Recipes For Chocoholics
Fluffy American Style Pancakes
Ingredients
- 150g self raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 25g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 150mls milk
- 25g melted butter
- Butter or oil for frying
- Fresh fruits to serve – bananas, strawberries, blueberries
Method
- Mix together the self raising flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
- Whisk the egg, milk and melted butter together in a small jug.
- Heat a large frying pan over a moderate heat, add a tsp butter or spritz with a little oil and drop small ladle-fuls of the batter mix onto the pan.
- Cook until the surface is covered with small bubbles.
- Turn with a palette knife and cook on the other side until golden brown.
Serves 8
Chocolate Sauce
Heat together 100g chocolate, 1 tbsp golden syrup and 120mls single cream in a small saucepan for 2-3 minutes or in a microwave on a medium setting for 1-2 minutes. Whisk and serve over pancakes, ice cream or profiteroles. Makes 150mls.
Nutty Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- 100g mixed nuts – pecans, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 50g dark chocolate pieces
- 110g butter, cubed
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 225g granulated sugar
- 50g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
To serve
Vanilla or banana ice-cream
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170ºC Fan/Gas 4.
- Line and grease an 18cm x 28cm baking tin.
- Place the chopped nuts onto a baking sheet and roast for 6-7 minutes.
- Place the dark chocolate and butter into a large bowl and microwave on full power for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in all the remaining ingredients until blended and spread the mixture into the prepared tin.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove tin from the oven and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
- Cut into 12-15 squares.
- Transfer with a palette knife-the brownie will be crisp on the outside and a little squishy inside.
- Serve warm with a spoonful of vanilla ice-cream.
The Chocoholic's Guide To Chocolate.
Don’t feel too guilty when you tuck into chocolate, as recent scientific research has established that dark chocolate consumed in moderation can be a healthy addition to a balanced diet. Researches have identified the presence of flavonoids in cocoa, a naturally occurring anti-oxidant, which thins the blood and prevents clotting. It also contains Theobromine, a mild stimulant and anti-depressant, and this helps to promote a positive mental attitude.
Tips
- Always store chocolate in a cool dry place.
- High humidity or moisture may cause a white haze or spots to appear on the surface – this is known as moisture bloom and means that the cocoa butter has separated. It is still fine to use.
- When melting chocolate, remember the lighter the chocolate the harder it is to melt. Use a bowl that fits over a pan which contains about two inches of simmering water. Water or steam should not come into contact with the melting chocolate or it will solidify or ‘seize’.
- Chocolate may also be melted in the microwave. Break up the squares into a bowl and use a medium power level for best results. 75g will take approximately 3 minutes to melt. Watch timings carefully as it is easy to overcook and it can become hard and granular.
- Chocolate with a higher cocoa content (70%) is best for cooking.
- White chocolate is not true chocolate, as it does not contain chocolate liquor. It is made from cocoa butter, milk and sugar.
- Encourage children to eat more fruit by dipping segments of orange, apple, pineapple or grapes into melted dark chocolate. Place on a sheet of waxed paper to set.
- If you are trying to slim, remember that the flavour of a tiny square of chocolate with a higher cocoa content lasts longer in your mouth, so you are not tempted to eat as much of it.
Types of chocolate
- Plain Dark Chocolate – this doesn’t contain milk solids and has a high percentage of cocoa solids usually a minimum of 40%
- Use chocolate with a minimum percentage of 54% for cooking. Chefs tend to use chocolate with 70% cocoa solids whilst bitter dark chocolate can have 80-90%.
- Milk Chocolate – is mild and sweet and is the most popular eating chocolate and contains powdered milk and cocoa solids.
- White Chocolate – contains cocoa butter, sugar and milk. Melt vary slowly as it does not withstand heat.
- Cocoa – made from pure cocoa mass aftermost of the cocoa butter has been extracted. It is then roasted and ground.
More Tips
- To make chocolate shavings – put a bar of chocolate on a plate and microwave on medium for 40 seconds. Use a small sharp knife and push the length of the chocolate to make curls or shavings.
- If you over heat chocolate it will seize or stiffens during melting, take it off the heat, remove any beads of steam and whisk in 1-2 tsp vegetable oil until it is smooth again. The higher percentage of cocoa butter the more easily chocolates softens and melts.
Chocolate Truffle Torte
Ingredients
- Butter for greasing
- 25g digestives, crushed
- 30g amaretti biscuits, crushed
- 225g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- 2 tbsp liquid glucose
- 2 tbsp Amaretto
- 300mls double cream at room temperature
To serve
Single cream
Method
- Line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment and grease the base and sides with soft butter.
- Place the crushed biscuits over the base of the tin.
- Break the chocolate into squares and put into a bowl with the glucose and place over a pan of gently simmering water.
- Leave until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat.
- Whisk the double cream in a separate bowl until slightly thickened.
- Fold half of the cream into the chocolate and then fold that mixture into the rest of the cream.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and tap gently to even the mixture.
- Cover with cling film and chill overnight.
- Just before serving, run a warm knife round the edge to loosen the torte and remove from the tin.
- Turn torte over onto a plate and serve with single cream.