Chocolate Chiffon Flan Cake

How I discovered this cake in just four steps and a few mindless hours:

Stalking Flickr --> Gargantuan thread for food bloggers --> started by Just Pic n' Julie --> who also has a blog called Little Sister Cooks.

I tried out Julie's recipe for Chocolate Chiffon Flan Cake and it was everything she promised: "Creamy leche flan on top, airy chocolate chiffon cake layer on bottom..." Yes, it's delicious. And, yes, you're technically preparing two cakes... aaand you have to let it sit in the fridge for a while before you get to eat it. But, really. It's so worth it. Promise.

Read on for Little Sister's Chocolate Chiffon Flan Cake!

Whip It

image via Marco Varinga

Are all the other blogs you're looking at today sharing recipes for shepherd's pie and Irish soda bread?

Ok, well how about we talk about the opposite of simple, hearty can't-fuck-it-up-if you try meals. And that would be... a lesson in whipping egg whites.

Whipping egg whites is about adding volume to your food. Meringues, chocolate mousse, the infamous soufflé... they all use whipped egg whites. And it's no coincidence that they're all very fancy. In celebration of one especially successful chiffon cake I made (hold your breath! recipe to come tomorrow!) I thought I'd write this post as a sort of primer to one of the dessert's make-or-break ingredients.