Raspberry and Lemongrass Trifle

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 8 servings


Ingredients

2 1/2 cups water
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 ounces lemongrass, 3 to 4 sticks, but in 1/2 lengthwise
16 store-bought ladyfingers
1 1/3 cups raspberries
3 to 4 tablespoons vodka
2 1/2 cups light cream
8 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream


Directions

Special equipment: medium-sized glass trifle bowl


Make a syrup with the water and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar by bringing them to the boil in a saucepan and boiling for 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, add the lemongrass and let it infuse for about half an hour.


Strain the syrup into a measuring cup, keeping the saucepan with the lemongrass to 1 side. Take out about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the syrup and put it into a pan with the raspberries. Bring it to a rolling boil and let it thicken slightly, mashing the fruit to make a jam-like consistency. Let it cool a little and then dunk the ladyfingers in the raspberry mixture and arrange them in the bottom of your bowl. Add the vodka and about 1/2 cup of the lemongrass syrup, depending on how much your ladyfingers absorb, and reserve the rest.


Meanwhile, to make the custard, heat the light cream in the syrup pan with the lemongrass until it is nearly boiling, take it off the heat and let it infuse for about 15 minutes. Strain into a bowl. Whisk the yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar together and pour into the cream in the bowl. Then whisk again and put the custard back on the heat in the cleaned-out pan. Stir until the custard thickens and then pour it over the trifle sponges. Let it cool.


Whip the heavy cream until thick but not stiff, and cover the custard layer. Use about 1 cup of the remaining sugar syrup to make a caramel by heating it in a saucepan until it turns a golden brown. Drizzle the caramelized sugar syrup over the layer of cream to decorate.

From: foodnetwork.com

Butterscotch Fruit Fondue

Cook Time: 5 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons light muscovado sugar
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 cup golden syrup
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* Splash vanilla extract
* About 2 1/2 cups cut fruit

Directions

Melt the sugars, syrup and butter in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the cream and vanilla, stirring together, and then take off the heat.

Divide the sauce between two cups or small bowls, and then arrange the
fruit on 2 saucers or on a plate, as you see fit.

From: foodnetwork.com

Eton Mess

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

* 4 cups strawberries
* 2 teaspoons caster or vanilla sugar
* 2 teaspoons pomegranate juice
* 2 cups whipping cream
* 1 packet individual meringue nests

Directions

Hull and chop the strawberries and put into a bowl and add the sugar
and pomegranate juice and leave to macerate while you whip the cream.

Whip the cream in a large bowl until thick but still soft. Roughly
crumble in 4 of the meringues nests - you will need chunks for texture
as well as a little fine dust.

Take out about half a cupful of the chopped strawberries, and fold the
meringue cream and rest of the fruit mixture together.

Arrange on 4 serving plates or glasses or in a mound, and top each
with some of the remaining macerated strawberries.

From: foodnetwork.com

Chocolate Cherry Trifle

Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

* 2 (approximately 12 ounces each) chocolate pound cakes
* 1/2 cup black cherry jam
* 1/2 cup cherry brandy
* 2 cups drained bottled sour cherries (recommended: Morello)

Custard:

* 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70 percent cocoa solids, chopped
* 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon milk
* 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
* 8 egg yolks
* 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/3 cup cocoa

Topping:

* 3 cups heavy cream
* 1-ounce bittersweet chocolate
* Special Equipment: Large wide trifle bowl

Directions

Slice the chocolate pound cake and make jam sandwiches with the cherry
jam, and layer the bottom of a large wide trifle bowl. Pour over the
cherry brandy so that the cake soaks it up, and then top with the
drained cherries. Cover with cling wrap and leave to macerate while
you make the custard.

Melt the chocolate on low to medium heat in the microwave, checking
after 2 minutes, though it will probably need 4 minutes. Or you can
place it in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate
is melted, ser aside while you get on with the custard.

In a saucepan warm the milk and cream. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and
cocoa in a large bowl. Pour the warm milk and cream into the bowl
whisking it into the yolks and sugar mixture. Stir in the melted
chocolate, scraping the sides well with a rubber spatula to get all of
it in, and pour the custard back into the rinsed saucepan. Cook over a
medium heat until the custard thickens, stirring all the time. Make
sure it doesn't boil, as it will split and curdle. Keep a sink full of
cold water so that if you get scared you can plunge the bottom of the
custard pan into the cold water and whisk like mad, which will avert
possible crisis.

The custard will get darker as it cooks and the flecks of chocolate
will melt once the custard has thickened. And you do need this thick,
so don't panic so much that you stop cooking while it is still runny.
Admittedly, it continues to thicken as it cools and also when it's
chilling in the refrigerator. Once it is ready, pour into a bowl to
cool and cover the top of the custard with cling wrap to prevent a
skin from forming.

When the custard is cold, pour and spread it over the chocolate cake
layer in the trifle bowl, and leave in the refrigerator to set,
covered in cling wrap overnight.

When you are ready to decorate, softly whip the cream for the topping
and spread it gently over the layer of custard. Grate the chocolate
over the top.

From: foodnetwork.com

Cupcake

Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 12

Ingredients

* 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon soft butter
* 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
* 2 eggs
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Directions

Royal Icing, recipe follows

Special equipment: 12 bun muffin pan, lined with muffin papers.

Take everything you need out of the fridge in time to get to room
temperature - and this makes a huge difference to the lightness of the
cupcakes later - and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put all of the ingredients for the cupcakes except for the milk into a
food processor and blitz until smooth. Pulse while adding the milk
down the funnel, to make a smooth dropping consistency.

Divide the mixture between a 12-bun muffin tin lined with muffin
papers, and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. They should have
risen and be golden on top. Let them cool a little in their tins on a
rack, and then take them carefully out of the tin to cool in their
papers, still on the wire rack.

Ice with Royal Icing.
Royal Icing:

* *2 large egg whites (or substitute powdered egg whites)
* 3 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine the egg whites and confectioners' sugar in a medium-size
mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until
opaque and shiny, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the lemon juice, this will
thin out the icing. Beat for another couple of minutes until you reach
the right spreading consistency for the cupcakes.

From: foodnetwork.com

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cups

Prep Time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 48 servings

Ingredients

For the base
2 ounces (50 grams) soft dark brown sugar
7 ounces (200 grams) icing sugar
2 ounces (50 grams) butter, softened
7 ounces (200 grams) smooth peanut butter

For the topping:

7 ounces (200 grams) milk chocolate
3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) dark chocolate
Gold buttons and edible gold stars to decorate, or other decorations
of your choice

Directions

For the base:

Place all the ingredients for the base in the bowl of a food
processor. Blend the mixture until the mixture takes on a sandy
texture.

Place 48 gold petit four cases in sets of miniature tart tins or
mini-muffin tins (each indent about 1 3/4-inches in diameter). Use 1
teaspoon of the base mixture to fill the bases of the petit four
cases. Press the sandy mixture down into the cases as best you can to
form a layer at the bottom of each paper case.

Place the milk chocolate and dark chocolate together into a heatproof
bowl. Suspend the bowl over a pan of simmering water (the water should
not touch the bottom of the bowl). Melt the chocolate gently while
stirring. Spoon teaspoonfuls of the melted chocolate onto the top of
each of the sandy bases of the petit four cases.

Decorate the tops of the chocolate covered peanut butter cups with
either a gold button or gold star in the middle of each and transfer
them to the fridge. Let them set in the fridge, for about 30 minutes.

To serve, arrange the chocolate peanut butter cups in their cases on a
clean plate.

Chocolate Caramel Crispy Cakes

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Yield: approximately 40

Ingredients

* 4 (2-ounce) chocolate candy bars (recommended: Mars Bars or Milky Way)
* 1/2 stick unsalted butter
* 2 1/2 cups crunchy sweetened corn cereal (recommended: Cornflakes)
* Special equipment: approximately 40 mini muffin papers

Directions

Break the candy bars into bits and drop them into a saucepan. Add the
butter and melt, over lowish heat, stirring frequently with a rubber
spatula. When everything is melted (the nougat-like layer takes the
longest to go), tip in the cereal and turn them, with your rubber
spatula, in the chocolate mixture until they are all pretty well
coated.

Fill the mini muffin papers with the mixture and put in the
refrigerator, on a small sheet pan or tray, for at least 1 hour.

From: foodnetwork.com

Instant Chocolate Mousse

Cook Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* 3 cups mini marshmallows
* 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
* 9 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
* 1/4 cup hot water from a recently boiled kettle
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate and water in a heavy-based saucepan.

Put the saucepan on the stove, over heat, though keep it fairly
gentle, to melt, stirring every now and again. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile whip the cream with the vanilla until thick and then fold
into the cooling chocolate mixture until you have a smooth, cohesive
mixture.

Pour or scrape into 4 or 6 glasses or small dishes and chill until you
want to eat. The sooner the better!

From: foodnetwork.com

Quadruple Chocolate Loaf Cake

Cook Time: 1 hr
Level: Easy
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

* 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 cup cocoa
* 1 1/3 cups sugar
* 1 1/2 sticks soft unsalted butter
* 2 eggs
* 1 tablespoon good-quality vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup sour cream
* 1/2 cup boiling water
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or morsels

Syrup:

* 1 teaspoon cocoa
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1-ounce dark chocolate (from a thick bar if possible), cut into
splinters of varying thickness, for garnish
* Special equipment: 2-pound loaf tin (approximately 9 1/2 by 4
1/2 by 3 inches deep), lined with greased foil, pressed into the
corners and with some overhang at the top. Alternatively, substitute a
silicon loaf tin, no foil lining necessary.

Directions

Take whatever you need out of the refrigerator so that all ingredients
can come room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, putting in a baking sheet as you do so.

Put the flour, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and
sour cream into the processor and blitz until a smooth, satiny brown
batter. Scrape down with a rubber spatula and process again while
pouring the boiling water down the funnel. Switch it off, then remove
the lid and the well-scraped double-bladed knife and, still using your
rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips or morsels.

Scrape and pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and put into the
oven, cooking for about 1 hour. When ready, the loaf will be risen and
split down the middle and a cake-tester will pretty well come out
clean.

Not long before the cake is due out of the oven (when it has had about
45 to 50 minutes), put the syrup ingredients of cocoa, water and sugar
into a small saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes, to give a thick
syrup.

Take the cake out of the oven and sit it on a cooling rack, still in
the tin, and pierce here and there with a cake tester. Pour the syrup
over the cake.

Let the cake become completely cold and then slip out of its tin,
removing the foil as you do so. Sit on an oblong or other plate.
Sprinkle the chocolate splinters over the top of the sticky surface of
the cake

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Cook Time: 5 min
Level: Easy
Yield: approximately 8 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup superfine sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/3 cup best-quality cocoa
* 1 1/2 sticks soft unsalted butter
* 2 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons good-quality vanilla extract
* 2/3 cup sour cream
* Special equipment: 2 (each 8-inch diameter) layer tins with
removable bases, buttered

Frosting:

* 6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
* 3/4 stick unsalted butter
* 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 teaspoon good-quality vanilla extract
* Sugar flowers, to decorate, optional

Directions

Take everything out of the refrigerator so that all ingredients can
come room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put all the cake ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and soda,
cocoa, butter, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream into a food processor and
process until you have a smooth, thick batter. If you want to go the
long way around, just mix the flour, sugar and leavening agents in a
large bowl and beat in the soft butter until you have a combined and
creamy mixture. Now whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, vanilla, and
eggs and beat this into your bowl of mixture.

Divide this batter, using a rubber spatula to help you scrape and
spread, into the prepared tins and bake until a cake tester comes out
clean, which should be about 35 minutes, but it is wise to start
checking at 25 minutes. Also, it might make sense to switch the 2
cakes around in the oven halfway through cooking time. Remove the
cakes, in their tins, to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes
before turning out of their tins. Don't worry about any cracks as they
will easily be covered by the frosting later.

To make this icing, melt the chocolate and butter in a good-sized bowl
either in the microwave or suspended over a pan of simmering water. Go
slowly either way: you don't want any burning or seizing.

While the chocolate and butter is cooling a little, sieve the
confectioners' sugar into another bowl. Or, easier still, put the
icing sugar into the food processor and blitz to remove lumps.

Add the corn syrup to the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the
sour cream and vanilla and then when all this is combined whisk in the
sieved confectioners' sugar. Or just pour this mixture down the funnel
of the food processor onto the powdered sugar, with the motor running.

You may need to add a little boiling water, say a teaspoon or so, or
indeed some more confectioners' sugar, depending on whether you need
the frosting to be thiner or thicker. It should be liquid enough to
coat easily, but thick enough not to drip off.

Choose your cake stand or plate and cut 4 strips of baking parchment
to form a square and sit 1 of the cakes, uppermost (i.e. slightly
domed) side down.

Spoon about 1/3 of the frosting onto the center of the cake-half and
spread with a knife or spatula until you cover the top of it evenly.
Sit the other cake on top, normal way up, pressing gently to sandwich
the 2 together.

Spoon another 1/3 of the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread
it in a swirly, textured way (though you can go for a smooth finish if
you prefer, and have the patience). Spread the sides of the cake with
icing and leave a few minutes until set, then carefully pull away the
paper strips.

I love to dot the top of this with sugar pansies, and you must admit,
they do look enchanting, but there really is no need to make a
shopping expedition out of it. Anything, or indeed nothing, will do.

From: foodnetwork.com

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 18 brownies

Ingredients

* 3 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 12 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate
* 6 eggs
* 1 3/4 cups superfine sugar
* 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup white chocolate buttons, chips, or morsels
* 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate buttons, chips or morsels
* Approximately 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar, for garnish

* Special equipment: Baking tin (approximately 11 1/4 inches by 9
inches by 2 inches), sides and base lined with baking parchment.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a large heavy based pan
over a low heat.

In a bowl or large measuring jug, beat the eggs together with the
superfine sugar and vanilla extract.

Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a little, then add the egg and
sugar mixture and beat well. Fold in the flour and salt. Then stir in
the white chocolate buttons or chips, and the semisweet chocolate
buttons or chips. Beat to combine then scrape and pour the brownie
mixture into the prepared tin.

Bake for about 25 minutes. You can see when the brownies are ready
because the top dries to a slightly paler brown speckle, while the
middle remains dark, dense and gooey. Even with such a big batch you
do need to keep checking on it: the difference between gooey brownies
and dry ones is only a few minutes. Remember, too, that they will
continue to cook as they cool.

To serve, cut into squares while still warm and pile up on a large
plate, sprinkling with confectioners' sugar pushed with a teaspoon
through a small sieve.

From: foodnetwork.com

Chocolate Cheesecake

Cook Time: 1 hr
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 10-12 servings

Ingredients

Cheesecake base:

* 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1/2 stick butter
* 1 tablespoon cocoa

Cheesecake filling:

* 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped small
* 2 1/2 cups cream cheese
* 3/4 cup superfine sugar
* 1 tablespoon custard powder
* 3 large eggs
* 3 large egg yolks
* 2/3 cup sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon cocoa, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

Sauce:

* 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon dark corn syrup
* Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the base, process the graham crackers to make rough crumbs and
then add the butter and cocoa. Process again until it makes damp,
clumping crumbs and then tip them into the pan. Press the crumbs into
the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer
while you make the filling.

Put a kettle on to boil.

Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set
aside to cool slightly.

Beat the cream cheese to soften it, then add the sugar and custard
power, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the
yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot
water and melted chocolate and mix to a smooth batter.

Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the
tin with a good layer of cling wrap, and then another layer of strong
foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.

Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake
filling. Fill the roasting pan with just boiled water to come about
half way up the cake tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1
hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath
should still have a wobble to it.

Peel away the foil and cling film wrapping and sit the cheesecake in
its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the refrigerator once it is no
longer hot, and leave to set, covered with plastic overnight. Let it
lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.

To make the chocolate sauce: very gently melt the chopped chocolate,
cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the
heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and pour it
over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate.

From: foodnetwork.com