Strawberry and Chocolate Ganache Mini Cucakes

Ingredients
(makes about 50)

Chocolate Ganache
150ml whipping cream
150g dark chcoclate
50g jam
60g butter
30ml Creme de Cassis

Strawberry Sponge
200g self raising flour
200g sugar
200g soft butter
1egg
1tsp vanilla essence
60g of strawberries finely chopped

Slices of strawberries to decorate

Method

1.     First make the chocolate ganache, heat up the cream to a boil

2.     Add the boiling cream to chocolate, honey and butter and mix until everything is melted

3.     Allow to cool then add the crème de cassis

4.     Scrape down the sides of the bowl and refrigerate.

5.     Next make the cupcakes, pre-heat the oven to 180 C

6.     Cream the butter and sugar

7.     Add the egg and vaniila

8.     Mix in the dry ingredients.

9.     Mix in the chopped straberries

10. Spoon the cupcake mix into mini cupcake cases

11. Bake for about 15 mins then allow to cool.

12. Fill a piping bag with a star tip with ganache

13. Pipe onto each cupcake

14. Decorate with a sliced strawberry

Strawberry and Raspberry mini Mogadors

Ingredients (makes 8)

Chocolate Genoise Sponge
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
120g sugar
100g plain flour
20g cadbury's hot chocolate powder

Chocolate Mousse
75g egg yolks
35g sugar
35ml water
150g chocolate
300g cream

Assembly
Creme de Cassis
75g rasberries
60g strawberries

Strawberry halves to decorate

1.     Start with the genoise sponge, blanche the eggs and yolk in a bowl with the sugar

2.     Warm the eggs and sugar mix in a bain marie until they feel warm

3.     Take off the heat and whist until the mix is cool the eggs have a ribbon like texture

4.     In a separate bowl sift the flour and hot chcolate powder and work together with a whisk

5.     Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mix with a rubber spatula whilst turning the bowl. ½ then ½

N.B. When folding in the dry ingredients cut into the centre of the mix while turning the bowl.

6.     Ladle the mix into 8 small mould so they are½ full. Smooth with a rubber spatula

N.B. The mould is not greased so the genoise keeps its diameter

7.     Bake at 180C for  10-15 mins then transfer onto a rack to cool in its mould

8.     Now prepare the ingredients for the mousse. Whip the cream and refrigerate

9.     Separate the eggs and beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.

10. Put he chocolate over a bain marie to melt

11. Make the sugar syrup, in a pan put the water in first then the sugar and bring to the boil

12. Whip the syrup and eggs together until cool and you have a smooth ribbon texture

13. Fold the cream into the eggs and syrup mix with a spatula

14. Fold 1/3 of the mix into the chocolate with a whisk then fold in the rest with a whisk

N.B. Once the mix is ¾ mixed finish wit a spatula

15. Leave the mix out whilst you prepare the sponge

16. Scrape round the mould with a knife to un-mould the sponge. Clean the mould well.

17. Put the genoise back in the mould

18. Imbibe the sponge generously with the crème de cassis

19. Cut  the strawbeeris  and rasberries into small pieces an place a small heap on each sponge

20. fill the cake with the chocolate mousse using the scraper.

N.B. Fill the sides first then smooth then fill the centre

21. Use a flat spatula to smooth off the top of the cake keeping it slightly higher in the centre

22. But the cake in the freezer

23. Once the cake has set pop a strawberry half on each

24. Remove the mould and serve on a pretty saucer

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Hearts

I had a little of the raspberry and dark chocolate coating left over from  my dark chocolate and raspberry mini meringues so I decided to make some heart shaped chocolates. I simply spooned the left over coating into a silicone chocolate mold and popped in the freezer for about an hour to set.

Mini Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Meringues

This recipe is relatively easy but looks very impressive when served to your guests.

Ingredients:

(Makes 25)

For the meringue:

100g caster sugar

2 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

For the raspberry and dark chocolate coating:

60g raspberries

200g dark chocolate

Method:

First make the meringues:

Pre-heat the oven to 120 C

Whisk the egg whites and vanilla into soft peaks.

Then slowly add the sugar and whisk until stiff.

Using a star piping nozzle pipe small stars of meringue mix (about 4cm diameter) onto a non-stick baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 45 mins

 

Once the meringues are baked and cooled make the chocolate coating:

Melt the chocolate over a bain marie until runny.

While the chocolate is melting cut up the raspberries into small pieces.

Add the raspberries to the melted chocolate while it is still over the heat an stir until you have a smooth runny mix.

Holding them by their tops, dip bottom of the meringues into the chocolate coating and place on a non-stick sheet.

Pop the finished meringues in the fridge so the chocolate can cool and set.

Pink Brandy and White Chocolate Truffles

I absolutely adore CHARBONNEL ET WALKER Pink Marc De Champagne Truffles so I decided to try and make something similar, here is my attempt.

Ingredients

(makes about 40)

250g white chocolate plus about 50g grated white chocolate

25ml double cream

75ml brandy

1/2 tsp red food colouring

Melt the white chocolate in a bain marie until liquid then turn the heat right down.

Quickly stir the cream into the white chocolate.

Then stir in the brandy little by little.

Finally stir in the food colouring

Once made place in the fridge for at least 12 hours to cool and set.

Once the truffle mix has set take a teaspoon full and roll it into a little ball 

Then roll the truffle ball in some grated white chocolate to finish.

Mini White Chocolate, Raspberries and Cream Cupcakes

Having some friends over for a tea party so I decided to make these.

Ingredients

(makes about 30)

for the cupackes

100g self-rasing flour

100g caster sugar

100g margarine

100g raspberries 

20g grated white chocolate

2 eggs

for the topping

100g white chocolate 

100ml double cream

70g rasberries 

About 30 whole raspberries

Method

The topping for these cupcakes needs to be made the day before you want to serve them as it needs to cool over night.

Whip the cream in a large bowl until it starts to thicken. 

Whip in the the raspberries until almost smooth.

Melt the chocolate until runny.

Fold the chocolate into the the cream and raspberries.

Place in the fridge to cool for at least 12 hours.

To make the cupcakes

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.

Mix together all the ingredients of the cupcakes in a large bowl until smooth.

Spoon into mini cupcake cases and bake for about 15 mins then allow to cool.

Once cool, ice the cupcakes with the cooled topping

Place a whole raspberry on top of each

Lavender and White Chocolate Truffles

I had a bit of leftover white chocolate and lavender ganache, from the lavender and white chocolate mini cupcakes (see recipe) that had set in the fridge over a period of about 48 hours so I decided to roll it into truffles. I simply took a teaspoon full of set ganache and rolled it into a little ball then rolled it in some grated white chocolate.

Lavender and White Chocolate Mini Cupcakes

These cupcakes were inspired by a programme on edible flowers and what you could do with them.

Ingredients

(makes 20)

For the cupcakes:

50g self-raising flour

50g caster sugar

50g margarine

1/2 tsp baking power

1 egg

10g grated white chocolate

3 good pinches of edible lavender flowers

2 tsp lavender extract

For the white chocolate and lavender ganache:

100g white chocolate

50ml double cream

1 1/2 tsp lavender extract

1/2 tsp red food colouring

1/2 tsp blue food colouring

a sprinkling of edible lavender flowers

Method

First make the ganache,

Melt the white chocolate in a bain marie until liquid then remove from the heat.

Quickly whisk the cream into the white chocolate.

Then whisk in the food colouring and lavender extract.

Once the ganache is made place in the fridge to cool and thicken.

While the ganache is cooling make the cupcakes

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.

Mix together all the ingredients of the cupcakes in a large bowl until smooth.

Spoon into mini cupcake cases and bake for about 10 mins then allow to cool.

Then spread the cooled ganache over the cupcakes and sprinkle with edible lavender flowers.

Triple Chocolate Salted Cupcakes

These cupcakes are very naughty but they do taste fantastic!

Ingredients

(makes 12)

For the cupcakes:

75g self-rasing flour

100g sugar

100g salted spreadable butter

25g hot chocolate powder (the kind you add milk to)

70g white chocolate buttons (take out 12 from the packet for the top and breakup the remaining ones)

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

For the icing:

150g salted spreadable butter

35g hot chocolate powder (the kind you add milk to)

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.

Mix together all the ingredients of the cupcakes apart from the chocolate buttons in a large bowl until smooth.

Mix in the broken up white chocolate buttons.

Spoon into cupcake cases and bake for about 15 mins then allow to cool.

While the cupcakes are baking and cooling make the icing.

Simply mix together the butter and chocolate powder until smooth and shiny.

Once the cupcakes are cool, spread on the icing and pop a chocolate button on top.