Rich Decadent Chocolate Cake

 

 

One of the most satisfying indulgences, a rich, dark, moist and supremely decadent chocolate cake, smothered in cream and strawberries and dark chocolate... this is probably the best recipe I have for chocolate cake. Don't go for the box mixes if you try this, you will never go back. 

 

 For the Cake:

3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 cups strong coffee
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 teaspoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar (granulated works fine)
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

half a cup of strawberry jam heated

 

For the topping

250ml whipped cream with a little castor sugar to taste

Ripe, lush & fresh strawberries

Strawberry Jam for brushing strawberries

1 slab dark chocolate (you can add some liquor if you like), half a cup of cream

Slivered Almonds for scattering

 

Set the oven to 180 degrees.
 

Cut parchment paper circles to fit three 9 inch cake pans, or 2 larger cake pans (depending on the size and style of cake you want to create).Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Whisk the cocoa and coffee together until smooth (no lumps). Set aside. In a large mixer bowl, cream butter (about 1 minute), add oil, beat for one minute. Add sugars, beat for 10 minutes. Add eggs, beat 5 minutes. Add vanilla, beat until blended. Alternately add coffee and cocoa mixture and dry ingredients into butter mixture, mixing after each addition, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl often. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. Heat strawberry jam and layer spread thinly over the one cake. Melt the dark chocolate with cream and liquor if desired, pour half over the one cake. Add some whipped cream if you wish - not too much. Top with the second cake and layer with cream, strawberries, brush the strawberries with remaining jam. Drizzle with chocolate and almonds.

Grab a large slice and 2 forks to enjoy with someone extra special...

Tangy Un-Baked Lime Cheesecake

What a perfect way to end a meal ... this extraordinary unbaked cheesecake recipe is the ultimate base and you can go quite bonkers with the fillings. You can layer fruits or crushed meringues and layers of fruit and biscuit - for the kids try chopped marshmallows... No bake, no mess, and perfect every time. 

I prefer to double up the following ingredients... for more volume

400g digestive biscuits
200g butter

For the inside:

500g cream cheese
770g (2 cans) condensed milk
250ml fresh cream, whipped
Grated rind and juice of 4 limes

What you do is:

Melt the butter in a saucepan then remove from heat.

Place the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until fine crumbs.

Add the crumbs to the melted butter and stir to combine.

Tip into a greased and lined 28cm tin and press down firmly with the back a spoon.

For the filling: put the cream cheese in a bowl and whisk until soft and creamy, this will prevent lumps from forming and make it easier to combine with the other ingredients.

Add the condensed milk and whisk again until well combined and smooth.

Stir through the lime juice and rind, reserving some of the rind to decorate.

Whip the cream to soft peak then fold through the cream cheese and condensed milk mixture.

Pour over the base and smooth over with the back of a spoon.

Place in the fridge and leave to set for at least 12 hours or preferably overnight.

When set remove from the tin and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand and sprinkle over the remaining zest just before serving... gorgeous!

Comforting Rotisserie Chicken with Roast Tomatoes

Yet again, Abigail Donnelly never fails to impress.. Last night I tried this Chicken recipe and it has become a favorite amongst the kids.. wholly satisfying now that the winter weather is slowly creeping in and quick and simple to put together. Enjoy with rice or mash potato or hot oven baked bread.. and a beautiful glass of chilled chardonnay. 

Simply get the following ingredients:


4 T olive oil
200 g Roma tomatoes, halved
2 whole red chillies
250 ml mild or hot peri-peri sauce
1 rotisserie chicken already prepared, jointed
4 T flat leaf Italian parsley, roughly chopped

Go ahead and preheat the oven to 180°C.
Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the tomatoes. Once the skins have begun to char slightly, add the chillies and peri-peri sauce. Toss and pour into a large ovenproof dish.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft. Season, then add the chicken and coat in the sauce. Garnish with the parsley and enjoy.

Blue Cheese, Gammon & Cauliflower Tart

One of my favorite Chefs - Abigail Donnelly created this gorgeous tart. What I love about it is you may substitute the Kassler chops if you like for bacon and the cauliflower to broccoli and even the cheese for goats cheese. Sometimes I even use philo pastry, just layers buttered in between for a rustic difference.

For the shortcrust pastry
115 g butter, at room temperature
230 g flour, plus extra for dusting
 

For the filling
2 Kassler chops, cubed
200 g cauliflower florets, blanched
150 g creamy blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup sour cream
4 free-range eggs, beaten
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the shortcrust pastry: 

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Cube the butter and sieve the flour. Add the former to the latter and, using your fingertips, gently incorporate until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add 1 T of water, more if needed, to make the dough more elastic – take care, though, not to let the mixture become too sticky.

Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 5 mm thickness and use to line a 25 cm greased tart case. Prick a few times with a fork and bake blind for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, then remove from the oven and set aside.

 

To assemble the tart: Reduce the oven to 160°C.

In a pan over a medium to high heat, fry the Kassler-chop cubes until golden and crisp.

Dot the blanched cauliflower florets over the baked pastry and sprinkle with the blue cheese and gammon.

Combine the cream and eggs and season to taste. Pour into the pastry case and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until warmed through and fragrant. Serve hot with a lovely fresh garden salad and chilled chardonnay.

Best Ever Baked Cheesecake

Best Ever Cheesecake by Abigail Donnelly

This recipe comes from Abigail Donnelly who I absolutely adore just as much as this amazing cheesecake. You have to try it and you won't be sorry! I love to make make this often as it is so quick and simple and turns out perfectly every time! Thanks Abigail for this amazing recipe.
Grab the following:

100 g butter, melted
150 g digestive biscuits, crushed
 
For the filling :

750 g smooth cream cheese
250 ml sour cream
4 free-range eggs
112 g caster sugar
1 T cornflour
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 a vanilla pod
250 ml sweet sherry (or orange juice)
100 sugar
300 g strawberries (or any other in season fruit), halved. I love blueberries, raspberries, cherries or caramalised figs ...

What do to:


Preheat your oven to 180°C .
Mix the melted butter with the crushed Tennis biscuits and press into a greased 24 cm spring-form tin.
 
To make the filling, beat the cream cheese until smooth and gently mix in the sour cream, eggs, caster sugar, cornflour, vanilla extract and the seeds of the vanilla pod.
Spoon into the tin and bake for 30 minutes.
Switch off the oven, leaving the cake inside for 2 hours before removing it from the tin.
 
To make the macerated strawberry topping, bring the sherry and sugar to the boil. Add the halved strawberries (or chopped fruit of your choice) and allow to cool.
Serve the cheesecake topped with the cooled strawberries and enjoy with hot Cappuccino or a lovely deep red wine.

Chili Chocolate Fillet Steak

Chili Chocolate Amarula Fillet Steak..

Get together the following:
4 x 200 g beef fillet steaks
15 ml olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
15 ml finely chopped red chilli
125 ml Amarula
60 ml tomato puree
250 ml beef stock
45 ml red wine
30 g dark chocolate
Salt and black pepper to taste

Put it Together
 
For the Sauce
Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and sauté onion, garlic and chilli for about 2 minutes.  Add the Amarula, tomato puree, beef stock, red wine or red vinegar and dark chocolate and stir well. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes and set aside.

For the Beef fillet
Cover a griddle pan with some olive oil and heat until piping hot. Salt and pepper the steaks on boths sides. Grill the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes per side until medium-rare (depending on the thickness of the steaks).  Serve smothered with the chocolate chilli and Amarula sauce and side of your choice, I prefer sweet potato wedges and a fresh salad and good red wine

Sexy Scallops baked on the half shell...

Sexy Scallops baked on the half shell ...

Just add finely chopped garlic and Parmesan to butter, black pepper & salt, bake for 20 min

The soft fleshy texture and delicately mild sweet flavour of scallops are enjoyed by even those who are not very fond of fish or other shellfish. Scallops are molluscs that have two beautiful convexly ridged, or scalloped, shells. They consist of two shells hinged at one end which is why they are known to marine biologists as bi-valve molluscs.

The edible portion of the scallop is the white muscle that opens and closes the two shells and is called the "nut." The reproductive glands known as "coral" are also edible. Most people know that fish is good for you, but what about other seafood? As it turns out, scallops, in addition to their delectable taste, contain a variety of nutrients that can promote your cardiovascular health, plus provide protection against colon cancer. All I know is that I absolutely adore scallops and these baked scallops with just freshly chopped garlic, butter, sea salt and parmesan cheese are just sensational.. enjoy with some chilled Chardonnay and a very sexy partner…

Enjoy with chilled Sauvignon Blac or Chardonnay, Champers is good too