ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE BISCUITS

I have spent my adult baking life, on a quest for the perfect biscuit.  I had it once. I ate one.  It was at a wake, of all places.  Unfortunately, the circumstances prevented me from hunting down the person who made the biscuit and insisting they hand over the recipe.  My sense of decency and decorum got in the way.  I have often thought of that biscuit. The taste, the texture, the smell.  I have tried many times to recreate it - I have come close but never quite nailed it.  Well, today I believe that I have actually baked a biscuit that is even better than my post funeral nibble.  When I first tasted one of these biscuits today, my tongue thought it had died and gone to heaven.  The taste and texture are just perfect.  Of course I know that different people have different ideas about what constitutes the perfect biscuits but I really do think that even the toughest biscuit critic will enjoy these. (Yes, as per the picture, they are meant to be cracked.)  Bear in mind though, that results may vary according to the quality of your ingredients.  I am a cocoa/chocolate snob and I buy quality cocoa powder online and also quality cooking chocolate. It costs a bit but it really is worth it.  If you can't afford to buy expensive cocoa powder, I highly recommend that you get yourself to Woolworths and buy their Homebrand Cocoa Powder.  It is cheap as chips and it is very nearly just as good as the expensive cocoa.  So, with out further ado, I give you....

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE BISCUITS 

120g of chocolate (70% cocoa)
1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/3 cup cocoa 

1 tsp bicarb soda

1/2 tsp salt

125g butter, very soft and diced

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup white sugar (for rolling biscuits in)

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line baking trays with baking paper.
2. Place broken up chocolate in the jug with the kneading blade.  Select Speed 9 for 20 seconds.
3. Once program is complete select Speed 3 Temp 65 Time 3 minutes.

4. When chocolate is melted, allow to cool for five minutes.

5. Add all ingredients to the jug except for white sugar. Seclect Pastry P1 for 1 minute.
6. At the end of the program if the dough has formed a ball, use a spatula to break it up.
7. Add chocolate chips to the jug.  Select Speed 4 Time 30 seconds.

8. Roll mixture into balls slightly bigger than a walnut but smaller than a golf ball (best way I can describe it :-)  ). Roll balls in the white sugar.
9. Place balls on the line tray and press with hands to flatten.
10. Place in the oven on the second rack from the top. Bake for 14 minutes or until biscuits have cracked.
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a wire cooling rack.

NOTE - with all recipes that I share, butter must be very soft but not melted.  It should be soft enough that you can poke your finger through it but it can still hold its shape.

CARROT & ZUCHINNI CAKE WITH MAPLE SYRUP ICING

What is going on with kids these days?  Everywhere I turn, parents are trying to get vegetables into their little darlings.  I suppose I was lucky in that I had two kids who ate every vegetable that I put in front of them.  So, for those parents who are struggling to get their little ones to eat delicious (yes - I did say delicious kids!) and nutritious veggies, I have conjured up this cake.  It was actually meant to be a completely different cake, made from a recipe from a friend's grandmother.  However, I am not always known for my attention to detail and I failed to read the recipe properly and I ended up making a cake that is absolutely nothing like the recipe.  In fact, it is so far removed from that recipe that I can now put my hand on my heart and say that I created this one! I have already tasted it and I have to say that it turned out to be a delicious accident.  I hope you enjoy it and most of all, I hope your kids are deceived :-)

CARROT & ZUCHINNI CAKE WITH MAPLE SYRUP ICING 

Cake 

125g unsalted butter diced

250g carrot grated

zuchinni 1 medium grated

1 1/2 cups of self raising flour

1 tsp of mixed spice

1 cup caster sugar

2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk

1/2 chopped walnuts (extra to decorate)

1. Grease and line a 24cm tin (I used a springform tin). Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
2. Place butter in the jug with the kneading blade. Select Speed 4 Temp 80 degrees Time 2 minutes.

3. Place grated vegetables either into some muslin, an unused Chux or a fine sieve and squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the vegetables.
4. Place all ingredients in the jug. Select Pastry P1 Time 1 minute.  Stop the machine after 30 seconds and scrape down the sides of the jug. Resume the program.
5. When the program is complete, place batter in the prepared pan and smooth over the top with the back of a spoon or with a palette knife.

6. Place the cake on the centre rack in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean or with crumbs.
7. When cooked remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire cake cooler.
8. Once the cake is cool, place it on a plate and cover the top with icing and decorate with extra chopped walnuts.

Maple Syrup Icing 
2 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup of maple syrup

1 tbsp water

1. Place all ingredients in the jug with the kneading blade. Select Speed 8 for 20 seconds. Stop the machine after 10 seconds and scrape down the sides of the jug and then resume program.
2. Apply icing to the cake.

NOTE - I used a 24cm springform tin and the cake took 40 minutes to cook. I overestimated the amount of batter.  I would recommend that if you want a taller cake, then use a 20-22cm cake tin and increased the cooking time by 5-10 minutes.

LEMON SLICE (NO BAKE)

A slice is a wonderful sweet treat.  They are even more wonderful when there is no baking involved.  This slice is easy to make and even easier made in the CC.  Feel free to add some lemon zest to the icing - I usually do but didn't on this occasion because I accidentally grated my finger whilst zesting the lemon for the base and I was a bit gun shy!

LEMON SLICE (NO BAKE) 

Slice Base 

1 packet of plain biscuits (Marie, Arrowroot etc)
90g of dessicated coconut

Zest of one medium lemon

120g butter diced

1/2 tin of condensed milk

1. Line a slice tin with baking paper, with paper hanging over the long sides.
2. Place butter in the jug with the kneading blade. Select Speed 3 Temp 80 Time 1.30 min.
3. When butter is melted place broken up biscuits in the jug and select Pulse and pulse until the biscuits are crumbs (it doesn't matter if there are some small chunks of biscuits left).
4. Place other ingredients in the jug. Select Pastry P1 for 50 seconds.  Stop machine at 20 seconds remaining and scrape down the sides of the jug. Resume program.
5. Turn mixture out into the prepared tin. Press down firmly with the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup.

6. Cover with icing and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Icing30g butter, very soft

1 cup of icing sugar

2tsp lemon juice (you may need a bit more to achieve a good consistency)
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

1. Place all ingredients in the jug with the kneading blade.
2. Select Speed 8 15 seconds.
3. Check consistency - add more lemon juice or more icing sugar if required. 

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE FRIANDS

I was so taken with the delicious little Raspberry and White Chocolate Friands that I made the other day, that I decided it was time to try friands another way. So I set my mind on chocolate.  Not just any chocolate....double chocolate!  These are really lovely.  They have the dense dampness that comes from the almond meal, with a lovely chocolatey flavour throughout and a nice little hits of chocolate from the chocolate pieces. Just divine.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE FRIANDS

180g unsalted butter, diced

1/4 cup plain flour

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup icing sugar mixture

1 cup almond meal/flour

5 egg whites

1/2 cup choc bits

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Grease 8 holes of a friand pan.

2. Place diced butter into the jug with the kneading blade. Set Speed 3 Temp 85 Time 2 minutes. (You may need more or less time depending on the size of the dice of your butter and butter temperature.

3. When butter is melted, remove the lid and allow the butter to cool for five minutes.

4. Place all ingredients in the jug in the order specified.

5. Select Pastry P1 for 1 minute.  After 30 seconds, pause the machine, scrape down the sides of the jug and then resume program.

6. Once the program is complete, fill the friand tins with the batter to about 1/2 cm from the top.  When scooping out the batter ensure you scoop to the bottom of the jug in order to pick up the choc bits.  As this is a thin batter the choc bits will settle on the bottom of the jug.

7. Place the tin in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 20-25 minutes until the friands are firm to the touch.
8. Once cooked remove from the oven and allow the friands to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.  Carefully remove from the tin using a butter or palette knife and place on a wire rack to cool.
9. Friands can either be dusted with icing sugar or iced with chocolate glace icing or chocolate ganache if desired.

RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE FRIANDS

Friands are one of those delectable little morsels for which cafes seem to charge an arm and a leg.  Don't despair though - you can easily make these little darlings for a fraction of the cost at home and with CC it is just so easy. They are quick to make and wonderful to eat!

RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE FRIANDS

6 egg whites

180g butter diced

1 cup almond meal

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

1/2 cup plain flour

100g white chocolate bits (or coarsely chopped white chocolate)

100g fresh or frozen raspberries

1 tsp icing sugar extra for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Grease 8 half cup friand pans.
2. Place butter in the jug with the kneading blade. Speed 4 Temp 90 Time 2.30
3. When butter is melted add all ingredients (dry ingredients first).
4. Select Pastry P1 50 seconds.  With 20 seconds to go, stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Resume program.
5. Place batter into friand pans, fill to 1/4 cm from the top.
6. Place in the oven for 7 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and place raspberries on top of friands. If using frozen do not defrost first or the juice will bleed into the batter.
8. Return to the oven and cook for a further 12-15 minutes or until the friands are firm to touch.
9. Remove from the oven and carefully use a butter knife to lift the friands out onto a cooling rack.

10. When cool, dust with icing sugar.

NOTE - if you don't have a friand pan, you can use a cupcake pan.

MARSHMALLOW CUPCAKES

Don't you just love a cupcake that is a bit different?  These marshmallow topped and filled cupcakes are just delightful.  My kids are going to love them when they eventually get their hands on them.  There are a couple of steps in this recipe but there is nothing difficult about it at all.  These would make a lovely addition to a birthday party table.

This recipe makes around 8 good size cupcakes but it will depend on the time of your cupcake liner.

MARSHMALLOW CUPCAKES

Cupcakes

120ml full cream milk

120g plain flour

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

40g of unsalted butter softened

1 egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.  Line a 12 whole cupcake tin with paper liners.

2. Place all ingredients in the jug, in the order specified, with the kneading blade.
3. Select Pastry Program P1. 30 seconds before the end of the program, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the jug.

4. When the program is complete, fill each of the paper liners 2/3 full with cake batter.
5. Place the tin on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake bounces back when touched in the centre.
6. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.
7. When completely cool, scoop out a teaspoonful of cake from the middle top of each cupcake.

Marshmallow Filling
16 pink marshmallows

1 teaspoon of unsalted butter.

1. Marshmallows and butter in the jug with the kneading blade. Select Speed 4 for 3 minutes. You made need to scrape marshmallows off the kneading blade if they get caught there.
2. Once the marshmallows are melted to a smooth mixture, place a teaspoonful into the cavity in the top of the cupcakes.

Vanilla Buttercream

250g icing mixture

80g unsalted butter, softened

25ml whole milk

1/4tsp vanilla extract

200g pink and white mini marshmallows
Sprinkes, edible glitter or cachous to decorate

1. Place all ingredients in the jug with the kneading blade. Set Speed 8 for 30 seconds. 

2. Scrape down the sides of the jug. Set Speed 8 for 15 seconds.

3. Place marshmallows in the jug. Select Speed 4 for 10 seconds or until marshmallows are combined with buttercream.
4. Pile the buttercream on top of the cupcakes and decorate further with sprinkles etc if you so desire.

LITTLE APPLE CRUMBLE CAKES

It's Autumn and that is a wonderful thing because Autumn is apple season.  This is the perfect time of the year to munch and crunch your way through a delicious crisp fresh apple, rather than the sad floury apples that are refrigerated by supermarkets for the other months of the year.  I am partial to any kind of apple dessert. Cakes, pudding, sorbets, slices.....anything.  A friend shared this recipe with me for these lovely little apple cakes with a crumble topping.  The original recipe calls for low fat milk and low fat margarine. Personally I don't see the point of using low fat anything in baking.  If you are going to have a treat....have a treat. Honestly, the difference in calories in this recipe between low fat and full fat is negligible.  Just enjoy!

LITTLE APPLE CRUMBLE CAKES

Cakes

80g butter, very soft

1/2 cup very firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup self raising flour

1 large green apple, cored, unpeeled, finely chopped

1/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Spray 6 cups of a 12 cup muffin/cupcake tray with cooking spray. (The original recipe specifies 6 holes but I found the recipe easily made 7 cakes).
2. Place all ingredients except for the apple in the jug with the kneading blade.
3. Select Speed 6 for 30 seconds. When program finishes, scrape down the sides of the jug.
4. Add the apple to the jug. Select Speed 4 for 20 seconds.
5. When machine stops, fill the prepared cups 3/4 full with batter, then top with crumble topping.
6. Place tray in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer insert in the middle of a cake comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven.  Allow to cool for a few minutes in the tray, then using a butter knife, carefully lift each cake from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool.

Crumble Topping

1/3 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1 tbsp flaked coconut (I only had shredded coconut and it worked well).

1. Thoroughly combine all topping ingredients in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle topping evenly over the top of the cake batter prior to placing in the oven.

LUSCIOUS VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Lots of people love chocolate and tend to see vanilla as somewhat boring.  I would beg to differ.  Sometimes the simplicity of vanilla can be wonderful. These lovely little cupcakes are a great example of this. A nice, tender crumbed cake and a rich tasting buttercream icing. Just wonderful.

LUSCIOUS VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM 

Cupcakes

120ml full cream milk

120g plain flour

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

40g of unsalted butter softened

1 egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.  Line a 12 whole cupcake tin with paper liners.

2. Place all ingredients in the jug, in the order specified, with the kneading blade.
3. Select Pastry Program P1. 30 seconds before the end of the program, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the jug.

4. When the program is complete, fill each of the paper liners 2/3 full with cake batter.
5. Place the tin on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake bounces back when touched in the centre.
6. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.
7. When completely cool, icing with vanilla buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream

250g icing mixture

80g unsalted butter, softened

25ml whole milk

1/4tsp vanilla extract

1. Place all ingredients in the jug with the kneading blade. Set Speed 8 for 45 seconds. 

2. Pause the program after 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the jug. Resume program.

3. Apply icing to the cupcakes.

NOTE:- the quantity of buttercream above is sufficient if you are spreading the icing on the top of the cupcakes.  If you wish to pipe it (as per the picture above), you should double the quantity of ingredients.

CHEESE AND CORN SCONES

I thought I might take a break from the sweet stuff today and venture into the savoury baking world. I do often bake more than cake and other sweet treats. Well, maybe not often but sometimes! There is nothing like making a batch of hot, delicious scones on a wet and windy Autumn day.  These scones are so simple and so delicious.  Great to have on their own with butter or serve them with a nice piping hot bowl of soup.

CHEESE AND CORN SCONES

3 1/4 cups of plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

50g of butter chilled and diced (small dice)

100g tasty cheese grated (plus extra for topping)

30g parmesan cheese finely grated

2 spring onions (green part only) sliced

200g creamed corn

275ml of full fat milk

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Place flour, salt, baking powder and butter into the jug with the kneading blade.
3. Select Speed 11 for 30 seconds.

4. When the program is complete add cheeses and spring onions. Set Speed 6 for 20 seconds.

5. When complete, set Speed 6 for 30 seconds. Pour combined corn and milk in through the opening with the CC running.
6. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface.  This is a very sticky dough. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough and dust hands with flour. Pat the dough out to around 3cm thickness. Use an 8cm cutter to cut out the scones. (Don't ever use a glass to cut out scones as this compresses the dough and can stop them from rising well). Gather scraps up and pat out again and cut out remaining scones. You should get around 8-9 scones.
7. Place the scones very close together on the prepared tray and sprinkle additional tasty cheese on the tops.Bake for around 25 minutes in the centre of the oven or until well risen and golden brown.
8. Remove from the oven and enjoy hot with butter.

NOTE: You can use whatever size cutter you choose to make more or less scones. Just be aware that the baking time will go up or down depending on their size.  You can also use a sharp knife to cut them out in whatever size or shape you choose.

LIME AND COCONUT CUPCAKES

I don't know about you but I absolutely adore citrus flavours.  You name them, I love them. Especially lime, lemon, orange and mandarin.  I just adore the zingy, zesty, tangy, freshness of citrus and the myriad of ways that they can be used in baking. Citrus fruits are not overly expensive and you seldom need to use a lot of them in a recipe, making them both a tasty and affordable flavouring option.

I created this recipe yesterday when I was craving a touch of summer after a day of gloomy grey skies.  These cupcakes have the most wonderful flavour, texture and tang and they smell divine. I hope you enjoy them.

LIME AND COCONUT CUPCAKES

Cake

1 cup coconut cream

125g softened butter

3/4 cup white sugar

4 drops vanilla essence

2 eggs

2 cups self raising flour

1/2 cup dessicated coconut
zest of 2 limes

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Place rack in the centre of the oven. Place cupcake liners in a 12 hole muffin or cupcake tray.
2. Place all ingredients into the jug with the kneading blade, in the order listed. Select the Pastry P1 program. 30 seconds before the end of the program, stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Restart the program.
3. Once program is complete, carefully remove the kneading blade.  Then fill each of the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way to the top.
4. Place the tray on the centre rack of the oven and bake for 18 - 22 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Remove cakes from the oven.  Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then remove to cool on a cake cooler.

(Note: - this batter can be baked as a whole cake by placing in a 20cm round or square pan and baking at the specified temperature for 35-45 minutes.)

Icing

1 tbsp butter
2 cups of icing mixture (not pure icing sugar)
1 cup dessicated coconut

zest of one lime

juice of two limes (you may not need the entire amount)

1. Place butter in the jug with the kneading blade. Select speed 3 Temp 90 Time 1 minute to melt butter.
2. Place icing mixture, coconut, zest and half of the juice in the jug with the melted butter. Select Speed 4, Temp 0, Time 15 seconds.
3. When complete, check the consistency. It should be thick but spreadable.  If it is two thick add a little more lime juice, a teaspoon at a time and mix for 5 seconds until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Once the cakes are cool, spread the icing mixture over the tops.  Garnish with a small slice of lime if desired.
5. Allow the icing around half an hour to set. (You will notice in the picture that the icing looks quite shiny and that's because I took the picture before the icing had had time to set.)

RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Gosh I love a good chocolate cake.  I stress good chocolate cake. I like them on the dense side and nice and moist and rich.  I especially love my chocolate cake topped of with chocolate ganache although to be honest, I am equally happy with a chocolate glace icing. I must also add that I am not a big fan of chocolate buttercream icing on a chocolate cake.  Not sure why that is.  Perhaps it is a little to light in flavour when paired with a dark, rich and moist chocolate cake.

Anywa, enough about my chocolate cake and icing preferences.  Today I am sharing with you one of my favourite chocolate cake recipes - Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache.  I'm not entirely sure that that title does this cake justice.  It is such a wonderfully delicious cake that it really deserves a special, attention grabbing name.  However, I am not a particularly creative person, so this name will have to do.

I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do.

RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE with CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Cake

1/3 cup of cocoa powder

1/3 cup of water

150g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
150g melted unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups of firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup of almond meal

4 eggs

Chocolate Ganache and Raspberries200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
2/3 cup of thickened cream
2 punnets of raspberries

Method

Cake1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees fan forced. Grease and line the base and sides of a 22cm round cake tin with baking paper.
2. Place broken up chocolate into the jug with the kneading blade.  Set Speed 3, Temp 85 for 3min 30sec to melt the chocolate. Continue in 30 second increments if not fully melted.

3. Place all other ingredients in the jug, in the order they are listed, with the kneading blade.
4. Select pastry programme P1.
5. 30 seconds before the programme finishes, stop the machine and scrape down the sides and around the blade with a spatula.  Restart the machine to complete the programme.
6. Once the programme is complete, tip the cake mixture into the prepared tin, Smooth over the top.
7. Bake in oven for 60 - 75 minutes depending on your oven.
8. Remove cake from the oven and stand in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out topside up to cool.

Chocolate Ganache

 1. Break up the chocolate and place in the CC jug with the kneading blade. Blitz on turbo for around 30 seconds.
2. Add cream ingredients to the jug.
3. Select Speed 5 Temperature 65 for 3 mins 30 seconds.
4. Check to make sure ganache is smooth. If not repeat step three for 30 seconds at a time until smooth.
5. Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge for 1/2 hour to cool and thicken to a spreadable consistency.

To assemble the cake, spread 3/4 of the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake. Cover the top of the cake (as per the picture) with raspberries bottoms up.  Place the remaining ganache into a piping bag or into a small zip lock bag with a corner cut off and drizzle chocolate over the top of the raspberries.

Enjoy!!!