Chocolate and Coffee Brownie

One of the quickest ways to speed up any dessert recipe is replace as many ingredients with premixed or premade packages as possible. This recipe uses premixed cookie dough and brownie mix to cut down the work but not the deliciousness!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup cooking oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1x 16.5 - 18-oz. package of sugar cookie dough
1 19.5 oz. pkg. milk chocolate brownie mix
1/3 cup coffee liqueur or cooled strong coffee
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate pieces

PREPERATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Press sugar cookie dough into bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, brownie mix, cooking oil, and coffee liqueur until just combined. Spread batter over sugar cookie dough. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces.

Bake for 40 minutes or until edges are set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. To serve, cut into bars. Makes 24 brownies.


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Blueberry Chocolate Cakes

How do you make an amazing blueberry cake even more delicious? Add some chocolate. I suppose this isn't some hidden magic trick tho, as chocolate makes almost everything better! The squeeze of lemon juice at the end gives a hint of tangy zing (serves 4).

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil spray
2 x 125g punnets blueberries (see note)
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
50g (1/3 cup) self-raising flour
40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
2 tbs cocoa powder
2 tbs skim milk
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
60ml (1/4 cup) water
1 tbs fresh lemon juice

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray four 150ml-capacity non-stick muffin pans with olive oil spray to lightly grease. Combine half the blueberries and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl. Divide evenly among the prepared pans.

Sift the combined flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add the milk, egg, oil, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, and stir until just combined.

Spoon the flour mixture evenly over the blueberry mixture in the pans and smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Use a serrated knife to trim the tops of the cake so they will sit flat. Turn onto a baking tray.

Meanwhile, place the water and remaining sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. Add the remaining blueberries and cook, tossing, for 1 minute or until the syrup just starts to change colour. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Divide the cakes among serving plates. Top with blueberries and spoon over a little of the syrup. Serve with cream freiche.

Chocolate Banoffee Pies

Banoffee pies are an English pastry dessert made from bananas, cream, toffee and boiled condensed milk (aka dulce de leche). Now this is purely preference, but Banoffee is perhaps the most satisfying dessert you can finish a meal with. Banana, caramel and biscuit. Add chocolate and you've got a great combo!

INGREDIENTS
250g dark chocolate digestive biscuits
180g unsalted butter
1 tbs cocoa powder, plus extra to dust
1/2 firmly packed cup (100g) brown sugar
395g can condensed milk
75g dark chocolate, melted
1 tbs golden syrup
300ml thickened cream
2 small bananas, sliced

PREPARATION
Finely crumb biscuits in a food processor. Melt 80g butter and add to crumbs with cocoa. Process to combine. Press into six 10cm loose-bottomed tart pans. Chill for 20 minutes until bases are firm.

Place sugar and remaining butter in a pan over low heat, stirring, until butter has melted. Add condensed milk and stir over low heat for 5 minutes or until mixture is a thick, golden caramel. Remove from heat, then add chocolate and golden syrup, stirring to combine. Fill tart shells with caramel mixture. Chill for at least 1 hour to set.

Whip cream until soft peaks form. When ready to serve, place tarts on plates, top with sliced banana and whipped cream, then dust with cocoa.

Steamed Chocolate Pudding and Black Forest Sauce

An old-fashioned steamed pudding is hard to beat. Dripping with dark chocolate and cherry sauce, this delicious recipe makes lovely moist chocolate pudding that serves 4.

INGREDIENTS
115g unsalted butter
115g caster sugar
2 eggs
85g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbs cocoa powder
30g almond meal
1 tbs milk
200g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into squares
160ml (2/3 cup) thickened cream
Thick cream, to serve
670g can pitted cherries
1 tbs arrowroot
2 tbs brandy

PREPARATION
Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the baking powder, flour and cocoa together & add to mixture with almond meal and milk, stir until well combined. Spoon into a 1 litre buttered pudding basin, cover with a layer of foil and tie with kitchen string to secure. Place in a saucepan and add enough water to come halfway up side of pudding basin. Steam for 1 1/2 hours.
Make a chocolate sauce by addding the chocolate and cream and place over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Use a metal spoon to stir occasionally until chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Or heat in a microwave, uncovered, on Medium-High/650watts/70%, stirring every minute, for 2-3 minutes or until melted and smooth.

To make the black forest sauce, place cherries and their juices in a saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Combine arrowroot with brandy until smooth, then add to cherries and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Serve with cherry sauce, chocolate sauce and a dollop of cream.

Chocolate Fondue

You can adjust the amount of Cointreau in the recipe to suit your tastes as needed, 1/4 of a cup is a good starting point. Reduce this amount if you want a less liquored flavoured dessert, or increase it (a little!) to make it more "adult". You can also swap the Cointreau with Baileys if preferred. If you have any leftover fondue sauce, put it the fridge over night to make a soft fudge. This chocolate dessert recipe serves four.

INGREDIENTS:
300ml thickened cream
1/4 cup Cointreau liqueur
300g dark chocolate, finely chopped
Fresh fruit, such as strawberries, oranges, banana, raspberries & kiwis to serve
250g packet marshmallows

PREPARATION:
Heat cream in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling. Stir in Cointreau.

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate. Stir with a metal spoon until melted and smooth. Pour into a warm bowl or small ceramic fondue.

Serve chocolate fondue with fruit and marshmallows.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

This delicious chocolate cake is a chocoholics dream dessert, so soft and moist. The dark chocolate in this recipe really makes it fantastic, and if you use 70% dark it becomes very very rich - you can tone this down a little bit by mixing half dairy milk chocolate with half dark chocolate if preferred; it is a riiich dessert!

Keep tasting the coffee mascarpone and added more icing sugar as needed if it is too bitter to your taste. If you dont have chocolate sorbet to serve alongside the cake, vanilla bean or good chocolate ice-cream works just as well. Be careful not to exceed the baking time, as 12 minutes really is all thats needed. This is a sumptious cake that people will ask you to make again.

INGREDIENTS:
500g dark chocolate
4 eggs
1 tbs caster sugar
1 tbs plain flour, sifted
2 tbs golden syrup
125g unsalted butter
Melted chocolate, to decorate
Chocolate sorbet, to serve
200g mascarpone cheese
2 tbs instant coffee
2 tbs pure icing sugar

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease and line the base of a 20cm round spring-form cake pan with non-stick baking paper.

Melt the chocolate, golden syrup and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer or use an electric hand beater and beat on high for 10 minutes until very thick and pale. Gently fold in the flour then fold in the chocolate mixture until combined. Pour into the cake pan and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake. Remove collar from cake pan and transfer the cake to the fridge for 1 hour to cool (this step is important as it sets the middle of the cake).

For the coffee mascarpone, dissolve coffee in 1 tablespoon of boiling water and set aside to cool. Beat together the mascarpone, icing sugar and coffee in a bowl until stiff.

To make the chocolate leaf, brush non-toxic leaves with the melted chocolate. When cool, peel the leaf off.

Slice the cake and serve with a dollop of coffee mascarpone, a chocolate leaf on top and a scoop of sorbet or ice-cream on the side.

Mint Chocolate Parfait Glasses

A hint of mint in this simple chocolate dessert makes this ice-cold chocolate treat extra refreshing, and it really is so easy and lightening quick to prepare. Great if you need to throw something together quickly. This recipe makes 4 servings, you can double it if needed for more guests.


INGREDIENTS:
1 x 100g pkt Chocolate Meringues, coarsely crushed
8 scoops chocolate ice-cream
1 x Hard Setting Chocolate Mint Topping, to serve
2 x 35g pkts Peppermint Crisp chocolate bars, crumbled, to serve

PREPARATION:
Divide the meringue among eight 250ml (1-cup) capacity serving glasses. Divide the ice-cream among the glasses. Drizzle the chocolate topping and top with crushed Peppermint Crisps. Serve.

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

This is one of the easiest cheesecake recipes yet simple and delicious. To add a choco-orange twist to this recipe, use orange juice instead of water and add some finely grated orange peel that you can put on top.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 envelope (.25 oz.) unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup water
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, melted and cooled
1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

PREPARATION:

1. Make the crust by mixing the graham cracker crumbs, sugar & butter together in ungreased 9-inch springform pan; press firmly onto bottom.

2. Sprinkle over water in small saucepan; let stand for 1 minute. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, just until gelatine dissolves. Remove from heat.

3. Beat the cream cheese & melted chocolate in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Stir in gelatine mixture; fold in whipped cream. Pour into the prepared pan.

4. Refrigerate for about 3 hours or until set. Run knife around edge of cheesecake; remove side of springform pan.

Double Fudge Brownies

These homemade chocolate fudge brownies are so easy to make, look perfect and they taste delicious! They are bound to be a hit with your family as they are with mine.

This is our last post for the year; we will resume posting early next year. Have a safe and happy Christmas and New Years!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2/3 cup Butter
1/4 cup Water
2 cup Chocolate chips 1 12oz pkg semi-sweet
2 teaspoon vanilla
4 Eggs
1 cup Nuts chopped (optional)

PREPARATION:
In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 2/3 cup of butter, and 1/4 cup of water. Bring to the boil and no more. Remove saucepan from heat and add 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips & 2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir until the chocolate melts. Transfer this chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Beat in four eggs, one at a time. Then in a small bowl combine the soda, flour and salt. Gradually add flour to chocolate batter. Blend in 1 cup chopped nuts if desired. Pour into greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake at 325 for 50 minutes.

Christmas Truffles - Pudding Truffles

These chocolate truffles are deliciously Christmasy, in both flavour and appearance. The joy of truffle recipes is mixing and matching bits and bobs to your preference, so if you prefer to omit the alcohol, go right ahead. Conversely, you don't need to stick with rum, feel free to substitute any liquor you may prefer. A chocolate liquor in this recipe is also an excellent choice.

INGREDIENTS:
100g plain chocolate
75 ml double Cream
2 tbsp rum
150g fruit cake
25g glace cherries
White chocolate / icing to decorate

PREPARATION:
Melt the chocolate and cream together. Remove from the heat
Crumble cake into fine crumbs and chop cherries finely. Stir the cake crumbs, rum and cherries into the melted chocolate. Chill for 30 minutes

With a teaspoon, divide the mixture into about 16 pieces. Use clean hands to roll mixture into balls and place in small paper cases. Chill for 30 minutes. Decorate the tops of the each truffle with the white chocolate or icing.

Christmas Truffles - Eggnog Truffles

Cream, nutmeg and brandy give these simple truffles the flavours of Christmas, embodied in a gorgeous little truffle. Make this recipe up to 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container in the fridge. Makes 32

INGREDIENTS:
2 x 180g pkts good-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
80ml (1/3 cup) thickened cream
1 tbs brandy
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 x 375g pkt white chocolate melts
Ground nutmeg, extra, to dust
Freshly brewed espresso coffee, to serve

PREPARATION:
Place the chocolate, cream, brandy and nutmeg in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure bowl doesn't touch the water) and stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Place in the fridge for 2 hours or until firm enough to roll into balls.

Line a tray with non-stick baking paper. Use a teaspoon to scoop out 2 teaspoonfuls of chocolate mixture and use your hands to roll into a ball. Place on prepared tray. Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture. Place in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm.

Meanwhile, place chocolate melts in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure bowl doesn't touch the water) and stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts.

Line a tray with non-stick baking paper. Use 2 forks to dip a truffle into the melted chocolate to coat. Remove truffle, tapping the fork handle gently on the edge of the bowl to shake off any excess chocolate. Place on prepared tray. Repeat with remaining truffles and melted chocolate. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to set. Sprinkle truffles with extra nutmeg and serve with coffee.

Christmas Truffles - Chocolate Rum & Raisin

Truffles are probably our favourite Christmas dessert, both in eating and giving as gifts! We have given truffles to our friends for the last few years now, and they are always very well received. Rum and Raisin is perhaps the most classic truffle of them all. Couverture Chocolate is a very high quality chocolate that contains extra cocoa butter (32-39%). Makes About 50.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups chopped Raisins
2 tbs Dark Rum
2 x 200g pkts Nestle Chocolate Couverture
1 x 395g can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 x 100g pkts Macadamia Nuts, toasted, chopped
Chocolate sprinkles
Cocoa
200g Dark Chocolate, melted
200g White Chocolate, melted

PREPARATION:
Place raisins and rum in a bowl, combine well and stand for 10 minutes.

Melt Nestle Chocolate Couverture according to packet directions. Combine in a large bowl with condensed milk and mix well. Stir in raisin mixture. Cover and place in the fridge until firm.

Line a tray with non-stick baking paper. Roll teaspoonfuls of truffle mixture into balls. To decorate, roll balls in macadamias, sprinkles or cocoa, or dip in melted Dark Melts then drizzle with melted White Melts. Place on prepared tray and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until firm.

Dark Chocolate and Macadamia Brownie

This chocolate brownie tastes stunning, with the layer of caramelised bananas adding a banoffee-like flavour to the rich chocolate and macadamia cake. Allow around 40 mins prep and 35-40 mins baking time. Eggwhite powder is a professional pâtisserie product and can be found at many shops; if you cant find any then simply replace using 1 egg white = 1 3/4 tsp. eggwhite powder. This recipe makes a brownie cake that serves 10.

INGREDIENTS:
200 gms butter, coarsely chopped
100 gms dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
3 eggs
210 gms caster sugar
100 gms plain flour
100 gms macadamias, coarsely chopped
100 gms brown sugar
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
5 bananas, halved lengthways

Milk chocolate mousse
2 eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 leaves of gelatine, softened in cold water
5 gms eggwhite powder (see note)
600 ml pouring cream
400 gm milk chocolate (36% cocoa solids), melted and cooled slightly

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 150C. Melt butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Whisk eggs and caster sugar in an electric mixer until thick and pale (5-6 minutes), fold through chocolate mixture, then fold in flour and macadamia. Spoon into a buttered and baking paper base-lined 22cm-diameter springform pan, smooth top and bake until just firm to touch (20-25 minutes). Cool completely in pan.

Heat brown sugar in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until melted (2-3 minutes). Add ginger, stir to combine, then add bananas in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until caramelised and tender (4-5 minutes). Arrange on top of the brownie, squash to make a uniform layer then cool completely.

Meanwhile, for milk chocolate mousse, whisk eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until thick and can hold a ribbon (10-12 minutes), then remove from heat. Squeeze excess liquid from gelatine and whisk in gelatine with eggwhite powder. In a separate bowl, whisk cream until soft peaks form, add chocolate and fold to combine, then fold in egg mixture. Spoon mousse over caramelised banana, smooth top and refrigerate until set (2-3 hours). Dust with cocoa, scatter with chocolate balls and serve immediately.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

This delicious cake is easy, rich but light, and so wonderfully moist. There is about 20 minutes prep time, and around 55 minutes cooking time. To make chocolate curls, melt dark chocolate, spread thinly onto a marble slab or inverted heavy tray, set aside until firm. Scrape with a knife at a 45-degree angle (away from you) to create curls. These extravegent curls give this dessert that 'cake shop' glamour!
Serves 10.

INGREDIENTS:
150 gms dark chocolate (54% cocoa solids)
150 gms butter, softened
170 gms caster sugar
6 eggs, separated
150 gms self-raising flour, sifted
3 tsp cornflour
50 ml kirsch, plus extra to drizzle
250 ml 1 cup) pouring cream

Cherry compote
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
500 gms pitted cherries

Ganache
150 gms dark chocolate (54% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
140 ml pouring cream

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 175C. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cool slightly. Beat butter and 150gm caster sugar in an electric mixer until pale and creamy (4-8 minutes), then add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and stir to combine, then fold in flour in batches. Whisk eggwhites to soft peaks, then fold through chocolate mixture. Pour into a greased and baking paper-lined 23cm spring-form pan and bake until a skewer withdraws clean (30-40 minutes). Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

For cherry compote, combine sugar and 500ml of water in a saucepan and cook, stirring over medium heat, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, add cherries, bring to boil again, reduce heat and simmer until cherries are tender (5 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside. Makes 1 litre of cherries and juice.

Meanwhile, drain juice from cherries (reserving 180ml and discarding remaining). Place cherries in a bowl. Mix cornflour with 20ml reserved cherry juice to make a paste. Combine remaining cherry juice, drained cherries and cornflour paste in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens (2-3 minutes). Add 30ml kirsch and set aside to cool.

For ganache, melt chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir until smooth and glossy.

Whisk cream and remaining sugar until stiff peaks form, add remaining kirsch and whisk briefly to combine. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Halve cake horizontally, drizzle base generously with kirsch, spread with cream and spoon over cherry compote. Sandwich with top half of cake. Drizzle with more kirsch, then pour over ganache and scatter with chocolate curls.

Dark Chocolate and Orange Mud Cakes

What is the difference between a standard chocolate cake and a dark chocolate mud cake? Chocolate mud cake usually has some gooey components, like a pudding consistency or a fudge sauce typically found in the centre. These rich individual mud cakes use a swirl of orange liquor to achieve their hints of citrus, and are fantastic served with sliced mandarins and choc-orange / jaffa ice cream.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups caster sugar
100 gm dark chocolate (64% cocoa solids), finely chopped
60 ml orange liqueur
2 egg yolks
60 gm cocoa
40 gm plain flour
4 egg whites
2 mandarins, peeled and segmented

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 160C. Combine 165gm sugar, chocolate, liqueur and ¼ cup hot water in a heatproof bowl placed over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat, add egg yolks and mix to combine, then fold in flour and cocoa.

Whisk egg whites using an electric mixer until soft peaks form, add 55gm sugar and whisk to combine, then fold through chocolate mixture. Place 6 buttered 6cm-high 7.5cm-diameter metal ring moulds (see note) on a baking paper-lined oven tray and divide mixture among them. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch, remove from oven and cool in rings.

Meanwhile combine remaining sugar, orange liqueur and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and stir over low-medium heat until sugar dissolves, add mandarin segments and simmer for 20 minutes or until segments are translucent. Cool in syrup.

To serve, unmould cakes, and serve with mandarin segments and syrup and chocolate ice-cream to the side.

Serves 6.
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Soft Centered Chocolate Tortini

Tortini means "little cakes" in Italian. This means it can be just about anything, either savoury or sweet. But this recipe makes a beautiful little pudding best enjoyed with ice-cream and raspberry sauce. This tortini uses dark chocolate, which contains a higher percentage of cocoa solids than other types of chocolate. Studies have shown that dark chocolate has ingredients that lower blood pressure and fight disease. So its not only delicious, its also good for you! (well, better than a milk chocolate tortini anyway). This recipe serves 6.

INGREDIENTS:
Tortini
160 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
160 gm butter, coarsley chopped
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
75 gm (1/3 cup) caster sugar
50 gm (1/3 cup) plain flour
To serve: vanilla ice-cream
Raspberry sauce
240 gm raspberries
240 gm caster sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice


PREPARATION:
Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stir to combine and cool. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks and sugar for 8 minutes or until thick and creamy. Gradually add flour and whisk to combine, then add chocolate mixture and whisk for another 5 minutes. Divide mixture between 6 lightly greased and floured 10cm-diameter round pie tins, place on an oven tray and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For raspberry sauce, combine raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until syrupy. Cool. Makes about 1 cup.

Preheat oven to 170C. Bake tortini for 10 minutes or until they are firm but their centres are soft. To serve, remove tortini carefully from pie tins and place on plates, top with a scoop of ice-cream, drizzle with raspberry sauce and serve immediately.

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Dark Chocolate and Star Anise Mousse

For sheer simplicity and luxurousness, nothing comes close to a velvety dark chocolate mousse. This recipe makes more than is needed for two so keep leftover desserts in the fridge for a treat the next day. Serve liquorice on the side to complement the anise flavour.

INGREDIENTS:
200g dark chocolate
3 eggs at room temperature, separated
¾ cup cream at room temperature
40ml Baileys, Kahlua or brandy
½ teaspoon ground star anise
Liquorice sticks to serve

PREPARATION:
Melt dark chocolate in a double-boiler or in the microwave on medium power until smooth. Cool slightly then whisk in egg yolks, cream, liqueur and spice.

Beat egg whites until firm then fold into chocolate mixture until evenly combined. Pour mousse into serving glasses and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. Serve with liquorice. Serves 4-6

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White Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting

These gourmet cupcakes are the most charming of treats, a little piece of delightfulness to enjoy on your own or share with those that deserve a little. These cupcakes will keep in an airtight container for up to three days and serves 8.

INGREDIENTS:

125 gm soft unsalted butter
110 gm (½ cup) caster sugar
3 eggs
80 gm white chocolate, melted
110 gm (¾ cup) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

Raspberry frosting:
250 gm soft unsalted butter
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
150 gm raspberries, puréed and strained

PREPARATION:

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then add white chocolate and stir to combine. Sift flour and baking powder over cake batter and fold in until combined. Line two 6-hole (1/3 cup-capacity) muffin tins with 8 paper cases, then divide mixture among cases and bake at 180C for 20 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly pressed.

For raspberry frosting, using an electric mixer, beat butter until pale and fluffy, add icing sugar and beat until soft peaks form, then add raspberry purée and beat until combined. Spread frosting over cupcakes and serve.

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Fudge Sundae With Honeycomb

Sundaes makes great chocolate desserts. Everyone loves a Sundae, and somehow adding the beautifully simple crunch of the honeycomb makes this even better. Be careful when adding the bicarbonate of soda, as the mixture will bubble up. Allow for this when choosing pot size.

INGREDENTS:
250 ml(1 cup) heavy cream (45%)
3 tsp caster sugar

Honeycomb
160 gm caster sugar
25 gm (¼ cup) honey
62 gm (¼ cup) glucose
7 gm (2 tsp) bicarbonate of soda

Hot chocolate fudge
130 gm good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
20 gm unsalted butter
150 gm (2/3 cup) caster sugar
140 gm glucose
1 tbsp cocoa powder

To serve: good-quality vanilla bean ice-cream
To serve: coarsely chopped salted peanuts

PREPARATION:

For honeycomb, combine sugar, honey, glucose and 30ml water in a saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring to dissolve and brushing down sugar crystals from sides of pan, until light blonde and reaches 150C on a sugar thermometer (8-10 minutes), being careful it doesn’t become too dark. Remove from heat, add bicarbonate of soda, whisking vigorously for about 5 seconds, then pour onto a baking paper-lined tray (work quickly as the honeycomb will continue cooking if left in the pan). When honeycomb has cooled and hardened (20-30 minutes), break into bite-sized chunks and store in an airtight container. Honeycomb will keep for a week.

For hot chocolate fudge, melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Combine remaining ingredients, 160ml water and 1 tsp sea salt in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then add chocolate mixture. Return to the boil and cook over high heat, shaking pan to dissolve any lumps, until well emulsified (3-5 minutes). Set aside in pan and keep warm.

Whisk cream and sugar until firm peaks form. Set aside in refrigerator. Reheat chocolate fudge over high heat until warmed through. Scoop ice-cream into 6 serving glasses, followed by a generous dollop of whipped cream. Scatter with pieces of honeycomb and peanuts, drizzle chocolate fudge over and serve immediately.

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Chocolate Chestnut Cakes

Chestnuts are very low in fat (~1%), very low in sodium and are free of gluten, oil and cholesterol. Chocolate, on the other hand, is not! But brought together they make the basis for these delicious individual chocolate cakes.

If you are having a hard time finding chestnut puree, check your local delicatessens.

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
85 gm caster sugar
50 gm (1/3 cup) cornflour
25 gm (¼ cup) Dutch-process cocoa, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp plain flour
40gm unsalted butter, melted
½ cup thickened cream
¼ cup sweetened chestnut purée

For the chocolate sauce:
200 gm dark chocolate, chopped
50 gm unsalted butter


PREPARATION:
1. Whisk eggs and sugar until mixture holds a trail. Sift cornflour, cocoa, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and flour over egg mixture and, using a spatula, gently fold in, then add melted butter and fold in until combined. Spoon mixture into two 18x26cm baking paper-lined swiss roll pans and bake at 180C for 12 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Stand cakes for 3 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool.

2. Using an electric mixer, whisk cream until soft peaks form, then stir in chestnut purée until combined. Using a 7cm-round pastry cutter, cut 12 rounds from sponge, then spread 6 rounds with chestnut cream, top with remaining rounds and refrigerate for 5 minutes or until firm.

3. For chocolate sauce, melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, add butter and stir until smooth.

4. Serve cakes, dusted with cocoa and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Cakes will keep, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


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