Category Archives: Chocolate

Self-saucing Chocolate Pudding

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Ingredients

Topping

  • 1 cup brown sugar , loosely packed
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 ¼ cups boiling water

Pudding

  • 1 cup All Purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 cup fine (caster) sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup milk, room temperature
  • 4 Tablespoons butte , melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 335°F
  2. Grease 8x 8x 2.5” baking dish
  3. Whisk brown sugar and cocoa in a bowl to make the topping mix. Set aside
  4. Whisk flour, baking powder, fine sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter and milk, then whisk in the egg and vanilla. Don’t worry if some lumps form from the butter- carry on whisking together
  6. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Mix until combined – it will be a thick batter
  7. Spread into baking dish. Sprinkle with topping mixture. Shake gently to spread out thinly
  8. Carefully pour the hot water all over the top of the pudding, trying to avoid any pooling
  9. Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when poked lightly. The top will be a bit crusty, like the top of brownies
  10. Remove from oven, stand for just a few minute, then serve immediately
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Irish Cream Nanaimo Bars

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Makes 18

Ingredients

Base layer

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup fine sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup brown (wholewheat) bread crumbs
  • 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Middle layer

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp custard powder
  • Pinch salt
  • 2-3 Tbsp Irish Cream (Baileys), to taste
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Top layer

  • 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, broken/ chopped into pieces
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2oz white chocolate, broke/ chopped in to pieces
  • 1 tsp butter

Method

Base layer

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper 
  2. In small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, cocoa and sugar, stirring occasionally until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool
  3. In a separate medium bowl combine the egg, graham cracker crumbs, brown bread crumbs and shredded coconut. Add in the cooled cocoa/ butter mixture and stir to fully combine
  4. Transfer to your prepared pan. Press firmly and level as much as possible
  5. Bake for 10 mins, then remove from oven and leave to cool completely

Middle layer

  1. In bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together powdered sugar, butter, custard powder, salt, Irish cream and vanilla extract. Spread the mixture evenly over the cooled bottom layer; smooth and chill for at least an hour

Top layer

  1. In a bowl set over barely simmering water, melt semi-sweet chocolate, and butter together, stirring occasionally, until smooth and shiny.
  2. In a microwave, heat the white chocolate and butter together in a small bowl until melted. Transfer to a small piping bag.
  3. Pour over the melted semi-sweet chocolate over the Irish cream layer and smooth. Pipe on the white chocolate and feather to a design of your liking
  4. Chill in the refrigerator overnight, or 2 hours minimum. Cut into bars (I usually get 18, cutting into 3 x 6)
  5. Keep the cut bars in a covered container either in the refrigerator (3 days) or frozen (3 months)

Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

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Makes 16

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup  packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup  natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 2 Tbsp milk powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp milk
  • 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolater chips, or chunks
  • 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips, or chunks
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips, or chunks 

Method

  1. In stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and then beat on high speed until combined
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, milk powder and salt together until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add to the creamed butter mixture. Beat on low until combined
  3. Add in the milk, beating to combine on high speed
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour
  5. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This will make it easier to scoop
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  7. Scoop the dough into balls, I use a 2 tablespoon cookie dough scoop. Arrange on a thew preared cookie sheets allowing 2-3 inches between
  8. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft. Remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3 times
  9. Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely 
  10. Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 1 week

Chocoflan

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Ingredients

Cake Layer

  • 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup canola
  • 3 eggs

Flan Layer

  • 2oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
  • 8oz cream cheese, full fat, softened
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 eggs

Method

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan, or bundt pan, with cooking spray
  2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and 3 eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into prepared cake pan
  3. In blender, combine the Flan layer ingredients. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth and uniform in color. Slowly pour, or ladle, the flan mixture evenly over the cake batter. (Flan mixture will mix a little with batter, but they will separate during baking)
  4. Spray piece of foil with cooking spray, and place sprayed side down over top of pan; cover tightly
  5. Place cake pan in large roasting pan; add between 1-2 inches water, creating a water bath for the cake
  6. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes to ensure cake. To check insert toothpick, or skewer, inserted in center of cake layer will come out clean. Remove cake pan from water bath to cooling rack and remove foil. Cool at room temperature 1 hour. Refrigerate in pan, uncovered, 2 hours
  7. Remove from refrigerator and, if needed, run thin metal spatula around outer and inside edges of pan to loosen cake. Place serving plate upside down on cake pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Slice and serve!
  8. Store loosely covered with cling wrap in refrigerator

Red Velvet Cake Truffles

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Makes 42

Ingredients

  • 1 box red velvet cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box to prepare the cake)
  • 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 12 oz milk, dark or white chocolate chips

Method

  1. Prepare and bake the cake according to package instructions. Let cool completely before moving on to the next step.
  2. Using a fork or your hands, break the cake into fine crumbs into a large bowl.
  3. Add softened cream cheese and knead gently with your hands until cream cheese is fully incorporated. You can mix together with a wooden spoon, or spatula, but I find using your hands works best here
  4. You can use your hands or a cookie scoop to roll into 42 cake balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon per ball) and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the chocolate
  5. Heat chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl until completely melted, stirring to combine
  6. Remove cake balls form the fridge and place one ball at a time into the melted chocolate. Using forks, evenly coat each ball with the chocolate. Use the forks to remove the truffle from the chocolate and before transferring it back to the baking sheet, slightly tap the fork against the side of the bowl to get rid of any excess chocolate. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining chocolate balls.
  7. Pour leftover melted chocolate into a small ziptop bag, cut off one corner and pipe melted chocolate in desired design on top
  8. Return truffles to the fridge for 15 minutes or until truffles are set