Hello everyone!
Happy July! Can you believe we are halfway through the year already?
As we welcome the new month, the foodie list kicks off with some sweetness with World Chocolate Day, which is being celebrated on Friday, July 7.
When I crave something sweet, depending on my mood I either make a classic chocolate cake, a chocolate tart or brownie.
Before baking the tart or brownie, add bits of your favourite chocolate bars chopped up, or Oreo biscuits to your batter, and take the chocolatey goodness to the next level.
My go to treat will always be a velvety classic chocolate tray bake with a thick ganache drizzled over.
The trick to a lekker thick ganache is to heat your chocolate with dessert cream, fresh cream or milk and then leave it to rest for a few minutes, before stirring well.
I found that the secret to a moist cake is to spread the ganache on after the cake is cooled and cut.
If you spread the ganache on before cutting it, the cake gets less topping but if you cut the squares first and leave a 3cm gap in between, the ganache gets to drizzle all the way down the sides.
So, whether you’re the kind of person who loves grabbing a bar or blokkie for a little bit of sweetness, enjoys chocolate in warm drinks or milkshakes or takes it up a level by adding chocolates to your bakes like me, Friday is the perfect time to indulge and spoil yourself with some chocolate love!
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website @ www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms on Instagram or Facebook @sprinklesandspicect or Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.
Happy Baking!
Love, your Cooksister
Kit Kat Brownies
Ingredients
140g melted butter
120g chocolate pieces
3 eggs
½ cup castor sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
½ cup cocoa
¼ tsp bicarb
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 x 4 finger Kit Kat slabs (I used 3)
Method
Whisk the eggs and sugar until it’s thick and pale.
Whisk in your melted but cooled butter and vanilla.
Add in your dry ingredients and mix until smooth and lump free.
Fold in your chocolate bits until well combined.
I lined a 24cm dish (original recipe called for an 8 inch) with baking paper and layered half the brownie batter, added the Kit Kat fingers and covered with the rest of the batter.
Bake in a preheated oven on 180 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
Allow to cool before cutting.
Chocolate Lamingtons
Ingredients
2 eggs
¾ cups sugar
½ cup oil
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1 ¼ cup flour
2 level tsp baking powder
½ cup milk
Method
In a mixing bowl, add the eggs, sugar, and whisk together until light and creamy.
Add in the oil and vanilla essence and mix until well combined.
Sift in the baking powder and flour.
Add in the milk and mix until smooth and lump free.
Transfer to a rectangle baking dish lined witht baking paper.
Bake in a preheated oven on 180°C for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean.
Once completely cooled, cut into equal squares and dip into chocolate sauce, then roll in fine coconut.
*Ingredients for chocolate sauce for Lamingtons
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups boiling water
¼ heaped cup sifted cocoa
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1 cup white sugar
*Method
Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Once the cake is completely cooled, cut into equal
Classic Chocolate Tray bake
Ingredients
3 eggs (separated)
2 cups sugar
½ cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cup self-rising flour
¾ cup cocoa
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarb
½ cup warm water mixed with 1 heaped tsp strong coffee
Method
Mix ½ cup boiled water with 1 tsp coffee. Allow to cool (water should be warm and not boiling hot) and set aside.
Separate the eggs and whisk the egg whites until soft peaks, then set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, oil, and buttermilk until light and fluffy.
Add in the warm coffee and the dry ingredients and mix until smooth and lump free.
Lastly, fold in the egg whites and mix until smooth.
Bake in a medium rectangle oven baking tray, lined with baking paper, on 170°C for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
*Ingredients for the ganach:
2 x 150g Dairy Milk Chocolate
1 x 290g Nestlé Dessert Cream
1 Milky Bar for the top
*Method
In a large oven safe bowl, add the chocolate and cream and microwave for a minute. Cover and allow to rest for five minutes then mix well until smooth.
Once the cake has cooled, cut into equal squares and transfer to a tray lined with baking paper, leaving at least 3cm space in between each square.
Spread over the ganache.
Top with finely grated Milky Bar chocolate and enjoy.
Chocolate Rolo Fudge Tart
Ingredients
150g butter
50g dark chocolate (I use Lindt 70%)
1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla essence
¾ cup Nestle cocoa
3 eggs
¾ cup cake flour
1 roll of Nestle Rolo chocolate (roughly chopped)
Method
Chop the butter and dark chocolate into tiny pieces.
In a microwave safe bowl add the butter, dark chocolate and top with the sugar.
Microwave for a minute on high power.
After a minute, add in the vanilla essence and cocoa and stir until smooth.
If there’s tiny pieces of butter or chocolate not melted, continue to stir until it’s melted and the mixture is smooth.
Add the mixture to your cake mixer, add in the eggs and whisk on high for 30 seconds.
Add in the flour and whisk on a medium speed for one to two minutes.
The mixture will resemble a soft cookie dough.
Line a 24cm pie or tart dish with baking paper and grease spray.
Press half your batter into the tart dish and sprinkle over the Rolo bits.
Cover with the rest of the batter.
Bake on 175°C for 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Do not over-bake or you will have a firmer, more crisp texture.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Enjoy with a scoop of your favourite ice cream.
Chocolate Eclairs
Ingredients
60g soft butter
2 eggs
½ cup boiling water
½ heaped cup flour
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Method
In a heavy based pot on a low heat, bring your soft butter and boiling water to a slow boil.
Add in your flour and stir until a smooth, soft ball of dough is formed.
Remove the dough from the pot and transfer to a glass bowl, spreading it out across the bowl, allowing it to cool for five minutes.
With an electric whisk, add your eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition.
After adding your second egg, it should look like a semi thick paste.
Transfer your eclair dough to a piping bag and pipe your eclair rounds on a baking tray, lined with baking paper. (I use a Macaron mat)
Pipe 12 equal golf ball sized rounds, leaving equal space around each round.
Bake on 200°C, on the lower rack for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until your eclair is golden brown.
Once golden, turn the oven off but leave the door open and allow the eclairs to cool for at least a half hour.
Once cooled, fill fresh cream, top with melted chocolate and grate some Milky Bar.
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