Neil Perry - chocolate cake

[fanny_the_fairy]

I'm planning on making Neil Perry's chocolate cake (recipe to be found here) and wanted to know if anyone has already made it before?

If so, how did it turn out?

Thanks...

PS urgent response needed!

[infernooo]

Hi there!

I have certainly made it before, here are some tips from my experiences - probably obvious but important none-the-less :-).

* Use VERY high quality dark chocolate, this recipe was designed using the premium stuff.

* Be VERY careful when melting the chocolate, the chocolate should be very high quality, slightly bitter, but you don't want to scald or burn it turning it unpleasantly bitter (obvious, but I've done it before :-) ).

* The cream should be 35% butterfat without additives (like gelatin)

* Be very gentle when doing the final folding of ingredients, otherwise you will have a cake with a texture like a brick.

* Keep an eye on the cake in the last 20 minutes it is left in the oven, if you have pizza stones etc, the temperature won't drop nearly as quickly as an empty oven, so check the cake after 10-15 mins.

Anyways, that's all I had written down, hope it helps!

Edited February 23, 2007 by infernooo (log)

[fanny_the_fairy]

Hi thanks for the useful tips.

I'm making it right now and will let you know how it turns out.

Love

- fanny

Hi there!

I have certainly made it before, here are some tips from my experiences - probably obvious but important none-the-less :-).

* Use VERY high quality dark chocolate, this recipe was designed using the premium stuff.

* Be VERY careful when melting the chocolate, the chocolate should be very high quality, slightly bitter, but you don't want to scald or burn it turning it unpleasantly bitter (obvious, but I've done it before :-) ).

* The cream should be 35% butterfat without additives (like gelatin)

* Be very gentle when doing the final folding of ingredients, otherwise you will have a cake with a texture like a brick.

* Keep an eye on the cake in the last 20 minutes it is left in the oven, if you have pizza stones etc, the temperature won't drop nearly as quickly as an empty oven, so check the cake after 10-15 mins.

Anyways, that's all I had written down, hope it helps!

←

[infernooo]

Can't wait to hear how it goes! Some of Neil Perry's recipes are insanely good... he doesn't seem to be one of those chefs who write cookbooks without testing the results in a home kitchen.

[infernooo]

How did it turn out?

[fanny_the_fairy]

Not that good actually.

I don't know how the cake was supposed to be but it turned out too moist and moussy - at least in my opinion.

I must try again - it might be the oven or ingredients I'm not familiar with as I'm studying abroad.

Love

- fanny