A recipe challenge!

[JulieM]

A friend of my daughter's makes a cake that everyone thinks is to die for, and I'd like to try to duplicate it. She won't part with the recipe and says it's been handed down in the family and is only passed to family members. The cake is only the thickness of fudge, or small brownies, and it tastes like a cross between fudge and brownies, except that it's a little "gritty" with sugar crystals. She bakes it in a pie plate, and serves it upside down with a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar. It doesn't have any other mystery taste, just very chocolatey. The texture is somewhat cakey like a brownie, but moist and dense like fudge. Anyone have any recipes that might compete with this?

[Leanne]

My mom makes a fudge pie that kind of sounds like what you're talking about - except she puts a crust on it. I don't know why you couldn't do it without the crust & flip it like your friend does. If you want the recipe - I'll email my mom. I remember that it's really easy. It is fudgy-brownie like & you can tell the "gritiness" of the sugar.

[JulieM]

Wonderful Leanne! Please post the recipe when you can and thanks for the help. :)

[alli]

Julie-

I have made a cake kind of close to what you are describing, called Chocolate Ganache cake from Ina Gartnen's latest book. You bake it in an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan and flip the cake over and pour the chocolate glaze over it. It was sooo good! Hope this helps

Good Luck!

[Peeps]

Sounds almost like "Chocolate Stuff" from the Sweet Potato Queens books...

[Leanne]

Here it is - again, maybe try just leaving off the crust part & flipping it like your friend does.

Leanne's Mom's fudge pie:

1 stick butter softened (not melted)
2 eggs
1/4 cup cocao
1/4 cup self rising flower
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Take eggs & butter out ahead of time to reach room temp. Combine all ingredients. Pour into crust. Bake on 350 until done. 30-45 minutes depending on you oven, mom says. It will look puffed up & done when ready. (It doesn't stay puffed up though - it falls to look like a brownie & the inside stays melty like fudge or an undercooked brownie.)

[Rae]

This sounds a little like a flourless chocolate cake. Have you tried any recipes for chocolate cake or tortes that do not call for flour to see if it is the same texture etc?

[beejayw1]

Flourless cakes -

That's a good thought. There's a recipe (and of course I'm not home so I can't get it) where you make a chocolate mousse, in essence, and bake it. Thick and fudgy.

Speaking of thick, fudgy and chocolatey, have you tried making a Wellesley Fudge Cake? Takes 1/2 lb baker's chocolate (4 for the cake, 4 for the frosting). To die for.

Diana

[Beth]

This is the Chocolate Stuff from the Sweet Potato Queens book. I haven't tried it.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chocolate Stuff

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 eggs
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 cup flour, all-purpose
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup butter -- melted
2 tablespoons Hershey's® cocoa -- heaping
1 teaspoon vanilla extract -- running over
3/4 Cup pecans -- chopped(optional)

Beat the eggs together with sugar and flour. Add salt.

Add melted butter and cocoa, then vanilla, and nuts if desired.

Pour into a greased loaf pan and set the loaf pan into a pan of water. Bake at 300 degrees 40-50 minutes. Top should be crunchy, and bottom still gooey.

Description:
"Desert"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 359 Calories (kcal); 26g Total Fat; (64% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 104mg Cholesterol; 265mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Peeps]

Beth - was it really necessary for you to include the nutritional info (although I use the word "nutritional" lightly here) with the Chocolate Stuff recipe? :p I was almost intrigued enough to try it sometime when I needed a HUGE splurge but now I'll have that 26 GRAMS OF FAT stuck in mind forever when I think about it! :eek: Aaahhh! I suppose I should be thanking you though, now I'll probably never make it.

[Beth]

LOL. I usually clip that off when I post because I don't trust the way I enter and MC calculates the nutritional info., but I have extra kids, phone calls and other stuff all going on at the same time...I goofed. But even so, if I have to have a dose of fat, color mine chocolate! ; )

[Personal Chef]

I've never tried this recipe, but I don't see why you couldn't use a pie plate and flip it over. Read the reviews from epicurious for feedback and tips.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

For cake
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 large eggs, separated
12 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For glaze
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
9 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Chocolate shavings or Gold-brushed Chocolate Leaves

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper or waxed paper; butter paper. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm, stirring often.

Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until mixture is very thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Fold lukewarm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture, then fold in vanilla extract. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until medium-firm peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake until top is puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will fall).

Gently press down crusty top to make evenly thick cake. Using small knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Place 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round atop cake. Invert cake onto tart pan bottom. Peel off parchment paper.

Make glaze:
Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.

Place cake on rack set over baking sheet. Spread 1/2 cup glaze smoothly over top and sides of cake. Freeze until almost set, about 3 minutes. Pour remaining glaze over cake; smooth sides and top. Place cake on platter. Chill until glaze is firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; store at room temperature.) Garnish with chocolate shavings or leaves. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 10 to 12.


Bon Appétit
January 1999

[JulieM]

WOW! All of these suggestions really sound great. I'm not an experienced enough cook to guess which recipe would come the closest to what I'm looking for. I guess I'll just have to try them all.. poor me :D I'll let you know the results, and thanks a bunch for the help!

[Mamasue]

Julie...this cake is made in a cake pan and not pie plate. It is dense, chocolatety and moist. Presentation is everything with this cake.
Oh, and its not low fat! :D

* Exported from MasterCook *

Chocolate Potato Cake

Recipe By : Mamasue
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes/Cupcakes/Icings Chocolate


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup mashed potatoes, cold and plain
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch nutmeg -- freshly ground
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
confectioners' sugar for dusting cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9-inch round cake pan and line the base with waxed paper or parchment paper. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, oil and eggs. Whisk in potato.

In another bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter into the cake pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched lightly. Let cool (in pan) on a rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a rack and let cool thoroughly. Transfer to a plate and sift confectioners' sugar over top. I use a paper doily as template on top of cake and then sift confectioners' sugar.

Makes one 9-inch cake; serves 12.


NOTES : (The surprise ingredient in this cake, mashed potatoes, keeps it exceptionally moist. This is a great dessert to take to a friend's house for dinner too! To serve I plate it up with a coating of raspberry puree, place a wedge slice of cake on top with either a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whip cream. Use your imagination plate it up differently-maybe white chocolate sauce with fresh raspberries!!!
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[maizeyoats]

Julie,
Just think of the fun you will have testing out all these recipes until you find the right one. As the most qualified chocoholic in existence I could help in the search but only you know the taste you are looking for.
I just hate when someone will not share a recipe!!!!!
I found this recipe in Bon Appetit and I think this will please any chocolate lover. Incidentally I have just recently bought 4 cookbooks all devoted to chocolate. I really have refrained from looking at them yet.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

For cake
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 large eggs, separated
12 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For glaze
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
9 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Chocolate shavings or Gold-brushed Chocolate Leaves

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper or waxed paper; butter paper. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm, stirring often.

Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until mixture is very thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Fold lukewarm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture, then fold in vanilla extract. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until medium-firm peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake until top is puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will fall).

Gently press down crusty top to make evenly thick cake. Using small knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Place 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round atop cake. Invert cake onto tart pan bottom. Peel off parchment paper.

Make glaze:
Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.

Place cake on rack set over baking sheet. Spread 1/2 cup glaze smoothly over top and sides of cake. Freeze until almost set, about 3 minutes. Pour remaining glaze over cake; smooth sides and top. Place cake on platter. Chill until glaze is firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; store at room temperature.) Garnish with chocolate shavings or leaves. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 10 to 12.

[maizeyoats]

oops,
Looks like personal chef posted the same recipe...so you know it has to be good. :D
Personal chef sorry for trying to steal your thunder I just got carried away with all this chocolate talk! :p

[Vanessa]

When a friend & I made flourless chocolate cake we made a syrup with thawed frozen rasberries and drizzle on top of the cake...Oh it was so....good! I don't have the recipe at hand but can find it .

[Laura B]

Now, Beth, the recipe for Chocolate Stuff just isn't the same without writing the directions like they are in the book! :p

I will at least add an excerpt from the book describing Chocolate Stuff:

This will be the best thing that has happened to you in a very long time, possibly ever. From now on, for as long as you live, just the simple act of getting out the bowl to make Chocolate Stuff will have an incredibly assuaging effect on your psyche. I can say, without fear of contradiction, there is virtually nothing, not one situation, that can't be faced with calm and grace and serenity if you have Chocolate Stuff. You can eat it and feel better fast, and when it wears off, you can just make another batch.

[Beth]

Well, the mental image of standing there with spoon in hand was still present in my mind , but I shared the book, so I didn't have the additional text to refer to. Thanks for adding it.

Like your title.

[Laura B]

Originally posted by Beth
Well, the mental image of standing there with spoon in hand was still present in my mind , but I shared the book, so I dodn't have the additional text to refer to. Thanks for adding it.

OK. You're forgiven. ;)