Addiction or Aphrodisiac or just a guilty pleasure?
It’s Britain’s favourite comfort food and here at Chocarooney we love all things chocolate and have several recipe recommendations for you to try.
Some are simple whilst others are for those who are a little more adventurous in the kitchen.
Just remember, even when it goes wrong, it’s chocolate and you can always eat the evidence…..
Chocolate Cake
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| 1 | Heat the oven to 180C (gas mark 4). Lightly grease an 18cm (7in) round cake tin with a little extra butter or margarine and cut a piece of greaseproof paper or non-stick baking parchment to fit the base of the tin. |
| 2 | Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or a hand-held mixer for 1 minute, or until just combined. It's important not to beat the batter too much, just long enough to make it smooth. |
| 3 | Pour or spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth the top and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45-50 minutes. The cake is cooked when it looks well risen and golden; the top should spring back when lightly touched with a fingertip. Another test is to insert a skewer into the centre of the cake - it should come out clean. |
| 4 | Let the cake sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge and turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool. |
| 5 | For the icing, place the dark chocolate and chopped butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of very hot water until melted. Cool for 15 minutes and then spread over the top of the cooled cake. |
| 6 | See how long you can last before you just have to have a slice! |
Chocolate Brownies
This recipe should make about 12 but that depends on how big you like your brownies.
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cup sugar (granulated is fine)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp chocolate extract (optional)
- 3/4 cup sifted flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
| 1 | Preheat oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4 and grease a 9 inch square tin |
| 2 | Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla then beat well. |
| 3 | Sift together flour, cocoa and salt. Add to creamed mixture, blending well. Stir in walnuts if using. Spread evenly in tin. |
| 4 | Bake for 35 minutes or until done–a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle should come out almost clean, with just a couple of crumbs clinging to it. Cool in tin on rack. Cut 2 3/4 x 1 3/4 inch bars when cold. |
| 5 | Re-heated and served with Ice-cream or thick cream is divine. |
Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 Cup Margarine
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 1 1/4 Cup White Sugar
- 1 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 4 Cups Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Cups Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
Beat together the following ingredients until sugars are blended well and mixture's consistency is light and fluffy. This is the secret to a mouth watering chocolate chip cookie.
- 1 Cup Margarine
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 1 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 1/4 Cup White Sugar
Make sure all the sugar has mixed in as some will have stuck to the side of the mixing bowl
Now once you are finished mixing these first ingredients and your mixture looks fluffy, add the eggs and vanilla. Mix these in until well blended.
Mixing Dry Ingredients
Combine in separate bowl:
- 4 Cups Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Now mix these together well.
Now slowly add the dry ingredients to your fluffy concoction in the mixer while mixing on low speed.
Once you have mixed your dry ingredients in your cookie dough it should be a moist texture.
Now it is time to add in:
- 2 Cups Chocolate Chips
Hand stir these goodies in.
Hint: Freezing your Chocolate Chips before mixing them into the dough will prevent them from smashing and turning your cookie dough brown.
5th Step: Shaping the Chocolate Chip Cookies
When shaping your cookies it helps to use an ice-cream scooper. They will spread out as they are cooking so leave plenty of space between them.
We suggest that you place a sheet of baking parchment on the pan, and putting the cookie dough on top of the parchment paper.
If you don't have parchment paper, just place the cookie dough directly on the baking pan. Do not grease the baking pan.
6th Step: Baking Chocolate Chip Cookies
You will want to bake your cookies for 13-15 minutes on an un-greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees.
After about 5 minutes of cooling on the cookie sheet remove them and place them on a cooling rack until they are no longer warm.
Eat with a large mug of hot…..chocolate.
Chocolate Mousse
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 7 egg yolks, beaten
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 7 egg white
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Place chocolate in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until mostly melted, then remove from heat, and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to medium stiff peaks, but do not allow it to become grainy. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the sugar, and continue whipping to medium stiff peaks. Fold in egg yolks.
Fold in the melted chocolate until completely incorporated and then fold in whipped cream until evenly blended. Spoon into dessert cups, and chill until firm, about 1 hour
Chocolate Mousse (The cheat's way)
Mix up a package of instant chocolate pudding, to this add 2 tbsp brandy and 1 tsp of cocoa powder (this enriches the choc flavor in the pudding)
When the pudding has set, fold in ½ pint of whipped double cream, add a splash of vanilla and a tbsp of castor sugar
Put in goblets and chill until ready to serve...serve with fresh raspberries and a sprig of fresh mint...
Claim it took hours to make and sit back and take all the credit.
Chocolate Fudge
- 1lb good quality dark cooking chocolate
- 2oz unsalted butter
- 12oz sweetened condensed milk
- half teaspoon vanilla essence.
Grease a shallow 8 inch square cake tin.
Break chocolate into pieces and put into a saucepan with the butter and condensed milk.
Heat gently, stirring to blend until all the chocolate and butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
Take off the heat and beat in vanilla essence. Then beat the mixture well for a few minutes until thickened. Pour into tin and smooth out.
Chill for a couple of hours until firm. Cut into squares to serve.
Chocolate Chip Muffins
- 4oz good quality cooking chocolate
- 10oz self raising flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 4oz dark muscovado sugar
- 8oz milk
- 2oz melted butter
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 4oz chocolate chips, white or dark
Preheat the oven to 200 C.
Melt the cooking chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl
In another bowl mix the melted chocolate with the muscovado sugar, milk, melted butter and 2 beaten eggs.
Fold in the flour mix - do not over mix
Stir in the chocolate chips
Spoon the mixture into greased muffin tins or use paper muffin cases.
Bake for 20/25 minutes until well risen and firm to touch
Leave in tins for a few minutes then transfer to a wire tray to cool.
Serve warm or cold.