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Baked Chocolate Philadelphia Cheesecake

March 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

A simple but tasty milk chocolate cheesecake using Chocolate Philadelphia; this recipe is not complicated but well worth the effort. This cheesecake is more suited to the person who loves milk chocolate rather than the flavour of a dark chocolate.

120 grams digestive biscuit crumbs
30 grams dark chocolate – finely grated
50 grams unsalted butter – melted
Filling
480 grams chocolate Philadelphia
100 ml double cream or crème fraîche
2 large fresh eggs, beaten
20 grams plain white flour – sifted
Decoration
2 tbsp organic cocoa sifted with 2 tbsp unrefined icing sugar

  1. Preheat oven to 200ºC, 390ºF, gas mark 6.
  2. Brush the base of a 18 to 20 cm springform cake tin with melted butter. Place a round piece of greaseproof paper (24 cm in diameter) over the base of a springform tin, fit the spring form side over the paper, brush the side and paper with melted butter.

Crust

  1. Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs, add the grated chocolate and warm melted butter, stir until combined.
  2. Transfer to the prepared tin, pressing into the base until even and quite firm.
  3. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for five minutes, remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  4. Reduce oven temperature to 170ºC, 340ºF, gas mark 3.

Filling

  1. Put the chocolate Philadelphia into a blender, add the sugar and process at full speed.
  2. Gradually add the eggs, two tablespoons at a time, with the motor running.
  3. Mix the flour with a little cream until smooth, gradually stir in remaining cream then slowly pour into the blender – with the motor running.
  4. Blend until smooth and lump free; pour over the biscuit base.

To finish

  1. Bake for approx. 45 minutes, or until set around edges with a slight “wobble” in the centre.
  2. Turn off the oven, leave for 60 minutes with the door ajar then remove, run a knife around the edge and remove the springform side, cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of one hour, preferably overnight.
  3. When ready to serve, slide off the baking paper onto a serving plate and lightly dust with the sifted cocoa and icing sugar.
Filed Under: Baking, Cheescake, Easter Tagged With: , , , ,

Thick Chocolate Trifle Custard

March 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment

So … why have I posted a recipe for a thick custard suitable for making trifle – because it is so good. Try serving it with a simple vanilla flavoured baked pudding. I like it with sliced bananas and sometimes use it in my Manchester Tart – the one with bananas in a pastry case covering some berry jam, custard spooned over the top totally covering the bananas then covered with lightly whipped cream and grated chocolate.

Alternately … make a simple trifle using sponge/pound or Madeira cake, diced, drizzled with a little rum or brandy, then top with berries or cherries. Pour over the cooled custard and cover with clingfilm – leave overnight (or make in the morning and leave until evening) for the flavours to develop then light whip some double cream, flavoured with liqueur or vanilla, spoon over the top and decorate with chocolate shavings or crumbled Cadbury flake bars.

115 grams (4 oz) Hotel Chocolat dark chocolate drop (of any good quality dark chocolate)
360 ml (1 and 1/2 cups) double/heavy cream
360 ml (1 and 1/2) cups) whole/full fat milk
8 large fresh egg yolks
85 to 115 grams natural brown sugar
5 level tbsp Green and Blacks organic cocoa – sifted (or any brand of Dutch processed cocoa)
1 tbsp cornflour – sifted

  1. Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl set over a saucepan containing around 3 cm barely simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not come in contact with the water. When melted stir until smooth then put to one side.
  2. Warm the milk and cream until bubbles appear around the outside edge of the pan, immediately remove from the heat.
  3. Sift the cocoa and cornflour into a large heatproof bowl, add the eggs and sugar then whisk until well blended.
  4. When the cream and milk come to temperature slowly pour over the egg mixture, while whisking until combined.
  5. Stir in the melted chocolate before returning the custard to the rinsed out saucepan.
  6. Do not allow the mixture to boil otherwise it may split – while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, cook over a medium-low heat until the custard thickens to coat the back of the spoon (this should happen when the mixture comes to the simmer); immediately pour into a bowl and cover with clingfilm ensuring it comes in contact with the custard – to stop a skin forming.
  7. The custard will thicken and darken as it cools – chill in the fridge until ready to use.
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Chocolate Cake with Chestnut Cream and Chocolate Frosting

November 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I often replace some of the caster sugar (approx. half) with Demerara and blitz until similar to caster in consistency.*

Preparation – 60 minutes
Baking – 30 minutes
Yield – 22 cm cake

Cake
170 grams self-raising flour
1 rounded tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
285 grams natural caster sugar*
55 grams Green and Blacks organic cocoa powder
6 tbsp boiling water
3 large fresh eggs
4 tbsp evaporated milk or whipping cream
115 grams unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Chestnut Cream
240 ml double cream – chilled and lightly whipped
50 grams unrefined icing sugar – sifted (or amount to taste)
1 tin (approx. 340 grams) Chestnut purée
Chocolate Frosting
155 grams unrefined icing sugar – sifted
140 grams unsalted softened butter
115 grams Green and Blacks dark cooks chocolate

Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 180ºC; 355ºF; gas mark 4; grease two 20 cm sandwich tins with butter, line with baking parchment.
  2. Sift the cocoa into a large heatproof bowl, mix in the hot water to form a smooth paste.
  3. Sift in the dry ingredients, add the eggs, milk and butter – beat using a hand held or stand free mixer until well blended.
  4. Divide the cake mixture evenly between the two prepared tins; smooth out the surface with a palette knife.
  5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until well risen – the cakes should shrink away from the tin sides.
  6. Transfer the tin to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes; turn out onto the wire rack to cool completely after carefully removing the baking parchment.

Chestnut Cream

  1. Whisk the chilled cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form, stir in the Chestnut purée, cover and chill until ready to assemble the cake.

Chocolate Frosting

  1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, watch carefully and stir occasionally, when melted stir until smooth; allow to cool.
  2. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the softened butter and cream until pale and fluffy – mix in the melted chocolate – use to frost the top and sides of the cake.

To finish

  1. Sandwich the cakes together with the chilled Chestnut Cream.
  2. Spread the Chocolate Frosting over the top and sides, decorate with chocolate curls.
Filed Under: Baking, Cakes Tagged With: , ,

Chocolate and Orange Liqueur Pudding

September 23, 2012 by 1 Comment

I love this type of pudding with the sauce hiding beneath a lovely sponge, in my opinion these puddings should be served straight from the oven with a little thick pouring cream, but nowadays, to cover ones back, I would advise others to allow the puddings to cool a little before serving! The choice is yours.

100 grams unsalted butter, softened plus extra for greasing
150 grams caster sugar
2 oranges, zest and juice
2 large fresh eggs
175 grams plain flour
2 tbsp Green and Blacks organic cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
Sauce
100 grams light Muscovado or light soft brown sugar
6 tbsp Green and Blacks organic cocoa powder
400 ml water – boiling
6 tsp orange liqueur – divided (30 ml)
To serve
French vanilla ice cream or chilled double cream

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, 355ºF, gas mark 4.
  2. Butter four ramekins.
  3. Cream the butter, sugar and zest until pale and fluffy.
  4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition – if the mixture begins to curdle, add a little flour.
  5. Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa and sea salt into a separate bowl, resift over the creamed mixture, folding in.
  6. Mix in the orange juice then divide the batter evenly between the four ramekins.
  7. Sauce – mix the cocoa and brown sugar, sprinkle over the ramekins.
  8. Slowly pour 100 ml boiling water over the mixture in each ramekin – bake for approx. 10 to 15 minutes – drizzle 1.5 teaspoons of liqueur over each pudding, return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.
  9. Serve with a scoop of ice cream of chilled double cream.
Filed Under: Baking, Mother´s Day, Puddings, Valentine´s Day Tagged With: , ,

Tiramisù with Coffee Liqueur

August 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

“This dessert contains raw eggs – if you are in one of the groups that should not consume raw eggs, seek medical advice before consuming this dish.

For the rest of us, this is a wonderful dessert especially for those romantic dinners with your loved one.

3 or 4 large OR 4 or 5 medium egg yolks
80 grams icing sugar, sifted
500 grams (1 lb 1.6 oz) Italian Mascarpone cheese
3 or 4 large OR 4 or 5 medium egg whites – pinch cream of tartar – 20 grams icing sugar, sifted
200 ml chilled strong espresso coffee
100 ml chilled coffee liqueur, I use Tia Nadal made in Spain
60 (approximately) Pavesini biscuits
Green and Blacks organic cocoa powder – sifted
Option – finely grated Green and Blacks dark or dark milk chocolate

Require – 30 x 22 cm glass dish

  1. Make a zabaglione by beating the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until the mixture begins to thicken, remove from the heat, allow to cool.
  2. Put the Mascarpone into a bowl and beat until smooth and soft, add to the eggs and sugar, blend until combined – this should be a pale yellow colour. Cover bowl with clingfilm and chill in the fridge.
  3. Put the egg whites into a clean grease free bowl, whisk until frothy, add a pinch of cream of tartar, whisk until soft peaks form, gradually add the sugar while beating until stiff and glossy. Add one quarter of the egg whites to the mascarpone mixture, gently stir in, then fold in remainder.
  4. Put the coffee and coffee liqueur into a bowl, stir to combine.
  5. To begin to assemble, spread a thin layer of zabaglione into the dish (divide remaining cream into three portions. Layer as follows:-
    1. First layer – dip the biscuits (one at a time) in the coffee for about 5 seconds, put into the dish laying the biscuits side by side leaving a small space in between. Cover with one portion of zabaglione.
    2. Second layer – add another layer of biscuits, as before, but this time dip them in Marsala Wine for 5 seconds, cover with a portion of the zabaglione.
    3. Add a third and final layer of biscuits, dipping them in coffee for 5 seconds, cover with remaining zabaglione.
    4. Dust with cocoa and sprinkle a layer of finely grated chocolate over the top.
  6. To allow the flavours of this dessert to develop, cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill for 24 hours in the refrigerator. We actually make the Tiramisù the evening before we want to serve it.
  7. Option – try making a couple of Swiss rolls (unfilled unrolled), cut up when cold and use instead of Lady Fingers – it works and saves a lot of time.
Filed Under: Desserts, Unbaked, Valentine´s Day Tagged With: , , , ,

Chocolate Yorkshire Puddings

December 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Chocolate Yorkshire Pudding. Chocolate Dessert Yorkshire PuddingOur Chocolate Yorkshire Pudding Dessert Recipe is very much a work in progress and is in a constant state of revision in order to improve the taste, texture and overall appearance – in the end of we hope to create the perfect Yorkshire dessert featuring the counties greatest side dish!

Safflower or Sunflower oil (or other oil with a high smoking point)
1 bar Green and Blacks dark or milk chocolate, broken into squares (or chocolate buttons)
Yorkshire Puddings
130 grams plain white flour
20 grams Green and Blacks organic cocoa powder
1½ tbsp unrefined caster sugar
Pinch sea salt
3 large fresh eggs
75 ml milk
75 ml water (or try mineral water)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Serve with strawberries, cream and flavoured caster sugar (see below), alternately serve with chocolate ganache (or hot chocolate sauce) and lightly whipped double cream; or caramel sauce drizzled over a little French vanilla ice cream.

Sift the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt into a large baking bowl. Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla together. Gradually (quite slowly) add wet ingredients to the dry, while whisking or beating, to form a smooth batter. Finally, when the batter is lump free, gradually add sufficient water, while stirring, to achieve a consistency between single and double cream. Cover and rest for 60 minutes in the refrigerator (or at room temperature if preferred).

Preheat oven to 220ºC, (425ºF, gas mark 7).

Add a little oil to each cup of a 12 hole muffin tin, place into the oven. When very hot, pop a square of Green and Blacks chocolate  into a cup, immediately pour the batter into the cups, one third full (quickly repeat with remaining cups), place near the top of the preheated oven and bake until well risen and crispy – about 10 to 12 minutes

Serve immediately with the fresh strawberries, cream and flavoured icing sugar sifted over the top.

Strawberries – wash and remove the calyx from the berries, quarter. Drizzle over the juice of 1 lime and sifted icing sugar, to taste. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate if you want fresh cold berries, or cook in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves.

Vanilla Sugar

450 grams unrefined granulated sugar
2 vanilla beans (these should be quite sticky and soft)

1. Cut up the vanilla pods, place into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Add the sugar, process for two minutes.
3. Sieve to remove any lumps which should be returned to the food processor, process again.
4. Sieve all the sugar together, return to the food processor and blitz until fine, store in sterilised airtight containers.
5. You can, of course, put a vanilla bean into a jar of unrefined caster sugar and leave until the sugar has a lovely subtle soft vanilla flavour. Reuse the vanilla pod.

Filed Under: Baking, Breakfast, Yorkshire Pudding Tagged With: , , ,

Tiramisù with Pavesini Biscuits

July 11, 2011 by 1 Comment

This dessert contains raw eggs – inadvisable to consume if you are pregnant or receiving chemotherapy treatment

Tiramisù is a fantastic tasty dessert, especially good for special occasions.

You can use these biscuits, or just buy ready made Lady Fingers.

Pavesini Biscuits
150 grams plain white (all purpose)  flour
30 grams cornflour (USA cornstarch)
13 grams unrefined caster sugar
3 medium eggs – 160 grams of eggs, with shells (medium eggs are 53 to 63 grams each)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Dusting – 20 grams sifted icing sugar

  1. Preheat oven to 180ºC, (355ºF, gas mark 4); line two baking trays with baking parchment.
  2. Whisk the eggs and caster sugar until light and creamy, the mixture should leave a trail when the whisk is lifted out.
  3. Sift the flour and cornflour into the bowl, add the vanilla extract, then fold in using a metal spoon with sharp edges.
  4. Transfer the dough to an icing bag with a narrow plain nozzle.
  5. Pipe onto a baking tray lined with parchment, the Pavesini should be rather narrow and quite long.
  6. Chill for ten minutes then dust with sifted icing sugar.
  7. Bake for 5 minutes, reduce temperature to 150ºC (300ºF, gas mark 2) and cook until they begin to colour.

Tiramisù

500 grams (1 lb 1.6 oz) Italian Mascarpone cheese
100 grams (3½ oz) icing sugar, sifted
Either 3 or 4 large OR 4 or 5 medium eggs, separated
60 (approximately) Pavesini biscuits
200 ml (7 fl oz) chilled strong espresso coffee
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) chilled Marsala wine
Organic cocoa powder – sifted
Dark chocolate – shavings

Require – 30 x 22 cm glass dish

  1. Put the egg yolks into a bowl, start beating while adding the sugar, after all the sugar has been added, continue beating until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.
  2. Put the Mascarpone into a bowl and beat until smooth and soft, add to the eggs and sugar, blend until combined – this should be a pale yellow colour. Cover bowl with clingfilm and chill in the fridge.
  3. Put the egg whites into a clean grease free bowl, add a pinch of salt or cream of tartar, whisk until medium to soft peaks form. Add one quarter of the egg whites to the cream mixture, gently stir in, then fold in remainder.
  4. To begin to assemble, spread a thin layer of cream into the dish (divide remaining cream into three portions. Layer as follows:-
    1. First layer – dip the biscuits (one at a time) in the coffee for about 5 seconds, put into the dish laying the biscuits side by side leaving a small space in between. Cover with one portion of cream.
    2. Second layer – add another layer of biscuits, as before, but this time dip them in Marsala Wine for 5 seconds, cover with a portion of the cream.
    3. Add a third and final layer of biscuits, dipping them in coffee for 5 seconds, cover with remaining cream.
    4. Dust with cocoa and sprinkle over a layer of finely grated chocolate.
  5. To allow the flavours of this dessert to develop, cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill overnight. We actually make the Tiramisù the evening before we want to serve it.

Option – try making a couple of Swiss rolls, cut up when cold and using instead of Lady Fingers – it works and saves a lot of time. Not traditional though! I usually pop them back into the oven for just a few minutes, not long enough to brown, just to crisp up a little, then allow to cool on a wire rack.

Filed Under: Baking, Desserts, Mother´s Day, Valentine´s Day Tagged With: , , , ,

Chocolate Indulgence Lava Puddings with Tia Maria

November 29, 2006 by Leave a Comment

Sometimes one needs a highly indulgent dessert with very little effort;  this recipe is one of my all time favourites. It is easy to “make and bake” and has a lovely squidgy centre. All our guests who have been served with this delightful pudding raved endlessly. Lava puddings are gaining in popularity and rightly so. Whoever made these first deserves a medal – I thought they were a new concept until I was looking through a really old Yorkshire recipe book which included something similar.

Remember when making these to keep an eye on the puddings while baking, have the cream ready in the fridge (or ice cream so it is just a little softened), they should only wait the time it takes to remove either from the fridge.

You can serve with a dollop of French vanilla ice cream (quickly open up the puddings and drop the ice cream into the centre and serve immediately – best done at the table). I prefer it casually served in the ramekin with just a dollop of chilled clotted cream.

150 ml moulds – four
25 grams melted butter
Cocoa powder (or finely grated/ground chocolate)

  1. Using a soft bristle pastry brush, brush each mould with melted butter, start with the base then work up the sides using upwards strokes.
  2. Chill before adding a second coat of butter in the same manner.
  3. Place a tablespoon of cocoa or ground chocolate into each mould, tip so all the butter is coated, tip out excess.

100 grams Green and Blacks dark chocolate, chopped or grated
100 grams unsalted butter – diced
1 tbsp Tia Maria
100 grams natural golden caster sugar
2 large fresh eggs plus 2 egg yolks
100 grams plain white flour
Pinch sea salt

  1. Prepare the moulds then preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF, gas mark 6).
  2. Put the chocolate, butter and Tia Maria into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan containing 3 cm of barely simmering water, allow to melt slowly while stirring occasionally until melted, remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool for approx. 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick – the whisk should leave a trail.
  4. Sift the flour and sea salt over the pudding batter, one third at a time, gently fold in until thoroughly combined.
  5. Divide between the ramekins and bake for approx. 9 to 12 minutes or until a crust has formed on the top and the puddings have begun to pull away from the side – immediately remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack while you remove the cream from the fridge.
  6. Loosen the pudding from the mould, invert onto a dessert plate, serve with cream or ice cream and fresh berries, serve immediately.
Filed Under: Baking, Featured, Puddings, Valentine´s Day Tagged With: , ,