Death by chocolate?
Few temptations are as delicious as a truly sumptuous chocolate cake. Use good quality dark chocolate, high in cocoa solids, for better results.
Melt In The Mouth Low Fat Chocolate Cake
Serves 12
200g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp instant coffee powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp plain yoghurt
75g butter, softened
275g icing sugar
fine chocolate shavings, to decorate
for the chocolate icing
200g icing sugar
100g cocoa powder
300ml skimmed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g milk chocolate, finely chopped
l Make the icing the day before. Put the sugar and cocoa in a saucepan with enough milk to make a smooth paste. Stir in the remaining milk. Cook over a medium heat until it starts to boil, stirring well. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and chopped chocolate. Stir well until chocolate has melted. Cover with cling film and chill overnight.
l Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm diameter cake tin and line. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
l Dissolve the coffee powder in 1.5 tablespoons hot water. Stir in the vanilla extract and yoghurt. Whisk the egg and egg whites in a bowl.
l Beat the butter with an electric whisk, slowly beat in the sugar and whisk until it is light and crumbly. Gradually beat in the whisked eggs. Then alternate with the flour and yoghurt mixture. Fold in the last of the remaining flour.
l Spoon the mixture into the tin and level. Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked. Leave in the tin to cool. Transfer to a wire rack and peel away the lining paper. Cut the cake into three thin layers and sandwich together with cream. Cover top and sides of cake with icing and decorate with chocolate shavings. Chill until needed.
Brownies With a Difference
Makes 12
100g butter, cut in pieces
100g good quality chocolate, broken into pieces
300g caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
100g wholemeal flour
Zest of 1 orange
50g chopped walnuts
l Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Lightly grease a 20cm square shallow tin and line the base with greaseproof paper. Melt the butter and chocolate in Bain Marie.
l Remove from the heat and beat in the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour, orange zest and walnuts until well combined. Pour into the tin and bake for about 35-40 minutes.
l Leave in the tin to cool slightly before cutting into squares. Keeps moist for 2-3 days.
Home-Made Easter Eggs
Makes 2 large and 2 small eggs
375g good quality milk or dark chocolate, broken in pieces
Easter egg moulds
Ribbons and decorations
l Melt the chocolate in double saucepan over simmering water (Bain Marie). Spread a thin layer of chocolate inside mould, right up to the edge, refrigerate for about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set. Then spread evenly with another layer of chocolate; keep chocolate as smooth as possible on edge of mould.
l Refrigerate for another 5 or 10 minutes; chocolate will shrink away slightly from side of mould when it is ready. Gently ease mould away from edge of chocolate.
l Join halves with a little more chocolate spread around edges. Decorate eggs with ribbon and attach the decorations to the egg with tiny dabs of melted chocolate.
