Yeah, I know that I'm supposed to talk about this month's Daring Baker challenge in this post. Ya know, because it's titled "August DB Challenge" and all that. But that's just a detail. I can't go and let the man tell me what this post's subject will be just because of a title. Pfft.
Instead, I would like to regale you with my newest discovery: tween movies. Well, one in particular, as my poor, poor followers on Twitter surely discovered just a couple days ago. Umm... It's Twilight. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you're laughing right now, and for multiple reasons. Very good ones I'm sure - it's been out on DVD for months, everyone and their sister (not brother, as this isn't exactly a guy movie) has seen it, and everyone not living under a rock has read it (but the rock - it keeps everything so cool & comfy!).
You see, I do tend towards sci fi / fantasy type reading as well as girly movies. I defend the latter choice with the fact that I am around men who act like 5 yr old boys all day. No, I don't want to know about your sex life, thankyouverymuch. (Seriously.) And this tendency towards girly movies is exacerbated when I really really don't want to be at work. So the perfect solution was to finally watch Twilight, since the book has, literally, 50 holds on it. It's gonna be years before I can actually borrow it from the library.
And, um, I have to admit I kind of liked it. In a squeamish, giggly sort of way. Except for the vampire baseball thing - that was just freaking awesome. I want to be able to run and jump like that! But seriously, the running up the mountain, all the proclamations of "I'd rather die than not be with you," yada yada yada? I just sat there and giggled. Who are these people?!?
And that's when it hit me. I'm sortakindamaybe one of those people. Okay, I'm not going to go falling in love with a vampire or anything, but seriously. Over-dramatizing life is a bad habit of mine. I'd like to think I do it well though. I over exaggerate, use sarcasm too much, and occasionally feel like my life is ending. Which it isn't, but the experience is fun (?) anyway.
In the meantime, between those life-ending moments, I do still manage to get things done. Like this month's Daring Baker Challenge - Dobos Torte - hosted by Lorraine and Angela. In fact, not only did I get it done, I actually put my own spin on it for once! In essence, I made two little bitty cakes using 1/6 of the sponge cake recipe (2" diameter layers cut out of one sheet of cake) and 1/4 of the chocolate buttercream (which left plenty of extra frosting for smearing on cookies - yum!). I replaced 10g of flour in the sponge with cocoa, giving me just the perfect hint of chocolate, and added 1/4 tsp of Chinese Five Spice to the buttercream. The five spice was a bit too much for me until I paired it up with the cake, but after that it was wonderful. No caramel was made (sorry!), but I'd say this challenge was still a success. Not in a tween movie sort of way though. Thank goodness!
The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite
Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
August DB Challenge: Five Spice Chocolate Dobos Torte
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38 comments:
Great job Caitlin and I share your Twilight obsession. I loved it to bits and can't wait until the new movie comes out :)
Great creativity! Your torte looks great!
I love Chinese five spice. I made a flourless chocolate cake for my partner that was flavoured with Chinese five spice and it really rounded out the dark chocolate flavour. He actually wished I put more in. I completely forgot about that until reading your post. Will have to try it again. I love how you pick something different. Such cute little tortes, too! :)
If you like Twilight, give True Blood a try. It is the grown up version of vampire shows. I am completely addicted to it. (If you don't have HBO you can watch the first season for free on their site :) Anyway, great job on the DB challenge, your torte looks fantastic!
LOL, this could totally be my writeup. I too, resisted the allure of Twilight. Then my husband ordered it on Direct TV and I was like, what the heck. And I was hooked! I read all three books, no, devoured is more like it (also waiting impatiently for the library holds list to get to my name.) So, don't worry, I totally relate. Oh, and in the books, you can really pick up on that teenage girl angst and drama.
So anyway, sorry to ramble, your dobos torte looks so cute and chocolatey. Way to get it done!
You're not the last one... I haven't read any of the books or seen the movie. So I guess I'm under the rock, too. =) Your cake looks great!
Your two little bitty cakes are perfect!
If you liked the movie, then you'll love the book! Cute torte
Great looking tortes, like the idea of 5 spice buttercream. Haven't read/seen Twilight yet -how crowded is this rock? (I'm a Buffy girl though)
I looove that you use 5-spice in baked goods. I've made 5-spice buttercream before and even though it was the gross Wilton recipe, the flavor was fantastic.
Oooh, I love the sound of the 5-spice powder in the buttercream. I can totaly see how that would work! Great job on this month's challenge!
Nice idea with the spices Caitlin!
I should have made mine that small, sigh... And yeah there are movies like that for me too, although I have this thing for really bad movies that are so bad they're good for a real laugh. And I haven't seen Twilight or read the book, so you're ahead.
It looks superb Caitlin! Well done.
So cute! I love this one. :) The spices sound yummy.
Your mini-tortes look great! I didn't get a change to make the challenge this month.
I can't comment on Twilight, other than I haven't paid much attention to it because I haven't seen the movies/read the books/etc.
Awesome job!! Love the flavours you used =D. Sometimes you need to relax and watch a tween-crazy movie, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
That is a perfect dobos. Cute as a button. And 5-spice with chocolate - amazing.
LOVE that you added cocoa powder to the sponge cake, and 5-spice? Genius! You really weren't missing much on the caramel front. If I were to make this again I would use a different caramel recipe, or severely modify the one given.
Your post was so amusing that I almost missed your pictures of the torte! :)
I actually like it better without the caramel layer. Your little tortes look dark, sinfull, and delicious!
Love the mini cakes! So cute.
Don't worry about not seeing or reading Twilight till now I still haven't read it or seen the movie.
Great job!
I haven't seen Twilight yet...I guess I am the last one since you have seen it. I am actually waiting to read the books, but I dunno, vampires don't really do it for me.
Your little mini cakes are so freaking CUTE!! Nice work.
i'm a bit embarrassed to admit it too but i own twilight on dvd and i watch it quite a bit! and i have to admit that i never understood the attraction to those two (r-patz and k stew) before i watched the movie, but now i kind of get it. i know sad... :)
Cute little cakes...and nice change with the 5 spice.
wow this cake so well assembled, just wanting to fork into it! :)
oh these look cute! lovely chocolate goodness!
I love your rendition of this cake, and I haven't read Twilight. I started... but... I just couldn't. I love sci-fi and I could definitely recommend some excellent books if you want to read something worthy of the title!
Love your little torte. I don't think you missed much without the caramel layer, though.
Ooooh, Chinese Five Spice Powder: nice idea! Love it. The little cakes are cute, too.
I have to admit: while I still haven't seen the movie, I really really want to. And for the exact same reasons. Although, I did just see firefly last week, so I'm apparantly catching up haha!
I know exactly what you mean! I never really thought about it but I think that might explain why I have grown to like more girly stuff now than I did before I started working. and I haven't seen/read twilight so don't worry, I am even more behind the times than you are.
Oh my gosh! You TOO!? I have been hearing about Twilight for so long from so many and have resisted thus far. It's the vampire thing I still can't get past. But you are yet another voice that I trust pushing me towards it. If it's ever on TV someday, I will be powerless.
PS this looks delicious.
Well *I* want to talk about the cake, because it looks awesome, and I love that you added some spice to it, to make it all the more interesting.
Oh wow, that's quite an interesting addition to the cake. I'm not one for spices in my dessert, I guess past experiences have scarred me. However, I can see how it would work with such a rich and sweet cake, the spice would possibly give a little bit of a kick in the end.
So now I'm officially the last person who hasn't read or seen Twilight. Thanks for posting a comment on my blog, since now I get to discover yours.
Lovely Dobos Tortes you made. Aren't little cakes just the cutest?
Delicious cake. It would be perfect to eat while watching Twilight, sniggering at the bad make-up and over the top drama, but secretly liking it (blush).
Now this is delicious great job on the challenge. I love vampires too, though not the ones that sparkle...I love a certain blond Viking vamp.
I see that you and I were somewhat on the same page for this challenge, seeking a bit more spice than the original recipe could provide! Fantastic adaptation, I do just adore 5-spice powder.
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