Tiny Coconut Chocolate Cakes (Gluten-Free)

My mother is allergic to egg whites. When I visited her recently, I made her quite a few scrambled egg yolks for breakfast. By the end of the visit I had a big vat of egg whites in the fridge. We used some of the egg whites up making a Macadamia Nut and Tropical Fruit Torte, but there was still a full cup left on the day I had to leave. So, my mother and I made chocolate coconut cakes topped with the extra whipped cream (also leftover from the torte) and she took them to her co-workers at the Makawao Public Library. My mother tells me they were a big success at work, so I am posting this recipe for all the ladies at the Makawao Library.

Technically, these cakes are financiers, a cake made with egg whites, melted butter and nut flour (a more classic example is this brown butter hazelnut buckwheat financier). But Coconut flour does not behave like other nut flours. It is very starchy and has an amazing ability to absorb liquid and create a fluffy texture. The cakes have a bit of a chewy crust and nice slightly gooey center. They have a terrific coconut flavour.

I tested them a few more times when I got home and discovered that they need to be quite small in order to cook all the way through without burning on the bottom. I also discovered that the batter hold it’s shape really well, so if you are inclined to sculpt them into a fancy shape with a pastry bag the result is excellent! Finally, these cakes taste better after a day (or two or three) if you can stop yourself from eating them right away!

TINY COCONUT CHOCOLATE CAKES (GLUTEN-FREE)

10 tablespoons butter
4 oz dark chocolate
1 and 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup egg whites (from 7 or 8 eggs)
a pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking Sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease the sheet and dust it with rice flour.
Put the egg whites in a clean, dry, large bowl and leave them sitting out at room temperature while you prep the other ingredients.
Heat the butter over a medium-low flame in a small heavy bottomed sauce pan. Keep your eye on it. Eventually, the butter will foam up and the solids will sink to the bottom and turn a golden brown colour. When this happens, strain the butter through a fine mesh sieve, add the chocolate chips to the warm browned butter and whisk until the mixture is melted and combined.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut flour, cinnamon and half the sugar.
Add a pinch of salt to the room temperature egg whites and whip them until they form soft peaks. Beat in the remaining cup sugar in a slow steady stream. Continue beating, until the whites form soft peaks again.
Starting with the coconut sugar mixture, alternately fold the dry ingredients and cooled butter and chocolate mixture into the egg whites in 3 parts each. Pipe or scoop out the little cakes making sure that each one is only about 1/4 cup batter.
Bake the cake for 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out of the center of the cakes clean. Allow them to cool before eating. They are good by themselves or with whipped cream.