February, 2012

Whether we’re talking about a sumptuous chocolate cake for a celebration, batches of muffins for the kids or a silky chocolate sauce, it’s easier than you may think to use chocolate recipes in your cooking. Again, you must not feel guilty about enjoying this universal pleasure: chocolate is a good source of iron as well as antioxidants called flavenoids which may help to protect against heart disease and cancer.

Many people suggest melting chocolate in a microwave, but in fact this will cook the chocolate as well as melt it. You can do it, but it’s better on the ingredient to heat it in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t come in contact with the water.

You can experiment with different brands to give variations for easy chocolate recipes. Chocolate differs hugely depending on where the beans were grown, how they were roasted and their general quality.

Make easy chocolate curls for adorning desserts. Just melt chocolate then spread it thinly over a piece of baking parchment, lining a baking tray. Then put it in the fridge to harden, and then carefully ease it off with a knife. By doing that your cakes and puddings will have a very professional touch.

Magical muffins – Buy a chocolate muffin from a shop and you’ll pay quite a bit for something that’s probably quite regular. Instead, why not make your own for a fraction of the price? Using oil in muffins gives a attractive light result and is ideal for vegans or those who avoid animal fats. With this recipe you simply add 175g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 150g caster sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa to a mixing bowl. Make a well and then add 150ml each oil and milk and 2 beaten eggs. Whisk it all together by hand or using a whisk, then pour the batter into 12 muffin cases, or 16 cake cases. Afterwards bake at 180C for 20 minutes or until springy to the touch.

The speediest chocolate pud recipe in the world – Almost every child and most adults love this speedy choccie pud. Put the kettle on and, while it boils, mix together 4 tbsp self-raising flour, 4 tbsp caster sugar and 4 tbsp cocoa in a large micro wave proof mug or jug. Add 1 egg then mix again. Pour in 3 tbsp milk and 3 tbsp vegetable oil and mix again and add a handful of chocolate drops. Microwave on HIGH for 2.5 minutes. What could be easier and hardly any washing up. Top with cream, chopped nuts or summer berries, or eat as it is.

A speedy and exciting dessert chocolate recipe in summer is to take a range of fresh fruit – strawberries, physalis (Cape gooseberries), pineapple, mango and banana and immerse them into melted chocolate – a good way of getting some of their 5 a day into your children, while giving them a choccie treat at the same time.