Tempered chocolate

1.  Place 2/3 of chocolate in a double boiler (Place a heat proof mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water without letting the bowl touch the water.

2.  Stir the chocolate as it melts

3.  Monitor the temp when the chocolate is fully melted and remove the bowl when the temperature of the chocolate reaches

45 – 48C (113 -118F) – dark chocoloate

42 – 45C (107 – 113F) – milk chocolate

40 – 43C (104 – 110F) – white chocolate

4.  Stir in the remaining 1/3 chocolate. Continue to stir as the temp drops.

5.  When the temp reaches 29C (83 – 86F) – Dark chocolate or 27C (80 – 84F) – milk and white chocolate, place the bowl back over the boiler.

6.  Stir the chocolate until the temp reaches 32C (90F). Remove from heat and it is ready to be spread or poured or drizzled.

Pistachio Marshmallow Slice

Prep time – 30 mins

Serves – 16 pieces

Ingredients

500g tempered dark chocolate

1 cup of water

3 Tbs powdered gelatin

1 cup honey

1Tbs Vanilla extract

1 tsp almond essence

Pinch salt

Green food colour

1/2 cup crushed pistachios

1/2 cup dessicated coconut

Method

1.  Place half the water, honey and vanilla in a small saucepan over a medium high heat.

2.  Line a 25cm square slice tin.

3.  Allow the honey mixture to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. The mixture will thicken and will be ready when it coats the back of the spoon and starts to come away from the side of the pot.

4. In the bowl of a mixer add the remaining water and gelatin and mix to combine.

5.  On a low speed slowly pour in the hot honey mixture. Once the mixture is combined increase the mixer speed to high.

6.  Once the mixture starts to lose its brown colour and begins to take on air, add the almond essence.

7. After about 7 or 8 minutes on a high speed, the mixture should have turned white and fluffy. Add a few drops of green food colouring and continue to mix on high.

8. Once the colour is mixed through add half the pistachios.

9.  After 10 minutes (total) of mixing the mixture should be fluffy and hold its shape.

10.  Spoon some of the tempered chocolate into the bottom of the lined tin. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate thinly on the base.

11.  Empty the marshmallow mixture on   top of the chocolate and with wet hands level out the mixture in the tin.

12.  Leave the marshmallow to sit for 10 minutes to set.

13.  Pour over the remaining chocolate and spread over the top evenly. (Chocolate may need to be placed back over boiler again)

14.  In a zip lock bag place coconut and a few drops of green food colour. Rub the coconut between your fingers to disperse the colour.

15. Sprinkle the remaining pistachios and coconut over the chocolate.

16.  Set in the fridge for 10 mins.

Banana Choc Chip Muffins

Prep time – 5 minutes

Cooking time – 15 – 18 minutes

Serves – 12

Ingredients

1 cup mashed banana

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 egg

3/4 plain flour

3/4 self raising flour

1/2 cup dark choc chips

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 200C.

2.  Place all the ingredients into an electric mixer and mix on a low speed until combined.

3.  Grease muffin moulds. (I prefer silicone lightly sprayed with olive oil spray)

4.  spoon the mixture into the moulds, fill to just below the top.

5.  Tap the moulds gently on the bench to level the mix and remove air bubbles.

6.  Bake in oven for 15 – 18 minutes until golden on top.

7. Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from the mould.

Choc Freckle Cookies

You will need to find a hiding spot for these cookies once the kids see them, they won’t want to stop a just one. If you are a fan of the original freckle chocolate you will love these cookies.

Ingredients

125g butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg at room temperature

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1/4 cup self-raising flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

200g dark chocolate, melted

1/3 cup hundreds & thousands

 

Method

1.  Cream together egg, butter and sugar with an electric mixer.

2.  Add sifted dry ingredients and stir until combined.

3.  Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth.

4. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 5mm thickness. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5.  Pre-heat oven to 170C.

6.  Use a small round cookie cutter to cut cookies and place on a lined baking tray.

7.  Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes.

8. Melt chocolate. Once the cookies cool spread the melted chocolate on top and dip the cookies into a bowl filled with the hundreds and thousands. Allow to set at room temperature.

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Gooey Nutella Cookies

Looking for something quick and easy to make for the kids or visitors? Here it is! Who doesn’t love Nutella, and the gooey centred cookies are a real crowd pleaser. This recipe is so easy anyone can do it.

Cooking time – 6-9mins

Makes 18

Ingredients

1 cup/300g of Nutella

1 cup plain flour

1 egg

Cold Nutella from the fridge for filling

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

Mix Nutella and egg together.

Add flour and combine.

Roll a teaspoon of the mixture into a ball in your palm. Place on a lined baking tray and flatten.

Take a small amount of the cold Nutella and place it in the centre of the flattened mixture.

Roll out a second ball, flatten in your palm and place over the Nutella filling. Press down around the edges to enclose the filling.

Repeat with remaining mixture. 16-18 cookies.

Bake for 6-8 minutes, better to be slightly under cooked and chewy than over and crunchy.

Baked Chocolate Tart

Most people enjoy a good chocolate dessert – even if it’s just a sneaky treat every now and then! This one is a cracker!

A crisp tart shell with a baked chocolate filling that if baked correctly is rich and gooey and just set on top. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, it doesn’t get much better than that!

A few tips if you are going to give this recipe a try. Don’t overwork the pastry. For best short pastry the mixture should be just holding together before you roll it out. Secondly this recipe can be made as individual tarts (as shown) or as a large tart but baking times will vary. Lastly when baking, the tart is ready to be removed from the oven when the edges of the tart set and begin to puff but the centre still wobbles when the tray is moved.

Kid tip – Miss 6 helped by rolling out the pastry and filling the shells with rice for blind baking. Mr  2 helped polish them off. His verdict? “Yum, Dad.”

Prep time – 30mins

Cooking time – 30mins

Serves – 5 individual 12cm tarts or 1 Large tart

Ingredients

PASTRY

1 1/8 cups plain flour

1/8 cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons ice water

FILLING

225g dark chocolate

90g butter, cubed

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream

1/4 cup (50g) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

PASTRY

1. In a food processor add flour, sugar, cocoa and salt and pulse until mixed.
2. Incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
3. Add the egg, vanilla and 1 Tbs of the water and mix for 30 seconds until the mixture is just coming together. If the mix is still dry add the rest of the water.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form a disc, cover with plastic and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
5. If you are making individual tarts divide the dough into equal portions. On a floured surface roll out each portion to 3-4mm thickness.
6. Pre heat your oven to 170C.
7. Press the pastry into each tart pan making sure to press it into the corners. Prick the tart case with a fork and cover with a square of baking paper. Fill the shell with baking beads or uncooked rice.
8. Place the tart shells in a 170C oven for 15 minutes.
9. Remove the tart shells from the oven and set aside to cool.

 

FILLING

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over a low heat.
2. Once melted remove from the heat and allow to cool.
3. While the chocolate is cooling whisk the eggs, sugar, cream and vanilla essence in a bowl.
4. Whisk the chocolate into the egg mixture until combined.
5. Pour the filling into the shells and place back into the oven for 15 minutes. Larger tarts may take about 25 minutes. Remove the tarts from the oven when the filling begins to set and puff around the outside but still has a slight wobble in the centre. The filling will continue to set as it cools.

Serve with ice cream and berries or a creme anglaise!