Posted on: Wednesday, April 27, 2005
RECIPE DOCTOR
Call it an improved pound cake
By Elaine Magee
Q. I am looking forward to making a light chocolate marble dessert bread. Do you have such a recipe? I had this at a fancy restaurant (with chocolate ganache on top) and wanted to reproduce it at home.
A. After I finished salivating over your request, I madly went in search of a recipe that fit your description. I found it on the marthastewart.com Web site. She called it Chocolate Marble Bread — but after trying the light version, I'm calling it pound cake.
The original recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter; I used 1/2 cup of less-fat margarine and 1/2 cup of light cream cheese. I also substituted whole-wheat pastry flour for some of the white flour and took out a couple tablespoons of sugar. I replaced two of the 4 eggs with egg substitute, and I used fat-free half-and-half instead of whole milk and heavy cream. I also used a bit less chocolate than the original recipe called for.
Even with all the changes, the end result was a pound cake that looked and tasted sinfully delicious. We cut the calories by 34 percent and the fat grams by 56 percent!
Original recipe contains 380 calories, 25 grams fat, 15 grams saturated fat, and 136 mg cholesterol per slice.
GANACHE-TOPPED CHOCOLATE MARBLE BREAD
Ganache:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 8 1/2-inch loaf pan with canola cooking spray and lightly dust with flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk the whole-wheat, white flour, salt and baking powder to blend well.
In a separate bowl, melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave (heat on 50 percent power for 30-60 seconds). Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat margarine and light cream cheese on low speed until smooth (about 2-3 minutes). Add 2/3 cup sugar and increase speed to medium. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, then egg substitute, 1/4 cup at a time. On low speed, beat in flour mixture and 1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half in three batches, alternating between the flour and the half-and-half. Beat until just combined.
Pour half of the batter into the loaf pan. Gently whisk the melted chocolate into the remaining batter. Drop the chocolate batter by spoonfuls into the loaf pan. Use a table knife to cut through the mixture in a swirling motion (to create the marbling).
Bake until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Unmold the pound cake and let cool completely.
For ganache topping: Microwave 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of fat-free half-and-half on high about 30 seconds and stir until chocolate is melted. Let mixture cool for about 10 minutes to thicken then spread over the top of the cooled cake. Ganache will set in about 1 hour.
Makes 1 (8 1/2-inch) loaf (12 slices).
• Per serving (one slice): 250 calories, 7 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 3.4 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat), 48 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 253 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 39 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids .6 g. Omega-6 fatty acids 1.3 g. Weight Watchers points 5. Elaine Magee's new book is "Fry Light, Fry Right." Reach her at doctor@recipedoctor.com. Personal responses can't be provided. This column is distributed by Knight Ridder News Service.
