Whew, short weeks like this one can really slip away from you can’t they? I had really hoped to share a recipe for stuffing with you all yesterday, but instead I did something infinitely more fun. Shane and I went to the hospital to welcome a new baby into the world! No, not ours 🙂 Two of our best friends had their first baby and it was such a joy to be a part of the celebration. Congratulations Ben & Lauren! Since I’m running out of time before Thanksgiving, tomorrow I’ll be back to share the stuffing recipe as well as a pie that I think would make a great dessert on Thursday, if you’re still looking for ideas.
Today, though, is all about rich, chocolate cake. Tuesdays with Dorie is doing a rewind this week, which means everyone has freedom to go back and make any recipe they’d like from the book. I wanted something simple and something that Shane would help eat, and wound up choosing the almost-fudge gateau, a recipe that had been selected before I joined the group. It’s a single layer cake baked in a springform pan topped with a luscious chocolate glaze. Though it will completely fill your sink with dirty dishes, the recipe is not difficult and can be whipped up fairly quickly.
Two quick notes about my experience with the cake. First, as my cake cooled, the top developed a really crackly crust (the kind you crave on your brownies – photo evidence below), though oddly mostly on one side only. Dorie says in the recipe that the cake will sink as it cools (which mine did) but I wonder whether the crackly crust was common for others who’ve made the cake. The glaze is actually applied to the bottom of the cake, which was nice and flat, so no worries there. My second “issue” was with the glaze. Basically, to make the glaze you melt chocolate then add hot cream to the melted chocolate. When I added the cream, my glaze got lumpy, and no amount of stirring produced a smooth glaze.
These issues were definitely more cosmetic than anything else, as the flavor was exactly as Dorie described – moist, dense and very chocolaty. I knew it would be too rich for me to enjoy more than a bite or two, and it was, but Shane was a fan. I thought the cake was actually better on the second day. No matter when you serve it, it’ll definitely please chocolate fans. Nikki of Crazy, Delicious hosted the week this cake was chosen way back in February of 2008. You can find the recipe here on her blog or on pages 218-219 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.
Lemon Bars
Glazed Grapefruit Cake
Orange Sherbet
Meyer Lemon Pound Cake
The problem with your glaze came from melting the chocolate before adding the cream. Even if your cream was hot, your chocolate was probably hotter. By adding the cream, you cooled the chocolate, which resulted in the lumps. To make a glaze that consists only of chocolate and cream, you chop your chocolate finely, put it in a bowl, heat your cream (almost to a boil) and pour it on the chocolate.
I would have to go back to my post to see what my experience was on this cake. Yours looks fantastic! Glad you were able to make a rewind this week!
The cake looks great – crackly top and all. I haven’t tried this one yet, but next time I have a chocolate craving, I’ll have to try it.
@Delz – Thanks for your comment. While I generally make my glaze the way you described, this recipe specifically used the method I described. You’re probably right that my chocolate was too hot. Were I to use this method again I’d be sure to let the chocolate cool before adding the cream.
Looks beautiful, Tracey! 🙂
Looks so rich and delicious.
The end result is lovely. And so much chocolate!! Heavenly!!
One day it will just be U and Shane going to the hospital!!!! (HINT HINT!!) Yes, Yes, I was in the conversation last night!!!
Congrats to your friends!!
it truly looks wonderful – i would have never guessed u had any issues!
I remember this one too! It is so yummy! Im glad you enjoyed it! I made a BB crumbcake.
I made the same thing this weekend. I had the same glaze issue. COngrats to your friends on the new baby!
Thanks for your comments about this cake; I’ll pay attention to the temperature of the cream for the glaze when I make it. This is one of the few cakes that I haven’t yet made from Dorie’s book and I almost made it today but went for Classic Brownies instead! You can’t go wrong with chocolate!
I can’t remember if mine had the crackly top or not. Okay, I have a picture in my post, and apparently it did. =) It was definitely a rich cake, which is why I made raspberry sauce to go with it. And now you’ve got me wanting to make this one again, soon.
I came close to choosing this recipe for my rewind, and it’s still on the list for the Christmas week rewind. Can’t say I’m too excited about a sink full of dirty dishes, but the gorgeous cake looks worth it!
what a delicious blog! here is so many uncanny inspirations!
have a nice time,
Paula
Beautiful cake! Nothing can beat the smell of cake baking in the oven, especially chocolate cake. Great photos too!
I think the gateau looks great! Add a spoonful of peanut butter, and I would feel as though I’d died and gone to heaven :).
Your cake looks delectable, cracks or no cracks I would gobble.
That looks so lovely! I’ve had glaze and ganache problems too, but at least it always tastes good.
Great choice for a rewind. It looks so elegant and decadent!
Oh my. This looks absolutely perfect. Thank you for sharing– I can’t wait to give it a try!
My guys are always just wild about crackly crusts…they just LOVE it when I make chocolate things that do this…seriously, it’s their favorite thing. Yours looks great! Happy Thanksgiving.
That looks lovely, even with the crackly top. I will have to try this recipe sometime!
I made the gateau for the rewind too! As far as the crackly top goes, mine looks EXACTLY like yours. The flavor certainly made up for it though – especially because I have no problem with rich desserts!