Chocotorta, a delightful no-bake chocolate dessert, holds a special position in Argentinean culinary culture. Crafted from chocolate biscuits, dulce de leche (or Carnation caramel), cream cheese, and robust coffee, this scrumptious cake embodies the essence of chocolate, as reflected in its name—Chocotorta, translating to ‘chocolate cake’ in Spanish. Widely recognized as the quintessential Argentinean treat, it frequently graces birthday celebrations.
Featuring layers of luscious filling and coffee-infused biscuits, Chocotorta strikes a delightful balance between tiramisu and cheesecake, all while streamlining the process with fewer steps and less complexity.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOTORTA CAKE
Whip the cream cheese until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Incorporate the dulce de leche into the cream cheese, ensuring thorough mixing.
Prepare a baking dish by lining it with parchment paper.
Commence the layering process by placing a single layer of coffee-soaked biscuits, followed by a thin application of the dulce de leche mixture.
Continue repeating the layering sequence, concluding with a final layer of the dulce de leche mixture.
Cover the dish with either plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight.
TOP TIPS
- We find that using cream cheese directly from the refrigerator yields a slightly firmer filling, making it more manageable during the layering process.
- When serving, there’s typically no need to transfer the tart from its dish unless a loose-bottomed cake pan was intentionally used.
- While showcasing the layers can be visually impressive, it’s not obligatory. Slicing and serving directly from the dish is just as effective.
- To ensure a tidy and robust tart, it’s crucial to pack each cookie layer tightly in the dish. Any gaps on the sides may result in filling leakage and sagging edges.
- Therefore, firmly press the biscuits into place to create a snug fit for each layer, resulting in a beautifully assembled and structurally sound tart.
- For those aiming for perfection, weighing out the filling for each layer can be helpful. This recipe produces 1kg of filling, which can be divided into four approximately 250g dulce de leche layers or five thinner layers of around 200g each (although spreading it that thin might be challenging).
- When opting for four layers, it’s advisable to use slightly less than 250g per layer to account for small amounts left on beaters or in the bowl. And, let’s be honest, a few tastes along the way for quality control might have happened too! Wink wink.
- For pristine slices, a handy trick is to dip a sharp knife in hot water, dry it off, and use it to cut through the layers smoothly. The heat aids in cutting without causing the layers to crumble or stick to the knife.
- Remember to wipe the knife clean and repeat the process for each slice to maintain a neat presentation.
WAYS TO DECORATE YOUR CHOCOTORTA
- Sprinkle cocoa powder or grated chocolate over the surface of the cake.
- If you choose to use cocoa powder, refrain from dusting it until just before serving. Based on our experience, applying cocoa powder too early may cause the tart to absorb moisture rapidly, resulting in a ‘wet’ appearance instead of a ‘dusty’ one.
- Garnish the tart with a generous topping of fresh berries or sliced fruit.
- Use a piping bag to adorn the tart with whipped heavy cream or whipped chocolate ganache.
- Drizzle the creation with luscious caramel or chocolate sauce.
- Enhance the visual appeal by sprinkling chopped nuts or delicate chocolate shavings.
- Artfully arrange chocolate curls or other chocolate decorations atop the cake.
- For an extra touch of sparkle, add a sprinkle of sea salt or edible glitter.
STORAGE
Store any remaining Chocotorta in the refrigerator, sealed in an airtight container, for a maximum of 4 days.
Notably, the flavors have a tendency to blend and peak in richness around the second day, enhancing its deliciousness. This is why preparing it in advance can be particularly convenient.
CHOCOTORTA – ARGENTINIAN CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE
Chocotorta is a delightful Argentinean no-bake chocolate dessert crafted from life’s simple pleasures: chocolate biscuits, dulce de leche, cream cheese, and coffee. With just these four ingredients, you’re merely a step away from pure delight.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Argentinian
Prep Time: 20minutes minutes
Fridge time: 6hours hours
Total Time: 6hours hours 20minutes minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 313kcal
Author: Angelina
Ingredients
- ▢500 grams cream cheese
- ▢500 grams dulce de leche – or Carnation caramel
- ▢750 grams plain chocolate biscuits – If you only have chocolate biscuits with a filling, like Bourbons (UK), separate the biscuits and scrape the filling off. See notes in blog post
- ▢250 millilitre freshly brewed coffee
- ▢cocoa powder for dusting – optional
Instructions
- Line a 20cm x 20cm (8” x 8”) dish with parchment paper, ensuring a slight overhang on all sides for easy lifting of the tart later. If you prefer not to lift the tart, you can skip the parchment paper and serve it directly from the dish.
- In a spacious bowl, whip the cream cheese until soft and creamy.
- Combine the dulce de leche or caramel with the cream cheese, beating the mixture for 1-2 minutes until thoroughly blended.
- Dip a chocolate biscuit in coffee and arrange it at the bottom of the dish. Repeat the process until you have a solid layer of coffee-soaked biscuits covering the base. If needed, break some biscuits to fill any gaps.
- For four layers, spoon a quarter (250g) of the dulce de leche mixture onto the biscuit layer, ensuring even coverage across the base, including the corners.
- Repeat the process by adding another layer of soaked biscuits on top of the dulce de leche layer. Spread another layer of the filling. Repeat twice more, concluding with a layer of the dulce de leche filling.
- Chill the tart in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours; overnight is preferable. **Tip: The tart reaches its peak flavor after 2 days.
- Gently lift the tart out of the baking dish and transfer it to a serving plate. Alternatively, you can serve the tart directly from the dish.
- Optional: Dust the surface with cocoa powder just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 421IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 5mg
