September 04, 2007

Chocolate Pizza What?

It all started with a simple question.

"So buddy," I began, "what kind of cake should I make you for your birthday?"

"Well..." he started, and I could tell from the look on his face that this was going to be a good one. "I would like a chocolate cake, I think, but maybe do something unusual, like put it on pizza crust or something, I mean do something that's NOT in the recipe."

It's all Arthur's fault. You know the PBS show Arthur? Our D watched it a few days before this conversation, and in the episode he saw, Arthur's dad explained to him that for most recipes there are ingredients that cannot be omitted, but that the rest of the recipe is somewhat more open to interpretation. D was fascinated by this concept, and was keen on seeing how it played out in real life. So there I was, facing a request for a chocolate cake on pizza crust. Ummm...

Can it be done? Let's watch!
Here's a baking sheet I covered w/ parchment paper before attempting a small size pizza crust. (Those guys who toss the dough in the air and magically make it come out circular? Are magic. I watched two YouTube videos and this step STILL took me about ten minutes. Much agonizing over the physics of a baking lump of dough. Would it expand up and out? Just up? Just out? The answer, as it turns out, is mostly just up.)
Thick but passable pizza crust accomplished (see rack at back left), so now it's on to the chocolate cake part. (Pizza crust bakes at about 500 degrees, and for only 10 minutes, so I couldn't figure out a way to have both parts of the cake baking at the same time.) But hey, check out my amazingly cool WMF Profi Plus "halo-style" ball whisk! You know you want one.
Moment of truth... 8.5 inch round chocolate layer perched on top of the pizza crust... it fits! UNBELIEVABLE.



Fast forward through an entire cannister of pre-made chocolate frosting (cheating, I know, but by this time I was tired and ready to call it a day), and ta-daah! Chocolate pizza cake! But I know you're wondering... what did the birthday boy think?

Here's that "picture equals 1,000 words" thing again.

Honestly, I'm kind of hoping he forgets all about it next year. But I'm quite pleased that it all worked out. And I think I'll finish off my Tuesday with a nice big ol' piece of Chocolate Pizza Cake.

(backstage Sunday)
(Don't worry, Dad, it's cleaned up NOW!)


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

ARE YOU THE COOLEST MOM ALIVE--
O R W H A T !!!!!!

Wendy said...

the coolest mom alive, indeed!

Carolee said...

it actually sounds good ... i think about chocolate croissants! but don't tell my nutritionist. she's against fantasizing about chocolate and pastries because it usually leads to a trip to the bakery.

p.s. make sure you paste this text into you life in stories list!

angie said...

Shelley, what a great mom you are! I would NEVER try that - lol. He's looking so much older, too - what a great-looking kid! Hope you've had a good summer!

Nancy Bea Miller said...

You are so cool. My boys can never meet you because they will want to switch Moms!

Isabel said...

I dare Top Chef to add this cake as a challenge!

I don't like chocolate, but I am glad to see that your son is happy with it!

kerrdelune said...

Wow, this looks like my kitchen - I did love the chocolate pizza cake though, and I may just try to make one for my grandson.

Andromeda Jazmon said...

Arthur's Dad would be so intrigued with you!

Happy Birthday Big D!