My cake is ring-shaped! Because I’m creative! Because I have a plethora of interesting-shaped pans to choose from! Because, um.
It’s actually because I totally botched this week’s recipe.
The torte is made by grinding store-bought Italian amaretti cookies with almonds in a food processor. Then butter, sugar, eggs, and chocolate are blended in the food processor and the ground cookies and almonds are mixed in. Then you bake it.
Which is where I messed up. First, I made 2/3 of the recipe in a pan just about 2/3 the size that the original recipe calls for. So I thought it would take less time to bake than the full recipe. Second, I used a Pyrex pan, and the last several times I’ve baked in Pyrex, my dessert has overcooked. So I lowered the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
I baked my (6-inch round) torte for 25 minutes, which is the lower end of the range for a full (8-inch round) recipe, and the same amount of time that Dorie recommends for 4-inch mini-tortes. I tested it with a knife, which came out cleanish (Dorie says it should be streaky, not quite dry). I took the torte out of the oven and let it set in the pan for 15 minutes or so.
I inverted the cake onto a cooling rack. And then the middle inch or two dripped through the cooling rack onto the counter. Then another inch, and another, until I was left with just a thin ring – a ring that was delicate and broke in several places when I moved it. Yeesh.
Thank goodness for the ganache coating. And the fact that the torte was so tasty that it could stand up to all the abuse.
Holly chose this recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie and has it posted on her site.
One year ago: Lemon Cream Tart
I LOVE your ring-shaped cake!! Gives it character 😀
Your ganache looks delicious on top of this. It looks there were lots of issues with cracking and breaking.
Looks like you salvaged it pretty well – still looks cute! That last picture is my favorite. I thought this one was a bit too rich but glad you enjoyed it!
You’re amazing…. even your “botched” attempt looks delicious and elegant! 🙂
What a great idea. I love your cake.
I like the way you covered it up! Mine came out funny too- it domed to the point where if I cut it off, I would create a big hole in the middle of the cake. At least it was still delicious 🙂
A ring…perfect!
I would have eaten that gooey center all by myself.
Oh no! I had a mini version with close to the same results. Underbaked in the center. Nice recovery, though!
chocolatechic – I did!
Wow, that totally looks like something that would happen to me. Although something about baking at high-altitude, things tend to turn out overbaked or dry.
HOw funny! At least you were able to turn it around and make it look good.
Love your post! You took lemons and made lemonade. The end slice looks great!
Now *that’s* a creative way to deal with it. Well done you! I wonder if you could rebake the “center” or maybe just spoon it over ice cream? 🙂
Haha! I know exactly how you feel about not knowing exactly how “streaky” the knife should come out!! I baked cake in a sheep-shaped pan for my daughter’s 1st birthday (she loves lambs) and popped it out of the pan only to realize that the middle was raw and the head eventually fell off! The cake was delicious though- and since it only takes a few minutes to make- you should definitely try it again!!
Love it when folks are humble enough to blog their “mess ups”. Made me chuckle! Thanks! And does in fact look mighty tasty regardless!!
I think it looks gorgeous! I actually believed you when you said you had too many pans..haha.
It looks good – what a great way to save the cake!
Oh, dear. At least even if it was delicate you can’t tell you had difficulty moving it from the final pic 🙂 It looks delicious. The only thing to feel bad about is the amount of it that went dripping down (unless you mopped it up and ate it somehow!)
Well, at least you were able to salvage some of it. It looks luscious!
hey–i’m going to go with the “you are creative” explanation! looks great anyway–just as if you’d planned it!
Well, being creative is well worth a few mishaps, although they do suck at the moment, don’t they? Anyhow, looks like you were able to salvage some good looking pieces.
That post rocked..I would have thrown it in the trash in frustration…next time, I am going to make it a ring too!
I’m glad to hear that you ate the underbaked inside of this cake. I’m sure it was delicious. A special treat for the hard-working cook!
Very creative way to deal with the problem. If you hadn’t have said anything we would have just believed you had a great round ring pan. Looks just fine.