Recipe: Dark Chocolate Cakelets With Aromatic Pepper and Bacon Fat

This recipe is as easy as making brownies but yields dazzling results. If you don't have bacon fat on hand, use six tablespoons unsalted butter. Serve with whipped cream or crème fraiche, ideally with a few grains of salt.

Makes 8 to 12 individual cakelets or one 8-inch cake that will serve 8 people. (For a dramatic 10-inch cake double the recipe and use a 10-inch cake pan or spring-form pan).

    • 1 tablespoon melted butter or bacon fat, or vegetable oil, to coat the cupcake papers

    • 8 ounces bitter- or semi-sweet chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa solids), coarsely 
chopped (fresh, fragrant chocolate is essential)

    • 4 tablespoons (¹⁄₄ cup) unsalted butter

    • 2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat (click here for method)

    • ²⁄₃ cup all-purpose flour

    • ¹⁄₂ teaspoon baking powder

    • ¹⁄₄ teaspoon kosher salt

    • a few grinds (about