breathe in: flourless chocolate cake

This past weekend, a couple friends, bf and I rented a house in the New York countryside and spent the weekend sleeping, cooking every meal, and drinking lots of red wine. Lots.

It was the kind of weekend where you embrace relaxation, stay in your sweatpants from Friday until Sunday and truly enjoy the fact that the nearest neighbors are a couple acres away. And it helped that the house we found on Craigslist was absolutely gorgeous - an old(er) farmhouse that had been completely re-done with a nature-meets-modern-design interior, a stainless steel kitchen, and a back porch the size of my studio apartment. Oh who am I kidding, it was bigger. And it had two grills. TWO!

It was the prescription I needed for a weekend when I couldn't run, couldn't hike, and was forced to keep the walking to a minimum (by order of the doc). So I read half a book (The Help is so good!!), gorged on home-cooked food (including s'mores), and did 2 loads of laundry. Because there was a washer/dryer. IN THE HOUSE.

And I obviously took advantage of the kitchen to make us dessert on Saturday to pair with our grilled steak dinner. It was the Real Simple recipe that popped into my inbox last Friday, and with so few ingredients it was an easy choice for our weekend away.

I followed the directions and it turned out... exactly like the photo. Decadent and chocolatey and just like the "molten lava cake" I always want to order on restaurant dessert menu's. This is a true winner and would make a great entertaining recipe due to its ease and deliciousness. Pair it with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream for a yummy dessert!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Real Simple

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for the pan

1/4 cup heavy cream

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

5 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

Heat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-inch springfoam pan (I used Pam for baking) and dust with cocoa powder.

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter with 1/4 cup heavy cream over medium-low heat until the butter is melted. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth; remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar and cocoa powder; whisk in the chocolate mixture.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and bake until puffed and set, 35-40 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edge of the cake before unmolding.

Tip: the cake can be baked up to 2 days in advance; refrigerate covered. Before serving, bring the cake to room temperature and dust with confectioners' sugar.