This recipe is adapted from Melissa Clark’s Ambrosia Cake published in the New York Times on April 7, 2017 just before Easter and the recipe for Chocolate Glaze in Larousse on Pastry. The search for a dessert for Easter dinner began with a desire for something frosted in white, garnished with coconut and strewn with edible flowers. Melissa’s cake seemed perfectly adaptable. I would use whipped cream instead of the marshmallow frosting, and edible flowers in lieu of strawberries.
When I couldn’t find edible flowers in any of our local South Florida grocers, the dried edible rose petals I had on hand seemed like a good substitute – at first. But neither the coconut nor the clementines seemed palatable with dried rose petals; and, quite simply, I began to crave chocolate to compensate for not being able to realize my vision.
At first, I thought I would use a clementine-flavored chocolate ganache and clementine sections as the filling.
But the bulk of the clementine sections would have made the cake appear lumpy once a second layer was placed on top.
So, the bottom layer became the top layer and the entire cake was enveloped in chocolate.
Delicious! It helps to use fresh coconut, but it’s not a must. The clementines must be sweet.
Melissa Clark crafted a lovely flavor combination in the cake. Enveloped in chocolate, garnished with clementine sections and edged in flaked fresh coconut, the layers of flavor will make you stop and savor the moment.
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