Monday 26 July 2010

Honey and Chocolate Meringues


200g Dark Cooking Chocolate
Whites from four eggs
175g Caster Sugar
50g Honey
100g icing sugar sifted
Flaked Almonds

Meringues are tricky to get right, too much whisking and they fall flat, put in the caster sugar too quickly and it will turn to paste. I have tried this a few times now and have finally got it right, just about. Here is my recipe for indulgent honey and chocolate meringues.

First make sure all utensils are clean then melt the chocolate any way you prefer and leave to one side to cool down.

Grab a large bowl and crack the eggs and pour out the whites being very careful not to let any yolk get into the bowl. Whisk the egg whites until they are fluffy and stiff and don’t move when you tip the bowl slightly. Add in the caster sugar a spoonful at a time whisking on each spoonful, don’t whisk for too long just enough for the sugar to mix in and don’t put too much sugar in at once. With some luck and patience the mixture should still retain the stiffness but be softer and smoother. Add the honey beating it in with a spoon and then fold in the icing sugar gradually. Finally add the chocolate and mix it in.

Place spoonfuls onto a tray of foil or baking paper, make them smaller rather than large as the larger you make them the more they will flatten when cooked. Place the flaked almonds on top and pop in the oven. Bake at 140c for about and 1 and 30 minutes or 2 hours depending on your oven and how you like them.


Once cooked leave them to cool in the oven for 30 minutes and serve as a delicious dessert.

Friday 16 July 2010

Walnut and Raspberry Cupcakes

I chose to make these for my team at work for a colleague’s birthday celebration. They look impressive yet very simple to make.

They make about 12 muffin sized cakes. Oven 190c.

280g Self raising Flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 egg
120g Sugar
240ml Milk, full fat
85g Butter
As much raspberries as you would like

Topping
150g Butter
250g icing sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
Walnut flakes- handful

Weigh out the flour and sift into a bowl along and add the baking powder and salt.

In another bowl beat the egg until smooth and then add the sugar and milk. Make sure you melt the butter fully and then add it into the mix. Pour the wet mixture into the flour mix and stir it lightly with a spoon until combined. Batter should be smooth and should drop off the spoon. I then added about a teaspoon of almond extract which gives a flavour to the cakes.

Gently fold in as much raspberries, being careful not to squash the fruit. I put in half a small packets worth about 50g.

Fill the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes until browned.

Once the cakes have cooled weigh out 250g icing sugar and 150g of soft butter and mix together with a spoon until well combined. I then added a teaspoon of almond extract again, which gives the icing a nutty flavour and complements the fruit. Carefully spoon the icing onto the cakes, this is where you can be indulgent, as you like, and I tend to just pile it on. Place a raspberry on top of the icing on each cake, I make a hole in the icing to fit the fruit in. Finally add a sprinkle of walnut flakes; I slot them into the icing so they don’t fall off.