I'm not so good at the sugar free thing, but I have a couple of celiacs in the family, and am getting better at the gluten free requirements. It's not chocolate, but my Aunt greatly enjoyed this honey cake: FLOURLESS HONEY ALMOND CAKE From EatingWell: March/April 2009 Honey and almonds flavor this simple (and gluten-free) cake. It's lovely for afternoon tea or a spring holiday dessert. Be careful not to overbeat the egg whites, they should be white and very foamy, but not at all stiff or able to hold peaks. If you beat them too much, the cake may sink in the middle as it cools. Ingredients Cake •1 1/2 cups whole almonds, toasted (see Tip) •4 large eggs, at room temperature (see Tip), separated •1/2 cup honey •1 teaspoon vanilla extract •1/2 teaspoon baking soda •1/2 teaspoon salt Topping •2 tablespoons honey •1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip) Preparation 1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the paper. 2.Process whole almonds in a food processor or blender until finely ground (you will have about 13/4 cups ground). Beat 4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup honey, vanilla, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer (or use a paddle attachment on a stand mixer) on medium speed until well combined. Add the ground almonds and beat on low until combined. 3.Beat 4 egg whites in another large bowl with the electric mixer (use clean beaters on a hand-held mixer or the whisk attachment on a stand mixer) on medium speed until very foamy, white and doubled in volume, but not stiff enough to hold peaks, 1 to 2 minutes (depending on the type of mixer). Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. 4.Bake the cake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and gently remove the side ring. Let cool completely. 5.If desired, remove the cake from the pan bottom by gently sliding a large, wide spatula between the cake and the parchment paper. Carefully transfer the cake to a serving platter. To serve, drizzle the top of the cake with honey and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Nutrition Per serving : 234 Calories; 14 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 8 g Mono; 85 mg Cholesterol; 22 g Carbohydrates; 8 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 208 mg Sodium; 54 mg Potassium OK, here's my stab at a chocolate dessert. I don't know but I think the coconut sugar might be a very nice addition in place of the very small amount of white sugar. I'm only assuming that you can get a dark chocolate bar that would meet your specifications? CHAI CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME From EatingWell: January/February 2007 The haunting, subtle flavor of chai spices adds depth and richness to these elegant French baked custards. You could use the leftover egg whites to make meringues. 8 servings : Active Time: 40 minutes : Total Time: 5 hours (including 3 hours chilling time) Ingredients •2/3 cup whipping cream •2 1/2 teaspoons crushed cardamom pods, or 1 teaspoon bruised cardamom seeds (see Tip) •7 whole cloves •4 slices peeled fresh ginger •4 1/2 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (see Tip), finely chopped •1 1/4 cups reduced-fat milk •3 tablespoons sugar •1 large egg •3 large egg yolks •1 teaspoon vanilla extract •Whipped cream for garnish, (optional) •Crystallized ginger for garnish, (optional) Preparation 1.Position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Lay a double thickness of paper towels in a baking pan large enough to comfortably hold eight 4- to 6-ounce heatproof custard cups or ramekins. Set the cups in the pan (the paper towels will keep them in place). 2.Heat cream, cardamom, cloves and ginger in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the mixture just comes to a full boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Place chocolate in a 4-cup glass measure. Return the cream to medium-high heat and reheat to boiling. Immediately pour through a very fine sieve set over the chocolate, pressing down on the spices to extract as much flavor as possible; don't stir the chocolate. Let stand for 3 minutes, then gently stir until the chocolate completely melts and the mixture is well blended and smooth. (If the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds on High, then stir.) 3.Wipe out the saucepan, add milk and sugar, and heat just to boiling, stirring until the sugar dissolves. In a slow, thin stream, gradually stir about two-thirds of the boiling milk into the chocolate. If the mixture looks separated at any point, stop adding milk and stir the chocolate until it is smooth again before continuing. 4.Whisk egg, egg yolks and vanilla in a small bowl until well blended. While constantly whisking the egg mixture, add the remaining milk in a slow, thin stream. Strain the egg-milk mixture through a fine sieve into the chocolate mixture; stir well to combine. Evenly divide among the custard cups, about 1/4 cup each. 5.Place the pan on the low oven rack. Add enough very hot tap water to come 3/4 inch up the sides of the cups. Bake until the tops appear barely set when the cups are jiggled, 16 to 20 minutes; don't tap the tops as this will mar the surface. 6.Transfer the cups to a wire rack. Let cool thoroughly, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Let warm up just slightly before serving. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a small piece of crystallized ginger (if desired). Nutrition Per serving : 204 Calories; 15 g Fat; 8 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 132 mg Cholesterol; 17 g Carbohydrates; 4 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 36 mg Sodium; 87 mg Potassium Tips & Notes •Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. : Equipment: Eight 4- to 6-ounce glass custard cups or similar ramekins •Tips: You can use either whole cardamom pods or the peppercorn-size seeds for this recipe. Crush or bruise the seeds with the side of a chef's knife or a heavy-bottomed pan to help release the flavor. If necessary, substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom; the flavor will be fine, but the texture will be a little less silky. • Almost any semisweet or bittersweet chocolate will work in this recipe, although if you choose an extra-bittersweet one with more than a 65% cacao content, reduce the chocolate to 4 ounces and increase the sugar to 1/4 cup. I like the chai spices with the chocolate and truthfully, I like the darker chocolate without the addition of extra sugar, so I'd say sweeten it to taste. This is one that's in my "to try" file, it does use your coconut sugar, has no gluten and uses cocoa in place of a chocolate bar. I've not tried it because I have no experience with coconut sugar. GRAIN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH HONEYED RICOTTA Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake; 8 - 10 servings A light and flavorful gluten-free, refined sugar-free chocolate cake made with almond flour. Adapted from Annie Bell's Gorgeous Cakes. For the Chocolate Cake: •4 large eggs, separated •2/3 cup powdered coconut palm sugar •2 1/4 cups almond flour •3 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa powder •1 teaspoon baking powder For the Honeyed Ricotta: •3 cups low-fat ricotta •1/4 cup honey •1 teaspoon vanilla extract •pinch of kosher salt For the Topping: •1/4 cup grated carob or refined sugar-free chocolate Instructions Make the Chocolate Cake: 1.Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. 2.In a large bowl, beat together the egg yolks and powdered coconut palm sugar until pale and creamy. 3.Sift together the almond flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set aside. 4.In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites to medium peaks. 5.Stir 1/4 of the whipped egg whites directly into the egg yolk mixture. Fold the remaining egg whites into the yolks in two to three additions. 6.Fold the almond mixture into the egg mixture in three additions. 7.Transfer the batter into the prepared springform pan. 8.Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the center of the cake is set and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. 9.Run an offset spatula around the edges of the cake. Allow to cool completely in the pan. Make the Honeyed Ricotta: 10.Combine the ricotta, honey, vanilla, and salt. 11.Refrigerate until ready to use. Assemble the Cake: 12.Use a sharp, serrated knife to slice a paper thin layer off the top of the cake. This will let the moisture from the ricotta soak into the cake. 13.Cut the cake in half, being careful to keep the layers even. 14.Spread half of the ricotta mixture on the bottom layer of the cake. 15.Place the top layer on top of the ricotta. Spread the remaining ricotta on top of the cake. 16.Top with grated carob or refined sugar-free chocolate. 17.Cover and refrigerate overnight. 18.Bring to room temperature before serving. Good luck and happy birthday to your wife. Annie

Ironically, I was using coconut flour (and also nut flours) long before I went gluten-free as a way to reduce high-glycemic foods in our diet. When it comes to sorghum flour, I suggest milling your own, but I suggest that with all the whole grains because "fresh is best" - for the flavor as well as the nutrition. Sorghum is soft enough you can mill it in small batches in a coffee/spice mill. Sorghum flour tends to be gritty, so try to use it with a mixture of other textures, like oatmeal, unsweetened coconut.... Using the "soaked flour" method also helps; and when you make cookies, chill the dough overnight and that will help eliminate the grittiness. --Add 1/2 to 1 T. of cornstarch to every cup of sorghum flour to improve the smoothness and moisture retention. Arrowroot or tapioca flour can also be used measure-for-measure for cornstarch, or you can use 2 T. of Ultra Gel for every T. of cornstarch. --Use xanthan gum as a binder and for moisture retention. Add 1/2 t. of xanthan gum per cup of sorghum flour for cookies and cakes; or 1 t. per cup for breads. --Add a little extra oil or solid fat if you think your recipes are too dry. --Make small cakes, large cakes can dry out quickly. --Add an extra egg or egg white for improved smoothness and crumb structure. --Add a little extra baking powder and/or soda to boost rising properties. --Interestingly enough, you may find mixing doughs and batters longer than what you think would be necessary also helps the end results. --Sorghum flour works well combined with other grain/seed/bean flours. When working with bean flour, mill small white beans because they have the least amount of "beany" flavor. Sorghum flour, in combination with bean flour, helps cut the bitterness of bean flour. --You can also help "mask" some of the strong flavors of these gluten-free flours by choosing brown sugar, or even better, coconut palm sugar, or maple sugar, over white sugar. --Many gluten-free products and recipes use flour/starch mixtures that tend to be very low in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, and are high-glycemic, which can raise the blood sugar of diabetics. I tend to side on healthier ingredients and milling my own grains/seeds/beans for improved nutrition from the commercial all-purpose flour mixtures. Even though these commercial all-purpose flour mixtures are gluten-free, they are not healthy options, in my opinion, so I wouldn't use them frequently. You are potentially trading one health issue - gluten - for another. --Adding legume flours, ground flax, ground chia seeds, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and flour milled from corn (especially high-nutrient blue corn), are going to add a wider variety of nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. Nut flours add protein to keep the glycemic impact lower. --Potato starch is often used in combination with other gluten-free flours, but you can also add dried potato flakes to baked goods, which will aid in holding moisture. --Benefits of using sorghum flour. Sorghum is high in insoluble fiber, with relatively small amounts of soluble fiber. The protein and starch in sorghum endosperm are more slowly digested than many other cereal grains. The slower rate of digestibility of sorghum products may be beneficial to diabetics over using high-glycemic flours and starches. --Sorghum flour tastes similar to wheat flour and is mild-flavored. --Sorghum flour mixes well with corn flour in tortillas. -Grainlady

plllog- I'm strict with the amount of the fructose portion of "sugars" due to Fructose Malabsorption (aka fructan intolerance) and the list of foods I need to limit or avoid. As much as 30% of the population are deficient (to some degree) in fructose receptors and don't even realize they may have a problem. This has nothing to do with the "anti-fructose or high-fructose corn syrup" issues popular in the last few years. Fructose Malabsorption can be the cause of mild to severe GI issues. It can be hereditary, but more often it develops as we age. Your physician can perform a hydrogen and methane breath test in his office to determine whether you have this condition. With all sugars, the glucose portion is used for energy in your body - it's used by your muscles. I don't have a problem with that kind of "sugar". I can consume dextrose, corn syrup, and other sweeteners/sugars/syrups as long as they are low in fructose . I just don't use a lot of ANY of them as a general practice because high-sugar diets are basically --- deadly. But, this may be what you are missing, and I didn't make it clear, the fructose portion of a sugar goes to the liver to be processed, and that's where the problem with fructose/fructans begins. I need to avoid the fructose/fructans for this reason since having my gallbladder removed, which means your only "filter" remaining is your liver - so be kind to it and avoid fructose/fructans - PLUS the GI issues from the malabsorption issue (double trouble). But long before that, we have avoided high-glycemic foods AND sugars due to diabetes in hubby's family as a way to hopefully avoid diabetes. Two of his siblings died due to diabetes-related issues (age 55 and 66), and another is seriously ill and disabled due to diabetes (age 59) and another sibling is also a longtime diabetic (age 74), and another one has blood glucose issues, but not diabetes (65). That leaves one sister, one brother, and my husband, out of 8, who don't have diabetes. So we are dealing with several different issues, not one, and that may be where the confusion comes from. Sorry about that.... -Grainlady

Twoyur, yes, I'm allergic to coconut, but the amount in Sleevendog's dry rub is probably not enough in an individual portion to give me a reaction, other than that my food allergies are getting worse with age and I'm not about to test it. It makes my tongue and mouth furry and tingly feeling, and I don't mess with things that are breathing adjacent. The problem is when there's more coconut in it than a few grains of sugar, but one can't taste it, which is why the thought of coconut sugar is shudder worthy, as is the sheer quantity of coconut product being used nowadays. It's a known allergen, and pointed out by law in food labelling requirements, but, of course, no such thing in home cooking. When I was a kid, more of us were allergic to coconut than peanuts! Thank-you, Beesneeds and Lars, for the exceptions! Thank-you, Sleevendog, for the information. It was a very interesting post even if personally potentially poisonous. :)