Birthdays should be a joyous ocassion, a time to celebrate life and gratefulness for being another year older. Birthdays represent milestones in our life: At 16, we can drive; At 18, we become legal adults and vote; At 21, in the U.S., we are legally able to drink and buy alcohol. It's obvious these are important birthdays to celebrate, but in a society that values youthfulness, getting older can be difficult to deal with for many.
Personally, I almost dread the day and week before and after. While I am grateful that I lived another year, knowing many have not been fortunate enough to get to my age or passed away before their next birthday, there is still something surrounding this special day that leads to anxiety and sadness. Perhaps it's the actual number and feeling old as I watch my younger sisters growing up, or the intense self-reflection I carry out around this time of year disappointed I'm not in the career that I hoped I would be in by now, or expectations created around the important day, similar to New Years. Honestly, I believe it's a combination of all of this. As it's always easier to tell others how to deal with birthday blues and that the brain just needs to be snapped in to positive thoughts, it takes much effort to prevent depression from digging its way too deep and to convince yourself that "this is going to be the best birthday ever." While I don't expect it to be the best, I do have expectations that I've learned in life are okay and good to have. However, sometimes, based on past experiences, we become jaded and lower our expectations, sometimes giving up on them completely. But, it is empowering to acknowledge and accept the validity of our desires and expectations (as long as they are within reason and not hurting others) and live to fulfill them in order to feel "happiness." I expect to be treated well by my boyfriend, friends and family. I refuse to settle in an abusive relationship on any level in which I do not feel respected or cared about. So, yes, I have expectations, but the key is that the control over whether or not we reach these expectations is only within ourselves. My birthday becomes a challenge to practice this. I must make a vow to have this be a great birthday and make the preparations to accomplish this. Even though self-relection will be inevitable for me, the concentration will be on how far I have come, the obstacles jumped over through the years, in order to get here today. . . a place I never could have imagined just a few years ago. It's important to appreciate the wonderful people I am blessed to have in my life (forgetting about the rest), cherish this age because the number is only going to be growing, and fully feel the blessing that a birthday means you've been given another year of precious life.
While I admittingly struggle with my own birthday, I absolutely love celebrating for others! The flourless chocolate cake has become a tradition for me to make for birthdays ever since my sophomore year in college. I made an indulgently rich and fudgy flourless chocolate cake for a dear friend of mine, Michael. We bonded over our love for food and travel, and I truly admire his positive character and outlook on life. We don't see eachother often, but to this day, he continues to talk about this flourless cake and how incredibely memorable it was. At his wedding, when I was introduced to a family member, he knew me by the girl who made that chocolate cake for Mike's birthday. This cake is even more special, not only because I had a fun time making it (and must give credit to my childhood best friend Jaclyn for helping me frost it and cheering me on when I was afraid I had burned the ganache a bit too much) but because Michael met his now wife around the time of his birthday, and it was the cake that brought them together. Well, maybe it wasn't just the cake alone, but I'm honored my cake played a wingman role. Dawna, his wife, moved in next door to the apartment building where Mike was living, and he one day invited Dawna and her roommate for dinner, sharing the dense flourless chocolate cake with everyone for dessert. Soon after, they started dating, and, a few years later, are married.
Personally, I almost dread the day and week before and after. While I am grateful that I lived another year, knowing many have not been fortunate enough to get to my age or passed away before their next birthday, there is still something surrounding this special day that leads to anxiety and sadness. Perhaps it's the actual number and feeling old as I watch my younger sisters growing up, or the intense self-reflection I carry out around this time of year disappointed I'm not in the career that I hoped I would be in by now, or expectations created around the important day, similar to New Years. Honestly, I believe it's a combination of all of this. As it's always easier to tell others how to deal with birthday blues and that the brain just needs to be snapped in to positive thoughts, it takes much effort to prevent depression from digging its way too deep and to convince yourself that "this is going to be the best birthday ever." While I don't expect it to be the best, I do have expectations that I've learned in life are okay and good to have. However, sometimes, based on past experiences, we become jaded and lower our expectations, sometimes giving up on them completely. But, it is empowering to acknowledge and accept the validity of our desires and expectations (as long as they are within reason and not hurting others) and live to fulfill them in order to feel "happiness." I expect to be treated well by my boyfriend, friends and family. I refuse to settle in an abusive relationship on any level in which I do not feel respected or cared about. So, yes, I have expectations, but the key is that the control over whether or not we reach these expectations is only within ourselves. My birthday becomes a challenge to practice this. I must make a vow to have this be a great birthday and make the preparations to accomplish this. Even though self-relection will be inevitable for me, the concentration will be on how far I have come, the obstacles jumped over through the years, in order to get here today. . . a place I never could have imagined just a few years ago. It's important to appreciate the wonderful people I am blessed to have in my life (forgetting about the rest), cherish this age because the number is only going to be growing, and fully feel the blessing that a birthday means you've been given another year of precious life.
While I admittingly struggle with my own birthday, I absolutely love celebrating for others! The flourless chocolate cake has become a tradition for me to make for birthdays ever since my sophomore year in college. I made an indulgently rich and fudgy flourless chocolate cake for a dear friend of mine, Michael. We bonded over our love for food and travel, and I truly admire his positive character and outlook on life. We don't see eachother often, but to this day, he continues to talk about this flourless cake and how incredibely memorable it was. At his wedding, when I was introduced to a family member, he knew me by the girl who made that chocolate cake for Mike's birthday. This cake is even more special, not only because I had a fun time making it (and must give credit to my childhood best friend Jaclyn for helping me frost it and cheering me on when I was afraid I had burned the ganache a bit too much) but because Michael met his now wife around the time of his birthday, and it was the cake that brought them together. Well, maybe it wasn't just the cake alone, but I'm honored my cake played a wingman role. Dawna, his wife, moved in next door to the apartment building where Mike was living, and he one day invited Dawna and her roommate for dinner, sharing the dense flourless chocolate cake with everyone for dessert. Soon after, they started dating, and, a few years later, are married.
Flourless chocolate cake is the top request I get from my friends when I ask what I can bake them for their birthday. It is my pleasure!
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse and Rasberry Sauce
(adapted from Godiva)
8 bars (1.5 ounces each) Dark Chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
12 eggs, separatedPinch of salt
Chocolate Mousse:
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 bars (1.5 ounces each) Dark Chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Raspberry Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
Make Flourless Chocolate Cake:
Preheat to 350°F.
Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave until almost melted. Let stand 1 minute and stir until smooth.
Beat butter and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar with mixer at high speed for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat egg whites and salt with mixer at medium speed in a dry, clean bowl until frothy.
Gradually add remaining confectioners’ sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold melted chocolate into butter mixture.
Gently fold egg whites into chocolate-butter mixture. Do not overmix.
Pour batter into lightly greased 10 X 3-inch springform pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Upon cooling, the center of the cake will sink.
Make Chocolate Mousse:
Heat the milk and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat to a boil. Remove from heat.
Add chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in oil and vanilla.
Let cool for about 10 minutes or until tepid.
Beat cream in a chilled bowl with mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold one-half of the whipped cream into the tepid chocolate mixture.
Gently fold in the remaining cream, being careful not to overmix.
Carefully spoon mousse on top of cake, spreading evenly with a spatula.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until cold.
Make Raspberry Sauce:
Heat the water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat to a boil.
Add 1 cup raspberries, vanilla and orange peel.
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Strain raspberry mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl.
Refrigerate until cold.
Stir in remaining raspberries.
To serve, run a thin-bladed knife around edge of cake to loosen it from sides of springform pan. Remove side from springform pan. With a sharp thin-bladed knife, slice cake, wiping blade clean between each cut. Place the slices on serving plates and top with some of the raspberry sauce.
8 bars (1.5 ounces each) Dark Chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
12 eggs, separatedPinch of salt
Chocolate Mousse:
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 bars (1.5 ounces each) Dark Chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Raspberry Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
Make Flourless Chocolate Cake:
Preheat to 350°F.
Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave until almost melted. Let stand 1 minute and stir until smooth.
Beat butter and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar with mixer at high speed for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat egg whites and salt with mixer at medium speed in a dry, clean bowl until frothy.
Gradually add remaining confectioners’ sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold melted chocolate into butter mixture.
Gently fold egg whites into chocolate-butter mixture. Do not overmix.
Pour batter into lightly greased 10 X 3-inch springform pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Upon cooling, the center of the cake will sink.
Make Chocolate Mousse:
Heat the milk and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat to a boil. Remove from heat.
Add chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in oil and vanilla.
Let cool for about 10 minutes or until tepid.
Beat cream in a chilled bowl with mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold one-half of the whipped cream into the tepid chocolate mixture.
Gently fold in the remaining cream, being careful not to overmix.
Carefully spoon mousse on top of cake, spreading evenly with a spatula.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until cold.
Make Raspberry Sauce:
Heat the water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat to a boil.
Add 1 cup raspberries, vanilla and orange peel.
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Strain raspberry mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl.
Refrigerate until cold.
Stir in remaining raspberries.
To serve, run a thin-bladed knife around edge of cake to loosen it from sides of springform pan. Remove side from springform pan. With a sharp thin-bladed knife, slice cake, wiping blade clean between each cut. Place the slices on serving plates and top with some of the raspberry sauce.
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