Chocolate Butterfly Cakes

Well I guess your'e wondering why you haven't seen a post in five or six months and two in one day, but after my early morning baking frenzy it was a too good a opportunity to miss, to post about my exploits the reasons for not posting is too boring to even list. I always need true inspiration to be able to blog and today I feel really inspired and on fire the reasons for which I'm not sure but I hope to continue the trend.

So let's do it the second in my series of blogs on trying to give you the recipes to be able to create your own spectacular afternoon tea party this is a real classic Chocolate butterfly cake this one can't be omitted for sure you can clearly see they are missing in this picture of Kate and Wills  cupcakes stand as part of a afternoon tea in New Zealand, I believe they are still feeling the repercussions of this.No sorry only joking.

Recipe

125g /4 1/2 oz soft tub margarine

125g /4 1/2 oz caster sugar

150g /5 1/2 oz self-raising flour

2 large eggs

2 tbsp cocoa powder

25g /1 oz plain chocolate, melted

icing sugar, sifted, for dusting

Filling

85g /3 oz butter, softened
175g /6 oz icing sugar
25g /1 oz plain chocolate, melted

Instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Put 12 paper baking cases in a bun tray, or put 12 double-layer paper cases on a baking tray.

2.Put the margarine, sugar, flour, eggs and cocoa powder in a large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, beat together until just smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, filling them three-quaters full.

3.Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until springy to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.

4.To make the filling, put the butter in a bowl and beat until fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and beat together until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat together until well mixed.

5.When the cupcakes are cold, use a sharp knife to cut a circle from the top of each cake and then cut each circle in half. Spread or pipe a little of the butter cream into the centre of each cupcake and press 2 semi-circular halves into it at an angle to resemble butterfly wings. Dust with sifted icing sugar before serving.

Macs tip

When cutting the tops use the sharpest knife possible to get a crisp finish not a serrated knife that will only give a jagged edge.

Chocolate facts

In 1502, Columbus and his son, Ferdinand, were in the area, doing the usual conquering and such, when they came across a dugout canoe laden with supplies. They promptly captured it and ordered the natives to carry the loot on board their ship. In the process, somebody spilled some cacao, and the natives ran for the beans “as if an eye had fallen from their heads,” according to Ferdinand. Columbus could have been known as the first white guy to “discover” chocolate, but he blew his chance to make chocolate history by forgetting all about the incident.

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Whisky chocolate mousse in marbled chocolate bowls.

Today  I have decided to do something a bit different, I am going to combine a dish which is really nice and strictly for adults. With a technique that I usually use for kids parties so just to clarify the dish is a Whisky Chocolate Mousse served in marbled chocolate bowls this is a very different way of serving a dessert and a bit of a novelty and a good talking point at a boring dinner party, not that I can imagine any of you ever have boring dinner party guests.These bowls are easily made and you can improvise and use whatever designs or chocolate you want to create the effect you want I.E. dark chocolate and milk chocolate or white chocolate or even pipe names or slogans on the bowls or if your guests are that boring even insults the perfect way to end a dinner party maybe just write good night. I have used different images to try and give you some ideas and to show the possibilities are endless.

A light marbled effect

Ingredients
Chocolate cups
300g good quality white chocolate
60g good quality gluten free milk chocolate

Shortbread base
175g butter, softened
85g golden caster sugar
180g gluten free plain flour
50g cornflour (gluten free, check packaging)

Chocolate mousse
160g 70% cocoa dark chocolate
40g gluten free milk chocolate
3 large free range eggs (at room temperature)
Approx 1 tbsp whisky, according to taste
40g caster sugar

Decoration
100g caster sugar, plus extra for coating
6 fresh strawberries
A little strawberry jam, warmed

Heavily marbled effect.

Instructions
Chocolate cups
1.Blow up six balloons (use water balloons as they are small).
2.Break the white chocolate into a small deep bowl. Melt in the microwave on the 500w setting (keep checking the chocolate and give it a good stir every so often).
3.Repeat with the milk chocolate.
With a teaspoon, drizzle the milk chocolate into the white chocolate (criss-crosses are nice).
4.Dip the balloons into the chocolate so that it comes half way up the sides then sit the balloons, chocolate-side down, on a tray lined with baking paper. Place them in the fridge to harden.
5.Once the chocolate has hardened, pop the balloons.
Shortbread base
1.Preheat the oven to 150C.
2.Beat the butter and sugar together in a food processor.
3.Sift together the flour and cornflour.
4.Whilst the food processor is still running, add a spoonful of the flour mixture at a time until all flour is fully incorporated. Beat well for another minute.
5.Use a spatula to scoop the mixture onto a sheet of cling film. Wrap into a ball and refrigerate for approximately 25 minutes, or until firm.
6.Once firm, roll out the dough between two sheets of cling film. Lift the top layer of cling up and dot some jam around the dough. Fold over and repeat until the dough is full of little dots of jam (do not mix together or the dough will turn pink!).
Roll the dough out to a thickness of around 0.75cm.
7.Cut out six circles of dough and place onto a lined baking sheet. Prick with tops with a fork.
8.Cook in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until just starting to brown.
9.Place the shortbreads on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.

Chocolate mousse
1.Place the chocolate and 50ml warm water in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and heat gently until melted. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes.
2.Separate the eggs and mix the egg yolks with the chocolate mixture until smooth.
3.Add the whisky (to taste) and mix to incorporate.
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks appear.
4.Add the sugar a bit at a time, whisking after each addition until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
5.Using a metal spoon, mix a spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then very gently fold the remaining egg whites a bit at a time into the chocolate. Make sure all the whites are properly incorporated.
6.Fill the chocolate cups with the mousse mixture then refrigerate for 90 minutes.

Decoration
Add the sugar and 50ml water to a small pan and simmer to dissolve the sugar.
Leaving the leaves on the strawberries, slice them into little fans.
Place the strawberries in the pan and simmer for two minutes then leave in the pan, off the heat for a further two minutes.
With a slotted spoon, remove the strawberries from the pan and coat in a little extra sugar.
Warm a little jam and place in a squeezy bottle.

To serve
Make zigzags of jam across each plate. Place a chocolate cup filled with chocolate mousse in the centre of the plate and serve with the shortbreads. Place a sugared strawberry on top of the shortbread and serve.


Chocolate facts

The best way to store chocolate is by wrapping it in foil and then placing it in plastic. Keep it at a constant temperature of 65 degrees F and 50% humidity.
Dark chocolate stored under perfect conditions will last for 10 years.