Food'N'Flix {May 2012}: Sideways

Tina, the blogger behind Life in the Slow Lane at Squirrel Head Manor, is the hostess of this month's Food'N'Flix. Food'N'Flix was started by one of my favorite foodie bloggers Heather of girlichef.com: "We are just a bunch of FOODIES who like to watch movies that make our belly rumble and our mouth water and then head into the kitchen to cook or bake something inspired by what we watched."

Tina's pick for May: "Sideways."

Click here for her invitation to participate. Cheers!

After seeing the movie, the first time around in 2004, when my husband and I found ourselves in Los Olivos during a birthday celebration weekend, we popped into the Los Olivos Café, one of the places where Jack, Miles, Stephanie and Maya ate. I decided to recreate one of the things we tried while we were there. The Café calls theirs a 'Chocolate Scream' and serves it with homemade ice cream and caramel sauce. I skipped the ice cream, but did whip up a decadent flourless chocolate cake with a rich and creamy caramel sauce. To die for... 

THE CAKE

· 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
· ¼ cup espresso and amaretto
· 10 tablespoons butter
· ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
· 6 large eggs, separated
· ¼ teaspoon salt
· 2 cups almonds, toasted and finely ground

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease and dust a 9-inch springform pan with unsweetened cocoa powder. Line the bottom with parchment.

In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and coffee.

With an electric mixer and a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until ivory colored. Add the egg yolks, two at a time. Continue to beat until the mixture is light and airy. Fold in the cooled melted chocolate.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks. With the beater running, add two tablespoons sugar and beat until glossy. Fold the ground almonds into the whites. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg white mixture.

Pour into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 350°F. Bake 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325°F. Bake an additional 45 minutes. Turn the oven down to 300°F and bake 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave in the oven, with the door ajar, for another 30 minutes.

Cool on a rack. Remove the sides of the pan. 

THE SAUCE

1/2 C organic granulated sugar
1/2 C butter
1/2 C sour cream

Place the sugar and butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Bring to a boil on medium heat, whisking continuously. The mixture will go from pale to foamy. Once it gets smooth and creamy, the sugar will begin to burn, keep whisking till the burnt sugar is a uniform color: a deep rich caramel. Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream. If any lumps develop, return the pan to the heat and stir until they dissolve. The mixture will be streaky but become uniform after cooling slightly and stirring.

Serve slim slices of cake - it's rich! - and drizzle with the caramel. Oh, don't forget a glass of pinot noir because, as Miles says, "I am NOT drinking any f----ing Merlot!"

Oh, and I thought I'd toss in a photo of us from our wine-tasting trip down there.

What fun this was! Next month is my month; we'll be whipping up something exotic while watching "Mistress of Spices." Enjoy. ~Camilla