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Alex Rast

at Wed, 03 May 2006 15:26:27 GMT in
. com>,
(Gigi) wrote :

>Hi Alex--
>
>I appreciate your comments on my Grand Prize winning recipe and wanted
>to clarify a few things.

Sounds like you're a bit of a victim of "The Company reserves the right to
make modifications to winning entries, subject to its discretion...etc.
etc.!) I need to make note of that because if that's the typical case, then
probably I shouldn't enter in recipe contests because most of mine tend to
have been exactly fine-tuned to achieve a very specific flavour/texture
result and any modifications can have drastic effects on the outcome.

>
>1. When I make this cake at home, I always use a higher % chocolate
>product (at least 60%) than what was specified in the published
>version. I "softened" it a little to make it more appealing to the
>average chocolate consumer. Unfortunately, not everyone is as crazy
>about dark chocolate as you and I are!

I was actually criticising more the judges of the contest, or perhaps the
promoters! Why call a contest "Is your dessert intense enough?" if the
desired outcome isn't intensity. My position would be that if *any*
reduction in intensity were necessary to win a contest named like that then
they have the wrong name or intent for the contest in question.

>2. I haven't tried the original recipe you referenced, but I'm
>guessing it is a bit more dense than my version.

Believe it or not, it may actually be *less* dense in texture. The water-
bath method usually leads to higher density (because in an oven-bake
approach high, dry heat causes bubbles in an egg-foam to expand and the
mixture then to set, generating more air), all else being equal. However,
as specified you use more eggs. The key point about the original Chocolate
Decadence recipe however is that it would definitely be more intense,
simply because the chocolate ratio is higher.

> My intention was to
>create a texture that was somewhere between a pudding and a flourless
>chocolate cake - hence, doubling the number of eggs and increasing the
>butter.

This sometimes goes by the name of "chocolate mousse cake". It's not the
fashionable one I allude to but rather the baked chocolate mousse cake that
also occasionally appears. Most such cakes actually call for a decreased
amount of butter relative to what you're using - and certainly increasing
the butter increases the density somewhat. By fiddling with relative ratios
of chocolate and butter you could probably achieve the same density and
texture while getting a stronger chocolate flavour.

>3. You could absolutely use unsweetened chocolate as a garnish. For
>me, the sweetness of the white chocolate (which we all know isn't
>really chocolate) was a nice balance.

El Rey's I think can be considered chocolate but then that wouldn't exactly
be playing by the rules of the contest, would it? To a certain extent I
think it depends on which way you want to swing on the balance. Using
unsweetened counterbalances the relative sweetness of the cake with a
stronger and more bitter note - which works again, just with a different
twist. Another fun twist is to create a *textural* contrast and use nuts
for a crunchy top on a creamy cake. You can also use cacao nibs which lend
a crisp top.

In the summertime, I top it with
>fresh raspberries or strawberries and nothing else.

Raspberries would of course be inspired. Strawberries I don't think would
be quite as good - at least not with Ghirardelli which tends towards a
tarter, more assertive fruitiness - not that it's fruity overall, but in
those elements where there are fruity notes they are more sour. However,
it's hard to go far wrong with any berry and the best choice is to go with
whatever's in season.

>4. My original version of the recipe that I submitted to the contest
>indicated that you use all the ganache (in fact, my recipe made double
>the amount), but the test kitchen made an editorial change (probably
>based on their own personal preferences).

Here's what I'll say here. With a dark ganache, the entire amount would be
appropriate. However, with a milk ganache, the result would be both sweet
and low intensity. The net impact would be to dilute the overall flavour
rather than enhance it, not to mention risk it being a sugar-bomb, so in
that context the kitchen's choice may have been fitting.

Any particular reason for the spatula for spreading the ganache around? It
should be able to pour fairly nicely and then a quick jiggle will create a
beautiful smooth top.

One other idea that occurs to me - it'd certainly make for an attractive
presentation as well as a texture contrast. Caramelise some sugar in a pot
and pour it into a form the same size as the cake pan. Once it cools (it
should be a glossy, hard disc), set it on top of the ganache like a Dobos
Torte. VERY attractive and introduces a nice texture/flavour contrast.

>5. Again, my original version of the recipe that was submitted to the
>contest indicated that the cake be served at room temperature. I guess
>the test kitchen couldn't wait for it to warm up and dove right in
>after removing it from the fridge.

Admittedly, very few people, especially dedicated chocoholics, have that
kind of patience. The solution is simple, of course: remove it as you start
to serve the main course for dinner. In a test kitchen, however, that's not
feasible because you're not serving a dinner as well.

--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

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