choclate Cakes

Easy Chocolate Cake

(With buttercream cocoa frosting. Height: 2 to 2.5 inch)

yield: 12 servings
  

Ingredients

1 + 1/2 cup (170 g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dutched/dark)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (220 g) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
3/4 cup (1.8 dl) milk
3/4 cup (170 g) melted butter
2 eggs

Ingredients for frosting

1 stick (1/2 cup) + 3 tablespoons (160 g) softened butter
3 cups (7.2 dl) powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 5 tablespoons lukewarm milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
2. Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin.
3. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl.
4. Melt the butter at low heat and add to the dry ingredients. Also add milk and eggs.
5. Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at slow speed.
6. Transfer to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
7. After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers (easier if the cake has been in the fridge).

Frosting

1. Cream the softened butter with powdered sugar in a bowl. Add cocoa, vanilla and 4 tablespoons lukewarm milk, and mix until smooth. Do not over-mix. If necessary, add some more milk.
2. Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake.
3. This cake should have room temperature when served.

Variations

1. You may cut the top of the cake to make a flat surface before adding the frosting.
2. You may divide the batter in two and transfer to two bake tins. The baking time would then be about 15-20 minutes
3. To make a tall cake, you may bake two cakes instead of slicing one into two layers
4. You may use tasteless vegetable oil for the cake instead of melted butter. If so, also add 1/4 ts salt
5. Instead of vanilla extract, you may use an equivalent amount of freeze dried coffee (Suggested by Carol, October 2008)
6. You may use ½ cup of freshly brewed coffee instead of milk or water to get mocca flavor

Chocolate Muffins

Yield: 6 XL muffins or 12-15 M muffins.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 cup (220 g) sugar
1 cup (110 g) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
2/3 cup (150 g) butter

Yield: 6 XL muffins or 12-15 M muffins.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 cup (220 g) sugar
1 cup (110 g) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
2/3 cup (150 g) butter
4 oz (120 g) semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Grease 6 extra large muffin tins or cups (paper muffin bake cups are recommended) or 12-15 medium cups.
3. Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla and milk.
4. Fold in the melted butter.
5. Add chocolate chips; coat them with flour before mixing into the batter.
6. Bake at 350 degrees until a until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes for XL muffins, about 20 minutes for medium size muffins.

The Chocolate Muffins may be served hot or at room temperature.

Variations

1. If you wish to use less saturated fat, try substituting ½ the butter with a good quality vegetable oil.
2. If you wish a strong chocolate flavor you can add 1-2 more tablespoons of cocoa powder.
3. You may add vanilla or white chocolate chips instead or regular ones.
4. If you want lean muffins you may use 1+½ cup flour and ½ cup of butter instead of the amounts given in the recipe, and in addition add ½ teaspoon of salt (suggested by Daphne Tipton, January 2009).
5. Chocolate chips should be added the last five mins so it will just stay on top of the muffins, and if you put sweetened coacoa it tastes better

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 hazelnuts
• 24 dried whole apricots
• 12 pistachio nuts, shelled
• 4 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate, chopped
• 

  Chocolate Citrus Tart

  Yield: 10 servings
    
  

  Ingredients for the tart dough (for 2 tarts)

  ½ cup (110 g) butter, softened
  ½ cup (100 g) sugar 2 cups (230 g) all-purpose flour
  1 egg
  2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
  
  

  Ingredients for the citrus filling

  2 cups (440 g) granulated sugar
  4 large eggs
  ½ cup (1.2 dl) orange juice
  ¼ cup (0.6 dl) lemon juice
  Grated peel of 2 oranges
  3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  
  

  Ingredients for the chocolate frosting

  ½ cup (1.2 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream
  7 oz (200 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

• Method

  1. Line the bottom of a springform pan of 9 inches (23 cm) diameter with greaseproof or other non-stick paper and grease the sides of the pan.
  2. Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar. Add flour and cocoa powder, and finally the egg. Reserve in the fridge for a few hours or more.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
  4. Using your fingers, pat down half of the tart dough into the bottom of the springform pan (not the sides); keep the rest frozen until next time.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 7 minutes.
  6. For the filling, mix sugar and egg for 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
  7. Add lemon juice, orange juice, grated orange peel, flour and baking powder, and mix well.
  8. Transfer to the springform and bake at 250 deg F for about 30 to 40 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out clean.
  9. Using a knife, loosen carefully the cake from the sides of the springform pan. Let the tart cool to room temperature in the pan.
  10. For the chocolate frosting, heat the cream almost to a boil, add chopped chocolate, and stir until smooth. Let it cool until it thickens.
  11. Spread the chocolate frosting evenly on top and sides of the tart.
  
  

  Variations

  1. Instead of lemon, you may use 2 limes and grated lime peel, and reduce the amount of orange peel accordingly.

Classic Chocolate Souffle

Yield: 6 servings
  

Ingredients

1/3 cup (70 g) sugar
5 ounces (150 g) bittersweet chocolate (70%)
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites
a pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
2. Grease one large souffle dish or 6 small souffle dishes.
3. Melt the chocolate over hot water (in a double boiler).
4. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks.
5. Add 1/3 cup of sugar gradually while whisking with the electric mixer.
6. Mix gently the melted chocolate with the egg yolks and approximately one cup of the whisked egg whites.
7. Fold in the remaining part of the whisked egg whites.
8. Bake in the middle of the oven until crusted on top and practically cooked in the middle, approximately 25-35 minutes for a large souffle dish.

Variations

1. You may use bittersweet chocolate flavored with orange or raspberries for a delicious fruity flavor.

t’s quite common for readers to get in touch and suggest we review specific chocolates, but when two readers separately suggest the same chocolate with 24 hours of each other, then it’s probably time to give it a try.

So at Emma and Vanessa’s suggestion, I went out and bought this Chillichocolate bar from my local Thorntons.

This is an 80g square bar, in the same format as Thornton’s Balsamic, Orange & Cardamom and Toffee bars.

Of course, the best way to eat a bar like this is to break off a small chunk and let it melt slowly in your mouth. Unfortunately, the shape of the squares don’t make that particularly easy, but it can be made to break into nice bite-sized chunks with a little persuasion from a heavy blunt object.

This is a 66% dark chocolate from Mexico. The box describes the flavours as “complex”, but the first thing you notice is… well, not much at all. As it melts, the sweetness and fruitiness become more noticeable, but they’re still not particularly strong.

The chilli flavour is also quite subtle and takes a while to come through. When it does, you get more of a gentle warmth than a ‘kick’, and it’s actually quite pleasant. As a result, after initially finding this bar a bit bland, I started to find it more and more…. moreish… the more I had.

So, Emma and Vanessa, I’d recommend giving this one a go. There are certainlymore creative – and hotter – spicy chocolates out there, but this is definitely worth giving a go. For chilli chocolate virgins, it’s a pleasant introduction that won’t blow your head off.