Tag: dessert

Crack cake - Cheffing Around

Crack Cake

This recipe did the rounds 2 years ago but we cant stop making this delicious cake.Why is it called crack cake?

That is because you cant stop at one piece and is very addictive or i prefer that's the sound your teeth makes as this cake is very very sweet!

You could add some freshly grated lemon zest or banana pieces to the filling to change the flavor also.

Served with fresh vanilla ice-cream or a good quality double cream this will be the crescendo for your dinner party or family occasion..Enjoy!

AUTHORS NOTE: As usual had to make in muffin tins for quantities. Crust recipe will make 12 muffin tin sized crack cakes, whereas the filling is enough to make 24 muffin tins.

Crack cake - Cheffing Around

Cheffing Arounds Recipe of the month for the month of December 2014 is the infamous Crack cake

Ingredients – Oatmeal cookie

  • 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup rolled oats

Directions – Oatmeal Cookie Crust

  1. Heat the oven to 190 C degrees (375 F).
  2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. In another bowl, using an electric mixer cream the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
  5. Stir in the flour mixture until fully combined. Stir in the oats.
  6. Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. This can be stored for a couple of days if required.

Ingredients – Crust

  • Oatmeal Cookie (made earlier as per above recipe)
  • 1/4 cup butter (soft)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions – Crust

  1. First break up the cookie into pieces and pulse in a food processor until a breadcrumb like consistency and place into a bowl.
  2. Add butter, brown sugar and salt into bowl and mix using a wooden spoon until evenly combined.

Ingredients – Filling

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup plus a 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon milk powder
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 egg yolks using large eggs
  • Powdered sugar to garnish

Directions – Filling

  1. Heat the oven to 175 C degrees (350 F).
  2. Whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.
  3. Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air.
  4. Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells.
  5. Place the pies on a tray before placing in the oven.
  6. Bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160 C degrees (325 F) and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the pies and cool on a rack.
  7. Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled. Serve cold, and the filling will be gooey. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

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Recipe of the month , , , ,

Chocolate Lava Cake with Salted Caramel

This is the perfect dessert to make for your next dinner party. It's easy to make, can be made up to three days ahead of time, looks great on the plate and tastes absolutely decadent.

These can be made up to three days ahead of time. Store filled ramekins in the fridge and bring to room temperature before baking.

Serves: 4 (3/4 cup ramekins)

Ingredients – Chocolate Caramel

  • 130gms semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ cup whipping cream, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons butter, but into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon good quality sea salt

Ingredients – Lava Cake

  • Butter and cocoa powder, for dusting ramekins
  • ½ cup butter
  • 280 gms semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate
  • 3 eggs, large
  • 3 egg yolks
  • ½ cup flour
    ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons black cocoa powder (optional)
  • Maldon sea salt
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Method – Chocolate Caramel

  1. Melt chocolate in a double broiler or metal bowl over a pot of simmering water
  2. Add sugar and water to a large pot (make sure it is large, it will bubble up lots)
  3. Heat mixture over medium high heat until it is dark amber in color and reaches 350 degrees. Remove from heat.
  4. All at once add the whipping cream. Be very careful as it will steam and bubble ferociously.
  5. Whisk the mixture until the bubbling stops and the mixture is .smooth. Add the chocolate and whisk till combined and stir in the butter

Method – Lava Cake

  1. Liberally brush butter to thoroughly coat 4 ramekins. Dusk each with cocoa powder and tap upside down to remove access. Set aside
  2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double broiler or a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water.
  3. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together in a large bowl.
  4. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, salt and optional black cocoa powder.
  5. When chocolate has melted (allow it to cool for several minutes if it is hot) add it to the eggs and stir well. Then add the whisked flour mixture to the egg and chocolate and mix till smooth.
  6. Fill each ramekin half way. Then, place a a small tablespoon of caramel on top and sprinkle with salt. Cover with cake batter until ½ inch from the top of the ramekin.
  7. Preheat oven to 200 C degrees. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and run a knife along the edges of the cake to loosen. Hold a plate over the top of each ramekin. Using oven mitts, turn the plate and ramekin over together so that the ramekin is inverted on the plate. Carefully remove the ramekin. Repeat with remaining ramekins and dust with icing sugar.

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Chocolate Cheesecake

With Summer fast approaching, nothing quite finishes off a great meal that this awesome cheesecake served chilled on a warm day.
Perfect decorated with summer berries, double cream and chocolate sauce!

Enjoy!!

Ingredients

  • 250GM OF SWEET PASTRY
  • 200 GM OF CREAM CHEESE
  • 3 TBS OF COCOA POWDER
  • 60 GM OF CASTER SUGAR
  • 1 EGG
  • 150ML OF THICKENED CREAM
  • 80GM OF A GOOD QUALITY CHOCOLATE
  • ZEST OF AN ORANGE

Method

  1. BUTTER AND LINE A DEEP 20CM FLAN TIN,ROLL OUT YOUR PASTRY ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED BOARD AND LINE YOUR FLAN TIN.
  2. BLIND BAKE AT 200C FOR ABOUT 12 MINUTES BY PLACING GREASEPROOF PAPER INSIDE THE PASTRY FLAN, AND FILLING WITH DRIED BEANS/RICE.
  3. AFTER ABOUT 12 MINUTES, TAKE THE GREASEPROOF PAPER AND BEANS OUT AND CONTINUE BAKING FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE PASTRY IS A LIGHT GOLDEN BROWN.
    ALLOW THE FLAN TO COOL.RE SET YOUR OVEN TO 180C.
  4. BRISKLY MIX THE CREAM CHEESE AND COCOA POWDER TOGETHER.
  5. NEXT, ADD THE SUGAR AND THE EGG UNTIL SMOOTH AND CREAMY.
  6. MELT YOUR CHOCOLATE (MICROWAVE OR DOUBLE SAUCEPAN METHOD)
  7. GENTLY FOLD IN THE COOLED MELTED CHOCOLATE, ORANGE ZEST AND CREAM
  8. POUR YOUR MIXTURE INTO THE PASTRY CASE AND BAKE AT 180C FOR 25 MINUTES OR UNTIL SLIGHTLY SET.
Recipe of the month , , , ,

Chocolate Expresso Cake

Whats a cake blog with out the moistest chocolate cake recipe that i have EVER found! This cake will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Delicious with double cream and a good quality ice-cream or make a nice hot chocolate sauce to pour over before serving for that knockout effect!

Enjoy!!

Ingredients – Cake

  • 3 EGGS (SEPARATED)
  • 125GM OF CHOPPED DARK CHOCOLATE
  • 1 CUP OF STRONG ESPRESSO COFFEE
  • 30GM OF GOOD QUALITY COCOA POWDER
  • 20ML OF GRAND MARNIER OR COINTREAU
  • 200GM OF UNSALTED BUTTER
  • 330GM OF CASTOR SUGAR
  • 375GM OF PLAIN FLOUR
  • 1.5 TEASPOONS OF BICARBONATE OF SODA
  • 1/2 CUP OF LIGHT SOUR CREAM

Method – Cake

  1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 180C AND BUTTER AND LINE A 26CM SPRING-FORM CAKE TIN
  2. COMBINE CHOCOLATE, COFFEE , GRAND MARNIER AND COCOA IN A HEATPROOF BOWL OVER SIMMERING WATER, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY UNTIL ALL THE CHOCOLATE MELTS AND MIXTURE IS COMPLETELY SMOOTH.COOL A LITTLE
  3. CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY, ADD EGG YOLKS ONE AT A TIME, BEATING WELL BETWEEN ADDITIONS AND THEN STIR IN THE COOLED CHOCOLATE MIXTURE AND BEAT WELL.
  4. FOLD IN COMBINED FLOUR AND BICARBONATE OF SODA ALTERNATELY WITH SOUR CREAM.DO THIS IN 2 BATCHES
  5. BEAT EGG WHITES UNTIL FIRM PEAKS FORM AND GENTLY FOLD INTO CAKE MIXTURE.
  6. POUR MIXTURE INTO BUTTERED AND LINED CAKE TIN AND BAKE AT 180C FOR APPROXIMATELY 40- 50 MINUTES.TEST WITH A SKEWER AND ALLOW TO COOL SLIGHTLY FOR 10 MINUTES IN TIN BEFORE TURNING OUT.TURN OUT AND ALLOW TO COOL TO ROOM TEMPERATURE

Ingredients – Chocolate Ganache Icing

  • 120 GM OF CHOPPED DARK CHOCOLATE
  • 1 TABLESPOON OF STRONG ESPRESSO COFFEE
  • 160ML OF THICKENED CREAM

Method – Chocolate Ganache Icing

  1. COMBINE ALL OF THE GANACHE INGREDIENTS INTO A HEATPROOF BOWL OVER SIMMERING WATER, STIRRING UNTIL THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE IS MELTED AND THE MIXTURE IS SMOOTH.
  2. TRANSFER THIS MIXTURE TO A COOL BOWL AND WHISK UNTIL IT IS OF A SPREADABLE CONSISTENCY.
  3. ALLOW THIS TO COOL SLIGHTLY BEFORE SPREADING OR POURING OVER CAKE.
Recipe of the month , , , , , , , ,
Orange, Almond and Yoghurt Cake with Coconut icing - Cheffing Around

Orange, Almond and Yoghurt Cake with Coconut Icing

Why cake recipes? Because the best cake recipes which work every time are very hard to source, as usually the are family secrets/heirlooms!

This is a delicious cake that freezes extremely well, serve with a good dollop of double cream and a light dust of icing sugar.

Of course this cake is best eaten of day of baking and will keep in an airtight container for 3- 4 days.

Orange, Almond and Yoghurt Cake with Coconut icing - Cheffing Around

Cheffing Around`s Recipe of the Month for July 2014 is the Orange, Almond and Yoghurt Cake with Coconut icing

Ingredients – cake

  • 250GMS OF BUTTER
  • 3 SMALL EGGS
  • 300GM OF CASTOR SUGAR
  • 300GM OF SELF RAISING FLOUR
  • 200GM OF YOGHURT
  • 3 SMALL ORANGES (PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED)
  • 150GM OF CHOPPED ALMONDS

Ingredients – Icing

  • 125GM OF DESICCATED COCONUT
  • 125GM OF MELTED BUTTER
  • 150GM OF BROWN SUGAR
  • 1/2 TEASPOON OF VANILLA ESSENCE
  • 1 TABLESPOON OF CREAM

Method

  1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 180C
  2. BUTTER AND LINE A 28CM SPRING-FORM CAKE TIN CAKE TIN
  3. CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR.
  4. ADD EGGS AND BEAT WELL UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY
  5. FOLD IN THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS AND THEN SPOON INTO CAKE TIN.SMOOTH THE TOP OF THE MIXTURE.
  6. BAKE AT 180C FOR APPROXIMATELY 50-60 MINUTES, TILL SKEWER COMES OUT CLEAN
  7. ALLOW TO COOL IN CAKE TIN BEFORE REMOVING TO CAKE PLATE.
  8. TO MAKE THE ICING, MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER, SPREAD OVER THE TOP OF YOUR COLD CAKE AND GRILL ON A LOW SETTING UNTIL THE ICING HAS GONE LIGHT BROWN IN COLOR.
Recipe of the month , , , , , ,

Upside down Quince and Ricotta Cake

There is a late season run of Quinces at the moment and this cake is an amazing way to showcase their wonderful flavors, texture and color.
This cake can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days and best eaten warm with double cream and a drizzle of fresh quince syrup..Enjoy!!

quincecake

Ingredients – Pouching Quince

  • 4 Quinces (aprox 1.5 kg)
  • 5 pieces of Orange peel
  • 6 cups water
  • 650 gram Castor sugar
  • 2 Cinnamon sticks

Method – Pouching Quince

  1. Rub ,wash and core the quinces.
  2. Dissolve the sugar over low heat and then add all the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Simmer slowly for approximately 2-3 hours, or until the quinces change to a crimson red color.
  4. Carefully drain the quinces and preserve all of the poaching syrup into a container altogether in an sealed container.

Ingredients – cake

  • 3 eggs
  • 170 grams Castor Sugar
  • 1/2 cup of Ricotta
  • 230 grams Self Raising Flour
  • 175 grams Melted Butter
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Essence

Method – cake

  1. Simmer about 3/4 cup of the poached quince syrup, until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup.Preheat oven to 160C.
  2. Using a mixer, beat eggs and sugar for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.Add vanilla essence.
  3. Pour the melted butter in next and then folds in the sifted flour alternately with the ricotta.
  4. Using a 22cm cake tin, well buttered and with the bottom-lined, place the poached quince in concentric circles.
  5. Drizzle over the 1/2 cup of reduced quince syrup.
  6. Using a spoon, spread the batter over the carefully placed quince and bake at 160C and bake for about 1 hour.Test with a skewer.
  7. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving onto a serving plate and serve slightly warm with double thick cream and a drizzle of the spare quince sugar syrup.
Recipe of the month , , , , , ,

Danish Failla

This recipe is really a chocolate lava cake but this is the traditional recipe from which is sprung from.You can serve them in a small concotte or souffle dish from frozen or make in muffin tins for bulk lava cakes for a kids birthday party or function dessert.
Delicious with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Enjoy!!

Ingredients – Ganache

  • 125 gram Cream
  • 175 gram Chocolate
  • 2 drops of Orange Essence

Method – Ganache

Melt together, cool completely and roll into small balls (25 gms) or coins (15gms) depending on product choice.

Ingredients – Cake Mixture

  • 250 gram Chocolate
  • 125 gram Chopped Butter
  • 6 Egg Yokes
  • 6 Egg Whites
  • 50 gram Icing sugar
  • 50 grams Ground Almonds
  • 100 grams plain flour
Recipe of the month , , , , , , , , , ,

Chocolate Heaven Cake

Probably the lightest and moistest chocolate cake recipe ever! Delicious served with a double thick cream and light dust of icing sugar. Great recipe for the whole family and a perfect end to that dinner party! Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 400 gram chopped dark chocolate
  • 85 grams of raisins
  • 125 ml whiskey
  • 6 eggs (separated)
  • 225 gram butter
  • 300 gram sugar
  • 100 gram plain flour
  • 160 gram ground almonds
  • 125 ml warm water

Method

  1. Butter and line a 22 cm spring form round cake tin.
  2. Marinate the raisins in the whiskey for about 1 hour.
  3. Combine the chocolate and the butter in the top of a double saucepan and stir over simmering water until it is melted and combined.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the warm water.
  5. Beat the eggs yolks and sugar until thick and creamy, and then add to chocolate mixture.
  6. Fold in the flour and almonds, and stir in the raisin and whiskey mixture.
  7. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form and then gently fold into mixture.
  8. Bake at 180C for approximately 50- 60 minutes.Let cake cool for an hour before removal.

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Mango Cake - Cheffing Around

Upside Down Mango and Lemon Cake

This time of year Mangoes are in abundance and affordable.This cake is best eaten of the day it is cooked either hot or cold. Serve with double cream and some fresh mango for nice contrast. Enjoy!!

Mango Cake - Cheffing Around

This time of year Mangoes are in abundance and affordable.This cake is best eaten of the day it is cooked either hot or cold. Serve with double cream and some fresh mango for nice contrast. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

  • 2 large Mangoes
  • 340 gram softened butter
  • 340 gram castor sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 240 gram of self raising flour
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 90 gram ground almonds
  • zest of 4 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons of lemons

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup of lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup of caster sugar
  • 6 tablespoons of water

Method

  1. Butter and line a 28 cm spring form tin.Preheat oven to 180C
  2. Peel and slice mango into wedges and arrange on the base of your cake tin
  3. Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  5. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into butter mixture, alternately with the ground almonds, zest and juice.
  6. Pour the mixture over the mangoes and bake at 180C for 40 minutes.
  7. Reduce the temperature to 150C and bake for an additional 25 minutes.Check that it is cooked by inserting a metal skewer: you will know it is cooked when the skewer comes out clean.
  8. Leave to cool for 30 minutes before inverting on to your cake plate.
  9. To make Glaze, combine the lemon juice, sugar and water in a saucepan and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves.Bring to the boil, without stirring, until the syrup has thickened.This will usually take about 5 minutes.Using a pastry brush, brush over the top of the cake.

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Rich Fruit Cake

This cake recipe is perfect for a wedding cake or a decorated Christmas cake. We are currently decorating 3 different cakes for Xmas and we will post pictures of the finished products once ready!
From all the staff at Cheffing Around we would like to wish you all a very merry Xmas and a bright and prosperous 2014!

Wedding Cake - Cheffing Around

Wedding cake by Cheffing Around managing director Adrian Grant

The fruit mix – ingredients

  • 2.25 kg Sultanas
  • 600 gram Fruit Peel
  • 750 gram Dried Apricots (chopped)
  • 750 gram Prunes (chopped)
  • 600 gram Currants
  • 600 gram Walnuts (chopped)
  • 750 gram Raisins
  • 600 gram Glazed Cherries (chopped)
  • 600 gram Tinned Pineapple (chopped)
  • 3 grated apples
  • 3 carrots (grated)
  • 6 cups Brown Sugar
  • 3 Tea Spoons Cinnamon
  • 3 Tea Spoons Nutmeg
  • 3 Tea Spoons Mixed Spice
  • 6 Table spoons Honey
  • 2.25 cups Sherry
  • 2.25 cups Port

Tip: Dried fruit best purchased at a Cash and Carry as we found this reduces the cost of the cake.

The fruit mix – Method

Marinate all the ingredients in a very large bowl (45 cm) for at least a week covered with 2 layers of glad wrap. You need to stir this up every day during this period.

The cake – Ingredients

  • 1.25 kg of Girgar butter (melted)
  • 18 eggs (beaten)
  • 8.25 cups plain flour (sifted)
  • 3 cups self raising flour (sifted)
  • 3 spring form cake tins (1 x 24 cm, 1 x 26 cm, and 1 x 28 cm)

Note: This mixture will make 4 cakes as it's best to have a spare just in case, and you can always use the fourth for something else if not needed 🙂

The cake – Method

  1. Grease and line the three cake tins with baking paper.
  2. Mix the cake ingredients into the fruit mix making sure it's mixed well.
  3. Flatten with a fork
  4. Bake for 140 minutes at 145C and then finish of at 130C for 125 minutes or until the center is cooked and skewer comes out clean.
  5. Allow to cool in cake tin over night before removing from tin
  6. Wrap in foil once cold

The icing – Ingredients

  • 3 kg Royal Icing
  • 11 packets of 250 gram Marzipan
  • 1 kg of Apricot Jam

The icing – Method

  1. Fill in any holes in the cake with apricot jam to get a smooth surface
  2. Marzipan on top and sides till the cake is level, even and smooth
  3. Leave dry for 3 days
  4. Turn cake over and make a bridge for the bottom and make sure cake is level with sides and bottom (no gaps)
  5. Leave dry for a further 3 days
  6. Try and do these next steps (to step 11) in the early morning or late at night when the temperature is cooler to prevent cracking.
  7. Roll out Marzipan on dusted bench with icing sugar till about 1cm thick and will visibly cover the entire cake in one layer.
  8. Boil up 1 cup of apricot jam with a little water
  9. Brush entire cake with apricot jam / water mix
  10. Cover the cake from the top with the Marzipan using a pin to remove air bubbles.
  11. Gently ease the Marzipan down to the bottom of the cake and trim evenly at the base
  12. Repeat this for all three cakes
  13. Let dry for a week
  14. Repeat steps 6 through 13 but with the Royal Icing instead of the Marzipan. Remember this is the presentation layer so take extra care.
  15. Once dry, adhere cakes to a cake board using apricot jam as the glue

Stacking and Ribbons

  1. Measure circumference of the cake with ribbon
  2. Cut evenly
  3. Position ribbon using small pins with heads the same colour as the ribbon.
  4. Use pieces of thick wooden dowel for the stands
  5. Cut the dowel to length making sure each on is exactly same length
  6. Make a cross in the cake exactly where the stands will go
  7. Using a knife, make a cross fully inserted to the bottom of the cake and careful remove any excess cake
  8. Gently force the dowel into cake until the cake board is level and straight

You can use any decoration you like for the finished product. We used doves and some fresh African Lilies with stems removed as the centerpiece of the cake. Most cake shops have centerpieces to buy or order if you don't have the time to make it.

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