Olive oil chocolate first made the headlines in 2,000 when French chocolatier L'Espérantine de Marseille's olive oil chocolate won the coveted Cordon Bleu award at the INTERSUC conference in Paris.
The good news for olive oil and chocolate lovers is that, not only a number of chocolate manufacturers have followed suit and gone on to launch olive oil chocolate, but new research has shown that dark chocolate enriched with extra virgin olive oil improved cardiovascular risk profile in participants.
Scientists at the European Society of Cardiology recently identified two key ingredients—dark chocolate and extra virgin olive oil—as having a powerful effect on the heart health of volunteer subjects, all of whom had some form of cardiovascular risk, such as smoking, hypertension, or family history.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the olive oil and sugar and mix until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each one. Add the cocoa powder, flour, and salt and beat until a dough forms – it should be the consistency of a thick brownie batter. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda into the hot water. Add dissolved baking soda and vanilla and beat until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out heaping tablespoons onto your prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are set. Let cool completely on the baking sheets then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Pinch of sea salt Melt the chocolate, liquor, and coffee together in the top of a double boiler. Once melted, add the pinch of salt and remove from the heat. Stir the egg yolks in one at a time then add the olive oil using a hand held mixer or wooden spoon. Start whipping the egg whites and when they begin to stiffen add the sugar. Whip to stiff peaks. Fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate a quarter at a time, thoroughly amalgamating in between additions until all the whites have been folded in. Spoon the mixture into 6 to 8 individual ramekins or one large bowl, whatever you plan to serve it in.
Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform baking pan with a little olive oil and line the base with parchment paper cut to fit. Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl and whisk in the boiling water until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla, then set aside to cool slightly. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, olive oil, and eggs until you have a light, fluffy cream, about 3 minutes. Turn the speed on the mixer down and pour in the cocoa and vanilla mixture. Slowly add the flour mixture until it is evenly incorporated, stopping the mixer and scraping down the bowl as necessary. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sides are set and the top of the cake still looks slightly moist. A cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few crumbs on it. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.