Dark Chocolate Fondant Recipe

Dark Chocolate Fondants (Serves 4-6)

A perfect dessert for entertaining, impressive, simple to prepare and serve...

Ingredients:   100g Dark Chocolate
                           130g Unsalted Butter (Cubed)
                           120g Caster Sugar
                           100g Flour
                           4 Eggs (2 Whole, 2 Yolks)
                           Cocoa Powder (To Dust)
                          

Method:

1. Firstly, butter the moulds. Soften 30g of the butter and brush the moulds with upwards strokes to encourage the fondants to rise when baked later. Once covered, refrigerate for 10 minutes for the butter to chill and repeat the process again. Roll in cocoa powder until the entire mould is lightly coated, tap out any excess powder.

2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

3. Place a bowl over simmering water to create a bain marie. Place the dark chocolate and remaining butter in the bowl to melt.

4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and caster sugar in a stand mixer on a medium to high speed until the mixture is pale and thickened to form a sabayon.

5. Once the chocolate and butter is melted, add to the sabayon whilst the stand mixer is still in operation. When fully incorporated, take the bowl out of the stand mixer and fold in the flour.

6. Pour the mixture into a piping bag, before filling the moulds two-thirds of the way up on the mould.

7. Place in the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the side of their moulds. Leave to cool for 30 seconds before turning out carefully onto a plate to serve.

8. Serve with vanilla ice cream or any variants. Salted caramel ice cream would be a perfect partner for this dessert...

Dark Chocolate Mousse Recipe

Dark Chocolate Mousse (Serves 6-8)

An unusual, yet light and airy mousse recipe. Quick to make and great for those who are calorie conscious...

Ingredients: 525g Dark Chocolate
                          405g Water

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, place equal quantities of ice and water, for an ice bath. In a small saucepan, boil the water and pour into a separate, smaller bowl.

2. Add the chopped chocolate and stir with a spatula until the chocolate has melted and fully incorporated.

3. Place the bowl of water and chocolate into the ice bath and whisk vigorously until the mixture resembles stiffly whipped cream.

4. Quickly distribute between serving cups and refrigerate immediately. Consume within 3 days.

Iced Peanut Butter Parfait Recipe

Iced Peanut Butter Parfait (Serves 4)

An easy, yet delicious dessert to make. Looks perfect as a complete dish, if combined with a small slice of dark chocolate brownie and chocolate sauce or caramelised bananas and a salted caramel sauce...

Ingredients:    4 Egg Yolks
                           80g Caster Sugar
                           40ml Water
                           200ml Double Cream
                           75g Crunchy Peanut Butter
                          
Method:

1. In a small pan, turn the hob up to a high heat adding the sugar and water. Boil until the sugar syrup reaches 118 degrees Celsius (soft ball).

2. Whisk the double cream, until it forms soft peaks.

3. Heat the peanut butter in a small pan, so it becomes more pliable.

4. In a stand mixer, pour the sugar syrup into the egg yolks gradually, whisking on a high speed. Continue to whisk the mix until the sabayon has cooled.

5. Fold the peanut butter, sabayon and cream together thoroughly before decanting into 4 separate moulds. Freeze overnight for the best results.
 

Lime & Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Lime & Dark Chocolate Cheesecake 

An interesting and unusual flavour combination, tastes wonderful in a cheesecake...

Ingredients: 600g Cream Cheese
                          400g Tin of Condensed Milk
                          5 Limes (Zest & Juice)
                          200g Digestive Biscuits
                          100g Dark Chocolate Chips
                          50g Unsalted Butter
                          3 Leaves of Gelatine (Soaked in Cold Water)

Method: 

1. Line a 9" springform tin with butter, before covering with greaseproof paper on the bottom and around the sides.

2. For the base, blitz the biscuits, dark chocolate chips and butter in a food processor. Once the mixture comes together, turn it out into the tin and press it into the bottom of the tin and up the sides, using your fingers, to make a crunchy crust. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

3. For the filling in a stand mixer, use the paddle to mix the cream cheese, condensed milk and lime zest. 

4. In a small saucepan melt the gelatine with the lime juice, once fully melted pour gradually into your cheesecake mix. Mix it thoroughly to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated.

5. Spoon your mixture into the top of the cake mould and smooth out. Place in the fridge overnight to set and serve.

Tropical Eton Mess Recipe

Tropical Eton Mess (Serves 6)

An exotic twist, on a Great British Classic...

Ingredients: 4 Egg Whites
                          200g Caster Sugar
                          1 Vanilla Pod (Seeds Scraped Out)
                          400ml Double Cream
                          Icing Sugar (To Taste)
                          1 Papaya (Peeled, Seeds Removed & Diced)

                          1 Mango (Peeled, Stone Removed & Diced)

                          1 Pineapple (Peeled and Diced)

                          2 Passion Fruits (Halved & Flesh/Seeds Scraped Out)

                          4 Kiwi Fruits (Peeled & Diced)

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven at 150 degrees Celsius.

2. In a stand mixer or using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl on a slow speed for 2 minutes. Once at a bubbly consistency, turn up to a medium speed for a further minute and finally to a high speed for a further 2 minutes.

2. Once the meringue starts to form soft peaks gradually add the sugar until the forms stiff, glossy peaks.

3. Spoon onto a lined baking tray with non-stick greaseproof paper and place in the oven, immediately turning the heat down to 140 degrees Celsius. Bake for 2-3 hours until crisp on the outside, but uncoloured. Turn the oven off, and leave the meringues in the oven until it is completely cold.

4. Once the meringue is cool, break into small chunks and keep aside in an airtight container. 

5. For the Chantilly cream, whisk the cream and vanilla seeds at a medium to high setting on your electric whisk. Add the icing sugar gradually to taste and stop whisking once the cream forms soft peaks.

6. To assemble the dessert, add all the diced fruit to a large serving bowl, and combine with equal amounts of meringue and cream.

7. Serve immediately- if there is meringue leftover, store in an airtight container and consume within 1 month. 

Strawberry & Elderflower Sorbet Recipe

Strawberry & Elderflower Sorbet

A sweet, refreshing sorbet. Perfect for a Great British summer when strawberries are at their ripest...

Ingredients: 500g Strawberries (Hulled & Halved)
                          1/2 Lemon (Juice Only)
                          70ml Elderflower Cordial

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients in a medium sized pan, on a low to medium heat and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft.

2. Once the strawberries have softened blitz in a food processor with all the excess liquor and pass through a sieve to remove the pips.

3. Leave to cool slightly, before churning in an ice cream maker for 25-30 minutes.

4. Store in an airtight container in the freezer and consume within 1 month.

Shortbread Recipe

Shortbread

A wonderful addition to the biscuit tin...

Ingredients:  250g Cornflour
                           250g Caster Sugar
                           500g Unsalted Butter
                           500g Plain Flour

Method:

1. Grease and line a 10" tray with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven at 170 degrees Celsius.

2. With the fingertips mix the flours and butter until a crumb is formed. Add the sugar and mix quickly, but thoroughly to avoid overworking the dough (as this will effect the final outcome).

3. Push the mixture down into the tray and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until slightly firm, but still has no colour on the top.

4. Once out of the oven, sprinkle over extra caster sugar and portion immediately.

5. Store in an airtight container and consume within 2 weeks.