Easy Lazy Cake Recipe
This easy lazy cake recipe is a delicious no-bake chocolate dessert. It's incredibly easy to make with just a few, simple ingredients.
Servings 8 -10, approximately
Equipment
- 8 or 10 inch (20-30 cm) springform pan or pastry ring
- large mixing bowls
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup (250ml) fresh milk
- ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 25gr (1oz) good quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup (113 g/4 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) cognac (optional)
- 17.6 oz / 500g plain vanilla cookies like petit-beurre, animal crackers, graham crackers, tea biscuits, Digestive biscuits or Marie biscuits
- 1 cup (100g) chopped nuts (I use half pistachio, half walnuts)
For the ganache topping
- ½ cup + 1½ tablespoons (150ml /5 fl oz) heavy cream with at least 33% fat
- 150g (5.3oz) good quality dark, semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
- Butter and line the bottom and sides of your pan. If you have a pastry ring, just butter and line the sides. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, add the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, butter, and the 25g/1oz chopped chocolate. Whisk continuously over medium heat and bring to a boil. When it starts boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes while whisking. It’s important not to stop whisking so the mixture doesn’t burn. After about 5 minutes, it will thicken slightly.1 cup (250ml) fresh milk, ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup (200g) sugar, ½ cup (113 g/4 oz) unsalted butter, 25gr (1oz) good quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and the cognac (if using). Set it aside to cool a bit.1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 tablespoons (45ml) cognac (optional)
- In a large bowl, use your hands to break the cookies into medium and small pieces.17.6 oz / 500g plain vanilla cookies like petit-beurre, animal crackers, graham crackers, tea biscuits, Digestive biscuits or Marie biscuits
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the cookie pieces. Add half of the nuts (½ cup/50g) and stir everything with a rubber spatula or large spoon. Make sure to coat everything well.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it in using the spatula or the back of a spoon. Press down tightly and even out the surface. Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil and tiny bubbles appear on the sides of the saucepan. Don't boil it.½ cup + 1½ tablespoons (150ml /5 fl oz) heavy cream with at least 33% fat
- Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate (150g) and let it sit for 5 minutes without stirring. After 5 minutes, stir the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy and the chocolate has melted.150g (5.3oz) good quality dark, semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- Take the cake out of the refrigerator and pour the ganache on the top. Use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.
- Add the remaining nuts on top.
- Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. This is the most important step! The cake needs to be refrigerated overnight (at least 8 hours) to solidify properly and allow all the flavors to develop.
- Unlatch the pan and remove the parchment paper. Slide the cake onto a plate or cake stand.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Tips for Success
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- Make sure you use full fat cream so that the chocolate ganache has the perfect consistency. Low-fat cream will make it too runny.
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- Weigh all your ingredients beforehand to ensure accurate results.
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- Press the cake mixture down tightly in the pan and even out the surface to make enough room for the ganache layer on top.
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- This cake needs to be refrigerated overnight to solidify properly and allow all the flavors to develop.
