Michelle coconut chock cakes

When I created the “Cook it yourself” category on this website, I imagined it as a possibility and a chance to cook great, good gluten free foods with the friends, the cooks, the people I would have met along the way.

So today I am at my friend Michelle’s home in Paris, in her kitchen, ready to bake her gluten free coconut chock cake that all the children in Olivier’s class, including mums … love eating!

Instead of starting from the ingredients, this time I have chosen to play it differently and displaying a bit of Michelle instead.

…Michelle has a liquid kitchen with red little fish, she puts love at the center of her life, she has lived in Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, San Francisco, New York, Paris, in and out the Philippines where her family currently lives. Her cake is like her, a mix of ingredients that come from her experiences all around the world.

Before we get started, I just wanted show what Michelle means for cups because as an Italian these were new to me, I use the scale all the time but I loved her little friends… so nice indeed.

STEP 1

Put the chocolate, the butter, the olive oil in a large saucepan and melt them gently on Bain Marie. When it is ready, let it cool down.

Start pre-heating the oven to 180°.

STEP 2

Put the eggs and the coconut sugar in a large bowl and beat them using an egg blender. Add the almond and the coconut flour. Mix gently with a spatula. Add the baking soda and the baking powder. At the end the chocolate + butter that have cooled down. Continue to mix.

Michelle tells me that in case you want to make this cake more Mexican style, you can add some chili or to be more Philippines, substitute the almond flour with rice one, add some coconut flakes, take a banana leaf (if it is frosted, defrost it, rinse it properly and dry it before using), display it in a cake pan, brush the banana leaf with coconut oil and pour the dough in it before baking. That will make a Michelle’s version of a traditional Bibinka cake.

STEP 3

Put the baking cups in the cupcake pans (we chose a cupcake shape but you can change it and use another one as well like a cake/pie pan to make one larger cake). Pour the dough in the cupcakes pan. Fill almost three quarter of each cup. Put the cupcakes in the oven for about 16 to 20 minutes.

STEP 4

Take them out of the oven and let them cool down.

I loved eating them the day after with red berries, my favourites! Besides the coconut sugar is so good: it has a low glycemic index, and it is much better for our health than processed or even cane sugar. It tastes great and marries beautifully with the aromas of the chocolate and the almonds.

Enjoy!