The Signature Chocolate Dessert from Osteria Mozza

Give Americans a menu, and most will order the chocolate dessert. Last Thursday’s Los Angeles Times Food section showcased a chocolate dessert dressed to the nines, just in time for the holidays. From Los Angeles area chef Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza, comes a bittersweet chocolate fantasia – dense chocolate cake napped with voluptuous fudge sauce presented with a trio of chocolate confections – candied almonds dipped and rolled in cocoa, chocolate coated candied hazelnut clusters and chocolate dipped honeycomb. I simply can not conjure up a more spectacularly elegant dessert for New Year’s Eve.

The success of this dessert will rest on the quality of your ingredients. With one pound of chocolate in the cake alone, you will not want to skimp, especially not when you are going to invest this much effort. Be sure to use fine quality: my favorite is Callebaut (available from Amazon). However, brands such as Valrhona and Scharffen Berger are also marvelous. The same holds true for the fudge sauce – use high quality cocoa. Go for Pernigotti, or Penzeys high fat (24%) natural cocoa from Penzeys.com.

Okay, I know it looks like a lot – this is fine dining in the home, senza dubito. Don’t be daunted; you can do this. Just do not make the mistake of thinking you can do it all in one day. Each of the five components can be made ahead, some as far as a week, and in the case of the fudge sauce, several weeks. The recipe and directions available at the LA Times website are meticulous in their detail, and Ms. Silverton and the editors have generously included a video.

Buone feste!

Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show!

I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.