Evilsciencechick

We did it. We bought a couch. Well, ORDERED a couch. This couch:

From this website.

There were two reasons we decided to go with furnitureXO instead of Ashley Furniture. One was price. The price of the couch was the same at both, but at FurnitureXO there was no sales tax (they are PA based) and there was a 5% off coupon for all new customers - that saves us a total of $108. Plus they offer free (curbside) delivery - saving us MORE money.

The second reason is that a woman Kev works with got screwed over pretty royally by Ashley Furniture a while back - what was delivered was of poorer quality than what she picked out, they gave her grief and problems when she complained and wanted it sent back, etc, etc. Kev didn’t want to risk it, and didn’t want to send any business there way.

Please feel free to throw this back in my face when our couch arrives damaged beyond all reckoning. Though the website promises that they will repair or replace at no cost to us if there are problems, it’s not like we can go banging on their door in Philly if we’re not happy.

I CAN BLOG ABOUT IT, THOUGH! SO WE’D BETTER BE FANFUCKINGTASTICALLY HAPPY WITH OUR COUCH, BITCHES!

2-4 weeks for delivery. Let the waiting game begin.

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RECIPE TIME!

My knitting/spinning buddy Sandy has recently found out that gluten is a very very bad thing for her health and well being and, as you might expect, is kind of bummed about it. As I love my friend dearly, I did not want her feeling bummed, or deprived, or left out of any kind of yummy food goodness. So at knit night last night at Knitch, I brought her cake.

Flourless chocolate cake.

Oh good lord, there is no way anyone can feel deprived eating this cake. Even if you are completely gluten tolerant and cram your face with bread and pasta at every opportunity (*looks around innocently*), you will love this cake. I have blogged about it before - I got the recipe from another blogger, and I make it every year for my choir retreat, as there is a woman in my choir who is similarly afflicted.

Since there were several people last night who demanded the recipe, I will post it here again.

The cake LOOKS complicated, and it’s a little fussy - two double boilers and such. But it’s really not so bad if you get everything prepped ahead of time before you start, and let me tell you…it is SO WORTH IT!

recipe after the jump:

BEST DAMN FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE EVAH

16 oz. best quality bittersweet chocolate
1 C. unsalted butter(cut into tbs squares for easier melting)
pinch of salt
6 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 C. sugar (optional)
1 t. vanilla or up to 2T. flavored liqueur of your choice (optional) (I used Grand Marnier)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Butter a 9″ springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter paper. Coat bottom and side of pan generously with superfine sugar (my springform is SUPER NONSTICK, so I just buttered, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and left it at that. I had no problems). Wrap outside of pan well with a double layer of aluminum foil. You’ll also need a roasting pan or deep baking sheet that the cake pan can fit into.

In double boiler or (carefully!) in microwave, combine chocolate and butter and melt. Stir to blend, add salt; if using vanilla or liqueur, stir into chocolate mix and set aside.

Place eggs in large bowl set over simmering water, mix with hand mixer constantly until warmed through (do not allow eggs to begin to set). Remove from heat and whip until tripled in volume and soft peaks form. If using, add sugar slowly to eggs once they begin to froth.

Fold about 1/3 of eggs into the chocolate mixture until almost incorporated, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl well. Gently fold in remaining egg mix just until blended, again being sure to scrape to the bowl’s bottom.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Set the pan in the roasting pan, and gently pour very hot water in the roasting pan to a depth of about 1″.

Place pans in oven; bake cake for 5 minutes. Cover top of cake loosely with buttered foil and bake 10 minutes more. The cake will look soft.

Remove from oven and carefully remove from roasting pan (watch for the dripping hot water). Cool on wire rack 45 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm (about 3 hours). To unmold, wipe sides of pan with hot, damp towel. Run thin knife around inside of pan and release side. Place plastic-wrapped plate (NOT serving plate) atop and invert cake. Wipe bottom of pan with hot, damp towel and remove. Peel off parchment paper. Reinvert cake onto serving plate. Or just leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan and server. Who cares how it’s presented, IT’S DAMN GOOD CAKE!