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Pan Con Chocolate (Chocolate with sweet olive oil)

Recipe by Frank Camorra

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A dessert during the hard times under Franco was a square of chocolate, sprinkled with salt and nibbled with a piece of bread drizzled with olive oil. Out of the simplicity of necessity came a flavour combination that is undeniably good. The harshness of the salt throws the sweetness and richness of chocolate into stark relief. The bread gives body, and the oil extends the flavour of the chocolate. I have eaten diff erent versions of this recipe, from the poverty-inspired original on my grandfa ther’s knee to modern adaptations in super-swish restaurants in Ma drid. They all have four things in common: bread, salt, chocolate and olive oil.

Serves 6

Ingredients

300 g (10 1/2 oz) dark chocolate (50% cocoa solids), chopped
4 eggs, separated
100 g (3 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra, for greasing
2 tablespoons caster (superfine)
sugar
200 g (7 oz) firm, two-day-old
sourdough baguette, very thinly sliced
sweet olive oil such as Arbequina or Hojiblanca, to drizzle
fine sea salt, to sprinkle

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Method

Grease a 10 x 25 cm (4 x 10 inch) loaf (bar) tin and line with baking paper.
Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Allow the chocolate to gently melt for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat, then whisk in the egg yolks. Add the butter and stir until all the butter has melted.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Whisking continuously, gradually add the sugar and beat until a thick and glossy meringue forms.
Gently fold one-third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture until nearly combined, then gently fold the remaining meringue through. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/Gas 4).
Spread the bread slices in a single layer on a large baking tray, then cover with another baking tray of the same size. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the bread wafers are crisp. Leave to cool, then place the wafers in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
To serve, invert the chocolate marquis onto a chopping board and cut into slices 1 cm ( 1/2 inch) thick. Divide among chilled plates, drizzle with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt crystals — a dozen crystals or so at most — and serve with the chilled toasts. To enjoy, simply take a small amount of the chocolate and spread it over a little of the toast.

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Notes & Tips

Extract from the book MoVida Rustica
by Frank Camorra and Richard Cornish.
Published November 2009
368 pages, hardcover, 200 x 255mm
AU $59.95
ISBN 9781741964691
www.murdochbooks.com.au