Category: Snack
Chocolate Malteaser Fridge-Cake

Chocolate Malteaser Fridge-Cake

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I’ve got to the point now where I’m cooking more than twice a week, so I have a fast growing store of recipes I’m waiting to post. This one, for example, I made way back at the start of March when I was craving a slice of this Malteaser fridge-cake bliss. It won’t do much for anyone on the nutritional front, but it’s a definite mood-booster. I feel everyone has that one thing that they make which is a hit from the first time they make it. For me this is one of those – it’s impossible to get wrong, tastes incredible, and is perfect for sharing, what’s not to like?

As it takes barely any time to make, and doesn’t need to be cooked, I often whip this up late at night when I’ve realised I’m meant to be taking some food to something the next day. I can whop everything together, bung it in the fridge and then it’s ready to be cut it into slices in the morning!

Recipe

Makes 12 squares

Time: 15 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

  • 150g Butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 300g Milk chocolate
  • 80g Golden syrup
  • 330g Digestive biscuits
  • 350g Malteasers

Method

  1. Put the butter, chocolate and syrup into a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Leave to melt, stirring occasionally to combine.
  2. Whilst waiting for the mixture to melt put the biscuits into a bowl and crush with the back of a rolling pin. You want it to be mostly crushed but if there’s a few lumps here and there that’s fine.
  3. Put the malteasers onto a chopping board and chop them roughly. Add them to the digestives.
  4. Pour the melted chocolate onto the biscuits and malteasers and mix until all combined.
  5. Line a small square tin with butter and cling film. Then pour the mixture into the tin and level out with the back of a spoon.
  6. Put the mix into the fridge to set for at least an hour, or better overnight.
  7. Once set chop the malteaser fridge cake into squares and then serve!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x
Orange, Balsamic, and Salted Caramel Chocolates with Honeycomb and Hazelnuts

Orange, Balsamic, and Salted Caramel Chocolates with Honeycomb and Hazelnuts

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This is one of those rare occasions when my cooking coincides with my art practise. I’ve recently been inspired by multi-sensory art and the general stimulating of the other senses to enhance our perception of visual art. For this I made some photograms in response to a trip to Bristol I went on the other day. I then analysed these photograms and developed a chocolate to reflect them. WARNING: things are about to get seriously pretentious!

I decided to go for a dark chocolate shell to represent the deep dark tones in the image. I then filled it with a orange balsamic salted caramel – bitter, sharp, sweet and salty tastes to reflect the structural and mechanical elements of the photos, whilst being smooth and soft in texture to reflect the softer marks captured on the paper. Finally, honeycomb and hazelnuts to give some texture, as the images are also highly textured, and to provide a roasted, caramelised flavour. It sounds weird, but it kinda made sense when I was working through it. I then got my friends to eat the chocolates in front of the photograms (as demonstrated by the lovely Lisa above) and voila – multi-sensory art!

As with all good chocolate work, this does require some techy stuff to make it, so here’s a quick heads up of what you’ll need:

  • A plastic mould to construct the chocolates in – I’d recommend plastic over silicon. It’s harder to get them out but you’ll get a more defined shape and your chocolates will have a greater chance of keeping their shine if they’re made in a plastic mould.
  • A good digital thermometer. This is essential for properly tempered chocolate which will result in chocolates that are shiny and crisp to bite into. It will also prevent the chocolates from getting a ‘bloom’ which is when the chocolate sets with a white chalky finish, so if you want a professional finish tempering’s the way to go.
  • You should also use a chocolate with high cocoa solids (higher than about 75% is good). You can find this out by looking at the back of the packaging. A higher cocoa content means that the chocolate is higher quality and will therefore temper better.

Recipe

Makes 21

Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 400g Dark chocolate
  • 100g Roasted, chopped hazelnuts

For the Honeycomb

  • 100g Caster sugar
  • 40g Golden syrup
  • 1 tsp Bicarb

For the Caramel

  • 125ml Orange juice
  • 45ml Whipping cream
  • 1/2 tbsp Vanilla bean paste
  • 150g Caster sugar
  • 20g Liquid glucose
  • 100g Salted butter
  • 7 ml Balsamic vinegar

Method

  1. Begin by tempering the chocolate. Finely chop the chocolate with a serrated knife. Then put 300g of this chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of gently simmering water (aka a bain marie), making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
  2. Melt the chocolate until it reaches 55-58°C on an electric thermometer and then take the chocolate off the heat. Put 100g of the melted chocolate into another heatproof bowl and put back over the bain marie to keep it warm.
  3. Meanwhile add the other 100g of chopped chocolate you set aside earlier to the remaining 200g of melted chocolate and stir constantly until the temperature decreases to 28-29°C.
  4. Pour the melted chocolate you’ve been keeping warm back into the main bowl of chocolate and combine to raise the temperature to 31°C. Your chocolate’s now ready to use!
  5. Pour the chocolate over your mould so every hole is fully filled to the top. Tap the mould on your worktop to get rid of any bubbles and then turn the mould 180° over a container and let the excess chocolate drip out.
  6. Once the chocolate has mostly stopped dripping you should have the mould coated with a thin layering of chocolate. Take a chocolate scraper or palette knife and move the blade over the top of the mould at a 45° angle to take all the excess chocolate off the surface. Keep the excess chocolate for later and leave the mould to set completely.
  7. Now move onto the fillings. To make the honeycomb begin by putting the sugar and golden syrup into a pan. Put over a medium heat and cook, whilst stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then stop stirring and leave the mixture to boil until it reaches a deep amber colour.
  8. Take the mixture off the heat and quickly tip in the bicarb. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon and then turn it out onto a baking sheet and leave to set completely.
  9. Next make the caramel. Put the orange juice into a pan with the vanilla and gently simmer over a medium heat until it’s reduced by half.
  10. Meanwhile put the cream in another pan over a low heat and start to warm through.
  11. Then put the sugar and glucose into another pan and heat gently whilst stirring until the sugar crystals dissolve. Then leave the mixture to boil until it becomes a deep amber caramel.
  12. Take the caramel off the heat and add the warmed cream, stand well back when you do this as the mixture will spit a LOT. Mix the cream in and then do the same with the reduced orange juice.
  13. Cut the butter into cubes and then stir them into the caramel, a few chunks at a time. Then leave the mixture to cool before stirring in the vinegar. Transfer the caramel to a plastic piping bag and leave in the fridge for 2 hours to set a little.
  14. Once everything is ready you can start to fill your chocolates. Put the leftover chocolate from earlier back over a bain marie to re-melt gently.
  15. Cut a small bit off the end of the piping bag filled with caramel and pipe a little bit of caramel into each chocolate shell – you want about half the shell to be filled with the caramel.
  16. Break your honeycomb up into very small pieces and put one or two chunks into the chocolates, pushing them down into the caramel. Sprinkle over the roasted hazelnuts and then leave them to sit for a couple of minutes so the nuts sink into the caramel.
  17. Take your re-melted chocolate and like you did before pour it over the mould. Shake the mould to make sure the chocolate has no bubbles. Then take your palette knife or scraper and drag the blade along the top of the mould at a 45° angle to remove any excess chocolate from the top of the mould. You should now have 21 chocolates filled with your fillings and topped off with a layer of chocolate.
  18. Leave the chocolates to set at room temperature. It’s important not to put them into the fridge when they’re setting as this could cause the chocolate to ‘bloom’ and get a white sheen. Then, once they’re completely set, put them into the freezer for 10 minutes (this will make it a lot easier to de-mould them).
  19. Turn the mould over and bash it on a work top to get the chocolates out (if you have a silicon mould you can just pop them out).
  20. Share and enjoy!

Thanks for reading,

Emma x
Ultimate Hot Chocolate

Ultimate Hot Chocolate

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Most people who know me know that I’m not a hot drinks person. Offer me a tea or coffee and I’m the one who goes  ‘have you got water?’ But I have to admit that a good hot chocolate at the right time is a great thing. This week I’ve been invidulating an art exhibition in an edgy, rustic, barn kind of a place. Whilst it’s great for the art, it’s major downside is that it’s FREEZING. Luckily a flask of this hot chocolate has been there to stop me from turning into an ice cube. When it’s made with milk, cream and chocolate, not just water and powder, it becomes a thick, sweet and nourishing, which is really needed for the current weather!

I love making confectionary and so I’ve included a recipe for marshmallows here. It does take a little time to do, and I’d recommend making them at least 2 hours before you use them, so if that’s too much to ask you can easily use shop-bought ones. I will say though that these little marshmallow blobs are really good in this, and making them is really worth it!

Recipe

Serves 2

Time: 10 minutes for the hot chocolate, 30 minutes plus setting time for the marshmallows

Ingredients

For the marshmallow

  • 150g Granulated sugar
  • 5g Liquid glucose
  • 1 Large egg white
  • 3 Gelatine sheets

For the hot chocolate

  • 450ml Whole milk
  • 50g Dark chocolate
  • 70g Milk chocolate
  • 80ml Single cream
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • A few chilli flakes (optional)

To decorate

  • 100ml Double cream, whisked to soft peaks
  • Some chopped hazelnuts and raspberries (optional)

Method

  1. Begin by making the marshmallow. Put the sugar and 150ml water into a medium sized saucepan. Bring to the boil whilst stirring over a medium heat.
  2. Once the mixture starts to boil stop stirring and leave it until it reaches 127˚C. Whilst waiting for this to happen leave the gelatine to soak in 50ml water.
  3. Put the egg whites into a very clean metal or glass bowl and whisk up to firm peaks (a stand alone mixer is really useful for this as in a bit you’re going to have to whisk for a long time in a bit, but if you don’t have one (like me) an electric hand whisk will also work).
  4. When the sugar reaches the right temperature add the gelatine and the water it’s soaking in and stir to dissolve.
  5. Continue whisking the eggs and simultaneously pour the syrup into them in a slow stream until it’s all whisked in.
  6. Continue to whisk for another 15-20 minutes until the mix is thick and holds it’s shape – the mixture should also have mostly cooled to room temperature by then.
  7. Line a baking tray with clingfilm, and then sift a little cornflour and icing sugar in an even layer over it. Transfer the marshmallow mix into a piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe blobs of marshmallow onto the lined tray. (Alternatively you can line a small tin with clingfilm, icing sugar and cornflour and pour the mixture into it to set). Leave for at least an hour (or better over night) to set completely.
  8. When your marshmallows are ready it’s time to make the hot chocolate.
  9. Put the milk and chocolates into a medium sized saucepan and heat whilst whisking until the chocolate is completely melted.
  10. Then pour in the cream and add the cinnamon, salt and chilli flakes and whisk to combine. Continue to heat until it just reaches the boil and then serve…
  11. Pour this hot chocolate into a mug and serve with freshly whipped cream, raspberries, hazelnuts and your perfect marshmallow blobs!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x
Chocolate, Orange and Thyme Pancakes

Chocolate, Orange and Thyme Pancakes

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As the title of this blog is Cocoa and Thyme I thought it was about time I make a recipe to show these two ingredients at their best. Whilst it’s not yet an every-day flavour pairing, chocolate and thyme is a contemporary flavour combo that’s becoming very popular in fine dinning restaurants. Since pancake day is on Tuesday I’ve decided to incorporate it into a delicious pancake dish!

It’s a bit of an acquired flavour combo so I understand that it probably won’t be for everyone, but if you like being a bit adventurous it’s a worthwhile experiment. However, these pancakes are also insanely fluffy and delicious, so even if you’re not up for wacky flavours I’d recommend making them and topping them with whatever topping you tend to go for. In my case that’s lemon juice and sugar, but nutella, banana, golden syrup, bacon, strawberries, or anything else that takes your fancy will also go really well with these.

Recipe

Serves 4

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Orange syrup

  • 190g Sugar
  • 110ml Water
  • 190ml Orange juice
  • 1 tbsp Cornflour
  • 2 tbsp Butter

For the Chocolate sauce

  • 50g Dark chocolate
  • 25g Butter
  • 125ml Double cream
  • 1 tbsp Caster sugar
  • Thyme leaves, chopped

For the Pancakes

  • 300g Self-raising flour
  • 1 ½ tbsp Baking powder
  • 60g Caster sugar
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 200ml Milk
  • Vegetable oil for greasing

Method

  1. Begin by making the orange syrup. Whisk together the sugar and water in a pan over a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to the boil.
  2. Then, in another bowl whisk the orange juice and cornflour. Pour this mixture into the sugar and water pan and simmer whilst whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the butter until melted and then leave covered, to keep warm, until needed.
  3. Then make the chocolate thyme sauce. Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and leave to melt. In another pan put the butter, sugar and cream and heat gently until melted together.
  4. Pour the chocolate into the cream mix and add the chopped thyme leaves. Stir until smooth. Pour into a jug and set aside until later.
  5. Now make the pancakes. Put the flour, baking powder and caster sugar into a bowl. Mix to combine and then make a well in the centre. Add the egg and milk in the well and then whisk until combined and smooth.
  6. Put a large frying pan with 1 tbsp of vegetable over a medium heat. Using a ladle pour a neat circle of batter into the middle of the pan. Leave to cook for 1-2 minutes, until bubbles start to form on top, and then turn over and cook on the other side.
  7. Once cooked on both sides, (when brown spots start to form on the surface you know they’re done) transfer them onto a large plate.
  8. Repeat with the rest of the batter, creating a stack of pancakes. In between each pancake pour a little of the orange syrup to keep the pancakes moist. Once all the batter is used pour the chocolate sauce over the stack. Serve with fresh orange segments, thyme leaves and the rest of the orange syrup and chocolate sauce.

Thanks for reading, and happy pancake day!

Emma x

 

 
Croque Monsieur

Croque Monsieur

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I’m not gonna lie to you, this is essentially a glorified cheese and ham toastie – but man is it a good cheese and ham toastie! It’s a ‘I think I just heard the hallelujah chorus when I took a bite’ kinda good if you hear me.

Unlike most toasties this one is a) French and b) has a cool cheese sauce in it which makes it incredibly tasty. It may seem like a bit of an efffort to take out a pan and make a sauce for a sandwhich, but trust me, it’s 100% worth it. You’ll also probably have some of this sauce left over, in which case keep it – it’s great on leeks, cauliflower, or with pasta and will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days!

I should point out that it’s not strictly traditional to put tomatoes in a croque monsieur, but hey, this is a blog and I like a bit of a fruity/sharp tang in the middle of my toastie. But it’s totally optional, so if you’re not a fan of tomatoes don’t let it put you off.

 

Recipe

Serves 1

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cheese sauce

  • 13g Unsalted butter
  • 13g Plain flour
  • 125ml Milk
  • 1/2 tsp English mustard
  • 35g Strong cheddar cheese, grated

For everything else

  • 2 Thick slices of white bread
  • 2 Slices of honey smoked ham
  • 2 Cherry tomatoes, sliced thinly
  • 100g Gruyere Cheese, grated

Method

  1. Begin by making the cheese sauce. Put the butter into a small saucepan and melt over a medium heat.
  2. Add the flour and stir to form a paste. Cook this paste in the pan for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Slowly add the milk to the paste, stirring in between each addition to make a really smooth sauce. I find using a whisk really helpful here as it helps to break up the lumps, and make sure you pour the milk in slowly as otherwise your sauce will be lumpy.
  4. When all the milk in incorporated, continue to whisk over a medium heat until the sauce thickens enough to hold its shape a little. Then add the mustard and grated cheddar cheese and whisk until the cheese is melted and all combined. Set aside for later.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Take your bread, butter it lightly and then put it, butter side up, into the oven to crisp up. Once just starting to brown take it out.
  6. Turn the bread slices over so you’re working on the non-crispy sides. Spread the slices with the cheese sauce (about 1 tsp on each). Then put a ham slice on each bit of bread. Arrange the tomato slices on one of the pieces of bread and then sprinkle half of the grated Gruyere over them.
  7. Put the bread slice without tomatoes ontop of the one with tomatoes, crisp side out, to make a sandwich. Sprinkle the rest of the gruyere over the top and then bake in the oven for 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
  8. Take out of the oven and serve warm with a side salad!

Thanks for reading!

Emma x