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.

Pavlovas With Rasberry Cream

These take a bit of time to cook but are very yummy.

Ingredients:

(Makes 5)

For the meringue:

200g caster sugar

4 egg whites

2 tsp vanilla extract

A little butter of greasing

Method:

First make the meringues:

Pre-heat the oven to 120 C

Grease 12 of the cupcake cases with butter so they flatten and put on a baking tray

Whisk the egg whites and vanilla into soft peaks

Then slowly add the sugar and whisk until stiff

Pipe a large blob on each of the cupcake cases you prepared earlier

Bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours

Once the meringues are baked and cooled make the topping:

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

Whip in the 100g of the raspberries

Pipe the cream topping onto the cooled meringues

Decorate with the rest of the fruit

Serve immediately

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

Raspberry and Vanilla Cupcakes

Doug (my fiance)'s parents are coming to dinner so I decided to make these. There pretty quick as they use bought icing! However they have a nice summery feel and look rather impressive.

Ingredients

(makes 12)

100g self-rasing flour

100g caster sugar

100g low fat margarine

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

150g raspberries

2/3 tub Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Vanilla Icing

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.

Mix together all the ingredients of the cupcakes apart from the icing and raspberries in a large bowl until smooth.

Separate 12 raspberries then chop up the rest.

Mix in the the chopped raspberries

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

Once the cupcakes are cool, spread on the icing and pop a whole rasberry on top.

Raspberry and Vanilla Meringue Cupcakes

These take a bit of time to cook but are very yummy.

Ingredients:

(Makes 12)

For the coulis:

25g brown sugar

100ml water

75g raspberries

For the meringue:

200g caster sugar

4 egg whites

2 tsp vanilla extract

A little butter of greasing

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 120 C

First make the coulis:

Chop up the raspberries into small pieces

Then pop them along with the brown sugar and water in a pan over a low heat

Simmer gently while stirring until they have become a thick liquid

Strain the liquid to remove all the pips and pop to one side

Next prepare cupcake cases for the meringues:

Grease 12 of the cupcake cases with butter so they flatten and put on a baking tray

Then make the meringues:

Whisk the egg whites and vanilla into soft peaks

Then slowly add the sugar and whisk until stiff

Finally swirl in the raspberry coulis and place a large blob on each of the cupcake cases you prepared earlier

Bake in the oven for 2 hours

Healthy(ish) Raspberry Wholemeal Cupcakes

Ingredients

(makes 12)

100g wholemeal self-rasing flour

100g brown sugar

100g low fat margarine

150g raspberries

1 tsp baking powder

2 egg whites

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.

Separate 12 raspberries then chop up the rest.

Mix together all the ingredients of the cupcakes apart from the egg whites and whole raspberrys in a large bowl until smooth.

Beat the egg whites into soft peaks.

Fold the egg whites into the rest of the mixture.

Spoon into cupcake cases and pop a whole raspberry on top.

Bake for about 15 mins