CHOCOLATE DESSERTS

Please find below recipes for several exquisite chocolate desserts.

                                       CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

Do prepare this delicious chocolate soufflé.

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

375 g (1½ cup) hot milk

62.5 ml (¼ cup) brandy

50 g (½ cup) sugar

360 g (12 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

4 egg yolks, beaten

8 egg whites

Pinch of salt

50 g (½ cup) sugar

Icing sugar

First, make the chocolate pastry cream.   Melt butter, sift in the flour and stir for 3-4 minutes to prevent the taste of raw flour.     Pour the hot milk, in three doses, into the roux, add the brandy and keep on stirring until a smooth, shiny sauce is obtained.    Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and stir until the sauce is smooth and glossy.   Stir in the beaten egg yolks and the vanilla.  You could prepare this one day before you need it.   Cover the surface of the pastry cream with cling film and refrigerate overnight.

One hour before you want to serve the soufflé, preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F).    Butter a large soufflé dish or individual ramekins.   Add 2-3 tbsp sugar and rotate the dish-dishes until the base and side/sides are well coated with sugar, tipping off the excess.

Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks.  Then add the sugar, by the spoonful, whisking constantly until the peaks are stiff and glossy.   Add ¼ of the whites into the chocolate pastry cream, to loosen it.   Then fold in the remaining whites very gently but thoroughly until no white streaks are visible.

Fill the soufflé dish/dishes up to the rim.  Run your thumb around the inside ridge of the dish, to clean the rim.   Bake the large soufflé dish for 40 minutes (ramekins for 20), until the soufflé rises well above the dish/dishes and is/are golden brown.   Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve immediately, because the soufflé will deflate in a few minutes.

                                       CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Cupcakes are very popular with both children and adults alike. 

200 g (1½ cup + 1 tbsp) self-raising flour, sifted with

1 tsp baking powder

33 g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

100 g (½ cup – 1 tbsp) butter, at room temperature

3 eggs

150 ml (an ample ½ cup) milk

Vanilla

1 tbsp yogurt

Icing:

100 g (1 ½ cup – 1 tbsp) butter

180 g (6 oz) icing sugar

25 g (2 tbsp) cocoa

Vanilla

A suspicion of salt

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).

Place the sifted flour mixture into a large bowl, add the butter and rub gently with your fingers until the mixture resembles crumbs.

In another bowl beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and yogurt until well combined.  Gently mix the liquids into the dry ingredients and stir well, until the batter is smooth and shiny.

Line a 12-socket cup-cake tin with paper cups.   Fill each paper cup half full with the cake batter, bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean.   Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.   Then remove the cupcakes, with their paper cups, from the tin.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing.   Whip the butter with the icing sugar, cocoa, salt and vanilla until smooth and glossy, and garnish the cupcakes.

You could, alternatively, add about 150 g (5 oz) chopped white chocolate into the batter before baking.  Serve without icing.


       

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT ROLL WITH CHOCOLATE PRALINE MOUSSE FILLING

This is one of the best chocolate rolls I’ve ever tasted.

Chocolate Sponge Cake:

60 g (2 oz) self-rising flour sifted with

½ tsp baking powder and

30 g (1 oz) very good quality cocoa, then stir in

60 g (2 oz) hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely ground

5 medium sized eggs, separated, whites stiffly whipped with a pinch of salt

200 g (almost 7 oz) caster sugar

Vanilla

Filling:

200 g (6.2 oz) finely chopped chocolate

125 g (¼ lb) butter, cubed

One 304 ml (an ample 10 fl oz) tin, sweet condensed milk

100 g (3.3 oz) hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground

250 ml (1 cup) thick cream, whipped to the soft peak stage

Icing sugar for dusting over

First, prepare the filling.  Melt the chocolate, in a bowl, over simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Then add the butter, condensed milk, and the finely ground hazelnuts. Mix thoroughly until the butter melts and everything is well combined together.    Cool, pour the mixture into prepared jars, seal with airtight lids and store in the fridge.    Before using, bring the hazelnut praline to room temperature.

For the chocolate sponge, heat oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a 30x40 cm (12x16 inches) baking tin with buttered baking parchment, letting the parchment extend over the sides of the tin and brush with melted butter, once more.

Whip the egg yolk, sugar, vanilla and salt very well together, until pale and fluffy.  Fold in the flour/cocoa/hazelnut mixture until just combined.   Stir in ¼ of the whipped egg whites to lighten the batter, then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites.   Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared tin and bake for about 12-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 1-2 minutes.

Place a piece of baking parchment on a kitchen counter and sprinkle with icing sugar.  Reverse the chocolate sponge over the parchment, carefully remove and discard the baking parchment from the top. and roll both together, cover with tin foil and set aside to cool completely.

Fold the whipped cream into 1 cup of praline and mix thoroughly until no traces of white are evident.  Taste and add more praline if you prefer a sweeter filling.

Unroll and spread the cool sponge cake with the prepared filling and roll it up again.    Trim the ends, if necessary, place the roll on a pretty dish and cover with cling film.   Refrigerate for 3 hours at least.   Serve sprinkled lightly with icing sugar.

         CHOCOLATE ROLL FILLED WITH CHESNUT AND WHIPPED CREAM

This is a very popular dessert.

Chocolate roll:

5 medium-sized eggs, separated, whites whipped stiff with a pinch of salt

5 tbsp sugar

Vanilla

4 heaped tbsp self-raising flour sifted with

1 tbsp cocoa

9 tbsp water mixed with

1 tbsp  dark Jamaican rum

Fillings:

1^st    Sweet chestnut cream

        6 chestnuts in rum and syrup (please see recipe below)*, blended with

        2 heaped tbsp whipped cream, until spreadable

2^nd   500 ml (2 cups) double cream, whipped with

        2 tbsp icing sugar

Extra icing sugar for dusting over the roll or

Dark chocolate ganache, to cover

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).

Whip the egg yolks with sugar and vanilla until light and doubled in bulk.   Sift in the flour/cocoa mixture in three portions alternately with the water and Jamaican rum, mixing very well to combine, after each addition, before adding the next.   Finally fold in the whipped egg whites, until no traces of white are visible.   Pour evenly into a Swiss roll tin lined with buttered baking parchment and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, and remove from the oven.   

Peel off the baking parchment, cover with a clean sheet of a parchment and roll up like a Swiss roll until the cake is cold.    Un-roll cake and spread it first, with the chestnut filling, then cover with 3-4 tbsp whipped cream, gently roll it up again, cover with baking parchment and refrigerate.

One hour before serving, remove the dessert from the fridge, discard the baking parchment and sprinkle with icing sugar or cover with ganache**. (Please see recipe below).   Serve with the remaining whipped cream.

                                  *CHESTNUTS IN SYRUP AND RUM

Zena Patelis, a dear friend gave me this lovely recipe.  

1½ kg (3 lbs) chestnuts, parboiled with a tsp of salt and a twist of lemon peel and peeled

330 g (11 oz) sugar

2½ cups water

1 vanilla bean

½ tsp salt

1 cup dark Jamaican rum

 In a large saucepan place the sugar and water and simmer stirring until the sugar melts.   Add the parboiled chestnuts, slit the vanilla pod and place it over the chestnuts.   Gently simmer for about 15 minutes, then remove from the fire, cover the saucepan and set aside for 12 hours, at least.

 The next day, remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon and simmer the syrup for 10-15 until it thickens.  Place the chestnuts back into the saucepan and simmer very, very gently for 12 minutes more.  Check a chestnut. It should be quite soft, but not falling apart.  Remove from the fire, cover the saucepan and set aside overnight.

Finally, on the third day remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon, and place them into sterilized jars.   Divide the rum, and pour over the chestnuts, and cover them completely with syrup.  Seal tightly and refrigerate.

        

**Ganache:

• Heat 250 ml (1 cup) full cream and pour over
•          250 g (½ lb) dark chocolate, finely chopped and
•         1-2 tsp honey.  Stir with a hand blender until smooth and glossy.

 

                                     MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE

A delightful chocolate dessert.

120 g (4 oz) butter, cubed

120 g (4 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

180 g ( 6 oz) brown sugar

4 eggs

60 g (2 oz) plain flour

Raspberries to serve

Heat oven to 180 C (350 F), also, butter 6 ramekins and place them on a baking tin.

Melt the butter and chocolate, over very low heat, stir until smooth and glossy, cool and whisk in the sugar until it dissolves.  Add the eggs, one at a time, whipping well each time, until thoroughly incorporated before adding the next.  Sift the flour evenly over, add the vanilla and fold gently, until no traces of white are evident. 

Divide the batter among the ramekins and bake for 16 minutes, until the tops are firm but the centres are liquid.   Run a flexible knife around the edge of the ramekins, turn out onto plates and serve with raspberries or strawberries.

                                          CHOCOLATE FONDUE

 

 This lovely dessert is just a ganache flavoured with honey and the liqueur of your choice served with fresh fruit and cubed cake and biscuits to dip in the melted chocolate.

1 cup double cream

250 g (8 1/3 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp Kirsch, Kahlua or Grand Marnier

Strawberries, sliced apples, pears, orange segments, tinned pineapple segments, and cubed cake

                                                                                                   

     

Heat the cream, over low heat, but do not boil.  Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth.   Stir in the liqueur and honey and pour into a fondue pot and place over an alcohol burner, adjusting the heat to the lowest possible, just to keep the chocolate melted.   

Serve with fruit and cubed cake and biscuits et bon appetit!

                        ORANGE CREAM AND CHOCOLATE CREAM TART

A lovely iced dessert, which I hope you will enjoy.

Pastry

150 g (3 oz) butter, cubed

250 g (1 ½ cups) flour mixed with

2 tbsp almonds, finely ground

2 tbsp sugar

Pinch salt and

½ tsp finely grated orange rind

1 egg, beaten  

1-2 tbsp orange fizz

 Orange Cream

150 g (5 oz) condensed sweet milk

1 small twist of orange peel

90 ml (an ample 1/3 cup) thick cream

½ liqueur glass Grand Marnier or any other orange flavoured liqueur

Chocolate Cream

200 g thick cream

200 g dark chocolate cut into bits

2 tsp honey

½ liqueur glass Grand Marnier or any other orange flavoured liqueur

 A few slivers of candied orange peel, for garnishing.

For the pastry, mix butter with the flour mixture, with your fingertips until it resembles crumbs. Then add the egg and just enough orange fizz to obtain a rather soft pliable dough.  Cover and refrigerate for at least ½ an hour.  Roll out the dough and line a tart dish.  Prick with a fork all over and bake blind, covered with baking parchment and beans, for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 minutes more and set aside to cool.

Make the orange cream by combining the first three ingredients, in a saucepan and simmering for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the saucepan from the stove and stir in the liqueur, discard the peel and cool

Place the chocolate pieces and honey in a bowl.   Bring the cream just under boiling point, pour over chocolate and honey and stir until smooth and cool.  Add the liqueur and keep on mixing until the ganache is thoroughly combined and glossy.

Pour the orange cream evenly over the pastry shell and place it in the fridge for at least, half an hour.   Then spoon the chocolate cream evenly over the orange cream, garnish with slivers of candied orange peel and refrigerate for at least 1½ hour before serving.

                                         MOUSSE AU CHOCOLAT

Years ago, I never made this decadent chocolate dessert because in contained uncooked eggs.  Now that one can find pasteurized whites and yolks, I prepare it often because it is a family favourite.

250 g (½ lb) dark chocolate cut into small pieces

30 g (1 oz) butter, cubed

4 tbsp water

5 eggs separated, whites whipped to stiff peaks with the tiniest pinch of salt

1 tbsp dark Jamaican rum

Over very low heat, melt the chocolate and butter with the water, stirring until the mixture is smooth and glossy.   Remove from the stove and cool.

Stir the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, one at a time, then add the rum and finally, gently fold in the whipped egg whites, until no traces are evident.

Pour the mousse into a mould and chill overnight.  You could also serve it in glasses, garnished with mint.

Poppies by Charles Bemouth

Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh