Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? (pic of cake added)

Macky · 08-27-2010, 06:37 PM

I'm making some mocha icing for a mocha cake that I used to make all the time for birthdays, so I'm quite familiar with it. This time, however, I need to make it dairy free. The cake is already dairy free, but the icing is not.

The first step is to melt unsweetened chocolate, milk and instant coffee granules via double boiler. I substituted cashew milk made of raw cashews and water. The chocolate seized.

The next steps are to cream the butter (substituting Earth's Balance) and sugar. Beat in an egg. Add chocolate mixture and beat again. This usually makes a super light, fluffy, not-too-sweet frosting.

Will it still work with the seized chocolate mixture? OR do I start again with proper milk and butter and Eliot and I just don't get any of the birthday cake? (

)

StumblinMama · 08-27-2010, 06:39 PM

It seems like I heard a chef say that you can sometimes rescue seized chocolate by actually adding more liquid

ETA: I guess I remembered correctly! From this link:

Quote:

Seizing occurs when moisture is introduced to melted chocolate. In the blink of an eye, you can go from a smooth bowl of liquid chocolate to a lumpy, grainy mess. Even the tiniest amount of liquid--a single drop of water, the moisture clinging to a strawberry, or the steam from a double boiler--will cause this kind of reaction. It is possible to rescue seized chocolate. The way to do this is, ironically enough, to add more liquid. Where a little bit of moisture causes seizing, lots of moisture will allow chocolate to relax again.

Macky · 08-27-2010, 06:42 PM

Thanks so much! Going to try... brb...

StumblinMama · 08-27-2010, 06:48 PM

Be sure and post how it turns out!

Macky · 08-27-2010, 06:55 PM

Well, it's still grainy, BUT the texture has lightened to the point where I don't think it will collapse the butter/sugar mixture after I've whipped all the air into it (which was my fear). When I rub it between my fingers, it's totally smooth. Will let you know how it ends up!

ETA: Looks good!

There's a faint powdery taste, but it could be the icing sugar; that should go away after a sit in the fridge. It's light and not-too-sweet, same texture as the original recipe, but I can taste the difference with the Earth's Balance (I hate most fake dairy stuff). A frosting connoisseur could tell this isn't a real buttercream, but the guests at this birthday party are used to make-you-sick-it's-so-sweet store-bought icing, so this is a huge improvement despite it not being true to the recipe!

StumblinMama · 08-27-2010, 07:04 PM

Yay! I hope it works perfectly

Macky · 08-29-2010, 07:25 AM

Cake was a hit and Eliot and I got to have a piece, too... I was so happy! The powdery taste was still there, so I think now that it might have been the seized chocolate causing it after all (and not the powdered sugar), but the cake was so good (dairy free using avocado for the fat), even I didn't notice unless I was looking for it. The dairy-free butter was strong, just like real buttercream, which I needed for the structure. Hurray all 'round!

Thought I'd share a pic of the finished cake.

ETA: Yes, that was real whipped cream on top. To serve the cake, I sliced it in half and Eliot and I took a piece from the bottom half before serving it out with additional whipped cream for the rest of the guests.

abbiroads · 08-29-2010, 07:28 AM

wow! That looks fantastic! I wish I could have a piece. Can you share the recipe, with and without modifications?

crunchymum · 08-29-2010, 07:32 AM

Fantastic cake!!!!!

WI Mama05 · 08-29-2010, 07:32 AM

What an awesome looking cake!

tofufoofoo · 08-29-2010, 07:34 AM

Great looking cake!!!

mamaKristin · 08-29-2010, 08:30 AM

awesome job!

Six Little Feet · 08-29-2010, 08:49 AM

Awesome!!!!!!!

Macky · 08-29-2010, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbiroads

wow! That looks fantastic! I wish I could have a piece. Can you share the recipe, with and without modifications?

It was kind of a combination of these two cakes:

http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009...-avocado-cake/

and

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/mocha-...te/Detail.aspx (I have the cookbook; this online recipe forgets to tell the reader to cool all melted chocolate before using, but otherwise is true to the cookbook.)

The mocha magic torte cake is already dairy free, but the one with avocado is more moist because I use two medium avocados instead of one. I added 1/3 cup of instant coffee granules to the water in the avocado cake recipe.

The icing I used was from the mocha magic torte. I substituted Earth Balance straight across for the butter and (as we already know) raw cashews/water blended up for the milk. I'm unsure what the proportion was; I just buzzed up equal parts until smooth and then added water until it was a consistency somewhere between milk and cream. Because I didn't soak the nuts, I also strained the "milk" before I used it in the frosting.

The original Mocha Magic Torte recipe is one I used to make all the time because it was constantly requested by friends and family. The recipe link omits the big WOW factor of the cake, though. The sides should be covered in big chocolate shavings (warm chocolate until starting to just get a little soft, then grate with cheese grater). Make long chocolate curls (soften chocolate, then slide a carrot peeler over the surface) and pile about a dozen right in the middle on top.f

ETA: Oh, I almost forgot to say... it's actually better to make this cake at least one if not two days ahead of when you want to serve it. The cake absorbs some of the icing and the layers kind of meld together in this wonderful, mouth-watering way... yum!

knitlove · 08-29-2010, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spirited Duo

but I can taste the difference with the Earth's Balance (I hate most fake dairy stuff).

Beast Life is also dairy free and tastes much better (I think ) than Earth's Balance.

08-27-2010, 06:37 PM	#1
Macky Deactivated Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Rural Saskatchewan Posts: 4,449	Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? (pic of cake added) I'm making some mocha icing for a mocha cake that I used to make all the time for birthdays, so I'm quite familiar with it. This time, however, I need to make it dairy free. The cake is already dairy free, but the icing is not. The first step is to melt unsweetened chocolate, milk and instant coffee granules via double boiler. I substituted cashew milk made of raw cashews and water. The chocolate seized. The next steps are to cream the butter (substituting Earth's Balance) and sugar. Beat in an egg. Add chocolate mixture and beat again. This usually makes a super light, fluffy, not-too-sweet frosting. Will it still work with the seized chocolate mixture? OR do I start again with proper milk and butter and Eliot and I just don't get any of the birthday cake? () Last edited by Macky; 08-29-2010 at 07:27 AM. Reason: got the name of the fake butter wrong... oops

08-27-2010, 06:42 PM	#3
Macky Deactivated Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Rural Saskatchewan Posts: 4,449	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? Thanks so much! Going to try... brb...

08-27-2010, 06:48 PM	#4
StumblinMama Deactivated Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Ps 13:12 NLT Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Where the magnolias are blooming Posts: 14,483	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? Be sure and post how it turns out!

08-27-2010, 06:55 PM	#5
Macky Deactivated Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Rural Saskatchewan Posts: 4,449	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? Well, it's still grainy, BUT the texture has lightened to the point where I don't think it will collapse the butter/sugar mixture after I've whipped all the air into it (which was my fear). When I rub it between my fingers, it's totally smooth. Will let you know how it ends up! ETA: Looks good! There's a faint powdery taste, but it could be the icing sugar; that should go away after a sit in the fridge. It's light and not-too-sweet, same texture as the original recipe, but I can taste the difference with the Earth's Balance (I hate most fake dairy stuff). A frosting connoisseur could tell this isn't a real buttercream, but the guests at this birthday party are used to make-you-sick-it's-so-sweet store-bought icing, so this is a huge improvement despite it not being true to the recipe! Last edited by Macky; 08-27-2010 at 07:25 PM.

08-27-2010, 07:04 PM	#6
StumblinMama Deactivated Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Ps 13:12 NLT Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Where the magnolias are blooming Posts: 14,483	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? Yay! I hope it works perfectly

08-29-2010, 07:25 AM	#7
Macky Deactivated Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Rural Saskatchewan Posts: 4,449	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? Cake was a hit and Eliot and I got to have a piece, too... I was so happy! The powdery taste was still there, so I think now that it might have been the seized chocolate causing it after all (and not the powdered sugar), but the cake was so good (dairy free using avocado for the fat), even I didn't notice unless I was looking for it. The dairy-free butter was strong, just like real buttercream, which I needed for the structure. Hurray all 'round! Thought I'd share a pic of the finished cake. ETA: Yes, that was real whipped cream on top. To serve the cake, I sliced it in half and Eliot and I took a piece from the bottom half before serving it out with additional whipped cream for the rest of the guests.

08-29-2010, 07:28 AM	#8
abbiroads Rose Garden Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,379	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? wow! That looks fantastic! I wish I could have a piece. Can you share the recipe, with and without modifications? __________________ Abbi dh: Jeff ds1: Joey 12/03 ds2: Eli 4/06 ds3: Judah 4/08

08-29-2010, 07:32 AM	#9
crunchymum Rose Garden speak softly and carry a big coffee Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 34,610	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? (pic of cake added) Fantastic cake!!!!! __________________ ~ jen wife to my first kiss mama to 13yo spreezy, 11yo jones, 5yo biggie, and our little greased lightning, 3yo ~ all born at home birth doula my waterbirth montage my etsy! "i did not want my children to love me because i had been an adequate mother, because i would never be one, this i already knew. i wanted my children to love me for the same reason i want my children themselves to be loved: because we are all irreducible, irreplaceable." -gina bria

08-29-2010, 07:32 AM	#10
WI Mama05 Rose Garden God, you've got this! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 15,865	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? What an awesome looking cake!

08-29-2010, 07:34 AM	#11
tofufoofoo Rose Trellis ...and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees... Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,712	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? (pic of cake added) Great looking cake!!! __________________ alison wife to papa bear since 12-05 mama to my tubby little cubby 4-19-09 and my snuggly tiny teddy 4-2-11 now expecting a baby bear 7-15-13

08-29-2010, 08:30 AM	#12
mamaKristin Rose Garden parenting better than I garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: just here :) Posts: 26,586	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? (pic of cake added) awesome job!

08-29-2010, 08:49 AM	#13
Six Little Feet Rose Garden one who loves coffee Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: where I wait for SPRING!!!! Posts: 14,197	Re: Can I still use the seized chocolate mixture? (pic of cake added) Awesome!!!!!!! __________________ Sheryl mom of three young feminists Pumpkin 2001-Midge 2005-Cookie 2007 “I know, up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.” ― Dr. Seuss, Yertle the Turtle and Gertrude McFuzz

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