All about chocolate

Chocolate Fudge Cake (BBC good food – reader Miss Kay)

175 g Self Raising Flour
2 tbp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp bicarb soda
150 g castor sugar
2 eggs beaten
150ml sunflower oil
150ml semi skimmed milk
2 tbp golden syrup

Icing
75 g unsalted butter
175 g icing sugar
3 tbp cocoa powder
Drop of milk

Method

1. Preheat oven 180 degrees C. Grease and line 2 x 18cm sandwich tins
2. Sieve flour , cocoa and bicarb soda into a bowl. Add the sugar and mix well.
3. Make a well in the centre and add syrup , eggs, oil and milk. Beat well with electric mixer until smooth
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins until risen and firm to touch. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool before turning out into a cooling rack.
5. Make the icing by placing the butter in a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually sift in the icing sugar and cocoa and then the milk to make the icing fluffy and spreadable.
6. If the cake has risen to high, before icing, cut the tip off with a serrated knife. Sandwich the cake together with the icing and remaining icing to cover the sides and top of the cakes.

Chocolatey Muffins

2 large eggs
180 g castor sugar
150 g all purpose flour
6 tbp cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
150 ml milk
150 g unsalted butter
3 tbp creme fraiche or sour cream
120 g chopped up chocolate pieces *use at least 50% cocoa butter content – dark chocolate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. Grease medium sized muffin tins (2 trays of 5/6) and fill up with muffin cases.
3. Beat the eggs with sugar, mix in the sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla and milk. Mix well but don’t overbeat.
4. Fold in the melted butter, give it a stir, then the fold in the creme fraiche. Lastly add the chocolate chunks and scoop the mixture to fill 3/4 of the muffin cases.
5. Bake in 180 degrees C in the upper middle rack of the oven for approx. 30-35 mins. Use a wooden pick to  insert into centre and it should come out clean.
6. Makes 10-12 muffins.

*Alternatively you can bake it in a loaf tin well lined with baking paper for a great chocolate cake for the picnic basket!

Hot Chocolate

100 g sugar
1 ltr of water
50 g of good quality cocoa powder (non sweetened)
270 g of dark chocolate (with at least 60% cocoa butter content) – break them to small chunks.

Boil the water, add the sugar – when sugar is dissolved , whisk in the cocoa powder.  Pour the cocoa liquid bit by bit into the dark chocolate chunks in a heat proof bowl. The hot liquid should help melt the chocolate slowly. Do not pour all in at once, making it difficult to mix well. Whisk it as you mix the two. If they don’t dissolve, do a bain marie over hotwater in a pot on top of a low fire. Continue whisking, make sure it does not boil over.

The luxury bit is to have a chocolate pot or moussoir &  pot - that will help froth the chocolate mixture further and it becomes ‘light’. Otherwise the modern version from Bodum a chocolatierre would be an added bonus.

Top your chocolate with fresh whipped cream and dust with any spices you like! Enjoy…

 

Wicked Chocolate Mousse

6 oz dark chocolate (at least 50% cocoa butter content)
3 oz unsalted butter
3 eggs
3 tbp strong coffee liquid (or 2 1/2 tsp instant coffee mixed with 1/3 cup hotwater)
2 tbp of brandy

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over hot water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir and once they have melted, remove from the stove. Do not overcook it , otherwise the melted chocolate will get grainy.
2. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks slightly and pour into the chocolate mixture. Mix well – don’t overbeat it.
3. Add the coffee and the brandy, continue stirring.
4. Beat the egg whites till stiff. Fold in carefully to the chocolate mixture and spoon them into small ramekins.
5. Refridgerate for at least 3 hours.

Banana Choc Chip Cake
http://yoonsy.wordpress.com/2009/06/10/banana-choc-chip-cake/

Orange and Dark Chocolate Cake
http://yoonsy.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/orage-and-dark-chocolate-cake/

Brownie with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
http://yoonsy.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/brownie-with-chocolate-cream-cheese-frosting/