Baking a cake over the coals? Quelle idée.

But pizza bakes perfectly over blazing charcoal, so why not biscuits, or rhubarb pie, or even a flourless chocolate cake?

As any good French chef would do, I headed straight for the flourless chocolate cake, set it over the coals, closed the cover and held my breath.  When I opened the cover Voila!  A perfectly puffed, gloriously tender cake was ready to be cooled and served.  When I did, the oohs and aahs drowned out the church bells, not an easy thing to do.

BARBECUE AS OVEN

So of course, the barbecue is an oven.  Baking a cake in it (or on it) is proof.  And even as the coals glow, they don’t lend a smokey flavor unless you want them too. Naturally, for a flourless chocolate cake I didn’t want any and I didn’t get any.

THE NUMBER ONE CAKE

I’ve had this recipe up my sleeve for awhile – it’s consistently voted no. 1 dessert in this country. There is every reason why, including that it contains five ingredients (salt is one), all of which you’ve probably got in your pantry, it takes 5 minutes to make, its so luscious that you want to eat the whole thing. And now, it can be baked to perfection over charcoal.

learn more about French baking, join a class: www.onruetatin.com 

FULL MEAL ON THE BARBECUE

What’s great about this whole concept of dessert over the coals is that you grill a full meal then. as the coals begin to wane, you use their heat to bake dessert so that just when you’re ready, it is too.

Bon courage et Bon Appétit!

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