sooz, it's frustrating when that happens.

I agree with colleenoz regarding "trusting the tastes of unknown reviewers." Though the online reviews can sometimes be helpful, you never know their level of experience. You just have for to try it yourself. Many times all those 5-star reviews might be 2-3 at the most for me.

I think Gesine Prado is a fairly good resource. Just doesn't mean a particular recipe from her is going to be to your liking.

Someone mentioned that it was like a ganache so could it be the texture of the cake that you didn't care for? Personal taste for me is that I don't make anything with gelatin because of the texture that it creates.

Now Oreos dipped in whipped cream - now there's a dessert. :)

ETA - You have this posted twice on the cooking forum

Sheesh! I thought this *was* the Cooking forum!! Oh goodness, I do not like the way this new forum re-vamp works! Thanks for letting me know. I tried to delete the extra post, and that was a no go.

Whoever reviewed this recipe and thought it was like a ganache has never tasted a decent ganache! I'm pretty good with ganache(s) and the chocolate part in this Devil's Cream Cake was nothing like a ganache!

I would have used half as much gelatin and added some egg yolks to the cream mixture (or to the milk) and cook that to 170° to make a custard. I also would have used chocolate crinkle cookies instead of Oreos - I never liked Oreo cookies, even as a child.

Oh, Lars, then it wouldn't have been the same recipe! Thanks for the suggestions, though, and as for me, I do like Oreos!

Smiles!

I like Lars's version. :)

So sorry about the cake, Sooz, but it happens. \ Some recipes are just dogs.

Others assume you know some unusual regional thing, or have a particular ingredient. For instance, I only learned about the difference between cane and beet sugar here in the forum, since I'd always used cane.

What was it about the recipe (besides the Oreos) that you particularly liked? Maybe we can find you a different recipe that'll be better.

Thanks for the offer of finding a different recipe that would be better! I don't mind experimenting as long as I have people who will eat the results if I'm not happy with the recipe.

Actually, I like David Leibowicz's Chocolate Orbit "Cake" for dense rich deliciousness. If you haven't made it yet, it really is a show stopper. It was called Chocolate Idiot Cake (because any idiot can make it) but the name has changed to Chocolate Orbit Cake, to reflect the little craters on top.

Chocolate Orbit Cake aka Chocolate Idiot Cake

I love David Leibovitz's breads. Next time I have an occasion, I'll try to remember this cake!

If you have trouble finding takers for experiments, look for teenage boys. They'll eat anything.

BTW, I'm glad they changed the name. The Vanilla and Caramel idiots might get tweaked...

LOL !!!

Aw, sooz. I've made things that get rave reviews, and I'm thinking -- is this just me? Maybe I just don't have, you know, a mature palate? HA! Or I hate it when I look at the star rating and then realize that it's just commenters giving five stars without actually making it!

I made a kind of, sort of, version of your (appropos HA!) Idiot cake that Annie recommended on her raspberry cheesecake thread (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/52718/flourless-chocolate-cake-ii/) and I posted it on the what's for dinner thread. Did you follow that?:) I only used dark, semi-sweet chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, a big pinch of cinnamon, springform. I agree -- winner. And I'll agree with plllog and teenage boys -- that's why pieces were snitched before celebration. My son is now eating the scraggle bits and ends on graham crackers:)))!

CathyinSWPA

Cathy, you'll have to tell me if it's in the latest WFD thread... houzz is messing with me! A simple search with this format can make me dizzy!

Today, I was reading some reviews for a popular recipe at the Epicurious website by way of an old Chowhound thread, and seriously, over 80% of the reviewers CHANGED THE RECIPE and reviewed *their* results.

That's not reviewing the recipe to my way of thinking.

I'd much more appreciate someone making the recipe as stated and posting a review, and then perhaps in their review, they can suggest that the next time they make it, they'll use this or that or adjust ingredients. The changes bore very little resemblance to the original recipe as written! (shaking my head)

i agree about the "new and improved" houzz sooz -- grrrr. It is on the WFD #361.

"I'd much more appreciate someone making the recipe as stated and posting
a review, and then perhaps in their review, they can suggest that the
next time they make it, they'll use this or that or adjust ingredients.
The changes bore very little resemblance to the original recipe as written! (shaking my head)"

I so agree with this, but as I'm typing this response, I realize I'm guilty and I'll charge myself. HA! The one thing that I do kind of like with some of these
sites is that they have started to delineate "I made it", "most helpful
(positive or critical) review". That's what I looked at. Like this (my bold):

"Very good recipe but I would skip the cocoa and use all chocolate bars.
I've made this many times and find that using cocoa gave the cake a
grittier, more brownie-like texture. So I now use 2 full bars of
Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate (8 oz. total) and skip the cocoa powder
completely (ADD 8-10 min. cooking time). I still use the same amount of
sugar. Using ALL chocolate bars gives this a silkier texutre not to
mention a stronger chocolate flavor. 4 stars as written, 5+ stars for
slight alteration. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries or raspberries
and a dusting of powdered sugar for a dessert made for company."

So between Annie's rec, my having extra chocolate and some of the positive/critical reviews I ended up close to Idiot Cake:) I agree with you though that it does takes a lot more research to find reliable information/or you're specifically looking for. CathyinSWPA

Thanks for the re-direct, Cathy! I found your cake photo easily!

The kind of review example you posted is much more in line with what I would find very helpful, versus people just changing things up when they made the recipe for the first time, and that's that!

Sounds like a Dr Seuss novel ....

I do not like devil's cream cake and ham ...

Bragu, I don't think anyone likes devil's cream cake and ham!

LOL!!!!

HA! I'm going to have that playing in mind all day:)

CathyinSWPA