Of Closure and Con Chocolate

Recently, I found out that one of the restaurants on 7X7 magazine's Big Eat SF's 100 Things to Eat In San Francisco Before You Die has closed it's doors. Luckily we were able to enjoy #31 on the list: Pan con chocolate with sea salt and olive oil at Laiola. We ate while running, hence the quick photo and the awkward to go box. But I can attest that all my friends thoroughly enjoyed this desert, citing this as the perfect amount of chocolate with a twist of artichoke flavored olive oil and grainy sea salt. (Thank you Rebecca Bevans for snapping this photo.)

The closure of the restaurant is a total shame because we were all more than excited to go back. Morning your loss Laiola! Before we even got a chance to know you...

Luckily, Fran Gage, author of the cookbook "The New American Olive Oil: Profiles of Artisan Producers and 75 Recipes," developed a recipe for this tasty dessert before the restaurant went under. I am excited to try it, and compare it to the deliciousness we had at Laiola.

Pan Con Chocolate
4 to 6 servings

8 ounces 64% dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (51/4 ounces) heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup (1 ounce by weight) powdered cane sugar
3 tablespoons (11/2 ounces) delicate extra virgin olive oil
4 pieces of crusty bread
2 tablespoons orange or blood orange oil for drizzling
fleur de sel for sprinkling

1. Put the chocolate in a 1-quart vessel, preferably a clear one designed for use with an immersion blender.

2. Put the cream and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar.

3. Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let it sit 1 minute. Blend the two together with an immersion blender using a stirring motion, going to the bottom of the vessel, until the ganache becomes less shiny and thickens to a pudding-like consistency, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Add the olive oil in a steady stream, blending constantly. Pour the ganache into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap without touching the ganache. Keep the ganache in a cool room until it sets, preferably overnight.

5. To serve, toast bread slices and put them on plates. Scoop balls of ganache and put them next to the toasts. Drizzle both the chocolate and the toast with orange olive oil and sprinkle with fleur de sel.

6. The ganache will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week. Bring it to room temperature before serving.