...and chocolate. Apparently this combination is starting to pop up everywhere... I guess it was the logical next step after bacon and chocolate. That trend is still going strong here, by the way, but then pig fat in general has a mighty following in this city.

Anyway, as much as I want to roll my eyes at food trends sometimes, anything that involves chocolate and salt gets my automatic support. Combining these two will definitely get you a mixed reaction-- about 50% OMG THAT SOUNDS DELICIOUS and about 50% I AM VOMITING IN MY MOUTH AT THE MERE THOUGHT. I bet even your more skeptical friends might be convinced, though, if you can just get them to try it. I find that taunting people and calling them pussies usually does the trick.

Flourless chocolate cake with blue cheese whipped cream

10 oz dark chocolate (anywhere from 58-70%)
5 oz butter
5 eggs
3.5 oz sugar

Whipping cream
A tasty but mild blue cheese (I used Roquefort)


1 Preheat the oven to 350.
2 Heat the cream and blue cheese together gently, just enough to melt the cheese into the cream. The ratio is pretty much to taste-- but start with a small chunk, if only because you'll have an easier time getting a nicely-textured whipped cream. Chill.
3 Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler.
4 Whip the eggs and sugar until very light and thick. Spoon out some batter and let it fall back in the bowl; it should make a "ribbon" or hold its shape for just a couple seconds before it melts back in.
5 Fold the chocolate and whipped egg mixture together.
6 Pan and bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until the center springs back lightly when touched. The cake will sink a little after baking.
7 Whip the cream to a soft peak. I found that it had a tendency to start to curdle with all the extra fat from the blue cheese-- if this happens (and you haven't made butter yet), just add some more liquid cream and fold it in gently until it's a good texture again. If you have made butter, just start over.

Goddamn these things are good. While gougères may technically be cheese puffs, you'll sound much smarter and sexier if you call them by their French name. Thanks to the Magic of French People, these balls of flour, butter, eggs and cheese (pâte à choux, the same basic dough used for profiteroles, eclairs, and beignets) turn into melty eggy delicious appetizer goodness in the oven. AND THEY'RE SO EASY TO MAKE, DUDES:

Basic Gougères

1 c water
3 tbsp unsalted butter, diced
3/4 tsp salt
1 c all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, chilled
1 cup grated cheese (gougères are traditionally made with gruyère, but I generally use whatever I have on hand)
freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2 Bring the water, butter and salt to a simmer in a saucepan, whisking while butter melts.
3 Add the flour, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.
4 Continue to stir. The dough will form a ball and change texture slightly. It will begin to leave a slight film on the bottom of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and let the dough cool a bit (so you don't accidentally scramble the eggs).
5 Add the eggs one at a time with an electric mixer.
6 Once the eggs are fully incorporated, stir in the cheese and pepper.
7 Drop by spoonfuls (or pipe with a pastry bag for prettier puffs) onto the baking sheets. Leave a few inches between each one so they have room to get all nice and puffy. Press down any large peaks with a wet finger.
8 Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking, until golden brown and delicious.

The dough, ready to have the eggs mixed in.


A batch ready to go in the oven.