Kladdkaka “Sticky Cake”

This cake is a Swedish classic and it can be found in most cafés, is served frequently for dessert at parties, and a quick version can be found in the freezer section of the grocery store.  It is very similar to an American brownie in texture, being slightly sticky in the center.  Like a brownie, it can easily be overcooked, in which case it will be a more ordinary chocolate cake, still delicious, but not a kladdkaka!  This version is from Lelia Lindholm, a Swedish baker, whose cookbook is one of my favorites. It is a simple recipe and is the best version of this cake that I have tasted.

It is so simple, that have relinquished the baking of this cake to my son Oscar.  Oscar and his friend Konrad whipped up the batch in these photos and had a great time doing it.

50 grams butter

½ deciliter cooking oil

2 eggs

2 deciliters sugar

1 deciliter granulated brown sugar (raw sugar)

2.5 deciliters flour

4 teaspoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla (or vanilla sugar)

1 pinch salt

50 grams dark chocolate  (use a good eating chocolate here)

Get into all the nooks and crannies when buttering the pan.

Put the butter in a bowl and melt it in the microwave, usually about one minute.  When the butter is melted, mix with the cooking oil, and set aside

In another bowl, beat the eggs, and two types of sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Stir in the butter and oil mixture.  Add the flour, baking powder,cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and stir the batter until well incorporated.

This recipe makes one cake but the boys doubled it.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan.  Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and sprinkle over the cake batter.

Bake the cake for about 30 minutes.  When testing the cake, it should be still sticky in the center.  The cake will puff up, but then as it cools it will fall in the middle.  This is totally normal, so don't freak out.

Serve with whipped cream.

Classic American Brownies

Every American kid grows up eating brownies.  Lately, however, they have morphed from chewy chocolaty yumminess with a glass of milk to an adults-only super rich chocolate fudge of which you can only eat a tiny piece.  Now, I have nothing against these new-fangled brownies.  I will pretty much eat and enjoy brownies in any form, cakey, fudgey, with nuts or without.  However, in my humble opinion, a brownie should be chewy, but not fudgy; chocolatey but not overly so.  You should be able to eat a large square or two or three, happily. Moreover, it should be thin and have a crunch on the edge (my favorite part!).  It is the moist chewiness of the brownie that is the distinctive brownie quality.  If it is too cakey or fudgey, then it may be delicious, but it is not really a brownie.

These are so cute, it makes me want to scream.  Fortunately I can overcome that urge by shoving one of these into my mouth

In my quest to get back to the brownie of my childhood, I have tried many many many brownie recipes. Yes, it was hard work but I was happy to make the sacrifice. Most fall on the fudgey rich side.  Finally, I really went back to the brownie of my childhood (and probably yours, too if you are of my generation) and I used the Baker’s brownie recipe.  When I was growing up, Baker’s chocolate was the cooking chocolate of choice.  Indeed it was the only one available.  There was no Vahlrona, Giradelli’s or Scharfenberger chocolate to be had.  And voila!  There it was --the chewy, crispy brownie of remembrance past.  Below is my take on this classic.

You know you want this right now.

Now, the chocolate you use will make a huge difference in the flavor of your brownie.  If you use a very high cocoa content chocolate, then your brownie will have a richer chocolate flavor.  I was partial to Scharfenberger when I lived in Berkeley.  Here in Sweden, there is a limited selection in the normal supermarket so I just get whatever they have. Sometimes, I throw in some semi-sweet chunks of chocolate (the same chocolate I use for the brownies, but chopped into chunks with a knife), just to get in a bit more gooiness, and I also love nuts in mine.  But both are optional.

Finally, brownies go from moist and chewy to dry and overdone in a minute.   Keep on eye on your brownies and start checking about half-way through the time.  If you are using a convection oven, you definitely want to check at least half-way, if not before.  When you insert your toothpick it should come out with moist crumbs sticking to it, but not liquidy.  Much better to err on the underdone side, then overdone.

A nice shiny crust.

I have used a Nordicware pan in the above pictures that molds the brownies into little chocolate bars.  So, you are actually seeing the underside of the brownie.  If you were baking in a normal pan, then you would see the nice shiny crust.

If you have never made brownies before, then know that it is easy. Very easy.  It is so easy, that in fact, I have relinquished my brownie making duties to my 11 year old son.  Which is why I have no pictures of the actual process.

4 ounces (115 grams) semi-sweet chocolate

1 and 1/2 cups (3.5 deciliters) sugar

¾ cup (170 grams) butter

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup (2.5 deciliters) flour

1 cup chopped nuts, either pecans or walnuts, optional

3 to 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chunks, optional

Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with foil, so that the ends of the foil extend of the sides of the pan, and generously grease.  If you have a non-stick pan which you feel confident about, then you can skip the foil part.  Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, microwave 4 ounces of chocolate with the butter for approximately 2 minutes, until the butter is melted.  The heat of the butter will melt the chocolate. Gently stir the chocolate and butter mixture until the chocolate is completely melted.

Stir the sugar into the chocolate/butter mixture.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour and mix well.  Fold in nuts and chocolate chunks, if desired.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread batter into the corners.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.  Start checking the batter at about 20 minutes to make sure that you don't over cook them.  Cool the brownies in the pan.  Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil on the sides as handles.  Peel off the foil and cut into squares.

Let them cool a bit so you don't burn your mouth.  And do share them with your children.  They appreciate that sort of thing. It is generally considered rude to eat the whole pan by yourself.  Especially if your kids made them.

Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake

Another rainy day here in Sweden....what we need is cake to perk up the spirits!  I seem to be in a Bundt cake phase  The shape makes even the most simplest cake more festive.  And there is no need to do anything fiddly like frosting, because the cakes look great with a simple glaze or just a dusting of powdered sugar.  This recipe is made easier by melting the butter with the cocoa on the stovetop. Without having to cream the butter, you don't even have to take out your mixer.  Just do it by hand with a whisk.

I have taken a classic chocolate Bundt cake recipe and enriched it with Kahlua, a coffee liquer. The coffee flavor justs adds  depth to the chocolate flavor, without taking over.  If you don't have Kahlua, you can substitute some strongly brewed coffee, or even a heaping teaspoon of instant espresso powder mixed with water.

To gild the lily, I have dusted the buttered bundt pan with dried coconut.  It helps the cake release from the pan smoothly, makes a pretty pattern on the cake, and gives some extra flavor.  If you don't like coconut, you can dust with cocoa powder instead.

The cake has a light, moist texture, with a medium chocolate flavor. Eat it as is, with a glass of milk.  Or serve with whipped cream and some berries for a more elegant dessert.

Serves 10
(using a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan)

226 grams (1 cup) butter

28 grams (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
256 grams ( 2 cups) flour
325 grams (1 3/4 cups) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee liquer
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
a handful of dried coconut

Heat your oven to 180C (350F). In a small pot, put in the butter, cocoa powder, salt and water.  Put it over a medium heat, letting the butter melt, stirring occasionally.

While the cocoa mixture is heating, take out a large bowl and put in the flour, sugar and baking soda.  Stir with a whisk to mix.

Once the butter has melted, stir the cocoa mixture until it is well combined.  Pour the cocoa mixture into the flour mixture, stirring well to combine.  Add the Kahlua and the two eggs and beat with the whisk until it is well combined.  Finally, add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until a smooth batter forms.

Butter your Bundt pan very well, making sure to get all the creases. Throw in a handful of dried coconut and shake it around the pan, making sure that the bottom and sides of the pan are well covered with an even coat.  Shake the pan and toss out any excess coconut.

Fill the pan with the batter, and bake 40 to 50 minutes until a tester comes out clean.  Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes, and then invert it onto a serving dish.