Chocolate Charlotte

Whilst deciding what to make on this very humid day I decided to check out some of my archived recipes and I found this little gem. I have very fond memories of this recipe which I was introduced to whilst on  a six month tour of Canada in 1982 at B.A.T.U.S which stands for British Army Training Unit  Suffield that was the official  name to all of us it actually stood for British Alcoholic Training Unit Suffield, and believe me it was.I was shown this recipe by a little old lady who was a farmers wife who was absolutely amazing when it came to making deserts and soups that were to die for made with almost anything you could imagine.During my time in Canada I was fortunate to go A.W.O.L and I say fortunate because two of us hitch hiked over 2,500 miles across  Canada starting from Medicine Hat (Alberta) And finishing up in Sudbury(Ontario)passing through some amazing places with Moose jaw,Regina,Brandon and  Winnipeg to name just a few of some of the places we visited,meeting some really interesting people and seeing some of the scenes in the amazing country that is Canada. Any way sorry for that back to the recipe and this would be a great dish to have during the summer months so without further ado the recipe.

Chocolate Charlotte

Serves 8

Ingredients

about 22 bourdoir biscuits (lady-fingers)
4 tbsp orange-flavoured liqueur
250 g/ 9 oz dark chocolate
150 ml/ 1/4 pint double (heavy) cream
4 eggs
150 g/ 5 1/2 oz/ 2/3 cup caster (superfine) sugar

To Decorate

150 ml/ 1/4 pint/ 2/3 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla flavouring (extract)
large dark chocolate curls
chocolate leaves or chocolate shapes

Instructions

1.Line the base of a Charlotte mould (mold) or a deep 18 cm/ 7 inch round cake tin (pan) with a piece of baking parchment.

2.Place the boudoir biscuits (lady-fingers) on a tray and sprinkle with half of the orange flavoured liqueur. Use to line the sides of the mould (mold) or tin (pan), trimming if necessary to make a tight fit.

3.Break the chocolate into small pieces, place in a bowl and melt over a pan of hot water. Remove from the heat and stir in the double (heavy) cream.

4.Seperate the eggs and place the whites in a large grease-free bowl. Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture.

5.Whisk the egg whites until standing in stiff peaks, then gradually add the caster (superfine) sugar, whisking until stiff and glossy. Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 2 batches, taking care not to knock out all of the air. Pour into the centre of the mould (mold). Trim the biscuits (lady-fingers) so that they are level with the chocolate mixture. Leave to chill for at least 5 hours.

6.To decorate, whisk the cream, sugar and vanilla flavouring (extract) until standing in soft peaks. Turn out the Charlotte on to a serving dish. Pipe cream rosettes around the base and decorate with chocolate curls and leaves.

Macs Tip

Chocolate Decorations can be bought at most cake decorating stores if you do not know how to make them or don't have much time.

Chocolate Facts

The first cacao trees were found growing in the Amazon river basin and the foothills of the Venezuelan and Colombian Andes.

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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.