Chocolate - Kumquat & Chili Charlotte

Baking something special is in order when it comes to Valentine’s day . Something that you make with love it’s better than a gift from a shop & it does bring a whole load of  meaning for your Valentine . Well, it’s the thought that counts ,  so here’s my  version of aphrodisiac Valentine’s day  treat  !  Slightly aphrodisiac , I mean .  LOL  As we all know  chocolate & chilli  make  great combo but by adding kumquats does takes it to another level .  This is actually a cake recipe which  , should  I say ‘transformed’ it to  a Charlotte cake .  I wanted to make it a little bit special & more presentable with this special edition orange flavoured boudoirs or ladyfingers that I’ve spotted during X’mas time at Carrefour .  A wonderful discovery but to bad these citrus flavoured boudoirs are not in the market anymore .  This Charlotte cake is not like the traditional charlotte that has chocolate mousse but with a layer of slightly spiced ,tangy & rich chocolatey flavoured cake .  I’ve used 80% cacao dark chocolate & piment  d’espelette (my favorite chilli) as in the recipe  & it was SUBLIME !  With that it’s topped with  rich chocolate ganache & kumquat syrup  that I’m sure all the chocolate lovers out there would  like . 

Happiness is making everyday sweeter than the day before . HAPPY  VALENTINE’S  DAY  EVERYONE !

Chocolate - Kumquat & Chili Charlotte

Inspired from Régal Magazine

 

Ingredients  for 4

 

About 40 boudoirs or ladyfingers

6 kumquats+ 4 for decorate

100 ml water  + 20g sugar

120g of 80% cacao dark chocolate

120g salted butter

100g powdered sugar

3 eggs

1 tbsp flour

1/ tsp d’espelette chili

4 mini cake moulds

Raffia strings

For chocolate ganache

100g dark chocolate 25 g butter

1 tbsp icing sugar

Directions:

1)      In a sauce pan combine all kumquats, water with 20g sugar & bring to a boil for 12 mins . Stir occasionally to dissolve all the sugar . Let to cool .  Remove from syrup & set aside 4 kumquats & chopped or mince the rest of the kumquat into small pieces.  

2)      Preheat oven to 180°C & grease cake moulds. Melt chocolate & butter on double boiler or bain-marie till smooth texture . Add in powdered sugar & stir in gradually eggs on at a time . Stir or mix well fir each addition .

3)      Fold in flour , d’espelette chilli & minced kumquats. Mix well till all combined . Pour ¾ batter in individual moulds  & bake for 20 mins . Let to cool before removing from moulds.

4)      For chocolate ganache : Melt chocolate pieces with butter . Stir in icing sugar till smooth .

5)      Trim off one side of each band of ladyfingers to make them exactly the same highs  & also to give a straight bottom edge . Dip the backs of the ladyfingers/ boudoirs with kumquat syrup. Assemble ladyfingers around the cake & tight it with  raffia string . Make sure that it’s well tight. Pour  in chocolate ganache  to the  top of ladyfingers & spread evenly . Chill charlotte for 1 hour .  Before serving brush on some kumquat syrup & topped with few slices of kumquats . 

Submitting this recipe to  One Ingredient challenge hosted by  Laura  of  How To Cook Good Food & co-hosting with  Franglais Kitchen . This month's challenge is all about hot  CHILLI .