Tuesday's Kitchen - Flourless Chocolate Cake

We are still on a chocolate theme this week on Tuesday's Kitchen mainly because I'm trying to use up all the Easter eggs we have here!

This is a great little recipe for a flourless chocolate cake. It sounds a bit scary what with no flour but if you follow the recipe it will work out and it's delicious, a great cake for special occasions or having friends round for tea.

I substituted the dark chocolate with Easter Eggs when making this one, normally it would be much richer in colour, but it still tastes good regardless.

Ingredients 

500g dark chocolate

6 eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons brandy

165g ground hazelnuts

250ml whipping cream

icing sugar - to dust

Method;

1. Preheat the oven to 150C (300F/Gas2). Lightly grease a deep 8 inch round cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.

2. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stir until the chocolate has melted and make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.

3. Put the eggs into a large heatproof bowl and add the brandy. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Beat the mixture using an electric mixer for about 7 minutes until it is light and foamy. Remove from the heat.

4. Using a metal spoon, quickly fold the chocolate and ground hazelnuts into the egg mixture. Next, add the cream and pour into the cake tin.

5. Put the cake tin in a roasting tray half filled with hot water and bake for 1 hour until set.

6. Remove and let the cake cool,  then cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge overnight.

This should serve 10 and keep for 2 days in the fridge.

Tuesdays Kitchen - Honeycomb Crunchies

With too many Easter Eggs about the house I always end up making goodies with them just to use them up - there really is only so many eggs you can actually eat and it's a pity to let them go to waste!

This recipe is taken from The Great British Bake Off Learn to Bake Book. 

My husband bought it for me and I'm making my way through the recipes which are all fabulous and you don't have to be an expert to get through them!

It was very exciting to try something new here, making honeycomb which is pretty amazing partly because I didn't think it would work and partly because it tasted so good!

For this recipe I've substituted the chocolate with two medium sized Easter Eggs.

For the Honeycomb

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

75g caster sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

To Assemble

250g dark/milk/mixture chocolate

100g unsalted butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

150g digestive biscuits

Method;

1. Make the honeycomb first.

 Before you start make sure you have an oiled baking tray and bicarbonate of soda ready. 

Put the sugar and golden syrup into a heavy saucepan and warm gently for 10 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally.

2. When the sugar is completely melted, turn the heat to medium and once it starts to boil, leave it to bubble until it turns golden brown - do not stir at this point.

3. Turn the heat off and making sure you cover your hand with a cloth, take hold of the pan handle.

Add the bicarbonate of soda quickly whisk for a couple of seconds. 

The mixture will froth quickly

and you need to be very careful here.

4. Pour this mixture into the oiled baking tray and leave it to cool and harden for about 20/30 minutes.

5. Put the chocolate, butter and golden syrup into a heatproof bowl. 

Melt gently and remove from heat when the mixture is smooth, set to one side.

6. Break up the biscuits in a plastic bag using a rolling pin, and then break up the honeycomb in the same way. 

Add both to the chocolate and mix well.

7. Spread the whole of this mixture evenly into a lined square tin, cover with clingfilm and chill for about 2 hours.

This should cut into 16 squares and stored in the fridge will keep for 2 days.

Tuesdays Kitchen - Homemade Curry

This is a simple curry that can be used with chicken, lamb, beef, vegetables or prawns. Since I've been off on maternity I have more time to experiment with food and try out different recipes. I know there are great recipes out there for great curries but this is super easy and no fussing.

I don't think I would go out and buy a jar of curry sauce now that I've tried to make my own and it's not too shabby!! You can mix up different spices to find the ones that suit you best but this is my mix and is a firm family favourite.

If you haven't tried to do this before give it a go now, there's nothing like the glorious smell of spices throughout the kitchen - it's so comforting especially in this cold weather!

Ingredients;

* 4 Chicken fillets (or whatever meat you are using)
* 1 onion
* 2 cloves garlic
* 2 teaspoons chilli powder
* 2 teaspoons garam masala
* 2 teaspoons curry powder
* 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
* 1 can coconut milk (300ml)
(you can add a can of chopped tomatoes with a small amount of water or chicken stock if you want to omit the coconut milk)


Method;
1.  Peel and slice the onion finely.

2.  Peel and crush the garlic.

3.  Cut the chicken into strips.

4.  Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy saucepan, add the chicken. Once this is browned off remove to a side plate.

5. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry for about 2/3 minutes.                                                       
6. Add the chicken back in along with the garam masala, chilli powder, tomato ketchup and stir for another minute.

7. Pour in the full can of coconut milk and bring to the boil.

8. Let this simmer for a further 20 minutes until the sauce is nice and creamy and season to taste.

Serve with boiled rice and freshly chopped coriander.

As with most curries this will be even nicer if left overnight to let all the flavours infuse.

Simple Party Cake

It's amazing what a flat sheet of vanilla sponge can be turned into - here is my recipe for a simple sponge, the ingredients are the same as for cupcakes only difference is the quantities. It's great for parties, school or sports day bake sales, or if you just fancy something nice for afternoon tea.

This recipe is very easy and I have never had a disaster with it yet.

My daughter is sick and not at school today so I've made this to cheer her up :)

Before you start you will need;

* Large mixing bowl
* Wooden spoon
* Spatula
* 20.5x25.5x5cm tray bake or a cake tin (greased and base lined with greaseproof)
* Wire rack
* Large sieve
* Flat knife

Ingredients;

* 125g unsalted butter
* 125g caster sugar
* 2 eggs, at room temperature
* 150g self raising flour
* 1 tablespoon of milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Icing;

* 250g icing sugar
* 100g unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon of milk

For decorating;

The choices are endless - hundreds and thousands, coloured sugar, wafer flowers, jellies - today we are using Cadbury's Mini Eggs with marshmallows and jellies.

Method;

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas4
2. Put the butter,sugar, eggs, flour,milk and vanilla into a bowl.
3. Beat everything together with your wooden spoon, or you can use an electric mixer, until everything is smooth. Make sure all the ingredients are combined well together.
4. Scrape the mixture into your prepared tray bake or cake tin and spread evenly into the corners.
5. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 mins, until the top is nice and golden and the cake has started to shrink away from the sides.
6. Remove from oven, loosen the tin and leave for about 15-20 minutes until cool on your wire tray, then remove completely and leave on the wire tray.
7. Now you can make your icing, sift the icing sugar into the bowl, add your butter and milk and beat until smooth. Once it's  mixed you can colour all or part of it, or it's good enough as it is.
8. Spread your icing over the cooled cake using your flat knife and decorate as you wish, the choices are endless. 
9. You can leave the cake whole or cut it into smaller pieces like I have done today and it will keep for 4/5 days in an airtight container.

Afternoon Tea