This cake looks innocent enough sitting here on this plate. It's not.
I'm not sure how this works, but it does. I took some of this to work today, and someone said.. and I quote.... "this is so good... I don't even like chocolate... this is sooo good."
It's not a flourless chocolate cake. There are actually 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour in it. The cake consists of bittersweet chocolate, eggs, bourbon, sugar, and lots of butter. One nine inch cake serves 12.. or maybe more. It's very dense.
Think chocolate souffle, crossed with dense brownie, crossed with fudge, crossed with lava cake. And topped with a white chocolate cream. I don't know how else to describe it.
The recipe offers two mixing alternatives. I made this cake batter in a food processor. To use the food processor method, you place chopped bittersweet chocolate in the bowl, pour in the boiling bourbon and sugar mixture, add in butter, one slice at a time, and then add in the eggs, one at a time, and then add the flour. Pour the batter into a cake pan and bake for exactly 30 minutes. Done.
The only drama might be the process of removing the cake from the pan.
The only thing I did differently was to add about 1/8 tsp of salt to the flour before adding it to the batter.
I also added a pinch of salt to the white chocolate cream.
The recipe was contributed by Lora Brody to the book Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan. While you are supposed to create the white chocolate cream topping the day before, this really isn't necessary as it will set up pretty quickly. Other than chopping the chocolate, this cake takes very little time to create, and it bakes in 30 minutes. If you make it a day in advance, you can microwave the servings for a few seconds to warm them if you like.
To get the recipe, visit our Tuesdays with Dorie host, Cathy of A Frederick Food Garden. She's got the scoop on her site.
To see all of the TWD bakers' results, visit the links here.
Make this recipe for chocolate lovers in in your circle. They will LOVE you.
Changes I made: I added some salt to both the topping and the cake.
Changes I would make: I'd cut the topping recipe in half, or skip it and top the cake with whipped cream or cream Anglais.
Glad your boca negra turned out great. I had issues with getting mine out of the tin but in the end it turned out a-ok!
ReplyDeleteYes, I had to slam mind down hard to make it fall out of the pan. Fortunately, it stayed in one piece!
DeleteIt turned out wonderful Karen! I made a pudding, not a cake, but the flavor is amazing either way!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like it came out perfectly. I agree that only half the vanilla cream was needed (although, it was pretty good slathered on strawberries too)
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea Cher.
DeleteI am going to try this on weekend with vanilla cream.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds perfect! And maybe a drizzle of chocolate sauce?
DeleteWhat a good job, your cake looks wonderful and so yummy!!!
ReplyDeleteNicely done! Love the look of the dollop of cream in the third picture. I agree that half of the cream recipe would be more than enough. I plan on piping the extra into strawberries for a quick dessert.
ReplyDeleteKaren, what a very lovely presnetation of your picture perfect Boca Negra - the photos are truly wonderful! It is nice to see and read that this intense chocolate cake was liked by so many of the TwD bakers - it is really an amazingly good recipe!
ReplyDeleteHave a good Wednesday!
Beautiful cake…lovely presentation! I agree, the drama was trying to remove the cake from the pan!!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done! Mine had a whole lot of drama, but it did taste incredible!
ReplyDeleteGreat looking shots of your cake. Yum! I loved this recipe. I loved that is was so easy yet looks so elegant.
ReplyDeleteKaren, your cake looks delicious! I love your plates, they really present this innocent looking cake beautifully!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Those plates are from my mother's wedding China. I thought this cake deserved an elegant plate. =)
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