until the chips are almost melted. Then stir briskly to finish the job.
3. Stir in the sugar.
4. Add in the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between additions. Make sure all the whites are incorporated well.
5. Sift the cocoa powder into the batter. I don't have a sifter, so I used a colander instead and it worked wonderfully. I just tapped the side. I did it a little at a time, stirring now and then to get the cocoa mixed in well.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the middle is just set. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool for ten minutes.
7. Carefully remove the sides from the pan and invert the cake onto a cake plate or stand. Allow the cake to cool completely.
8. Now, prepare the icing. Melt the remaining 2/3 cup chips with the 3 Tbsp butter. Stir in the milk, honey, and vanilla.
9. Pour the icing onto the cake, and, using a flat spatula, spread it over the entire top and down the sides of the cake.
10. Let the cake sit a while to firm up. The recipe says to refrigerate it for a while, and you can, if you last that long.
11. Savor it. Slowly.
12. Put the rest in the fridge for later. :)