choc mousse cake

Dan Lepard calls this chocolate custard cake, I feel it's more of a mousse, and that is why I've called it that. It needs to be kept chilled once assembled. 

The recipe may seem a bit daunting when you read it through, but it is straightforward if you take the plunge, following the steps. An alternative is this recipe, which has fewer steps, but is still very chocolate custardy.

Serves 8-10

1 batch of baked chocolate sponge
4 medium eggs

200g caster sugar

25g cocoa powder

250ml double cream
175g unsalted butter, cubed
350g dark chocolate, chopped
25ml brandy, plus extra for the sponge
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Cocoa powder, to finish

1 Line the sides of a 20-25cm round springform cake tin with non-stick paper, cut a disc of chocolate sponge to cover the base and put inside. Sprinkle some extra brandy on the sponge.

2 For the mousse, separate the eggs and whisk the yolks with 100g caster sugar, the cocoa and double cream in a saucepan. Then heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, but without it boiling.

3 Remove the pan from the heat, add the chopped-up butter and chocolate, and stir until melted. Then add the brandy and vanilla. Stir again, then leave until just barely warm.

4 Meanwhile, heat the egg whites gently with 100g sugar until it just dissolves and the mixture is hot. Pour into a bowl, leave until warm and beat to a soft meringue using an electric whisk.

5 Fold the meringue through the chocolate evenly, spoon this into the tin and leave to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours – ideally overnight. To serve, remove the tin and paper, dust with cocoa and cut with a warm knife.

Baked beetroot with peanut dressing

This is an Ottolenghi recipe, and very delicious. The ingredients are relatively few and also relatively simple so they can be made from things many of us have in the cupboard. It isn't instant. And don't try using ready cooked beetroot, it has to be home cooked.

You can substitute brown sugar, date syrup or honey for the maple syrup. I used soft cider vinegar mixed with balsamic vinegar because I don't keep white balsamic, and I've no idea if it tastes the same! I also used crunchy peanut butter.

The peanut dressing is a very good dip and can be used as a vegan satay sauce.

Baked beetroot with peanut dressing

1kg whole small beetroot (about 10) topped

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

3tbsp white balsamic vinegar

½ tsp maple syrup

20g fresh ginger peeled and finely grated

10g chives, cut into 3cm lengths

1 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted

Peanut dressing

60g smooth peanut butter
1 tsp maple syrup
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice

Method

• Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9. Lay the beetroot on a large sheet of kitchen foil, drizzle over a tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with a half-teaspoon of salt, and wrap tightly, so the beets are completely covered. Bake for an hour and a half, until a knife goes through the beetroots easily, then remove the foil and leave until cool enough to handle. Once cooled, peel with a small knife.
• While the beetroot is roasting, make the marinade. In a large bowl, mix the vinegar, maple syrup and ginger with a third of a teaspoon of salt and set aside.
• Cut each peeled beetroot into six wedges, toss in the marinade and set aside for half an hour.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing. Put the peanut butter, maple syrup, soy sauce, lime juice and two tablespoons of water in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
• Arrange the beetroot and any remaining marinade on a lipped platter, spoon over half the dressing and the remaining tablespoon of oil, sprinkle with the chives and sesame seeds and serve at room temperature with the rest of the peanut dressing on the side.

Baked aubergine with poached chicken

 

Ingredients

For the poached chicken

2 chicken legs 

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped 

1 bay leaf

2 thyme sprigs

2 garlic cloves 

½ lemon, cut into quarters

250ml/9fl oz white wine

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

For the marinade

2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

1–2 tbsp sumac

handful fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped 

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

3 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced 

1 lemon, juice only

1 orange, juice only  

 

For the aubergine                                        

1 aubergine, cut in half lengthways

3 tbsp runny honey 

3 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 green chilli, finely sliced

1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed

1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed

 

For the garnish

150g/5½oz goats’ cheese log, sliced 

1 apple, cored and julienned 

squeeze lemon juice

few sprigs fresh coriander

 

Method

To make the chicken, place all the ingredients in a saucepan, cover with water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and poach for 1 hour. Top up with more water if it gets too dry during cooking. Leave to cool then remove the chicken, shred the meat and set aside in a bowl. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and toss the chicken in the marinade. Season with salt and pepper and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

To make the aubergine, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Slash the flesh of the aubergine halves a few times with a sharp knife. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and brush onto the aubergine flesh. Bake for 40 minutes, turning midway, until cooked through and golden. Lay the goats’ cheese slices on top of the aubergine halves and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until melting. Remove and top with the apple, lemon juice and coriander. 

Serve the aubergine with the poached chicken alongside.

 

Sunshine - carrot and pineapple - cake

I got this recipe from Australian Women’s Weekly site, having compared a few recipes that included both pineapple and carrot. It has the most carrot of any of the recipes that I found. It comes together very easily and everyone who has had it has liked it ‘not too sweet’ they say, although I think it’s quite sweet, but very tasty. You can see the shreds of carrot in it. It's lovely and nutty.

I came home with a slice

I couldn’t find crushed pineapple so I drained a can of pineapple chunks and blended them. 

This is a very large cake, so halve the ingredients and use a smaller tin if there are less than 16 of you. Or you are very greedy.

I used a lemon icing with some sour cream added into it which worked well. I have been disappointed with cream cheese frosting before now.

Ingredients

4 eggs, beaten lightly

1½ cups (330g) raw caster sugar

200 ml mild extra virgin olive oil

1 cup (150g) plain flour

1⅓ cups (200g) self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

4 large (750g) carrots, peeled, coarsely grated

1½ cups (150g) walnuts

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp vanilla extract

440 grams can crushed pineapple, well drained

PREP 

Preheat the oven to 170C (150C fan forced). Grease and line base and sides of a 28cm round cake pan.

Method

Spread walnuts on an oven tray. Bake for 7 minutes or until fragrant and browned lightly. Chop walnuts coarsely.
Sift flours, soda and spices into a large bowl and stir in the sugar
Beat in eggs, vanilla, oil then carrot, pineapple and walnuts until well mixed
Pour cake mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 ½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Stand the cake in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn onto wire rack to cool completely.

Ice and decorate to suit

I used this citrus icing

250g icing sugar

75g unsalted butter

3 tbsp lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 orange

• finely grate the zest
• sift icing sugar into bowl with the zest
• cut the butter into thin slices and heat slowly, until completely melted - do not boil
• pour hot melted butter into the sifted icing sugar, beating as you pour, until it is all taken up by the sugar
• heat the juice in the pan (I use the same pan... without washing)
• pour the hot juice into the sugar/butter mixture, beating as you pour, until it is one silky mixture
• let the icing cool until it stiffens, beating it again before using it

Cherry coconut pistachio cake

Cherry coconut pistachio cake

150g butter (melted), 

100g sugar, plus 20g for the topping

90g light brown sugar, 

180g ground almonds

30g ground pistachios, 

45g desiccated coconut, 

50g self-raising flour, 

3 eggs, 

300g cherries, 

50g chopped pistachios for topping

1 tsp mahleb

Preheat to 190/170C fan  

Method

• Mix dry ingredients,
• stir in melted butter and eggs, pour into a 22cm/9-inch tin,
• top with pitted cherries extra sugar and chopped pistachios
• Place in the centre of the oven
• Bake 35-40 minutes, then turn and bake another 8-10 minutes

from Honey & Co

I substitute raspberries for cherries when they aren't available, and pumpkin seeds for pistachios

Lemon drizzle tray cake

Lemon drizzle tray cake

30x23cm/12x9in traybake tin.

Ingredients

225g/8oz butter or baking spread at room temperature, plus extra for greasing

225g/8oz caster sugar

275g/10oz self-raising flour

1 level tsp baking powder

4 free-range eggs

4 tbsp milk

2 unwaxed lemons, finely grated zest only

For the glaze

175g/6oz granulated sugar

2 lemons, juice only

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 30x23cm/12x9in traybake tin with butter and line the base with baking paper.

Measure all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat for 2 minutes using an electric mixer, or until well blended. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the cake has shrunk a little from the sides of the tin and springs back when lightly touched with a fingertip in the centre of the cake.

Meanwhile, make the glaze. Mix the sugar with the lemon juice and stir to a runny consistency.

Leave the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then lift out, with the lining paper still attached, and place on wire rack set over a tray.

Brush the glaze all over the surface of the warm cake and leave to set. Remove the lining paper and cut into 18 squares to serve.

Nigel Slater’s salmon and watercress tart

 Nigel Slater’s salmon and watercress tart

For this recipe you will also need a round, loose-bottomed 24cm/10in tart case at least 3.5cm/1½in deep, plus baking beans for baking blind.

Ingredients

For the pastry case

200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

100g/3½oz butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing

1 free-range egg yolk

a little water

For the filling

400g/14oz salmon fillet

a little butter or groundnut oil

salt and black pepper

2 large handfuls watercress

4 free-range eggs

400ml/14fl oz double cream

Method

• For the pastry case, put the flour and butter into the bowl of a food processor. Add a pinch of salt and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. If you prefer, rub the butter into the flour in a bowl with your fingertips.
• Add the egg yolk and enough water to bring the dough to a firm ball. The less water you add the better, as too much will cause your pastry case to shrink in the oven.
• Pat the pastry into a flat round on a floured surface then roll out to a rough circle large enough to line the tart tin. Lightly butter the tin, dust it with a small amount of flour, shake out any surplus then lower in the circle of pastry. Push the pastry right into the corner where the rim joins the base without stretching it. Make certain there are no holes or tears. Trim the overhanging pastry and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
• Set the oven at 200C/400F/Gas 6. Put a baking sheet in the oven to warm. Line the pastry case with kitchen foil and baking beans and slide onto the hot baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and carefully lift the beans and foil out.
• Return the pastry case to the oven for five minutes or so, until the surface is dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven temperature down to 180C/160C FanGas 
• For the filling, place the salmon in a baking dish, brush with oil or butter, season lightly with salt and pepper and bake for 15 minutes, or until the flakes part easily. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little, then break into large pieces. Place the pieces of fish in the tart case.
• Wash the watercress leaves and remove and discard the thickest of the stems. Put the still-wet watercress into a saucepan, cover tightly with a lid and place over a high heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, or until the leaves wilt a little. They should keep their colour. Turn the watercress over once with tongs, let it steam a further few seconds, then remove from the heat, cool under cold running water and squeeze dry.
• Tuck the watercress into the tart case in between the salmon pieces. Gently whisk the eggs and cream, pour into the case and bake for 25 minutes, or until set. Serve warm.

Apple Cake

• I've been given some Bramley apples so I'm trying out this recipe.

  
  

  Ingredients

  150g/5½oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

  75g/2½oz caster sugar

  75g/2½oz soft light brown sugar

  ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

  ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

  ¼ tsp fine salt, plus a pinch

  1 tsp vanilla extract

  3 free-range eggs

  175g/6oz plain flour

  35g/1¼oz wholemeal flour (or wholemeal spelt flour)

  2 tsp baking powder

  2 medium Bramley apples, cored, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces

  1 tbsp cornflour

  15g/½oz demerara sugar

  
  

  Method

  
  

  Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Grease and line a 20cm/8in cake tin with baking paper.

  Beat the butter, caster sugar, light brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract together using an electric mixer, until light and fluffy.

  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

  Mix the flours, baking powder and a pinch of salt together in a separate bowl, then gradually mix into the butter, sugar and egg mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon. Stir well to make sure there are no pockets of flour.

  Mix the apple pieces with the cornflour until well coated, then combine with the cake mixture.

  Tip the cake mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin before serving with a cup of tea or a drizzle of cream.

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