No-Bake Rice Krispies Chocolate Cake
This is one of a two cake series I have been working on during summer 2020. No baking involved, just melting some good chocolate and butter, it’s a cake after all! Mix, make a mess, shape and freeze… You can add pistachio because you want to make it pretty or just because you take every opportunity to add pistachio to a recipe. It is called creative consistency,… hahaha ;)
My beloved-very-strict-tasting-committee could not decide which one was the best. So here is the No-Bake Rice Krispies Chocolate Cake detailed recipe. I will dedicate another post for the competitor: No-Bake Marie Cookie Cake in a few days. You will have to try them both and tell me which version has you hooked!
Bon appétit! ;)
No-Bake Rice Krispies Chocolate Cake
Recipe credits: Rafaella Sargi
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
9 oz (250 g) chocolate
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk (I use 2% skimmed milk)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon coffee liqueur
4 cups (140 g) Rice Krispies
2 tablespoons cacao nibs (optional)
3 Tablespoons finely crushed pistachios
Directions
Scale and prep all the ingredients.
You will need one heat proof large bowl, one small pot, a small rubber spatula (or a wooden spoon), food safe plastic wrap, and a cake pan of your choice as a “mold” (in the pictures, I used an 8inch diameter cake pan).
Note on bain-marie requirements: before you start making your recipe, select the pot and the bowl that will “sit” on top of it. The bowl’s lower part has to fit securely on top of the pot, 1/3 of the bowl should be “in” in the pot but avoid touching the water. I use a glass bowl (pyrex / heavy duty). I prefer using glass bowls and not metal ones for bain-marie because the metal ones become super hot and I always burn myself. If you are careful chose what works best for you.
In a large bowl, put the butter, chocolate and powdered sugar. Set aside.
Place a small pot filled with a little bit of water on high heat. Bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat to low, keeping a slow and steady simmer. Place the bowl (chocolate + butter + powdered sugar) securely on top of the pot. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water but is just above it, getting all the heat from the simmering water. Allow the butter and chocolate to soften patiently. Let it sit untouched for a few minutes until the chocolate and butter start to melt. With a small spatula, starting at the center of the mixture, swirl slowly until the chocolate and butter are completely melted. (No need to overmix)
While the chocolate and butter are melting, take the cake pan (mold) you are using and line it with food safe plastic wrap. The plastic wrap should be bigger than the mold, you will use any excess wrap to seal and secure the cake later on. Sprinkle the crushed pistachio evenly in the cake pan. (It will become the top of your cake once the recipe is done; so make it nice!)
Remove the bowl from the pot. (Turn off the heat).
Pour the vanilla extract, milk, heavy cream and liqueur over the melted chocolate mix. Very slowly, with the same spatula, integrate all the newly added liquids into the melted chocolate. Proceed from the center of the bowl and make small, slow circles until everything is homogenous. Add the Rice Krispies. Don’t forget the cacao nibs if you decided to use them.
Mix until everything looks incorporated and frankly messy!
Empty the chocolate and Rice Krispies mixture in the prepared pan. Use a spoon to make sure the cake is packed. You want to press a little bit and avoid air pockets.
Fold the extra plastic wrap on top of the cake, overlaping like an envelop. Place in the freezer overnight or until it sets (It will take a few hours).
When ready to serve, open the “envelop”, and flip the cake onto a serving dish. Remove all the plastic wrap of course. Slice and enjoy!
If there is some leftover cake, you can keep it in the freezer on a plate, but wrap it well.
