CHOCOLATE DESSERTS AND THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

 

 

When the coronavirus pandemic first hit the world, people flocked to comfort food in order to satisfy their sad feelings, mostly because they felt that the world was falling apart.  This trend has skyrocketed the sales of sweets, especially chocolate delicacies.

 

Whoever has a passion for chocolate should prepare these delicious chocolate cakes, desserts and custards.

 

 

                                             VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

500 g (1 lb) plain flour

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

A pinch oc salt

Zest of1 orange

50 g (1.7 oz) cocoa powder

(Mix very well together)

 

350 ml (1.4 cup) water

300 ml (1.2 cup) orange juice

200 ml ().8 cup) vegetable oil

400 g (13.5 oz) sugar

(Mix very well together)

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and brush a baking tin with butter.  In a bowl, mix the dry with the wet ingredients well together.  Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, even the surface with the back of a wet spoon and bake for 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Reverse on a round dish and cover with chocolate custard.

 

      

                                             CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

1 litre (4 cups) full milk

180 g (6 oz) Greek honey

4 eggs

80 g (2.8 oz) cornflour

210 g (7 oz) melted chocolate

1 vanilla

Zest of 1 orange

 

Place the milk and honey in a saucepan and place it on a stove over medium heat.  Beat the eggs with the cornflour until the mixture is completely smooth.

 

Just before the milk comes to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes,  then ladle it by the spoonful into the egg mixture, beating constantly as you add each ladleful.  Return the saucepan to the stove and simmer very gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens, about 15-20 minutes, cover with cling film and set aside to cool.  Then place in the fridge for 1 hour before using.    

 

 

                                                          BROWNIES

200 g (6.6 oz) chocolate cut into small pieces

175 g (5.8 oz) butter

2 eggs

1 vanilla

120 g (4 oz) plain flour

½ cup chopped walnuts

 

Preheat oven tom180 C (350 F) and butter a Pyrex dish. 

 

Melt butter and chocolate stirring until smooth and remove from the heat and cool a little.  Stir in the sugar and the eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition, before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla and the flour and mix well until a thick batter is formed.

 

Finally, fold in the chopped walnuts, and spoon the batter into the prepared Pyrex dish.  Even the surface with a wet spoon, and bake for 25 minutes until puffed.  Check doneness with a skewer and remove it from the oven to cool.

 

Serve warm cut into serving pieces with vanilla ice cream.   

 

 

                                  CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT PRALINE TART

This dessert is every chocoholic’s dream!

 

Pastry:

250 g ( 8 oz) plain flour sifted with

60 g (2 oz) icing sugar

Pinch of salt

 

120 g (4 oz) butter+ 1 tbsp

1 egg

A little water, if necessary

 

Filling:

210 g (7 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped

250 g (8 oz) butter at room temperature

304 g (10 oz) one tin sweetened condensed milk

10 g (3.3 oz) hazelnut powder

A pinch of salt

½ cup toasted hazelnuts for garnish

Whipped cream

 

For the chocolate praline, melt the chocolate over simmering water and stir until smooth.  Add the butter. condensed milk, hazelnut powder and salt and mix until completely combined.  Cool and pour into sterilized jars, seal with airtight lids and store in the refrigerator.

 

The day you wish to prepare the tart, bring a jar of chocolate praline to room temperature.

 

For the pastry, place the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and rub it together until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  Stir in the egg and a little water, if necessary, with a fork until it clings together.  Press the dough into a ball, flatten it out, cover with cling film and refrigerate for10 minutes at least.  Roll out the dough between two pieces of baking parchment, line a buttered tart dish, trim the edges and prick the tart all over with a fork. Cover first with a piece of baking parchment and then with foil. Pressing of the base and sides of the tart in order to prevent the sides from collapsing.

 

Bake the tart for 12 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F).  Discard the parchment and foil and bake blind for 12 minutes more or until the pastry shell is crisp and golden, remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

 

Whip a cupful of praline and fold in the whipped cream and mix gently until no streaks of white are evident.  Spoon the filling into the cold tart shell and even the surface.  Garnish with hazelnuts and refrigerate.