Chocolate cassava cake

[Dan Lepard]

You've probably seen these large phallic tubers at the local Asian deli and wondered what to do with them. Make this seriously good moist chocolate chip cake. Just make sure to wash the grated root really well. If you can't get cassava just use grated swede (no need to soak it), but it wont have the same delicacy or moistness. Perfect with a nip of good dark rum.

225g whole cassava root, peeled
4 tbsp cocoa
50g desiccated coconut
250ml coconut milk
1/2 tsp each ground nutmeg and allspice
150g unsalted butter, softened
200g natural or golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
200g plain flour
50g cornflour
2 tsp baking powder
150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Finely grate the cassava root and wash it thoroughly in three or four changes of water, each time squeezing it out well. Then soak the cassava in water for 3 -4 hours, or overnight. Finally squeeze the cassava as dry as you can and leave on a plate. Meanwhile, whisk the cocoa, coconut and milk with the spices in a saucepan, bring to the boil, simmer for a minute then leave to cool. Next beat the butter and sugar until smooth and light then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the cassava and coconut mixture. Sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder together, beat this through then stir in the chocolate. Spoon into a 20cm round tin lined with non-stick baking paper and bake at 180C (160C fan) for 50 - 60 minutes.

[barnacle]

Sitting here waiting for the cassava to soak...

While you wait, use the excess cassava - you're bound to have bought more than the 225g required! - by chopping into 2-3cm chunks, boiling in salted water for about fifteen minutes, draining, and deep frying until golden.

Mandioca frita! Yum...

Neil

[Jeremy]

Neil,
Grate and fill with scallions and cheese fry like patties, torta de yucca!
Dan, do take pictures and I will give this a go for the Dominican guy's at work!


Jeremy

[Dan Lepard]

There were pictures taken by Franka and I think they'll get uploaded any day now.
Dan

[barnacle]

Hmm. I think I cooked a little too long; taste is good but it's a little dry. I suspect I could have used a finer grate on the mandioca too. Next time...



Also - I used 80% chocolate. I suspect most people would find it excessively bitter, or at least insufficiently sweet. I'm diabetic and have to watch my sugar intake, so I'm ok!

Neil

[DavidW]

Here, with apologies for its lateness, is a link to the article which Franka Philip wrote for Caribbean Beat about baking with Dan, and this recipe in particular - I was lucky enough to be 'guest taster' that day, and if anyone has been wondering about this recipe but has held off making it, I would nudge you towards giving it a try.

Anyway, the link:http://www.meppublishers.com/online/caribbean-beat/current_issue/index.php?pid=1000&id=cb96-2-76

We had such a happy and fun day with Franka here, hope she'll spend more time with us soon !