MetaChat - Small, super-dense, very dark, delicious, single-layer chocolate cake?

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17 September 2008

Small, super-dense, very dark, delicious, single-layer chocolate cake? What is that called? I would like to find a recipe, if it isn't too difficult to make. →[More:]

I know (I think) that this isn't such an unusual thing, but I don't know what these kinds of cakes are called.

Our neighbor's boyfriend had his name day yesterday, and she brought us a piece of his cake, and it was flipping excellent. I think I'd like to try to make one. Do you guys know what I'm talking about, and can you point me towards some recipes?

post by: taz at: 05:56 | 22 comments

The only thing I can think of is Sachertorte, which sometimes, not always, has a layer of apricot jam in the centre.

posted by essexjan 17 September | 06:20

This looks similar.

posted by essexjan 17 September | 06:23

It's smaller, heightwise, and denser than the images I'm seeing here, Jan. And probably wouldn't work well with a filling type thing.

Other adjectives I would use would maybe be "heavy" and "rich"... and, maybe, "strong"? "indulgent"? It's the kind of cake that you eat only a small slice of at a time, because it's so compact and zomg!-chocolatey.

posted by taz 17 September | 06:25

Oh, that one looks pretty close, Jan!

posted by taz 17 September | 06:26

Except that the last photo in the recipe section there looks pretty puffy, and this is totally not-puffy. It's the unpuffiest.

If you guys don't know what it is, do you think it would be okay if I called 911 to find out? It's a chocolate emergency.

posted by taz 17 September | 06:28

Dense, bittersweet chocolate cake.

posted by essexjan 17 September | 06:35

This looks even more perfect.

Chocolate Bête Noire

posted by essexjan 17 September | 06:41

And one using flour and ground almonds.

I think absence (or just a small amount) of flour is the key to the density of the cake.

posted by essexjan 17 September | 06:48

Oh, the Chocolate Bête Noire totally sounds right, and looks very, very close to what we had! Eureka!

This one came from a professional bakery, so of course it was shiny-perfect (it even had some sort of gold-flecked glaze on top - I bet it cost an arm and a leg), but the photo of the Bête Noire looks to me just like what it would be if you made it yourself (and were a better baker than I am).

Wheee!

It's interesting what that blogger says, because I'm not a chocolate addict either. My husband definitely is, but like this blogger, I'm more likely to order something non-chocolate, usually... but the ultra-dramatic, utter, dark, deep, insane, chocolateness of this cake was killer. And whenever I do eat chocolate, it's always dark-dark chocolate; can't hack no milk chocolate here.

posted by taz 17 September | 06:50

I seem to be late to the chocolate party (awwwwwww!) but whenever I want to make Death-By-Chocolate I make Bruce Bogtrotter's Chocolate Cake. And then people go and cut themselves an eighth of it and I have to take the knife away and cut it in thirds and hand one back to them and say, no, seriously, this is enough.

posted by Fuzzbean 17 September | 09:46

Moar receipts = happygood. :)

Seriously, I'm not often moved to try to replicate a dessert thing, but I would definitely try a few recipes in pursuit of this one.

posted by taz 17 September | 10:07

also late, but what you're describing sounds very much like what we Yanks call a flourless chocolate cake.

posted by lonefrontranger 17 September | 10:39

Oh my goodness!! You bunnies are going to kill me through drowning by drool.

posted by Claudia_SF 17 September | 10:58

Mississippi Mud Pie

Recipes.

yup, basically flourless chocolate cake.

posted by nickyskye 17 September | 11:04

Heh, speaking of not craving chocolate. Older Boy and I are chocolate fiends. You put chocolate on it or near it, we'll eat it.

The Ex and Younger Boy are decidedly not. Ex will eat some but usually put it down. Younger Boy just lets it fall out of his mouth.

There is a chocolate something cake over at the bookstore cafe just across the way that's calling to me. If it's still there Friday afternoon I'm buying up the rest of it because it will be half price. Heaven!

And for those allergic to eggs, we have Cheddar Cheese Fudge!

posted by lysdexic 17 September | 11:25

taz: In my french cookbook, there is a flourless cake (uses ground almonds). It's a very dense, rich cake and not too difficult to make. It fits your description closely (not puffy, dense, super chocolatey).

I don't have the book at work but I found someone that shared the recipe on their website.

I have made about six times and everyone has loved it. It's hard to eat more than a sliver at one time.

posted by special-k 17 September | 12:12

joy! I don't know which one to try first, but I'll let you know. Not that we need to be eating this stuff anyway, but we haz needz, and one of them now appears to be more of this cake.

posted by taz 17 September | 12:23

taz: My book has terrific pictures of the cake (2 full page spreads). Sadly Amazon does not have a look inside for this one.

posted by special-k 17 September | 12:36

My SO calls it a 'flourless chocolate cake'.

posted by pompomtom 17 September | 19:06

I made the "Le Fondant au Chocolat de Tante Amélie", and lemme tell ya, that sucker is dense enough to bend light.

posted by Triode 17 September | 22:15

Yum! New recipes to try.

I make this Triple chocolate mud cake but replace the 1/2 cup water with espresso for extra goodness. I've also replaced the ganache with toasted slivered almonds and a jam glaze before, which is really, really good.

posted by goo 18 September | 07:06

I can't seem to find the recipe to my flourless chocolate cake, but lots of these look good. I always get raves when I serve this kind of cake with a not-too-sweet raspberry sauce: raspberries, a spritz of lemon juice, a hint of ginger, and sugar to taste, simmered until it reaches perfection.

posted by bassjump 18 September | 09:27

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