Gluten free Chocolate Cake

This is so easy and too delicious for words, so don't talk about it - get eating!!

Serves: 12  (midgets)

• 250g plain chocolate, chopped (preferably fine Belgian)
• 1 1/2 (400g) tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4 eggs
• 150g caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon gluten free baking powder (surely all baking powder is gluten free?)
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar

Method
Prep:15min  ›  Cook:40min  ›  Extra time:15min  ›  Ready in:1hr10min  

1. Preheat the oven to 180º C / Gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm round cake tin, line with parchment and then grease again.
2. Place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.
3. Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the sugar and the baking powder, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin.
4. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
   

Romesco Sauce

I was recently watching "Masterchef - the Professionals", when one of the contestants made a Romesco Sauce. I've always wanted to do one so I decided to find out the correct way. There's a website called "Helen's Kitchen" and, as she is Spanish, I figured hers was probably more authentic than most others. She didn't offer ingredients but I took notes; they are as follows:

2 red bell peppers/paprikas
2 cloves (fairly large) of garlic, sliced down the middle
1/3 C whole almonds
3 Tbl olive oil (possibly less)
4 lg sundried tomato halves
Handful of fresh Parsley/Basil/Cilantro
1 tsp Pimentòn/smoked paprika
Pinch ancho chile powder (I used the Pimentòn with a pinch of smoked pepper, assuming pimentòn was just authentic paprika powder)
Salt
Pomegranate molasses (I actually had this in the house, probably from a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe!)
Note: the measurements are approximate as she cooks the way we do! Ample sauce for at least four people.

Method:

1. Slice the peppers down the sides to get four large slices. Lay them on a sheet of aluminium foil and grill/broil until they are charred completely black. Wrap them in the foil to stand and cool.
2. Warm olive oil in frying pan and add almonds and garlic 'til the almonds start to brown on one side, ±5 mins - keep your eye on them as they burn quite suddenly. Set aside to cool;
3. To the Magimix/food processor add the sundried tomatoes, the peppers, herbs, paprika powders, almonds, garlic and oil, 1 tsp pomegranate molasses.
4. When the peppers have cooled down, the skins should peel off easily. Helen prefers to roast and peel her own peppers. You can, of course, use an equivalent amount of store-bought roasted peppers. (A blender is a possibility but not preferred.)
5. Add these to the Magimix and process but not too finely. 
6. Taste and add salt accordingly.

Helen says you can serve this sauce to improve the taste of practically everything.
Jon was absolutely blown away with this sauce, so I thought I'd put it here for you, and for me as future reference!