Easter Sunday Pancakes with Chocolate Sauce

March 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment

A special breakfast, suitable for both children and adults, for Easter Sunday – or any day when you feel like being naughty.

340 grams self raising flour
25 grams Green and Blacks organic cocoa (Dutch processed)
3 tbsp golden caster sugar
550 ml milk
90 grams unsalted butter – melted and cooled
1 large fresh egg – beaten
300 grams frozen raspberries – thawed
To Cook
Unsalted butter
Chocolate Sauce
115 grams Green and Blacks dark cooks chocolate – chopped
85 grams Green and Blacks milk cooks chocolate – chopped
250 ml double cream or crème fraîche
2 tbsp natural brown sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or natural vanilla extract
To serve
French vanilla ice cream
Chocolate Sauce

  1. Put the dark and milk chopped chocolate, cream (or crème fraîche), sugar and vanilla paste or extract into a small heavy based saucepan set over a low heat, stir while warming until the chocolate melts and the sugar dissolves.
  2. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for approx. ten minutes – or until the sauce thickens.
  3. Transfer to a heatproof jug, cover and put to one side.

Pancakes

  1. Place the raspberries into a colander and allow to thaw; discard the liquid.
  2. Sift the flour and cocoa into a large bowl, add the sugar and stir with a whisk until well blended.
  3. Put the milk, melted butter and egg into a jug, whisk until well blended.
  4. Gradually add to the pancakes while whisking – until well combined then gently mix in the raspberries.
  5. Brush two 10 to 12 cm frying pans with butter, warm over a medium heat.
  6. Add 80 ml of batter to each frying pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface (just a couple of minutes), turn and cook until browned on the underside (approx. one minute).
  7. Transfer pancakes to a plate (interleaved with greaseproof paper) and keep warm in a low oven while cooking remaining batter.

To serve

  1. Serve the warm pancakes drizzled with chocolate sauce and a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.
Filed Under: Easter, Pastries, Sauces Tagged With: , , , ,

Chocolate Canadian Pancakes with Chocolate Sauce and Strawberries

January 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Warm Chocolate Sauce
150 grams Green and Blacks dark chocolate, 70% – grated (or two thirds dark, one third milk)
100 ml milk
85 ml double cream or crème fraîche
30 grams unsalted butter – softened at room temperature
30 grams unrefined icing sugar, sifted
Optional – pinch sea salt flakes
Pancakes
145 grams plain white flour
1 tbsp aluminium free baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
200 ml milk
3 large fresh egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla bean extract or natural vanilla extract
60 ml unsalted butter, melted
3 large fresh egg whites – room temperature
35 grams Green and Blacks dark chocolate 70% cocoa solids, grated
To serve
Chocolate Sauce or lightly whipped crème fraîche/double cream, fresh strawberries

Warm Chocolate Sauce

  1. Put the chocolate into a medium sized heatproof bowl
  2. Pour the milk, cream or crème fraîche into a small saucepan, add the icing sugar, stir then bring the mixture to the boil, remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate, allow the mixture to stand one minute then gently stir with a whisk to combine
  3. Once the chocolate has melted and the mixture is completely smooth, add the butter (which should be at room temperature), gently whisk to incorporate
  4. Either use immediately or allow to cool then reheat in a double boiler over a low heat, while stirring

Pancakes

  1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large baking bowl.
  2. Put the milk, egg yolks and melted butter with the vanilla  into a jug, whisk until blended.
  3. Add wet ingredients to dry, while mixing with a balloon whisk, taking care not to over mix.
  4. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks forms, gradually whisk in the sugar – when amalgamated, whisk until stiff peaks form.
  5. Mix one third into the batter, gently fold in remainder followed by the grated chocolate.

To cook the pancakes

  1. Warm a large non stick frying pan or griddle over a medium heat, brush with oil or melted butter.
  2. Pour in 60 ml of batter per pancake, cook until bubbles burst on the surface and the underside is a light golden colour – about two minutes.
  3. Turn, cook until a light golden colour on the underside.
  4. Keep warm while cooking remaining batter – either on a plate in a very low oven or on a heatproof plate over a saucepan of barely simmering water (in both cases covered with greaseproof paper).
Filed Under: Breakfast, Pancakes, Sauces Tagged With: , , ,

Hot Chocolate Fudge Sauce

November 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

300 ml double cream or crème fraîche
1 tbsp aged dark rum or brandy (for a different taste entirely, try Tia Maria – amount to taste)
Pinch sea salt flakes
250 grams good quality dark chocolate, i.e. Green and Blacks or Hotel Chocolat
1 tbsp golden syrup or corn syrup (for a richer taste, try Miel de Cana)
30 grams unsalted butter

  1. Pour the cream, liqueur and sea salt into a saucepan set over a low heat, warm gently until almost boiling.
  2. Add the chocolate, syrup and butter.
  3. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy.
  4. Serve while warm.
Filed Under: Sauces Tagged With: , , , ,

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

November 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This is one of my daughter’s favourite ice cream recipes, mainly because it is so simple to make; lovely when served with a classic chocolate sauce (recipe below) or a hot chocolate fudge sauce.

125 grams chocolate cookie crumbs
600 ml double ream – chilled
60 grams unrefined icing sugar – sifted
1 vanilla pod – split lengthways, seeds scraped out

  1. Process the cookies to the consistency of coarse crumbs, either in a blender or using a large plastic bag and rolling pin.
  2. Transfer to a small bowl.
  3. Pour the cram into the blended, add the icing sugar and vanilla seeds – blend on low until just mixed; increase speed to high for approx. 90 seconds or until the cream thickens but pourable, transfer to a large bowl.
  4. Add the biscuit crumbs and fold until well blended.
  5. Transfer to a freezer proof container, smooth the surface, cover and freeze until firm.
  6. Serve with chocolate sauce.

Classic Chocolate Sauce

This is a classical rich chocolate sauce often served with profiteroles, steamed and baked puddings, ice cream sundaes and vanilla ice cream

125 ml double cream
85 grams Green and Blacks dark milk chocolate (or dark cooks chocolate, if preferred)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

  1. Chop the chocolate and put into a heatproof bowl.
  2. Pour the cream into a small heavy-based saucepan, heat gently while stirring frequently.
  3. Warm until bubbles appear on the surface, immediately take off the hob and pour over the chocolate, leave for two minutes.
  4. Stir until smooth, add the vanilla extract, stir and serve immediately.

Flavourings

  1. Cognac, rum, brandy, coffee liqueur, Grand Marnier, chocolate liqueur.

Alternatives to double cream

  1. Mixture of whipping and double cream, half crème fraîche and half double cream.
Filed Under: Ice Cream, Sauces Tagged With: , , , ,

Chocolate Puddings with Caramel Sauce

August 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I sometimes wonder if – in the search for the ultimate chocolate dessert – we are going over the top with flavours. I would advise serving in small portions as it is rich.

For many chocolate and dates is a lovely combination; we can buy the most wonderful fresh dates here in Spain, though they are seasonal. The combination of the two is really good; you can of course use block dates or unsweetened chopped dates – without sugar coating.

Puddings
225 grams block dates, stoned and chopped
285 ml boiling water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
140 grams light muscovado sugar
55 grams unsalted butter
2 medium sized fresh eggs
140 grams self raising flour, sifted
1 tbsp espresso coffee
115 grams Green and Blacks dark cooks chocolate, minimum 72% cocoa solids, chopped
Tins/ramekins – 1 tbsp of soft brown sugar and butter

  1. Lightly butter a 12 cup muffin tin or ramekins, add a little soft brown sugar to each to coat sides and bottom, tip out excess
  2. Set oven to 180ºC, 355ºF.

Method

  1. Put the dates into a large jug and with half a pint of boiling water, stir in the bicarbonate of soda and leave to cool. Puree in a blender or food processor.
  2. Put the sugar and butter into a large mixing bowl and beat until pale and fluffy, add the eggs, one at a time and mix until well combined
  3. Stir in the dates, flour and coffee, fold in the chocolate
  4. Divide the mixture between the muffin cups or ramekins
  5. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a fine skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cakes
  6. Leave for 5 minutes, then remove from the muffin tin and leave to cool on a wire rack
  7. Drizzle the sauce over when serving

Caramel Sauce 

195 grams unrefined caster sugar
45 grams unsalted butter
255 ml double cream
30 grams dark cocoa powder
25 grams cocoa nibs

  1. Put the sugar to a hot small saucepan, add one tablespoon of water, swirl around occasionally until the sugar has caramelised, watch carefully – it should be a light golden brown, remove from heat quickly when ready (or just before).
  2. Take care to protect your hands or any other skin when completing the next task.
  3. Whisk in the butter followed by the cream – little by little – then fold in the cocoa and cocoa nibs.
Filed Under: Puddings, Sauces Tagged With: , ,

Chocolate and Coffee Sauce

May 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment

285 grams good quality dark chocolate, chopped
285 ml double cream or crème fraîche
30 grams unsalted butter
1 tbsp strong espresso coffee (black coffee)
1 tbsp coffee liqueur

  1. Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, put to one side.
  2. Pour the cream, coffee and coffee liqueur into a saucepan, set over a very low heat, then add the butter.
  3. Warm – while stirring – until bubbles appear around outside of saucepan.
  4. Immediately pour our the chocolate, stir and leave until the chocolate has melted.
  5. Stir until smooth.
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Chocolate Meringues with Dark Chocolate Sauce

May 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I like to combination of dark chocolate and meringue, in this recipe the dark chocolate is grated (or ground if preferred) before adding to the beaten egg whites, the inclusion of just a little cocoa giving a more intense flavour. Accompanied by a lightly whipped unflavoured and unsweetened cream and fresh berries freshens the dessert.

3 large fresh egg whites
165 grams unrefined caster sugar
Pinch cream of tartar
55 grams good quality dark chocolate, grated
2 tsp organic or good quality cocoa, sieved (Dutch processed)
Sauce
120 grams organic dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
60 ml thick double cream
To serve – fresh strawberries, dipped in melted chocolate; white chocolate curls

  1. Preheat the oven to 140ºC, 284ºF or gas mark 1.
  2. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper

Meringue

  1. Sift together the sugar and cocoa.
  2. In a clean dry grease free bowl whisk the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks form then gradually whisk in the sugar and cocoa mixture (one tablespoon at a time) until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
  3. Gently fold the grated chocolate into the meringue.
  4. Spoon tablespoons of the mixture onto the prepared trays and quickly put in the oven before the mixture loses volume, cook for approx. 40 minutes.

Cream

  1. Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, pour the cream in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, warm until bubbles appear around outside of the pan.
  2. Immediately remove from the hob and pour over the chocolate, leave for one minute, stir until the smooth and the chocolate has completely melted, allow to cool.
  3. To serve – drizzle the chocolate sauce over the meringue
Filed Under: Meringue, Sauces Tagged With: , ,

Hot Chocolate Fudge Sauce

March 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

150 ml double cream or crème fraîche
50 grams unsalted butter
50 grams vanilla sugar
Pinch sea salt flakes
180 grams Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
30 ml Cognac

  1. Put the cream, butter, sugar and sea salt flakes into a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
  2. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts.
  3. Add the chocolate, stir then leave for a few minutes, stir until melted and thoroughly combined.
  4. Remove from the heat, add the Cognac and stir until combined.
Filed Under: Sauces Tagged With: , , ,

Chocolate Dessert Yorkshire Puddings with Warm Chocolate “Gravy” and Vanilla Cream

January 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This recipe is a rich chocolate flavoured Yorkshire pudding served with a hot chocolate “gravy” and lightly whipped vanilla flavoured cream or crème fraîche. This recipe is under review once more as we recently received some wonderful chocolate extract – we are looking to create a chocolate dessert Yorkshire pudding with the rise of a traditional plain Yorkshire pudding.

Follow this link for the original  recipe - somewhat richer than this pudding.

4 tbsp refined *sunflower oil (**or safflower) (Aceite Refinado de Girasol)
Yorkshire Pudding Batter
115 grams plain white flour
30 grams free flowing natural brown sugar (blitz on pulse until similar to caster sugar)
30 grams grated Green and Blacks dark cooks chocolate, 72%
10 grams Green and Blacks organic cocoa**
Pinch sea salt flakes
3 large fresh eggs
6 tbsp (90 ml) milk
4 tbsp (60 ml) water
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
If necessary – 1 or 2 tbsp warm water
Hot Chocolate “Gravy”
300 grams dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids – chopped into small pieces
200 ml whole milk
170 ml double cream or crème fraîche
70 grams unrefined icing sugar, sifted
55 grams unsalted butter (room temperature)
To serve
Chilled lightly whipped double cream or crème fraîche flavoured with vanilla
**for a more intense chocolate flavour increase the cocoa to 20 or even 30 grams, reducing flour accordingly.

  1. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa and salt into a large bowl, add the grated chocolate then whisk to combine; make a well in the centre.
  2. Put the eggs, milk, water and vanilla into a jug, whisk until incorporated and pour into the well while beating with a metal spoon – I used a tablespoon, but you could use a whisk or hand held mixer.
  3. Beat for 10 minutes, cover and chill in the fridge for 60 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 220ºC, 425ºF or gas mark 7 – pour the oil into the tin and place near the top of the oven.
  5. When the oven reaches temperature and the oil is very hot – remove batter from the fridge, whisk in 1 to 2 tbsp cold sparkling water – consistency should be between single and double cream.
  6. Remove tin from the oven and quickly pour in the batter.
  7. Immediately return to the oven, reduce temperature to 200ºC (392ºF or gas mark 6), cook for approx. 25 minutes, check after 20 minutes and if necessary cook for another 5 minutes before checking again.
  8. Serve with lightly whipped cream and the warm chocolate sauce.

Hot Chocolate “Gravy”

  1. Put the chocolate into a medium sized heatproof bowl.
  2. Put the milk, cream and icing sugar into a small saucepan, stir then warm the mixture until bubbles appear around outside of saucepan, immediately remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate.
  3. Allow the mixture to stand for a few seconds only then gently – whisk to combine.
  4. Once the chocolate has melted and the mixture is completely smooth, add the butter (which should be at room temperature), then gently whisk to incorporate.
  5. Either use immediately or allow to cool then reheat in a double boiler over a low heat, while stirring.
Filed Under: Puddings, Sauces Tagged With: , , ,

Triple Chocolate Pancakes

October 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

I love American pancakes – while this is based on them, it is definitely “made in Britain”, well actually Spain cos I currently live there. Three chocolate sauce recipes are given at the end of the recipe.

Pancakes

150 grams self raising flour
1 tbsp Green and Blacks organic cocoa
1 pinch fine sea salt or sea salt flakes
2 tbsp Demerara sugar (or unrefined caster sugar)
250 ml whole milk
2 large fresh eggs, beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (or finely grated orange zest)
3 rounded tbsp grated white chocolate
40 grams clarified butter – or just butter

Sift the flour, cocoa and salt into a large baking bowl.
Add the soft brown sugar – whisk to combine (I put the brownsugar into a grinder and pulse a couple of times, then use).
Whisk the milk, eggs and vanilla into a jug.
Add to the dry ingredients, while stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Chill in the fridge for 5 minutes, then mix in the white chocolate.
To cook
Put two teaspoons of clarified butter into a large frying pan set over a medium heat.
Drop tablespoons of batter into the pan – cook in batches.
Cook for one to two minutes – when bubbles appear on the surface and the underside is a light golden colour, turn and cook on the second side.
Repeat, using remaining batter, keeping the first pancakes warm – covered and interleaved with greaseproof paper.
Add more butter as needed.

To serve

  • top each pancake with a little butter, drizzle with the maple syrup chocolate sauce and serve with a quenelle of unsweetened cream.
  • lightly whipped vanilla cream (or Chantilly Cream), fresh berries – raspberries, bilberries or blueberries, strawberries.
  • if including orange liqueur in the pancakes, serve with orange chocolate sauce and orange segments
  • Alternately, you could add the orange liqueur instead of vanilla, serve with the white chocolate sauce, on its own.

Recipe 1 – Chocolate Sauce

150 grams Green and Blacks dark cooks chocolate (or 100 grams dark, 50 grams G&B milk cooks chocolate)
170 grams Canadian maple syrup
75 ml double cream

Put the chocolate, syrup and butter into a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
While stirring, warm for 3 minutes – or until melted and smooth.

Recipe 2 – Orange Chocolate Sauce

80 ml double cream
60 ml whole milk
170 grams Lindt excellence orange intense – chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp) Grand Marnier (optional)

Put the milk and cream into a small saucepan and bring up to a simmer
Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until smooth
Add the liqueur and stir until combined
Serve immediately

Recipe 3 – White Chocolate Orange Sauce

175 grams Green and Blacks white cooks chocolate, chopped
150 ml double cream
50 grams unsalted butter, diced
40 grams unrefined caster sugar
30 ml Grand Marnier
1 orange – finely grated zest

Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl
Pour the double cream into a heavy-based saucepan, add the butter and place over a low heat, warm gently stirring occasionally as the butter melts
Pour the cream and butter over the chocolate and leave for a few minutes
Stir until smooth, return to the saucepan, while stirring add the zest and finally the alcohol
Allow to gently warm over the lowest heat setting, then remove from the heat and use immediately

Filed Under: Breakfast, Pancakes, Sauces, Valentine´s Day Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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