I started making chocolate vasilopita with crumble after wanting something a little different for the New Year's table. Right from the start, it's a recipe with enough structure, so you can't get lost. The process is clear, with two mixtures coming together at the end, and the aroma of the spices is truly noticeable. The crumble part isn't complicated; you just need to be patient with the cooling and assembling steps.
Quick info
Total time: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes – 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on the oven
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10-12, from a 28 cm diameter pan
Difficulty: medium, especially for the crumble part
Recipe type: festive dessert, traditional for New Year's (but works in any colder season)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 250 g chocolate for melting (minimum 72% cocoa)
- 400 g butter
- 300 g brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 small piece of grated nutmeg
- 400 g finely ground white almonds (almond flour)
- 10 eggs
- 175 g flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the crumble:
- 125 g butter
- 150 g brown sugar
- 30 g chocolate for melting (72% cocoa)
- 125 g flour
- 50 g finely ground almonds
For decoration:
- Colorful candies, whole almonds, dried fruits, to taste
Preparation method
1. Prepare the oven and the pan:
Preheat the oven to 170°C. If you have an adjustable pastry ring, line the base with aluminum foil to prevent the mixture from leaking. The classic pan for this amount is 28 cm in diameter.
2. Melting the chocolate and butter:
In a bowl, place the 250 g of chocolate and 400 g of butter. You can melt them together in a bain-marie or microwave at low temperature. I prefer bain-marie to avoid burning the chocolate.
3. The eggs:
Break the eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a mixer for a few minutes until they become frothy and homogeneous.
4. Combining the ingredients for the cake:
Pour the melted chocolate and butter into a large bowl. Add the sugar, cinnamon, grated nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground almonds. Mix well. Incorporate the beaten eggs, then the flour, and finally the baking powder. Mix evenly without over-beating to avoid losing volume.
5. Pouring and baking the cake:
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 170°C for 30 minutes. After this interval, reduce the temperature to 160°C and leave it for another 30 minutes. Depending on the oven, sometimes it needs to be checked after 55-60 minutes. The cake should rise but be firm to the touch.
6. Preparing the crumble:
While the cake is baking, prepare the crumble. Melt the 30 g of chocolate (in the microwave or bain-marie). In a bowl, place the softened butter, brown sugar, flour, ground almonds, and melted chocolate. Mix until you have a homogeneous, crumbly mixture.
Place this mixture on the work surface and roll it out with a rolling pin into a sheet about 3 cm thick. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge to firm up (about 20-30 minutes).
7. Final assembly:
After the 60 minutes of baking the cake have passed, remove the pan and prepare the crumble. Using a pastry ring (smaller than the diameter of the cake), cut out a disc from the crumble sheet. Place it over the hot cake, then return everything to the oven for another 15 minutes, still at 160°C.
8. Decoration:
Let the cake cool completely. After that, decorate to taste with candies, whole almonds, or dried fruits. The lucky coin (if you follow the tradition) can be carefully inserted inside after the cake has cooled.
Why I make the recipe often
It’s suitable for holidays and special days. The texture is dense, and the aroma of the spices is well pronounced. It lasts a few days at room temperature, making it practical for extended meals. And it can be adapted with other flavors or nuts if you don’t have everything on hand.
Tips and variations
Tips
- For cutting the crumble, have a ring with a diameter slightly smaller than the cake pan to prevent the edges from sticking.
- Use a thin knife for cutting to avoid crushing the crumble.
- If you notice that the crumble is browning too much, partially cover it with baking paper in the last minutes.
Substitutions
- You can also use chocolate with a different cocoa percentage, but the 72% version gives an intense flavor.
- Ground almonds can be replaced with hazelnuts or walnuts if you want a different flavor.
- Flour can be substituted with gluten-free flour, but the texture will be slightly denser.
Variations
- If you don’t like thick crumble, you can make it thinner, but let it chill in the fridge for less time.
- You can add candied orange to the cake for flavor.
- Instead of candies, small pieces of white chocolate on top can also work for contrast.
Serving ideas
- It is served at room temperature but can also be slightly warmed.
- A large slice with a bitter coffee or black tea.
- For special events, you can portion it individually and place a whole almond on each slice.
Frequently asked questions
1. How soon should the crumble be placed after removing the cake from the oven?
It is ideal to wait a few minutes, so it’s not too hot, but also not completely cooled. The crumble should stick slightly to the surface.
2. Can I put the lucky coin before baking?
I do not recommend it. It is much safer to insert it after cooling to avoid affecting the texture or oxidizing.
3. What do I do if I don’t have a pastry ring for cutting the crumble?
It can also be cut with a knife or the edge of a bowl, as long as you are careful with the diameter.
4. If I don’t want cinnamon or cloves, what other flavors can I use?
You can try vanilla, cardamom, or lemon zest, to taste.
5. Can I make the recipe just with crumble, without the cake part?
No, the crumble is designed to complement the cake, not as a standalone dish.
Nutritional values
Estimated, per slice (from 12):
- calories: approx. 530 kcal
- carbohydrates: 37 g
- protein: 7.5 g
- fats: 38 g
The value may vary, especially depending on how much chocolate or almonds you use exactly and the toppings added.
Storage and reheating
It keeps best at room temperature, wrapped in foil, for up to 3-4 days. I do not recommend the refrigerator, as it hardens. Reheating is not mandatory, but if you want, you can put a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, directly on the plate. The crumble remains firm even after a few days.
The recipe does not freeze well due to the tender texture and high butter content.
Quick info
Total time: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes – 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on the oven
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10-12, from a 28 cm diameter pan
Difficulty: medium, especially for the crumble part
Recipe type: festive dessert, traditional for New Year's (but works in any colder season)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 250 g chocolate for melting (minimum 72% cocoa)
- 400 g butter
- 300 g brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 small piece of grated nutmeg
- 400 g finely ground white almonds (almond flour)
- 10 eggs
- 175 g flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the crumble:
- 125 g butter
- 150 g brown sugar
- 30 g chocolate for melting (72% cocoa)
- 125 g flour
- 50 g finely ground almonds
For decoration:
- Colorful candies, whole almonds, dried fruits, to taste
Preparation method
1. Prepare the oven and the pan:
Preheat the oven to 170°C. If you have an adjustable pastry ring, line the base with aluminum foil to prevent the mixture from leaking. The classic pan for this amount is 28 cm in diameter.
2. Melting the chocolate and butter:
In a bowl, place the 250 g of chocolate and 400 g of butter. You can melt them together in a bain-marie or microwave at low temperature. I prefer bain-marie to avoid burning the chocolate.
3. The eggs:
Break the eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a mixer for a few minutes until they become frothy and homogeneous.
4. Combining the ingredients for the cake:
Pour the melted chocolate and butter into a large bowl. Add the sugar, cinnamon, grated nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground almonds. Mix well. Incorporate the beaten eggs, then the flour, and finally the baking powder. Mix evenly without over-beating to avoid losing volume.
5. Pouring and baking the cake:
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 170°C for 30 minutes. After this interval, reduce the temperature to 160°C and leave it for another 30 minutes. Depending on the oven, sometimes it needs to be checked after 55-60 minutes. The cake should rise but be firm to the touch.
6. Preparing the crumble:
While the cake is baking, prepare the crumble. Melt the 30 g of chocolate (in the microwave or bain-marie). In a bowl, place the softened butter, brown sugar, flour, ground almonds, and melted chocolate. Mix until you have a homogeneous, crumbly mixture.
Place this mixture on the work surface and roll it out with a rolling pin into a sheet about 3 cm thick. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge to firm up (about 20-30 minutes).
7. Final assembly:
After the 60 minutes of baking the cake have passed, remove the pan and prepare the crumble. Using a pastry ring (smaller than the diameter of the cake), cut out a disc from the crumble sheet. Place it over the hot cake, then return everything to the oven for another 15 minutes, still at 160°C.
8. Decoration:
Let the cake cool completely. After that, decorate to taste with candies, whole almonds, or dried fruits. The lucky coin (if you follow the tradition) can be carefully inserted inside after the cake has cooled.
Why I make the recipe often
It’s suitable for holidays and special days. The texture is dense, and the aroma of the spices is well pronounced. It lasts a few days at room temperature, making it practical for extended meals. And it can be adapted with other flavors or nuts if you don’t have everything on hand.
Tips and variations
Tips
- For cutting the crumble, have a ring with a diameter slightly smaller than the cake pan to prevent the edges from sticking.
- Use a thin knife for cutting to avoid crushing the crumble.
- If you notice that the crumble is browning too much, partially cover it with baking paper in the last minutes.
Substitutions
- You can also use chocolate with a different cocoa percentage, but the 72% version gives an intense flavor.
- Ground almonds can be replaced with hazelnuts or walnuts if you want a different flavor.
- Flour can be substituted with gluten-free flour, but the texture will be slightly denser.
Variations
- If you don’t like thick crumble, you can make it thinner, but let it chill in the fridge for less time.
- You can add candied orange to the cake for flavor.
- Instead of candies, small pieces of white chocolate on top can also work for contrast.
Serving ideas
- It is served at room temperature but can also be slightly warmed.
- A large slice with a bitter coffee or black tea.
- For special events, you can portion it individually and place a whole almond on each slice.
Frequently asked questions
1. How soon should the crumble be placed after removing the cake from the oven?
It is ideal to wait a few minutes, so it’s not too hot, but also not completely cooled. The crumble should stick slightly to the surface.
2. Can I put the lucky coin before baking?
I do not recommend it. It is much safer to insert it after cooling to avoid affecting the texture or oxidizing.
3. What do I do if I don’t have a pastry ring for cutting the crumble?
It can also be cut with a knife or the edge of a bowl, as long as you are careful with the diameter.
4. If I don’t want cinnamon or cloves, what other flavors can I use?
You can try vanilla, cardamom, or lemon zest, to taste.
5. Can I make the recipe just with crumble, without the cake part?
No, the crumble is designed to complement the cake, not as a standalone dish.
Nutritional values
Estimated, per slice (from 12):
- calories: approx. 530 kcal
- carbohydrates: 37 g
- protein: 7.5 g
- fats: 38 g
The value may vary, especially depending on how much chocolate or almonds you use exactly and the toppings added.
Storage and reheating
It keeps best at room temperature, wrapped in foil, for up to 3-4 days. I do not recommend the refrigerator, as it hardens. Reheating is not mandatory, but if you want, you can put a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, directly on the plate. The crumble remains firm even after a few days.
The recipe does not freeze well due to the tender texture and high butter content.