Chocolate Pizza ►
Here’s a dessert that is delicious and witty, John Caluda’s version of pizza has a chocolate crust and fruit toppings. The crust portion may be made a day ahead, because it must be cold and firm when used.
Ingredients
- Crust
- Butter - 2 cups (4 sticks), at room temperature
- Sugar - 2-1⁄4 cups
- Eggs - 12
- Cocoa - 1 cup
- Unsweetened Chocolate - 6 ounces, melted
- Filling
- Butter - 1 pound, unsalted, softened
- Sugar - 1 pound
- Eggs - 12
- Cocoa Powder - 4-1/2 ounces, sifted
- Unsweetened Chocolate - 6 ounces, melted
- Toppings
- Grand Marnier - 1 cup
- Raspberry Jam - 3⁄4 cup (alt. raspberry sauce)
- Peaches - 6, peeled and sliced
- Kiwi - 6, peeled and sliced
- Strawberries - 2 cups, hulled
- Raspberries - 1 cup (alt. blackberries)
- Blueberries - 1 cup
- White Chocolate - 2 ounces, shaved
- Almonds - 1 cup, roasted and chopped
Instructions
To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 250 F. Coat two 12-inch tortes or layer cake pans with vegetable spray or butter. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the butter and sugar, and cream with the paddle attachment until the mixture is light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low speed. In a small bowl beat the eggs with a fork by hand to break them up, then beat into the mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer to medium speed and sift in the cocoa, scraping the bowl often.
Gently beat the melted chocolate into the batter. Spread the batter into the pans and bake for 1 hour or until slightly firm. This will not feel like a traditional cake: It will still feel soft, but will firm up when cooled. When cool, remove the cake from the pan, then flip it back over so that it is right side up.
To make the filling: Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Whisk the eggs slightly with a fork to break them up, then add to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat in the cocoa powder. When blended, beat in the melted chocolate. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and smooth.
To prepare the toppings: Place each fruit in a separate small bowl and drizzle with Grand Marnier. Set aside to soak at least 1 hour.
To assemble: Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam or sauce over the top of the chocolate crust. Simulate pizza toppings with the peach, kiwi, and strawberry slices, working from the middle of the pie outward, leaving a 1⁄2-inch border. Top with fresh raspberries or blackberries and the soaked blueberries. Sprinkle with white chocolate shavings, simulating cheese shavings, and sprinkle a circle of crushed almonds around the rim. You can serve it in a cardboard pizza box.
