Chocolate Recipes

Showing posts with label Powdered sugar. Show all posts

Saturday, April 21, 2012

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.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Christmas chocolate mince pies served with Gluhwien

With Christmas fast approaching I am kicking off my blogs again. After a short absence due to rebuilding my sons website. After my sons site was maliciously hacked after it became fairly successful in the 10 months it was up, obtaining up to around 100,000 hit per month. We know it will take time to rebuild to that status so if you enjoy reviews of just about anything please give it a visit and add your support, you will find that these reviews are not commercial but pure honest opinions of their subject matter and written by ordinary people totally committed to giving their views and opinions. So please visit http://www.fanglewurzle.com/ and add your support thank you.
That's all for my promo and back to Christmas and my latest recipe I have been doing this recipe for some years now and it is great for all those gatherings over the festive period and can be made in advance and stored in a air tight container I'm not really sure for how long because they never last that long before they are eaten so I suggest make a test batch then when you make the main batch double the amount you originally set out to make, because they won't go to waste and I'am sure you will not have to store them for long and as for the Gluhwien that wont last long either on a cold winters night.

For the pastry
280g plain flour
25g ground almonds
175g butter
85g golden caster sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp whole milk
For the mincemeat
100g sultanas
100g raisins
100g currants
100g semi-dried apricots
50g cacao, finely grated
3 apples, such as russet or cox, peeled and grated
1 tbsp each light brown and dark brown muscovado sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon grated nutmeg and mixed spice
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4-1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
Zest and juice of 2 lemons or oranges
5 tbsp rum or Calvados or Grand Marnier or cognac
2 tbsp olive oil
Icing sugar, to finish

Instructions
1. Prepare the pastry by putting the flour and almonds into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like very fine breadcrumbs.

2. Sprinkle in the sugar and add the lemon zest, egg yolk and milk and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together. Tip the mixture onto a board and gently squeeze the pastry until it comes together into a ball - add water if it feels dry. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 190°C. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of few millimetres. Using a 7cm fluted cutter, cut out 24 discs and line 2 x 12 hole bun tin with them. Use a 6cm fluted cutter to cut 24 discs for the lids.

4. Make the mincemeat by putting the sultanas, raisons, currants and apricots in a food processor. Blitz until evenly chopped. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

5. Spoon 2 tsp of mincemeat into each tart, dampen the edge of the pastry bottom with water and sit a smaller pastry disc on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cool on a wire rack. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar.

The important part Gluhwien

Ingredients

100ml (3½fl oz) golden caster sugar

300ml (½ pint) water

half lemon, sliced

10 whole cloves

2 star annisse

4 small cinnamon sticks

1 bottle full-bodied red wine

1 orange, sliced for garnish

Macs tip

Adjust the spices to your own personal taste add more or less of one or the other.This all so works with the Gluhwien.please remember Never drink and drive Gluhwien is alcohol around about 14% proof .

Chocolate facts

Antioxidant-rich diets have been linked to a lowered risk of heart attacks, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer's and more. So it stands to reason that if chocolate is chock full of antioxidants, it's actually good for you.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Chocolate orange truffle cake Served with vanilla ice cream and orange coulis

Wondering what to post next I searched my repertoire vigorously and with the hottest day so far in the U.K I found this great recipe that I once used In the Officers mess for 4/7 Dragoon guards during a very hot summer.
For a non pacific dinner when I say that every dinner was a special occasion, dinner was at 7pm every night and the officers had to wear their best uniform i.e No 1's which included chain mail and spurs and once dinner commenced they were unable to leave the table or they would be fined 1 bottle of Champagne at quite a hefty price but to be honest money was no object to these guys they were all born with silver spoons in their mouths.
That,s enough of that this is a wonderfully light summery dish and refreshing so here it is.

Ingredients

Chocolate orange truffle cake
200g 70% dark chocolate
250g unsalted butter, softened
350g light brown sugar
5 free range medium eggs, lightly beaten
140g plain flour, sieved
5ml vanilla extract
5ml Cointreau (optional)
Zest of 1 large orange
Vanilla ice cream
1 vanilla pod
500ml Jersey milk
300ml double cream
5 large egg yolks
140g golden caster sugar
Orange coulis
30g granulated sugar
120ml smooth orange juice
Icing sugar, for dusting
Zest of 1 orange, to garnish
Instructions
Cake
Preheat the oven to 140°C and line two 10cm sandwich tins.
Break the chocolate into even pieces, then melt over a bain Marie and then set aside to cool.
In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Slowly add the lightly beaten eggs and combine well.
Gradually pour in the cooled chocolate, mixing continuously.
Once the chocolate is incorporated, slowly fold in the sifted flour.
Add the vanilla extract, Cointreau and orange zest and mix through.
Pour equal amounts of the cake mix into the prepared sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the cakes from the oven and leave to cool in their tins for 5 minutes.
Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack.
Ice cream
Split the vanilla pod down its length with a small knife and scrape out the tiny black seeds.
Add the seeds and split pod to a pan with the milk and cream and gently heat until almost boiling, stirring only occasionally.
Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Gradually pour in the cooled milk mixture, whisking continuously until well combined.
Return to the pan and heat gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard has thickened and coats the back of the spoon (make sure it doesn’t boil or you will end up scrambling the eggs).
Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl and then cool over a large bowl of iced water. Stir occasionally to stop a skin forming.
Pour into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen.
Orange coulis
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with one tablespoon of water.
Melt the sugar over a medium heat and leave until it turns to an amber caramel (this should take approximately 5 minutes).
Meanwhile, in a second pan, gently heat the orange juice with the zest.
Once the sugar has turned, remove from the heat and slowly add the warmed orange juice until well combined.
Return to a low heat and gently cook until slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
To serve
Place one cake onto the centre of the plate. Drizzle the coulis around the sides and garnish the cake with orange zest. Add a scoop of ice cream in a ramekin.

Chocolate facts
It is widely believed that chocolate consumption releases a chemical into your body very similar to what is produced when you are in love. That’s why we turn to chocolate to mend a broken heart.

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