"Eat olive oil and come tonight..."

An old Greek saying, this bold invitation to consume our traditional fat implies that besides being healthy, olive oil is also supposed to have aphrodisiac properties(!)

A sumptuous, yet easy to make chocolate-olive-oil cake that I am sure you will love!

Traditional belief has it, lanky, well-built young men grew on an olive oil based diet; on the contrary, the somewhat overweight, indolent so-called ‘butter-boys’ (voutyropaida) were fed on butter. In those days cows’ milk butter was quite expensive and not readily available in southern Greece…

Now we have a choice, but I strongly believe that both our savory and sweet dishes and treats are much better with olive oil. And if you are reading my recipes you already know that I am using it in both savory and sweet dishes.

And I am not alone; this truly, sumptuous chocolate cake is based on Nigella Lawson’s popular recipe! “Leave to cool completely or eat while still warm with some ice cream, as a pudding,” Nigella suggests !

Chocolate, olive oil, and almond cake

For a 9-inch cake

6 tablespoons good-quality unsweetened cocoa (50 grams)

½ cup boiling water, or coffee

2/3 – 1 cup superfine sugar (depending how sweet you like it)

4 medium eggs (or 3 large)

2/3 cup regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)

2 teaspoons best vanilla extract

1 ½ cups finely ground almonds (preferably non-skinned)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch of salt

3-4 tablespoons Drambuie Liqueur, or Grand Marnier (optional)

GLAZE:

135 grams semisweet chocolate chips (preferably 65% or more)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup

A pinch of sea salt

Topping: 1/2- 2/3 cup crystalized ginger, julienned or 1 1/2 cup strawberries strawberries

Preheat your oven to 170°C (325ºF). Grease a 9-inchpan with a little oil and line it with parchment paper.

Measure and sift the unsweetened cocoa into a bowl or jug and whisk in the boiling water or coffee until you have a smooth paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract and set aside to cool.

In another bowl, combine the ground almonds, the flour, the baking powder, and the salt.

Put the sugar and eggs into the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and beat for about 3-5 minutes until you have a light yellow cream.

Turn the speed down a little and pour in the olive oil and the cocoa mixture, beating as you go, and when all is scraped in, slowly add half of the almond-flour mixture and when incorporated, add the rest.

Scrape down, and stir a little with a spatula, then pour this liquid batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or more, until the sides are set; the very center may look slightly damp. A cake tester should come up mainly clean, with just a few crumbs clinging to it.

Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then invert the cake on a plate or cake stand and sprinkle liberally with the liqueur, if using.

MAKE THE GLAZE: Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, olive oil, honey, and salt in a medium bowl set over a saucepan with 2-inches simmering water, or microwave in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring after 15 seconds, until just melted. Whisk until smooth. Pour over the completely cooled cake, and use spatula to gently nudge it down the sides. Sprinkle with the crystalized ginger.

The glaze is based on Smitten Kitchen’s vegan olive-oil chocolate cake, but I prefer to use honey instead of corn syrup.

And if you want to make THE most wonderful chocolate mousse, follow this recipe from Saveur. Also check

Jill Dupleix

who posted a simpler, still wonderful mousse I used to make all the time in the past.

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Jeremy Cherfas, at his always interesting newsletter pointed me to the fascinating story about the new generation of cheesemakers and their wonderful cheeses.