1 chocolate cake recipe
1 c pecan halves (or subsitute
: the nut of
: your choice)
1/4 c water
2 TB sugar
1 TB dried Habenero powder (use
: your judgment
: on this!)
1/4 ts salt
I used the chocolate cake and chocolate frosting recipes in Lindsey
Shere’s “Chez Panisse Desserts,” substituting Lindt Excellence for
her combination of semisweet and bitter chocolates. (By the way,
“Chez Panisse Desserts” is an awesome cookbook, now back in print and
even in paperback!) You could use any chocolate cake recipe you like;
a very rich and buttery substrate is a good idea at this heat level.
I then added the following to the batter (reserving a dozen for
garnishing the top of the iced cake): Over a medium-high heat, stir
the water and sugar in a small teflon skillet until the sugar is
disolved. Add the nuts, and stir constantly until the water is mostly
evaporated (about 3-4 minutes). Add the chile and salt to coat well,
and stir constantly until the water is gone. Remove the nuts to a
piece of wax paper, separating the pecan halves from each other with
a fork if necessary. Let cool, and incorporate them into the cake
batter just before pouring it into the pan. To make the habenero
powder, I just put 4 dried habs in the spice grinder, and ground
until very fine. Let the grinder settle for a couple of minutes
before trying to remove the powder 🙂 Using finely powdered dried
hot peppers of a lesser burn level would be appropriate for the
non-maniacal chile-head.
Yields
12 Servings