Chocolate orange cake

With the arrival of T’s birthday last week came a new cake request – this year, the boy wanted it to be all about chocolate and orange. However, it was a surprising struggle to think of what to do with that. Chocolate cake with orange flavouring, or orange cake with chocolate? Layered? Traybake? All of the above? Plonk a Terry's Chocolate Orange down in front of him?

My staple ‘need to bring a dessert that looks nice but won’t take long to make’ recipe is a chocolate cake with lemon curd in the middle, so I eventually decided to do a fancier take on that with orange curd and chocolate ganache. It tasted great, but took most of the day to do because I also got it into my head to make the orange curd. This is a whole other post’s worth of fun to share, however…

Chocolate cake ingredients:

¾ cup (170g) butter

1⅓ cup (270g) sugar

3 eggs

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

1¾ cups (325g) flour

1 cup (125g) baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cups (355ml) light (single) cream

½ cup (75g) dark chocolate chips (optional)

Chocolate ganache ingredients:

3.5oz (100g) dark chocolate

1 tbsp cocoa powder

⅓ cup (75ml) heavy (double) cream

Other ingredients:

Orange curd

Mandarin orange slices

Method:

1. Start by making the cake. Heat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease two 9in (23cm) round cake pans.

2. Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla.

3. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, and blend into the batter in portions along with the cream.

4.  When all ingredients have been mixed in and batter is smooth, pour into prepared cake pans and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top of each.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

5. Let the cakes sit for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and place them on wire racks to cool.

6. When completely cool, start to put the cake together. Spread orange curd on top of one cake layer, then carefully place the second layer on top. Fill in any ‘holes’ with remainig curd to get an even finish.

7. Next, make the ganache. Melt the chocolate over very low heat, mixing in the cocoa powder thoroughly when melted. Stir in the double cream.

8. Spread evenly on the cake immediately. If desired, add mandarin orange slices on top (from a can or similar, but patted dry to remove any excess juice). Let the ganache set.

Chocolate strawberry shortcake

Going by Nat King Cole’s apt description of summer days, ours have been more crazy and hazy than lazy this year. But, after a spate of cloudy and humid weekends, the first sight of sun on a Saturday meant a sumptuous summer fruit dessert was needed. Maybe it’s more of my New England baking reflex talking, but there’s just something about having a dish that involves sugar and berries in-hand to truly enjoy a warm summer afternoon.

In the end, by the time my choco-fied version of strawberry shortcakes cooled down enough to glaze, then set long enough for the glaze to harden, the sun had gone in and the heavens had opened. The British summer strikes again! Oh well, the backyard will have to wait another week to be mowed, but chocolate-strawberry goodness can be enjoyed rain or shine.

Chocolate scones (makes 6-7)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (75g) butter, softened

1¾ cups (220g) flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup (32g) baking cocoa

¾ cup (175ml) milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450F/220C.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Cut in the butter, and use your hands to work it in until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Stir in the baking cocoa, then the milk. Add a little more flour if necessary to create a firm dough.
4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 30 seconds. Roll or pat the dough to ½in (just over 1cm) thick.
5. Cut out the scones with a 3in (7.5cm) round cutter. Place each one about 1in (2.5cm) away from each other on an ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes. The scones should have risen, the outsides should look fully baked and the insides should be soft but not doughy.
7. Cool on a wire rack. Don’t start making the glaze until the scones have cooled completely.

Chocolate glaze

Ingredients:

4 squares (30g) of baking chocolate

2 tablespoons (28g) butter

2 tablespoons sugar

½ tablespoon water

Method:

Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat (or in a bowl suspended over a pot of boiling water), then stir in the sugar and water. Keep stirring frequently for about two minutes, or until all ingredients have dissolved and the mixture has become a thick, smooth syrup.

Cool for about 10-15 minutes. Spoon over the top of each cooled scone, letting it drizzle down the sides.

Strawberry sauce

Ingredients:

Around 3 cups of strawberries, chopped (apologies to gram users – I forgot to weigh out this one, but I used a whole punnet of strawberries from the supermarket)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon corn starch

2/3 cup (150g) sugar

Pinch of salt

Method:

Squish down the strawberries slightly with the back of a spoon or potato masher, to release the juices and create a smoother sauce (the more you mash them, the smoother the sauce will be). Add the rest of the ingredients, and stir over medium heat until the mixture boils. Remove from heat, and cool completely.

To make up the shortcakes...

Cut one scone (warm or cool) in half , pour some strawberry sauce over it, and serve. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Apricot brownies

If there’s one lesson I’ve brought with me to Old England from life in New England, it’s not to expect that the weather is going to be anything less than unpredictable. And judging by the summer-like April temperatures and the recent days of sun…no, rain…no, sun, no… it’s a good concept to adhere to. Perhaps T and I were a little premature in stocking up on popsicles (sorry UK, I just can’t bring myself to call them ice lollies...), but fresh fruit is something that can be enjoyed indoors or out, and in loads of great recipes.

Another delicacy that suits a variety of temperatures is the ever-amazing brownie. I’ve been making a spring-i-fied version recently with dried apricots, and I think it would probably work for a variety of dried fruits like cherries, blueberries or mangoes.

Ingredients:

¾ cup (170g) butter

5oz (140g) unsweetened baking chocolate

1⅔ cups (375g) sugar*

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1¼ cups (155g) flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups dried apricots, chopped (about 35 dried apricots)

*I accidentally used 1⅓ cup (300g) once, and it still worked fine – a little less sweet and more chocolatey

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. Grease a square baking pan.
• Melt the butter and chocolate together over very low heat.
• Measure the sugar into a separate bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate, then the eggs and vanilla extract.
• Add the flour and salt, stirring until the ingredients have been combined. Lastly, add the apricots.
• Pour the batter into the pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with a few crumbs on it.