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chocolate, cake, Tuesdays with Dorie, nuts
chocolate, cake, Tuesdays with Dorie, nuts Tuesday
07Oct
TWD - Caramel-Nut-Topped Brownie Cakes
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 20:01 
I really want to say that I loved this cake, but honestly I really didn't. Maybe the fact that I ate it the day after it was made had some effect on the taste and consistency; or maybe it was because I ate the cake expecting it would help to cheer my dour mood, and was generally disappointed when it didn't. One of the few things this cake had going for it in my eyes at least, was that it photographed beautifully. I guess that’s better then nothing, but it’s definitely not a feature that I look for in a cake. Most of my baking friends know, I’ll take taste over aesthetics any day.
The Final Results…
I'm not a fan of peanuts in cakes or cookies, but it seems that Dorie is, as there has been no shortage of recipes including peanuts so far. E, on the other hand, doesn’t mind peanuts in his baked goods, so I decided to make both peanut and pecan (my favorite nuts) topped cakes. The preparation method for the cakes reminded me somewhat of the Gooey Chocolate Cakes that Leigh of Lemon Tartlet choose for us to make back in April, a promising prospect when considering that that has been my favorite TWD recipe so far. Unfortunately, I found the cakes rather dry and the caramel although a gorgeous deep amber color, rather lackluster in flavor. I used glucose syrup, both in the cake and in the caramel topping instead of corn syrup, because it's easier to get my hands on over here. It's the first time I've ever used glucose syrup, so I have no idea if that could have affected the flavor of the caramel. I like my caramel salty, so I added a healthy pinch of salt to the sugar, water and glucose mixture before cooking, but I didn't taste it back in the end product. I'll have to remember to up the salt should I make this particular caramel topping recipe again.
In spite of the fact that I wasn’t crazy about this week’s recipe, I almost
forgot to mention is that this was my first successful attempt at caramel (even
if it wasn’t salty enough for my taste), and for that I’d like to thank Tammy
of Wee
Treats by Tammy for choosing Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake for
all of us to bake!
This post is my submission to Tuesdays with Dorie, for the full recipe for Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake click on over to Wee
Treats by Tammy, and while you're at it, show the other hardworking bakers of TWD some love!! Stay tuned next Tuesday for: Lenox Almond Biscotti!
Previously by Mevrouw Cupcake for TWD:
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Reader Comments (25)
I'm sorry you weren't a huge fan, but I'm jealous of your timbale molds. Basically, I now need an excuse to buy some :)
Bummer you werent a fan. I guess you can't like them all right? There's always next week! Biscotti! btw I love your red/white plate!
Clara @ iheartfood4thought
That is too bad, really. I LOVED this cake. Yours looks fantastic, the shape is so impressive. And I think if you add fleur de sel to your caramel after adding the cream and butter (you can use salted butter too), you might get more of a salty kick.
Sorry that you didn't like the cakes but yours look really lovely. And now I have to find out where to get those interesting looking timbales!
I'm with you this recipe just didn't do it for me. I felt it was a bit dry and I don't care for peanuts, I like pecans also. I like your individual molds and the presentation is great.
When I made it last year, I loved the topping but left the cake...I found rather bland. I love the mini cakes! Great presentation!!
Ooh, I want some of those molds! I'm not all that fond of peanuts either, so I did pecans, too. And added salt to the caramel. I agree, the cake was kind of dry. Lovely plating, though!
it certainly did make for a nice picture, but you are right...taste is so much more important. you did make a perfect caramel!
I totally agree with your assessment (kind of dry cake, kind of lackluster caramel). Won't be making this one again. However, I would never know that it was lackluster by looking at your picture -- it looks gorgeous; I love the mini!
First off- love the plates (esp the red designed one)-- I have a special place for dishware in my heart-- which can often get me into trouble!
Re: Cake-- I wonder if the cake to topping ratio might have something to do with balance of flavor-- i baked my cake in a 10-inch springfrom without changing the recipe which mean it was fairly shallow-- i also reduced the baking temp for 1/2 of it-- it came out a little more on the fudgy side than dry and i think that helped bring out the chocolate flavor.
I have to agree with you on more salt in the caramel though-- i like mine salted and wished afterward I would have bought saltier peanuts (mine were lightly salted) or added salt to the caramel--- notes for next time I guess!
Same reactions here, it was a little dry, yours look great in those timbale molds!
I got my corn syrup at the Chinese toko in The Hague, I'm pretty sure you can find it in one of the Chinese shops in A'dam.
The cakes look so cute!! I couldn't find corn syrup anywhere here in Zwolle.... So I used ordinary suikerstroop and mixed that with some honey. I wish I could have used corn syrup though.... Too bad you didn't like this cake, I hope your mood has improved though ;)
Glad that you mastered the caramel! I think it's great that we are learning new techniques all the time.
Interesting that you felt your caramel lacked flavor despite being a deep caramel color. The color is where the flavor is. Glucose vs. corn syrup shouldn't have made a difference because corn syrup is made up of glucose and maltose. Corn syrup is a bit sweeter than glucose, but is really there to prevent crystallization, which they both do, rather than effect the taste.
Salt is a must for caramel in my book. I used salted peanuts so I didn't add any additional, but normally I would have put in about 3/4 teaspoon for the full batch of Dorie's recipe. I also add it at the very end after the butter. A nice mild flake salt is great to sprinkle on the top of caramel adding a nice crunch along with the salty flavor.
Next time you make caramel try going just a touch darker and see if that doesn't get you the flavor you are looking for. Even though you weren't wowed by the taste of this dessert, it looks beautiful.
wow...that looks insanely delish!
After reading about MANY failed caramel attempts, I have to say congrats to you for succeeding. That's saying something!
I also agree that this cake photographed better than it tasted. Yours is lovely!
Well it certainly looks the part, so it's a shame it failed the taste test!
Yeah, I have to agree, going back, I didn't like these much (although I did when I first tried them). But hey, at least your caramel was a success! And your photos and presentation are absolutely gorgeous!
Wonderfully fun shape! I agree that the cake was slightly dry and the caramel lacked something. The idea for me was great and I think with a bit of repetition, maybe I will get it to my liking!
Too bad about the cake. Maybe if it was devils food instead of brownie it would of met expectations...It wasn't my fave either. I like the red and white plating.
well, the pics look beautiful but i'm with you, i wasn't crazy about this cake either.
I love the shape of your mini cakes! Great job on your caramel experience too!
Too bad you didn't like the cake, your pictures make it look so appetizing!
I'm sorry you didn't like the brownie cake, but you're right, it did photograph beautifully.
Your cakes are so cute!
And I absolutely adore that plate with the red design!
Unfortunately, I agree with you about the taste of this recipe.
Beautiful engaging pics and post :)