Argentine Chocolate Biscuit Cake (Chocotorta)
Chocotorta Say it: choh-koh-TOR-tah
Chocotorta is Argentina's beloved no-bake chocolate biscuit cake, layered with a silky filling of dulce de leche and cream cheese. Chocolate biscuits are quickly dipped in milk, then stacked with the caramel-like cream until the whole cake is tender and sliceable. It is a fixture at birthdays, picnics, and family gatherings, prized for its rich, sweet flavor and effortless preparation. The contrast between the soft biscuits and the tangy cream cheese keeps it from being cloying. Serve it well chilled, cut into neat squares.
Argentine Chocolate Biscuit Cake (Chocotorta)
Chocotorta
Pronounced choh-koh-TOR-tah
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- —
- Total
- 20 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, soy. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the cake
Method
Have an 8-inch (20 cm) square glass or ceramic dish ready; no greasing is needed. In a bowl, beat the dulce de leche and cream cheese with a spatula or electric mixer until completely smooth and spreadable, about 1 minute.
Pour the milk into a shallow bowl. Dip one chocolate biscuit at a time for about 1 second per side—just enough to moisten it without letting it soften—and arrange a single layer in the bottom of the dish, trimming biscuits to fit if necessary.
Spread one-third of the dulce de leche mixture evenly over the biscuits with an offset spatula, reaching into the corners.
Make a second layer of dipped biscuits, then spread another third of the cream mixture on top. Repeat with a third layer of dipped biscuits and the remaining cream, pressing gently so the layers compact.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until the biscuits have softened into a cake-like texture and the filling is firm.
Just before serving, dust the top lightly with cocoa powder, if using. Cut into squares with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts, and serve cold.
Regional variants
Some cooks flavor the dipping milk with a splash of coffee or a little liqueur, and others top the cake with grated chocolate or crushed chocolate biscuits.
Cook's notes
- Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before beating so the filling stays smooth.
- Dip the biscuits very briefly; soaked biscuits make the cake mushy.
- For the cleanest slices, chill overnight and wipe the knife between cuts.
Serve with
Serve cold, with coffee or a glass of cold milk.
Make ahead and storage
The finished cake keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and slices best after an overnight rest.
