Tag: chocolate

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No Bake Chocolate Raspberry Slice

A delightful dessert combination, this is a fairly simple no-bake recipe that promises flavour in every bite! Made of a chocolate base, a raspberry layer and a chocolate ganache layer, the indulgent pairing of chocolate and raspberry is phenomenal. Just watch how quickly it disappears!

What you’ll need

Chocolate Base

  • 1 cup crushed digestive biscuits
  • 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Raspberry Layer

  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam
  • 2/3 cup ground almonds
  • 4 tablespoons dessicated coconut coconut
  • 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Chocolate Ganache Layer

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup/75g/2.5oz 70% dark chocolate

How to make it

  1. Chocolate base layer: add the base ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until it resembles fine crumbs and sticks together when pressed. Spoon mixture into a lined slice tin and press down with the back of a spoon. Place it in the freezer.
  2. Raspberry layer: blend all raspberry layer ingredients except the coconut oil in a high speed blender until smooth. Add coconut oil and blend until well combined. Add to the base and smooth over with a spatula or back of a spoon and place into the freezer for at least 1 hour to set.
  3. Chocolate ganache layer: Break dark chocolate into small pieces. Heat the cream in saucepan on low heat until bubbles appear at the side. Pour over the chocolate, let stand for 5 minutes, then using a hand whisk, blend until completely mixed. Let cool completely, then pour the chocolate on top of the raspberry layer. Place back into the freezer and let it set completely.
  4. Remove from the tin, slice with a hot knife, and serve. Store in freezer, in an airtight container.

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Triple Chocolate Baileys Tart

Get your chocolate, coffee and boozy fix all at once with this showstopping and yummilicious tart! Comprising a chocolately tart shell, a Baileys-infused and chocolate-chip stuffed vanilla custard centre and a Baileys-infused chocolate ganache, this recipe makes an indulgent dessert and impressive centrepiece!

Perfect when paired with Baby Stout (recipe at bottom) – a delicious shot of Baileys Irish Cream and Patron XO Cafe.

What you’ll need :

Makes one 22cm tart or two 11.5cm tarts

For Chocolate Tart Shell

  • 60g cold unsalted butter (cubed)
  • 100g pastry flour
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 50g ice cold water
  • Egg wash

For Vanilla-Baileys & Chocolate Chip Custard

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/8 cup cream
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 strip lemon peel
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsps Baileys Irish Cream
  • 2 tbsps chocolate chips

For Baileys Chocolate Ganache Filling

  • 80 ml heavy whipping cream
  • 100g semi-sweet chocolate
  • 2 tbsps Baileys Irish Cream

How to make it:

Chocolate Tart Shell

  1. Combine butter and flour in a plastic bag. Place in freezer overnight.
  2. Using a food processor, pulse butter and flour mixture, sugar and salt until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add water and mix until a smooth paste is formed.
  3. Place dough on a floured surface and knead lightly. Knead dough to rest in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. Roll out dough to a thickness of 5mm on a floured surface, then place dough over the tart tin. Gently press dough into the tin, along the sides and bottom. Roll the rolling pin over the top to remove excess dough, then prick dough with a fork, then rest in freezer for at least 5 minutes.

Vanilla-Baileys & Chocolate Chip Custard

  1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C/ 350 deg F
  2. In a large bowl, whisk milk, cream, egg yolks. sugar and salt. Carefully whisk in flour to prevent lumps. When the batter is smooth, add the lemon peel, vanilla and cinnamon stick.
  3. Transfer the batter to a saucepan and whisk constantly over low heat, until the mixture resembles thick custard and coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Allow to cool, then gently spoon off the milk skin from the top. Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick.
  5. Stir in Baileys and chocolate chips and mix well

Bake The Tart

  1. Brush top and edges of tart shell with egg wash.
  2. Pour Vanilla-Baileys & Chocolate Chip Filling into frozen chocolate tart shell, and bake for 15-20 minutes until custard is set.
  3. Remove from heat and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Ganache

  1. As the tart cools, make the chocolate ganache.
  2. Break chocolate into small pieces and place in a medium sized bowl.
  3. Heat cream to a simmer (before it boils) and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Add Baileys and whisk vigorously until you get a smooth consistent, creamy mixture.
  4. Leave to cool completely, before spreading or piping over the tart.

Final Touches

  1. Place in the refrigerator to set.
  2. Garnish tart with your preferred decorations.
  3. Best paired with a shot of Baby Stout!

Baby Stout Recipe

Pour 20 ml Patron XO Cafe into a shot glass and top with 40ml Baileys Irish Cream, layering the shot so it resembles a miniature glass of stout. Cheers!

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Chokladbollar

Swedish Chocolate Balls

It’s fika time! In Sweden the fika tradition is synonymous with taking a coffee break and having a snack with it. Even though they are commonly served in Swedish cafes, many Swedish families make Chokladbollar at home, because they are really easy to make. In fact, this is one of the first desserts Swedish children learn to bake during their childhood! This is a perfect no-bake gluten-free dessert, and you won’t be able to stop at one!

What you’ll need

  • 1 cup rolled oats, ground into a coarse meal
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 grams), softened
  • 40g granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon coffee powder
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup dessicated coconut
  • 1/4 cup ground pistachios

How to make it

  1. Cream butter and sugar, then add cocoa powder and vanilla and cream until well blended.
  2. Stir in oats and salt
  3. Roll the mixture into small balls – about 1 tablespoon if you’d like them larger, about 1 tsp if you’d like them smaller.
  4. Roll half the balls in the dessicated coconut, and half the balls in the pistachio until fully coated
  5. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or freeze for 30 minutes before serving.
  6. Store in an airtight container. They will last in the fridge for a week or longer if kept in the freezer.

Notes:

  • Most Swedish recipes will call for coffee to be added, but this can be left out if you would like to make them more child-friendly
  • Get creative – add fillings like chocolate chips, caramel or coat the chocolate balls in rainbow sprinkles…!

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Oreo & Chocolate Cheesecake

This tri-coloured, light and decadent cheesecake is the perfect weekend treat! It’s double the goodness when paired with coffee or a coffee-flavoured drink.

What you’ll need:

For the Oreo bottom:

  • 3/4 cup finely ground Oreo cookies
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

  • 500g cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 11/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs. room temperature
  • 1 cup melted chocolate

For garnishing:

  • 4 oreo cookies (3 cookies quartered, 1 crumbed)

How to make it:

For the Oreo bottom

  1. Line 12 muffin cups on a muffin tray (foil liners are preferred over paper liners)
  2. Put cookie crumbs and butter in a small bowl and mix with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
  3. Portion the crumbs evenly among the liners, tightly. Chill in fridge while you make the filling.

For the cheesecake filling

  1. Melt chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler, set aside to cool at room temperature.
  2. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 300 deg F/150 deg C.
  3. Beat cream cheese on medium high speed until light and fluffy, and until there are no more lumps.
  4. Add sugar, vanilla and salt, and beat until well combined.
  5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until just combined.
  6. Scoop out 1 cup of the vanilla batter, set aside.
  7. Add melted chocolate to the remaining batter and stir until well blended.
  8. Portion the chocolate batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
  9. Portion the vanilla batter evenly among the cups. Make sure the cups are completely filled.
  10. Drag and fold the tip of a toothpick through the two batters in a swirled pattern so there are solid streaks visible.
  11. Tap muffin tin on the counter to settle the batters.
  12. Bake in preheated oven until the centres barely jiggle when the pan is nudged, about 20-22 minutes.
  13. Settle the muffin tin on a wire rack to cool completely
  14. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours,
  15. Top with a quartered wedge of oreo cookie and some cookie crumbs.

Notes:

  • This recipe is best made at least a day before serving.

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Beetroot & Chocolate Swirl Bread

Pretty and pillowy soft, this tri-coloured braided bread brings together the delicious combination of beetroot and chocolate!

There are 3 doughs in this recipe – a pink beetroot dough, a chocolate beetroot dough and a white dough. Try it and you’ll fall in love with this delightfully fun and wholesome bake!

What you’ll need:

Starter Dough

  • 50g flour
  • 40ml water (above 90 deg C/190 deg F)

White Dough

  • 150ml milk (room temperature) 
  • 15g sugar
  • 3g dried instant yeast 
  • 10g unsalted butter (softened)
  • 200g bread flour 
  • 5g salt

Pink Beetroot Dough

  • 150ml beetroot juice (room temperature) + 1-2 tbsps lemon juice or vinegar
  • 30g sugar
  • 3g dried instant yeast
  • 10g unsalted butter (softened)
  • 200g bread flour
  • 5g salt

Chocolate Beetroot Dough

  • 150ml beetroot juice (room temperature)
  • 2 tbsps high quality cocoa powder
  • 15g sugar
  • 3g dried instant yeast
  • 10g unsalted butter (softened)
  • 200g bread flour
  • 5g salt

How to make it:

Starter Dough

  1. Combine starter dough ingredients together and mix well. Leave in fridge overnight.
  2. Divide into 3 portions on day of baking.

White Bread Dough

  1. Dissolve sugar in warm milk then stir in the yeast. Rest for 10 mins until mixture becomes foamy.
  2. Add the mixture, bread flour, salt and 1 portion of starter dough into a stand mixer bowl.
  3. Attach the kneading hook onto the stand mixer and combine all ingredients on low speed 1.
  4. When all ingredients are combined, turn the speed up to 5 or 6 and knead the dough for 20 minutes, until smooth.
  5. Roll the dough into a ball and place it into a greased bowl.
  6. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise for about 45 min to 1 hour at about 86°F(30°C) or until doubled the size.

Pink Beetroot Dough

  1. While the white dough is resting, make the pink beetroot dough using the same steps for the white dough above. Ensure the beetroot juice + lemon juice mixture is at room temperature before mixing with the sugar and yeast in step 1. Once this is done, rest the dough for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Chocolate Beetroot Dough

  1. Repeat the above with the chocolate beetroot dough.

Combining the Three Doughs

  1. Punch the doughs down. Using a rolling pin, roll out to form separate rectangles of similar sizes.
  2. Stack the doughs on one another, then roll them together.
  3. Shape and braid the combined dough into your preferred size/shape.
  4. Place on baking tray. Cover with a wet cloth and stand for 30 minutes.
  5. Bake in a preheated oven at 365 °F/ 185°C for 15 to 18 minutes.
  6. To check if the bread is fully cooked, tap the bottom to see if it makes a hollow sound.
  7. Once completely cooked, remove bread from oven and cool it down on a rack.

Notes:

  • The addition of lemon juice or vinegar to beetroot juice will help ensure the colour of beetroot is retained during the baking process.
  • Never mix salt into the yeast mixture as salt slows down yeast fermentation.
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Chocolate Fondue Recipe

A simple and fun dessert idea that only takes minutes to make!

Did you know? The Chocolate Fondue was actually invented in New York City and not Switzerland.

Konrad Egli, a Swiss restaurateur in NYC, created it in the 1960s as he wanted to add a dessert version of the fondue to his menu. The rest, as you know, is history.

What you’ll need:

  • 180g high quality chocolate (dark or milk, depending on your preference
  • 80g heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of himalayan or sea salt
  • Optional – 2 tablespoons kirsch, brandy or Cointreau (leave this out if you’re preparing a kid-friendly version)

How to make it:

  1. Put all the ingredients other than the liqueur in the top of your double boiler (or in a bowl of a makeshift double boiler).
  2. Heat the water to a simmer, then stir the chocolate constantly till everything is melted. Ensure no water gets into the mixture, otherwise the mixture will curdle.
  3. Add the liqueur just before serving and stir to combine.
  4. Put it into a fondue pot or ceramic dish, and serve with a variety of cut fruits, marshmallows and pretzels!