This posting of Tuesdays with Dorie is bittersweet; we have come to the end of Baking Chez Moi. My husband said, “well start from the beginning again” which does sound like a good idea. I am not sure who has had more fun in this journey, me or my husband. This is the first Dorie cookbook that I have completed with the exception of three recipes; Alsastian Christmas Bread, Macaron Biscotti and Soft Salt-Butter Caramels. I may try and make the Christmas Bread this year but the other two will go un-made. Of all the Dorie books that I have baked from I think this one is my favorite. I plan on continuing to bake from Around My French Table which I did not finish. When I joined the group French Fridays with Dorie most of the desserts had been made so I have plenty to choose from. I also have plenty of recipes from Baking From My Home to Yours to complete, I was not part of this group when they baked from that book. And of course I will continue Dorie’s Cookies with this group and Everyday Dorie with Cook the Book Fridays.

On to the recipe. This was another team up recipe, my husband made the cakes and I did the filling, syrup and glaze. I skipped the chocolate shards as I am over salted chocolate. Since my family is really into cake I decided to take Dorie’s suggestion to double the cake recipe for a “taller gâteau”. I am so glad that I did as the cake was slim and would have been hard to cut in two. This cake recipe is quite different as it is made in a food processor and processed for 6 minutes, air is clearly a leavening ingredient here. The chocolate filling is thickened with cornstarch. I think I was a little to heavy-handed with the cornstarch as mine was very thick. I did not do such a good job of bringing the filling directly to the edge of the cake. I did manage to get my glaze shiny, and I poured it in the center and let it fall all around the sides but I couldn’t get full coverage of my bumpy sides. The reason you only see the top of my cake is that is the only perfect part. This is a cake for the chocolate lover but my family said it wasn’t too chocolaty which I think they liked. This is a good cake but not my favorite and I don’t think I will be making it again. I have a great sense of accomplishment with completing this book and I feel I am a better baker because of it. I have enjoyed this journey with all the members of this group.