Mohr im Hemd is a traditional Viennese dessert of an individually-steamed chocolate cake served with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. It gained popularity in the mid-to-late 19th century, linked to the Catholic practice of eating dessert for dinner on meatless fast days. The dessert's name, translating to "moor in his shirt," references its black-and-white appearance and is believed to have originated around the time of Verdi's Othello performances at the Vienna State Opera in 1888.
Despite ongoing debates about the name's appropriateness, it remains in use, though some menus now list it as "chocolate Gugelhupf". Mohr im Hemd can be found in the freezer sections of supermarkets or easily made at home with ground almonds, grated dark chocolate, and egg whites, traditionally steamed in individual Gugelhupf pans.