Heavenly Chocolate Cake

OK - This is a Nigella recipe but after we were gifted a cake by one of the parishioners it seemed wrong not to add it!

INGREDIENTS

Serves: 10-12

FOR THE CAKE

• 50 grams best-quality cocoa powder (sifted)
• 100 grams dark brown muscovado sugar
• 250 millilitres boiling water
• 125 grams soft unsalted butter (plus some for greasing)
• 150 grams caster sugar
• 225 grams plain flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggsb

FOR THE FROSTING

• 125 millilitres water
• 30 grams dark brown muscovado sugar
• 175 grams unsalted butter (cubed)
• 300 grams best-quality dark chocolate (finely chopped)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350°F.

Line the bottoms of two 20cm / 8inch round sandwich tins with baking parchment and butter the sides.

Put the cocoa and 100g / half cup dark muscovado sugar into a bowl with a bit of space to spare, and pour in the boiling water. Whisk to mix, then set aside.

Cream the butter and caster sugar together, beating well until pale and fluffy; I find this easiest with a freestanding mixer, but by hand wouldn’t kill you.

While this is going on – or as soon as you stop if you’re mixing by hand – stir the flour, baking powder and bicarb together in another bowl, and set aside for a moment.

Dribble the vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar – mixing all the while – then drop in 1 egg, quickly followed by a scoopful of flour mixture, then the second egg.

Keep mixing and incorporate the rest of the dried ingredients for the cake, then finally mix and fold in the cocoa mixture, scraping its bowl well with a spatula.

Divide this fabulously chocolatey batter between the 2 prepared tins and put in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Take the tins out and leave them on a wire rack for 5–10 minutes, before turning the cakes out to cool.

But as soon as the cakes are in the oven, get started on your frosting: put the water, 30g / 2 tablespoons muscovado sugar and 175g / 1 1/2 sticks butter in a pan over a low heat to melt.

When this mixture begins to bubble, take the pan off the heat and add the chopped chocolate, swirling the pan so that all the chocolate is hit with heat, then leave for a minute to melt before whisking till smooth and glossy.

Leave for about 1 hour, whisking now and again – when you’re passing the pan – by which time the cakes will be cooled, and ready for the frosting.

• Set one of the cooled cakes, with its top side down, on a cake stand or plate, and spread with about a third of the frosting, then top that with the second cake, regular way up, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, swirling away with your spatula. You can go for a smooth look, but I never do and probably couldn’t.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

You may prefer to prepare this the other way round from me, and get the frosting underway before you make the cakes. Either way, read the recipe through before you start cooking (I shouldn't have to remind) to get the shape of things in your head, not least because the frosting is softer, stickier than you may be used to. While you're making it, don't panic. The mixture will seem very runny for ages once the chocolate has melted and you will think you have a liquid gleaming glaze, beautiful but unfit for purpose; leave it for about an hour, as stipulated, though, and it will be perfect and spreadable. It never quite dries to the touch, but this is, in part, what makes the cake so darkly luscious.

No Bake Cakes...

.... to be made at the front of church during all age worship!

Thanks to Rev Helen and friends.


Chocolate Biscuit Cakes

Ingredients

115g + 30g Melted Chocolate Butter
85g Golden Syrup
230g Melted Chocolate
60g Raisins
400g Digestive Biscuits.

Instructions

Mix the butter, syrup and raisins.
Add the crushed digestive biscuits and stir well.
Spoon the mixture into the cake cases.
Press down gently and then spread melted chocolate over the top.
Leave to cool and when hard......
EAT!



Rice Crispy Cakes

Ingredients

Rice Crispies
300g Melted Chocolate
100-200g Mini-Marshmallows
White & Pink Sprinkles
Chocolate Crispie Sprinkles

Instructions

Mix the chocolate, marshmallows and enough rice crispies to make a firm mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the cake cases.
Press down gently and then add sprinkles.
Leave to cool and when hard......
EAT!



Rocky Road Cakes

Ingredients

Crushed Digestive Biscuits
200g Melted White Chocolate
100g Mini-Marshmallows
100g Maltezers
Chocolate Spaghetti Sprinkles

Instructions

Mix the chocolate, marshmallows and maltezers.
Add sufficient crushed biscuit to make a firm mixture.
Spoon into the cake cases and press down gently.
Sprinkle on the chocolate spaghetti.
Leave to cool and when hard......
EAT!

Shortcrust Pastry

6oz margarine. (3/3 with lard)
6oz plain flour
6oz self-raising flour
Healthy pinch of salt
4tbsp water

Put all the dry ingredients in a food processor and add the water to make it come together.
Can put in the fridge for 30 minutes to get other ingredient ready but not crucial.
The roll out and use.

Most pies cook at 180C for 30-40 minutes.

Honeycomb

10 minutes preparation 10 minutes cook time

4tbsp golden syrup
1tbsp water
200g caster sugar
3tsp bicarbonate of soda


1) grease and line a 20cm square cake tin
2) in a large pan heat syrup and sugar- being to the boil then simmer on low heat for 5-10mins. Test the mix by dropping a little into the cold water - if it becomes brittle it's ready
3) remove the pan from the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda. Mix it quickly as it will foam up instantly.
4) pour immediately into cake tin. Leave to set at room temperature then break into bite sized chunks

Slow Cooker Recipes

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1977653/thai-beef-curry 

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2637/chicken-and-red-wine-casserole-with-herby-dumpling

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12841/braised-pork-with-plums

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1944/turkish-lamb-pilau

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12125/prawn-pea-and-tomato-curry

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4535/peach-and-almond-crunch-

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4680/spiced-poached-pears-in-chocolate-sauce

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/784637/selfsaucing-jaffa-pudding

Chocolate & coffee truffle pots

• 200g dark chocolate
• 100ml strong coffee
• 4 tbsp favourite spirit, such as rum, brandy , Disaronno
• 400ml double cream
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
• cocoa powder , to serve

1. Break the chocolate into small chunks and tip into a bowl with the coffee and alcohol. Bring 250ml of the cream to the boil, then pour over the chocolate mixture and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Divide the mix between 6 coffee cups and leave to set overnight in the fridge.
2. To serve, whip the remaining cream with the sugar until just set. Spoon the cream onto the chocolate pots and serve dusted with cocoa powder so each cup looks like a cappuccino.

Per serving

543 kcalories, protein 3.0g, carbohydrate 28.0g, fat 45.0 g, saturated fat 25.0g, fibre 1.0g, sugar 27.0g, salt 0.04 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2007.

Chicken with tarragon cream sauce

Ingredients

• 4 breast of chicken
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• vegetable oil
• salt and black pepper

For the sauce

• 75ml/2½fl oz medium dry white wine
• 150ml/5fl oz chicken stock
• 2 sprigs tarragon
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. In a roasting tin, brown the chicken breasts in a little oil. Season both sides, turn skin side up and pour over the honey.
3. Roast until cooked through - about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm while you make the sauce.
4. Pour off any excess fat, add the wine and bring to the boil, scraping to make sure you include any of the juices from the chicken. Reduce until you're left with a couple of tablespoons of richly flavoured liquid.
5. Add the stock and the sprigs of tarragon, bring to the boil and reduce by a third.
6. Stir in the cream, bring to the boil and allow to reduce a little before removing the sprig of tarragon and adding the fresh chopped herb.
7. Adjust the seasoning and serve spooned over the chicken.
   
   
   c/o The Beeb.  Thanks.