Chocolate and Almond Fudge cake with Raspberry Couli

Chocolate Almond Fudge Cake
with Raspberry Couli

This is a one bowl cake that’s very easy even my niece (N) who is only 11, can make on her own - its rich, creamy and very decadent, it is even better with the Raspberry (or Strawberry) couli as it gives it another dimension.

This is a great Party cake and needs to be made and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better.

Preheat oven to 170C

Prepare 20cm spring form pan - grease and line the bottom and the sides with baking paper.

You will need:

125g unsalted butter

400g Dark Chocolate (chopped)

1 Cup brown sugar

1/4 cup plain flour

1 cup ground almond (meal)

5 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste

2 tbsp milk

Coco powder for dusting

Couli

- use frozen or fresh raspberries or strawberries

- Caster sugar to taste (if fruit is not sweet enough)

1. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave (on high at 1 minute intervals).

2. Add brown sugar, sifted flour, and ground almond meal and mix together with a whisk or spatula.

3. Add the milk, eggs and vanilla and mix to combine into a smooth batter

4. Pour the mixture into the lined spring form tin and cover with foil

5. Bake for 40 - 50 mins - it should still be quite soft in the centre - as this will set in the fridge.

6. Cool and then refrigerate over night or at least 4 hours.

7. To make couli - blend raspberries or strawberries with a stick blender until smooth - if fruit is not sweet enough add sugar and blend until dissolved.

Serve with the fudge slice.

Keep on Partying!!

Triple Layer Chocolate Baked Cheesecake

Triple Layer Chocolate
Baked Cheesecake

I tried this recipe for my son's birthday, and was very surprised at how good this was it was so smooth and velvety that no one believed I made it and the 3 coloured layers really do look professional - it needs to be made the day before you need it or at least 6 hours before so that it can set. This will be big enough for 10-12 people as it is rich .

1/4 cup flaked almonds.
butter for greasing 

120g milk chocolate, finely chopped 

120g white chocolate, finely chopped 

120g dark chocolate, finely chopped 

1kg cream cheese, softened 

1- 3/4 cups granulated sugar 

4 large eggs, at room temperature 

3/4 cup thickened cream 

120g dark chocolate, finely chopped 

1/2 cup thickened cream 

2 tsp Vanilla bean paste or extract
Chocolate curls and strawberries (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. Remove the side from a 26” spring-form pan. Trim a piece of cardboard circle so it fits within the curved lip of the bottom of the spring-form pan. Cover the top of the cardboard-lined spring-form bottom with a double piece of aluminium foil, leaving a piece overhang all the way around the edge. Carefully attach the side of the spring-form so as not to tear the foil. Wrap the foil overhang halfway up the side of the spring-form pan. This will make it easy to remove from the pan. Also have ready a roasting pan with high sides that will fit the spring-pan for a bain-marie.
3. Generously butter the bottom and side of the prepared spring-form pan. Press the Almonds onto the bottom of the prepared pan crushing slightly. Refrigerate. 
4. Melt the milk, white and dark chocolates separately using a double boiler or in the microwave oven at 30 second intervals until just melted.
5. In the bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.
6. Beat in the sugar.
7. Reduce the speed to medium and one at a time beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.
8. Beat in the cream until well combined. 
9. Divide the cheesecake batter into 3 medium bowls.
10. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the milk chocolate just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
11. Fold the white chocolate into one the other bowl of batter and gently pour on top of the milk chocolate batter. Spread very carefully over the milk chocolate so that it sits on top – and doesn’t get mixed in.
12. Fold the dark chocolate into the remaining cheesecake batter and gently pour it on top of the white chocolate batter. Spread very carefully over the white chocolate so that it sits on top – and doesn’t get mixed in.
13. Place the cheesecake in a large pan on the centre rack of the oven. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan so that the water comes halfway up the side of the spring-form pan.
14. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, or until set. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit in the oven with the door closed for an additional hour. This will prevent the cake from cracking on top.
15. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool to room temperature. 
16. Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight or for at least 5 hours, until firm. 
17. To make the glaze, place the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave for 1 – 2 mins), bring the cream to a gentle boil.
18. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Whisk until smooth.
19. Pour the topping mixture onto the centre of the cheesecake. Spread the topping evenly over the top of the cheesecake. 
20. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 10 minutes to set the topping. 
21. Run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the spring-form pan. Remove the side of the spring-form pan.
22. Transfer it to a serving platter. Cut the cheesecake with a sharp, thin-blade knife, dipping the blade in hot water and wiping it dry between each slice.
23. Decorate with chocolate curls and strawberries.

Honey soy chicken drumetts

Hi there in blog land - this recipe is a great party finger food, this is especially for my new son in-law who loves these.

OK let's get started with the chicken drummets.

This serves 6 as an entree/ starter

2 kg chicken drummetts
1/2 cup soy sauce or 1/4 cup soy and 1/4 cup ketsup manis (sweet thick soy)
3 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp chilli sauce (or more if you like it spicy)
8 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup oil

1. Put washed drummets in a bowl.

2. In another small bowl make the marinade with crushed Garlic, soy, oyster sauce, ketchup, chilli sauce, honey and Oil.

3. Mix together and pour marinade over chicken and coat thoroghly, cover and marinade over night or at least 3 hours.

4. after the marination period, place chicken on a paper lined baking tray and cook in moderate oven, about 170c for about 1 hour to 90 mins until chicken is cooked and sticky - 3/4 way through cooking time drain excess liquid and turn drummets so it browns all over.


Enjoy and keep partying !!

Spinach, Ricotta and Fetta Parcels

This is a great party recipe, you can make a large one or small individual ones and served with a salad for a light lunch or as a side dish with a BBQ.

Serves 4

5 sheets fill pastry
50g melted butter for brushing
500g cooked, chopped spinach (squeezed dry)
2 sprigs of mint leaves(finely chopped)
500g Ricotta cheese
1/3 Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
Salt & Pepper
100g cubes Fetta cheese

Pre-heat oven 180c

1. Brush each fill sheet with butter and layer on top of each other

2. Cut into 4 squares

3. Put each square into greased muffin tin.

4. Mix all the other ingredients together except the fetta cheese this will be put on top of the mixture.

5. Fill each fill cup with the mixture evenly

6. Top with the fetta cubes

7. Envelope the mixture with the overlapping pastry leaving the middle exposed.

8. Brush the tops with more butter.

9. Bake in a hot oven 180c for approx. 15-20 mins or until golden brown.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!!!