What is that solid layer of chocolate on top of some chocolate cakes?
Asked by
jlm11f (
12416
)
December 29th, 2009
I already know this is a badly worded question. I can’t figure out a better way to say it though. I don’t think I’ve seen such a cake in America, but in some other countries, the chocolate cakes have a solid layer of chocolate on top of them. Almost like a thin chocolate bar. I don’t know how else to describe it. I don’t think it’s frosting, because it’s too thick (and solid) to be that. But I could be wrong.
Any idea what this solid layer is? And how I can make it and add it to my own cakes? Sorry for the poor description. Thanks for all help in advance!
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… waiting for someone to give a serious answer so I can say “it’s called delicious.”
man I can’t spell today. grrr.
Ganache?
Chocolate fondant. I think
Ganache.
Which is so Ganood!!
I think @Lightlyseared is right. Who knew I’d learn something from Food Network Challenge!
I really should know, but I don’t. :(
It’s ganache (chocolate fondant is very common in the US as is ganache, but both are mostly used in professional bakeries). It’s really quite easy to make, but it’s hard to do on the first couple of tries. I typically chocolate chips but you can use just about any kind of chocolate. Just temper those nicely. They should still shine and be mostly melted and and cream slowly. Fold together softly until it’s one cohesive unit and then spread and let cool. For your first few times making it, just put it on the top. It’s hard enough to get it even without worrying about the sides.
Thanks for the answers guys! I looked up both words. It is definitely not chocolate fondant, but I think ganache might be the right thing. New answers/options still welcomed of course; including tried and tested recipes for ganache. Meanwhile, I’ll research ganache some more and then probably gain a few pounds by the end of this week =)
I feel stupid I didn’t ask Fluther this Q earlier. I’ve been wondering this for SO LONG!
Ganache.
And since you asked…
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate (high-quality), chopped
1 tablespoon Cognac
Microwave cream and butter on high until bubbling, about 1½ minutes. Pour over finely chopped chocolate along with cognac and stir until well combined. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, until spreadable (ganache should have consistency of soft icing).
This is the Cook’s Illustrated ingredients with partially their method and partially mine.
If anyone is interested, I have a LOW carb ganache recipe that is absolutely delicious and resolves chocolate cravings for you with extreme prejudice, leaving no doubt that you’ve eaten some chocolate, by God, and can go on with your day with THAT craving satisfied!
Fondant is almond-y, so I doubt it’s that.
If it’s somewhat hard, then it’s almost certainly a product known by various names in the pastry trade, including confectioner’s coating. This is essentially a cousin of chocolate in which the cocoa butter has been replaced by another vegetable fat, usually a form of palm oil. This gets around the problems inherent in working with real chocolate, specifically the need to temper it, and results in a thin, shiny, and slightly crisp coating that tastes almost like chocolate. It would be almost impossible to evenly coat a cake with pure chocolate, and the resulting coating would be too hard. Confectioner’s coating is sold commercially to bakeries.
If the coating is tender rather than crisp, then it’s some form of ganache.
I want to know, too. It is on Devonshire cream cakes and I love it, but I don’t know what it is. I think it is just cofectioner’s sugar and cocoa, cooked together, but I am not sure.
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