Thursday, September 02, 2010

Momofuku Chocolate-Malt Cake, Phase One: Crumbs and Fudge Sauce

Last night was Phase One of the Momofuku Chocolate-Malt Cake Challenge: making the Milk Crumbs, Chocolate-Malt Crumbs and Malt-Fudge Sauce. It began with a post-work trip to the supermarket for ingredients I never buy and therefore had difficulty locating. (When did the Ovaltine packaging change? Is corn syrup in the baking aisle or with the honey and jam?) When I got home I quickly made the Milk Crumbs and left them to cool while I went to Bar Method for an hour. Next up were the Chocolate-Malt Crumbs and the Malt-Fudge Sauce. All three are now awaiting their fate as part of Dessert Challenge History.

On the docket for tonight: make the cake layers after a 6 mile run. Tomorrow is Assembly Day and a one hour tempo run.


Milk Crumbs
Milk Crumbs
Makes about 2 cups

3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Heat oven to 275 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Combine milk powder, flour, sugar, cornstarch and salt in medium bowl; toss to mix evenly. Add butter; stir with fork until clusters form. Spread mixture evenly on prepared sheet.Bake until crumbs are dry and crumbly but still pale, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on sheet.

Note: Can be made one week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.


Chocolate-Malt Crumbs

Chocolate-Malt Crumbs

2/3 cup Milk Crumbs
6 tablespoons Ovaltine Chocolate Malt Mix
1 1/2 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped [I used Green & Black's Organic.]

Mix Milk Crumbs and Ovaltine in small bowl. Place white chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 15-second intervals just until melted, stirring occasionally. Drizzle chocolate over Milk Crumb mixture; toss to coat.


Malt-Fudge Sauce

Malt-Fudge Sauce

1 1/3 cups Ovaltine Chocolate Malt Mix
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), chopped [I used Valrhona 70%, which I buy in bulk.]
1 teaspoon mild-flavored (light) molasses
Pinch of coarse kosher salt
1/2 heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar

Place first four ingredients in medium bowl; set aside. Combine cream, corn syrup and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour cream mixture over chocolate mixture in bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Whisk until sauce is glossy, about 1 minute.

Note: Can be made one week ahead. Cool completely, cover and chill. Rewarm just until pourable until using.

P.S. I'm getting excited about this cake. I adore pretty much anything chocolate malt because when I was a kid, my mom would occasionally buy me a Carnation frozen chocolate malt cup to nurse on the way home from the dentist. (Typically my treat was fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt from the co-op.) This is probably the reason I've never minded going to the dentist. Or Dodgers games. (Okay, that last part isn't true. They may sell those Carnation malt cups at Dodger Stadium, but baseball is bo-ring.)

4 comments:

  1. I;ve never had a carnation malt cup, you've got me curious. Where do they sell them?

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  2. In my adult life, I've only seen them at Dodger Stadium. A quick Google search led me to a topic on Chowhound about where to buy them in the L.A. area, which leads me to believe you might find them at a Smart and Final near you?

    http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/416179

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  3. Hey, look at you! All decked out with custom domain and everything! Very fancy, chica. Can't wait to see how the cake comes out. Have a fantastic weekend!

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  4. Interesting tidbit re: carnation malt cups. Personally, I'm glad the Momofuk cake challenge is nearly over... It's about my least part of this month's BA. Heather John's cocktail "essay" OTOH, was fabulous: http://thefoodinista.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/peach-tarragon-bellini

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