I wanted to spice up this previous post for our entry into the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Adventure Contest as well as for a dinner party so I took the same recipe but I left out the warm spices of winter and substituted them with dried chilies, that I ground up in a coffee grinder (I keep one just for spices).  In order to cool down the spicy chilies I served this cake with a salted caramel gelato.  It was a hit with all our guests, even the children!

Recipe:  Flourless Bittersweet Chocolate Chili Cake

8 oz. scharffen berger bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1 stick of good quality unsalted butter

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground chilis, depending on the heat you want

4 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Creme the butter until light and fluffy.  Add the sugar and mix just to incorporate.  Add the eggs one at a time until combined.  Mix in the chocolate and chili.  Pour into a lightly buttered pan, I like to use a tart pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.  Serve.  Eat.

Recipe:  Salted Caramel Gelato

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon grey sea salt

Heat sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to melt and turn dark brown, about 3 – 4 minutes.  Once the sugar has reached the color desired, slowly whisk in the cream until well combined.  Add the milk and the vanilla bean and cook until hot about 3 minutes.    Beat eggs yolks in a medium, heat-proof bowl.   Slowly whisk  1/2 of the mixture into the yolk, constantly whisking, slowly add rest of the cream mixture and return to the saucepan.  Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.  Stir in the salt.  Transfer to a container and cool completely in the refrigerator.  Using a knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean pod. Add seeds to gelato mixture, discard pods.  Churn according to the directions of your ice cream maker.  Store in a tightly sealed container until frozen.  Serve.  Eat.