chocolate delights

Chocolate and marrons glace tart




75ml (2½fl oz) dark rum
55g (2oz) caster sugar
200g (7oz) marrons glacés, chopped
400g (14oz) good quality chocolate cake
375g (13oz) good dark chocolate, broken into pieces
560ml (20½fl oz) double cream
good cocoa powder
100ml pouring cream or double cream, semi-whipped

Heat the rum and 50ml (2fl oz) water in a pan with the sugar. When hot, remove the pan from the heat. Allow to cool, then add the chopped marrons glacés.

Slice the chocolate cake and use it to line the base of a 25cm (10in) flan tin. Scatter an even layer of the rum and marron glacé mixture over the top, using all the mixture.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Allow to cool slightly before adding the cream. The mixture should go smooth and glossy. Spoon this over the surface of the marrons glacés and cake.

Place the tart in the fridge to set overnight or for at least a few hours before serving.

Dust with cocoa powder, then serve sliced with a drizzle of pouring cream or a spoonful of the semi-whipped cream on the side.










Chocolate, orange and hazelnut torte 



250g (9oz) very good-quality dark chocolate, around 85% cocoa solids 
(organic/fair trade)
250g (9oz) organic caster sugar
250g (9oz)organic unsalted butter
zest 3 oranges
2tbsp organic  plain flour
4 large free-range eggs
generous pinch sea salt
icing sugar and 60g (2½oz) hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped, to serve (organic)

Heat the oven to 150C, 130C fan, 300F, gas 2. Place the chocolate, sugar, butter and orange zest in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat very gently, stirring occasionally until melted. With a hand whisk, stir in the flour and then the eggs, one by one, until you have a smooth mix. Don’t worry if it curdles – keep stirring and adding the eggs, and it will come back together. Finally stir in the salt.

Spoon the mix into the tin, and place in a roasting tin of hot water, making sure the water level is at least 1cm (½in) below the top of the tart tin. Cook in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top of the tart is springy to the touch.

Remove from the oven and the roasting tin, allow to cool a little then invert on to a serving platter. You can eat this warm, or allow to cool to room temperature. 
To serve, sift over a little icing sugar, and scatter with hazelnuts. This will keep overnight, but is best on the day it’s made.









Chocolate pudding pie 


For the base

80g organic unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
60g Green & Black's dark (70-85% cocoa solids) chocolate 
(organic/fair trade)
225g organic  digestive biscuits

For the filling

180g  organic unsalted butter
180g Green & Black's dark chocolate, broken into pieces (organic/fair trade)
40 organic medium eggs
180g organic dark muscovado sugar
180ml  organicdouble cream
organic creme fraiche, to serve


Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. For the base, 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.

Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs and add to the melted mixture.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 23cm loose-based tin. Put the base in the tin, press down and leave to chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Meanwhile, for the filling, melt the butter and dark chocolate in the same way. Put the eggs, sugar and cream in the blender and mix together. Allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool (or the cream will curdle) and then add to the blender and blend together again, making sure the sugar is completely mixed.

Remove the base from the fridge and pour the filling over the base. Put in the oven and cook for 45 minutes until firm. It will rise as it cooks and then shrink slightly once removed from the oven.

Allow to cool and serve with a generous serving of creme fraiche.






Chocolate and pear strudel 



3organic  pears, peeled, cored & sliced
1 tsp ground mixed spice
2 tbsp organic cocoa powder
50g (2oz)  light organic muscovado sugar
50g (2oz) organic amaretti biscuits, crushed
50g (2oz) organic dark chocolate, roughly chopped
5 sheets filo Pastry
50g (2oz)organic unsalted butter melted
1 tbsp icing sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/375F/Gas 5. Toss the pears with the mixed spice, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, muscovado sugar, amaretti biscuits and chopped chocolate.

2. Working quickly so the filo doesn't dry out lay a sheet of pastry on a clean work surface and brush with the butter. Repeat with the remaining 5 sheets of pastry laying each one on top of the other.

3. Spoon the pear mix down the centre of the pastry leaving a 5cm (2in) border around the edge. Tuck the 2 shorter ends over the filling, then gently roll up. Transfer to a baking tray placing the join underneath.

4. Brush with the remaining butter and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Serve dusted with icing sugar and cocoa powder.









Chocolate cheesecake with Armagnac prunes 




For the base:

175g (6oz) organic Dark chocolate Digestives, finely crushed
75g (3oz) organic butter, melted

For the filling:

175g (6oz) organic ready to eat dried prunes, quartered and soaked overnight in 75ml (3fl oz) Armagnac or brandy
150g (5oz) organic plain chocolate
300g (10oz) organic cream cheese at room temperature
75g (3oz) organic caster sugar
2 organic eggs, separated
4 organic gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water
2 tbsp organic milk

150ml (1/4 pt)organic sour cream

50g (2oz)organic plain chocolate, grated to decorate

organic Crème fraiche to serve

Heat oven to 180C, 160C fan, 350F, gas 4. Place the biscuits and butter in a bowl and stir well then press into the base of the tin. Bake the base for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of gently simmering water to melt, stirring occasionally.

Place the cream cheese, caster sugar and egg yolks in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Heat the milk in a small saucepan, when hot, remove from the heat, squeeze the excess water from the gelatine leaves, and swirl the pan until dissolved. Pour onto the cream cheese mixture beating well. Stir in the warm chocolate until thoroughly combined. Fold in the sour cream and the soaked prunes and any juices. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold in. Make sure everything is thoroughly combined then pour the mixture on top of the base. Give the tin a couple of sharp taps on the worktop to remove any air pockets and smooth the surface. Chill the cheesecake for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.

To serve, sprinkle the top of the cheesecake with the grated chocolate. Run a round bladed knife around the outside of the tin and remove the cheesecake. Slice into thin slices and serve with a dollop of crème fraiche. The cheesecake will keep for 3 days, covered in the fridge.









Warm chocolate tart with tawny port syrup 



250g (9oz) very good-quality dark chocolate, around 85% cocoa solids (organic/fair trade)
250g (9oz)organic caster sugar
250g (9oz)organic unsalted butter
2tbsporganic plain flour
4 large, free-range eggs
generous pinch sea salt
cocoa powder, for dusting

for the syrup:

3tbsp organic caster sugar
300ml (½pt) tawny por


Heat the oven to 150 C, 130 C fan, 300 F, gas 2. Add the chocolate, sugar and butter to a heavy bottomed saucepan and heat very gently, stirring occasionally until melted. With a hand whisk, stir in the flour, and eggs, one by one, until the mixture is smooth. If it curdles, just keep stirring and adding the eggs, and it'll come back together. Stir in the salt.
Spoon into the tin; place in a roasting tin of hot water, making sure the water level is at least 1cm (½in) below the top of the tart tin. Cook in the centre of the oven for 1 hour until springy to the touch.

Meanwhile, make the syrup. Place the sugar and port in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until reduced to taste. Keep warm.

When the tart is cooked, remove carefully from the water, allow to cool for 20 minutes, then invert on to a serving plate. Cut into slices, dust with the cocoa and serve with the warm port syrup drizzled over. This tart can be eaten warm or at room temperature, and will keep in the fridge for 3 days, although it's best eaten