Blake Edmunds jokes that this his chocolate torte is the "almost" flourless chocolate cake. But don't mistake it for the spongey lava cakes found at your cookie-cutter restaurant.
The chef starts building his creation with a clever base: caramelized sugar in a small skillet, deglazed with rum and water. He pours in the deceivingly simple yet decadent batter which includes 65% bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate. It's baked to the right level of gooey before welcoming a slew of toppings.
The inspiration came from a dish Edmunds used to make at Caveau Wine Bar. "It's taste memories. You want simple desserts with wine and with Italian food." But there are definitely components that make this dish pop. Literally."
The honeycomb, made with just sugar, honey, water, and baking soda, gives the sweetness a crunch. And then the pine nuts are a nice surprise. "I just looked at it one day and said, 'Let's throw some pine nuts on it.'" The bitterness and saltiness work with the nuts, and the chocolate keeps the dessert rich and classic.
The torta is finished with more caramel, the crunchy pops, and whipped ricotta. You can try it any day of the week after 3 p.m. at Bar Dough.