I just felt like having chocolate cake!

Happy New Year 2012! Hope everyone had a good year-end break and is now refreshed to take on 2012 with more energy and UUUMMMPPPHHHHH than last year. I am certainly feeling that way, after spending the last week of 2011 in Melbourne catching up with friends and eating (non-stop!). Surprisingly, I didnt make any new year's resolutions this year. But this is what I intend to continue doing:

1. Keep up the positive energy in everything that I do and spread it to everyone around me
2. Keep an open mind, heart and approach to everything that I do
3. Focus on the "now" and make the best of it
4. Do more good through thoughts and not only through action

You'll see that the above 4 points doesn't point to a specific task or action, but an overall approach to how I would like to lead my life. I hope that I can continue this attitude everyday of my life and perhaps you might find it useful too.

About this blog - I know I have neglected it for a few months (alright, more than a few!) because I started working full time. It was in a way necessary for me to focus on getting the momentum to do a good job at work, before I resume writing. Few days ago, I received an invitation to attend Sydney's Food Bloggers 2012 get-together. I contemplated not attending the event because I do not know anyone and also because I have not written anything for a while. Then waves of motivation then hit and here I am scribbling my first post of 2012. And yes, I am going to attend the event and get to know new people :)

The weather today was so beautiful! I was at Manly beach with Jody, Joyce and their little princess, Jessica, who are visiting from KL (originally from here). Here she is with one of her 'babies' under the beautiful blue sky and cool breeze:

We spent nearly 1/2 day there. I got home feeling a bit exhausted, took a nap and 2 hours later ate leftovers from last night for dinner.But that didnt satisfy me! I wanted something yummmy like..chocolate cake! Was toying around with the idea of going to Max Brenner, but then decided against it because I was too lazy to get out of the house. Then I remembered Donna Hay's cheat chocolate molten cake recipe! And in 20mins, this is what I got:

Moist chocolatey warm goooooo that is amazingly delicious, perfect for a Saturday night at home 

(trying to sound like Nigella haha!)

It didnt exactly have a "moltenessss" centre, but was moist and oh so chocolatey! I used Callebaut's dark chocolate callets for this cake - one of the best chocolate you should use in ALL your chocolate cakes. Now, the recipe called for dark chocolate squares from a bar of dark chocolate, but I didnt have any, so I used the callets instead. With the recipe book already kept in the book case, this is what I remember from the book in my own words (small variation from the original):

Ingredients (makes 4-6 cakes)

• 160g good dark chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup (55g) plain flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup (55g) icing sugar, sifted
• 90g almond meal
• 100g butter, melted
• 2 egg whites
• a bunch of dark chocolate callets (or 6 squares of dark chocolate)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 150deg.
2. Lightly grease the moulds.
3. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth
4. Fill 1/2 the moulds with the cake mixture
5. Place a teaspoon full of the dark chocolate callets (or 1 dark choc square) into the centre and push them all the way down (for each mould)
6. Bake for 15-20mins
7. Remove from oven and rest for a few minutes
8. Turn the cakes out from the mould onto a plate and enjoy!!
9. Serve with vanilla ice-cream if you prefer.

This is my first time using any of Donna Hay's recipes, but I have to admit it is really quick and easy. If you have a craving for chocolate cake, this is the perfect recipe! No fuss, no special ingredients, no special equipment or skills needed. Just the ingredients, a mixing bowl, sift and wooden spoon. It only took me 10 mins to put everything together and another 15-20 mins wait for the cake to bake. I was eating the cake within 30mins from when I decided to make it. Awesome or what?! hahaha

So, my first question of the year to you: What is your easiest recipe used to whip up something yummy?

Cheers.