We never need an excuse to eat chocolate, but as it's National Chocolate Week we thought it was the perfect opportunity to try something a little different with our favourite ingredient.
And so, we asked organic chocolate brand Green & Black's for three scrumptious chocolate-based recipes.
Enjoy.
5-MINUTE CHOCOLATE POT
Serves 6
Ingredients:
200g (70% cocoa solids) chocolate, broken into small chunks
100ml boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
125ml whipping cream
Method:
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave or heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Take off the heat.
- Add the boiling water to the chocolate and vanilla extract. The water must be added slowly and gradually to avoid the chocolate splitting.
- Add the whipping cream – the texture should be like that of crème anglaise. Pour straight into espresso cups and leave to set in a cool part of the kitchen for at least 45 minutes before serving.
Top tip:
~ Assuming that you have had to buy a 300ml pot of cream, the remaining cream can be whipped and added to the top of each chocolate pot.
CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BROWNIES
Makes 16
Ingredients:
For the brownie mix:
280g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
170g dark (70% cocoa solids) chocolate
350g unrefined golden caster sugar
70g plain flour
Pinch of salt
5 medium free-range eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
100g white chocolate, broken into small pieces
For the cheesecake mix:
350g cream cheese
75g unrefined golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 medium free-range eggs
170g fresh raspberries
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm square brownie tin.
- To make the brownie mixture, melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir until completely melted and combined. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Combine the sugar, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, pour over the cooled chocolate and mix until smooth
- Beat the eggs separately before adding to the mixing bowl along with the vanilla extract and the white chocolate. Blend together until you create a shiny chocolatey mixture. Pour this into the prepared tin.
- Next make the cheesecake mixture. Whisk the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs until smooth and creamy.
- Pour this carefully over the brownie mix, trying to create an even layer
- Use a fork to drag the cheesecake mix through the brownie mix to create a marbled effect.
- Drop the raspberries into the tray. Try to ensure that the raspberries are almost fully pushed into the mixture.
- Bake for about 35–40 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the tin and check to see if the brownies are set but still have a slight wobble to them; return to the oven if they need a little longer.
- Leave to cool in the tin, covered with foil.
- Once cooled, take the yummy brownies out of the tin, cut into 16 pieces and serve to your lucky guests.
TRULY GOOEY CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT COOKIES
Makes 16
Ingredients:
30g plain flour
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
100g milk chocolate, roughly chopped
100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
100g blanched hazelnuts 250g dark (70% cocoa solids) chocolate
2 medium free-range eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
110g granulated sugar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and line three baking trays with baking parchment.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, chopped milk and white chocolate and the hazelnuts. Set aside.
- Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Remove the bowl from the heat, stir and set aside to cool.
- Whisk the eggs and yolk with the sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients and then pour in the cooled chocolate. Stir to combine.
- Spoon heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 minutes – no longer.
- Allow to cool before eating.
