All Sorts: Chocolate
For another look back into my baking history, here is a little series of my best deserts to date and today's theme is Chocolate!
The reason for the title is is that, with some of my bakes, I don't actually know what they'd be classified as!! Cakes, tarts, pies, puddings? Who knows? Anyway, they taste good so here we go.
I'm going to start with a recipe that is special to me as it was given to me by my Mother-in-Law To-be - Charlotte Poire Chocolat. I will be perfectly honest and say mine isn't the prettiest looking Charlotte but at the time I didn't have a proper Charlotte tin and sure once you cut into it, nobody cares because it looks like this!!
This desert consists of an outer layer of Lady Fingers dipped in a mixture of Rum and pear juice, filled with chocolate mousse and tinned pear pieces.
What I love about the chocolate mousse in this recipe is that it doesn't contain any butter. Egg whites are whisked until super super firm - once you think it's done, keep whisking for another couple of minutes. Melt dark chocolate over simmering water and, once fully melted, mix in a few tablespoons of milk to thin it out. Then add the melted chocolate to the egg yolks one spoon at a time, mixing well between each addition until it is completely smooth. Finally gently fold in the egg whites to the chocolate mixture a bit at a time until it's fully incorporated and you're done!
The mousse is then poured into the dish lined with tinfoil and the Lady Fingers.
Fill to about 1/2 or 1/3rd of the way, depending on the depth of the dish and add a layer of the pear pieces. Do the same for another layer or two, depending on space, leaving enough room on top to cover with another layer of Lady Fingers. Fold over the overhanging tinfoil to seal and put in the fridge for a day.
Tarte au Chocolat
Next up is a straight forward and always impressive addition to a party - The Chocolat Tart or Tarte au Chocolat if you're being fancy. My original recipe for this came from the cookbook Pâtisserie at Home by Will Torrent and uses a Pâte Sablée base replacing one-third of the flour with cocoa powder. The filling is a ganache made with whipping cream, butter, a pinch of salt and a mixture of milk and dark chocolate. The result is a beautifully rich tart which you can decorate as simply or elaborately as you like.
For my first try I actually used a plain shortcrust pastry and decorated with shards of white chocolate. The second time, as a christmas desert I used the Pâte Sablée with the cocoa powder, letting the pastry reach above the top of the ganache and filling it with milk chocolate curls and gold flakes. For my third version I also used the Pâte Sablée but added a layer of fresh raspberries before covering with the ganache. I have to say this was one of my favourites. The rich chocolate with the zing of the fresh berries underneath underneath was really yummy and got a great response from everyone who tried it.
Chocolate Lava Cakes
Lastly for today I want to introduce you to this fabulous little desert that's as easy as it is delicious!
These Chocolate Lava Cakes come from the cookbook Bake by Rachel Allen and I made them for a pre-Christmas family dinner to welcome my brother home from Japan for the Christmas holidays. It's made with dark chocolate, butter, eggs, caster sugar, flour and cocoa powder.
The chocolate is melted with the butter over simmering water, meanwhile the eggs and sugar are whisked until pale and fluffy. The egg mixture is folded into the chocolate mixture and then the flour and cocoa powder are folded in gently. Pour into the prepared ramekins and bake for 8-10 minutes until risen and just firm to touch, Dust with cocoa powder and serve with icecream. Once you break into it the chocolate centre will ooze out like lava. Mmmmmmmmm..... enough said.
