Classic Fudge Brownies

This recipe courtesy of Easy Living Magazine

Do you like yours fudgy and soft in the centre, or cake-like and full of nuts? There are probably more variations on the basic brownie than any other chocolate treat. These are definitely the gooey version. Brownies need no decorating, serve as they are with perhaps a dusting of cocoa or icing sugar.

Makes : 15 – Prep time : 20 mins – Cook time : 25 mins

Ingredients:
300g (10oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped (look for chocolate with at least 50% cocoa solids); 300g (10oz) unsalted butter, chopped; 5 free-range eggs; 400g (13oz) caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 150g (5oz) plain flour; 50g (1 ¾ oz) cocoa powder; ½ tsp baking powder; pinch of salt; 100g (3 ½ oz) dark chocolate chips

Method:

Heat the oven to 180^oC (gas mark 4). Grease a shallow 20 x 30cm (8 x 12 in) baking tin and line with baking paper (leave a little overhanging the two long sides to help remove the brownies from the tin).
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). All to cool.
Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat for about 4 minutes or until thick, pale and fluffy. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture.
Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and fold in using a large metal spoon, until smooth. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface.
Bake for 30-35 mins or until the top has formed a crust. It should be firm to the touch but still a bit moist in the centre. Allow to cool in the tin, then remove and cut into squares. Store the brownies in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Cakes & Baking recipes . A recipe card is available for download here.

Self-Saucing Dark Chocolate, Fig and Hazelnut Pudding

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine November 2015

Slow-cooking isn’t just for savoury dishes – you can make delicious and comforting puddings and cakes in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. They have used healthier alternatives to refined sugar, such as rice syrup, honey or, in this recipe, coconut sugar. This pudding’s autumnal ingredients of figs and hazelnuts, and a rich chocolate sauce, mean it will be a favourite.

Serves : 6-8 – Preparation Time : 10 mins – Cooking Time : 45 mins

Ingredients: 125ml melted butter; 235g coconut sugar; 225g self-raising flour, sifted; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 250ml almond milk; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 55g cacao powder; 6 dried figs, coarsely chopped; 100g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped; 4 tblsp blanched hazelnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

Step One: Preheat the oven to 180^oC (350^oF/Gas 4). Grease a 2.5-3 litre baking dish. In a bowl, combine the melted butter, 155g of the coconut sugar, flour, egg, almond milk, vanilla and 3 tablespoons of the cacao powder.

Step Two: Fold in the figs, chocolate and 3 tablespoons of the blanched hazelnuts, then spoon into the dish, spreading it out evenly.

Step Three: Scatter with the remaining sugar, cacao power and hazelnuts, then gently pour over 625ml of boiling water.

Step Four: Cook in the oven for 40 minutes until set, then set aside for 5 minutes before serving.

Some of the ingredients from Amazon:

Slow cooking recipe book:

Psychologies Magazine:

Tiramisu Cheesecake

This delicious, indulgent, baked cheesecake is made with the same wicked ingredients as the creamy italian dessert tiramisu – almond-flavoured biscuits, plain chocolate, rich mascarpone cheese and coffee.

Serves 12; Cost £9; Time to prepare: 40 mins; Time to cook: 1 hr 10 mins; Cals per portion: 605

Ingredients:-
Base: 100g (4oz) amaretti biscuits; 100g (4oz) almond cookies; 50g (2oz) butter
Filling: 750g (1 lb 10oz) mascarpone cheese; 100g (4oz) caster sugar; 30ml (2tbsp) cornflour; 3 eggs, size 3, beaten; 15ml (1tbsp) coffee liqueur or coffee essence; 225g (8oz) plain chocolate
Topping: 200ml (7fl oz) double cream, lightly whipped until softly peaking; Chocolate curls to decorate;
Cocoa powder to dust

To make base, roughly crush the biscuits and cookies, and place in a bowl. Melt butter, stir in and mix well. Spoon into th base of a greased 23cm (9in) springform tin and press down evenly with a potato masher. Chill in the fridge.
To make the filling, place the mascarpone cheese in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until soft. Beat in the caster sugar and cornflour, then gradually beat in the eggs to make a smooth mixture. Fold in the coffee liqueur or coffee essence.
Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Leave until just melted, then stir. Remove from heat and cool for 10 mins. Gently fold the melted chocolate into the mascarpone mixture.
Pour mixture over biscuit base. Place the tin on a baking sheet and bake at 170oC, 325oF, Gas 3 for 1 hr 10 mins until set. Cool (see tip). For topping, gentle swirl cream over the cheesecake. Top with chocolate curls and dust with cocoa powder.

TIP: When the cheesecake is cooked, leave it to cool slowly insdie the turned-off oven – then will help to prevent the surface from cracking.

Profiteroles

Hugely popular, these chocolate-topped choux pastry buns simply cannot be beaten.

Makes 18-20 profiteroles; Prep: 15 mins; Cook: 20-25 baking, plus cooling

Ingredients: 50g (2oz) butter; 60g (2 ½oz) strong plain flour, sifted; pinch of salt; 2 eggs, beaten

Filling and topping: 284ml (10 fl oz) pot of double cream whipped; 200g (7oz) plain chocolate chopped

Preheat oven to 200^oC/400^oF/Gas 6. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a small heavy-based saucepan heat the butter with 150ml (¼ pint) water until melted. Bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat. Add the flour and salt and stir in vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball. Allow the pastry to cool slightly.
Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Put teaspoons of the mixture onto the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 10 mins then increase the oven temperature to 220^oC/425^oF/Gas 7. Bake for a further 10-15 mins, or until the buns are crisp and golden.
Remove from the oven. Pierce each bun to allow any steam to escape. Leave on a wire rack to cool completely.
Put the chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl and melt over a pan of barely simmering water until smooth.
Cut each bun in half and fill generously with the cream. Dip each top in the melted chocolate and place on top of the filled buns. Serve at once.
Cooks tips: Sprinkle a little water over the baking sheet after greasing. This increases the steam in the oven and helps the buns to rise. Give the topping a tasty twist by using orange-flavoured chocolate and adding 3 tbsp orange juice when melting.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Dessert recipes in the Dessert Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.

Banana, Chocolate and Coconut Crumble

A recipe by Gary Rhodes

A crumble is probably one of our most traditional and easiest puddings to make. This mixture of ingredients offers a totally different flavour – chocolate and coconut make a great combination and banana goes with both. I serve this with vanilla or chocolate ice cream, both of which taste good with the rich flavours.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
6 oz (175g) plain flour; 1 oz (25g) cocoa powder; 3 oz (75g) butter; 3oz (75g) caster sugar; 1 oz (25g) desiccated coconut; 6 bananas, cut into 1 in (2.5cm) slices.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200^oC/400^oF, gas mark 6. For the crumble, mix together the flour and cocoa powder. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and coconut.
Arrange the banana slices in an ovenproof pudding dish. Sprinkle the crumble over the banana and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins. Serve with ice cream or custard.
For a special finish, grate fine shavings of chocolate over the cooked crumble. Chocolate can also be grated over the bananas before you top with the crumble. this gives you a chocolate banana sauce hidden under the crumble.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Dessert recipes in the Dessert Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.

Hot Chocolate Souffles with Rum

Contrary to popular belief, little chocolate soufflés are easy to make. You can start preparing them before you begin your meal and finish them off while the main course is being cleared away.

Serves: 4-6; Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:
15g (½ oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 6 tbsp caster sugar; 225ml (8 fl oz) milk; 100g (3 ½ oz) dark chocolate; 5 medium eggs; 3 tbsp cornflour; 2 tbsp double cream; 3 tbsp rum; 1 tbsp icing sugar, for sifting

Method:

Carefully butter the insides and rims of four 200ml (7 fl oz) or six 150ml (5 fl oz) souffle dishes, then coat them evenly with 2 tablespoons of the caster sugar. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and set it over a moderate heat. Break the chocolate into small pieces and stir it into the milk. As soon as the milk reaches scalding point, remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 2-3 minutes, until the chocolate has melted.
Meanwhile, separate the eggs, put the whites into a large, dry bowl and set aside. Put 3 egg yolks into a small bowl – the other two are not needed and can be kept for another recipe.
Add 3 tbsp of the caster sugar to the cornflour in a large pan, and over a low heat gradually whisk in the chocolate milk to form a smooth paste. Then increase the heat, beating continuously, until the sauce boils and becomes stiff.
Remove from the heat and beat in the cream, rum and egg yolks. Scrape the mixture from the sides of the pan with a spatula and cover it with the lid to prevent a skin forming, then set aside.
Before you begin your meal, preheat the oven to 230^oC (450^oF, Gas mark 8). Put a baking tray with a raised edge into the oven to heat. When the main course is over, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks (an electric beater is quickest). Add the remaining caster sugar and whisk again until the whites are stiff and shiny.
Fold a large spoonful of the egg white into the chocolate sauce, then gently fold in all the remaining egg white. Spoon the mixture into the souffle dishes and put them onto the baking tray in the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until well risen and lightly set, with soft, gooey centres. Remove them from the oven, sift icing sugar over them and serve immediately.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Dessert recipes in the Dessert Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.