Chocolate Chocolate and More Chocolate


Use up some of those chocolate eggs and with the help of the children, create these tea-time treats.  What a great way to spend some time together over the Easter holidays. 


Chocolate Chip Cookies
Moist Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Nut Clusters



Chocolate Chip Cookies


The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking, is almost as good as the taste. Eaten just warm, they are an absolute treat. Why not make double the recipe quantity and keep some in an airtight container, they should keep for around 5 days. Or freeze half the cookie dough for another day.


Ingredients


160g plain flour
115g unsalted butter, softened
1/4tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g granulated sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
70g light Muscovado sugar
1/2tsp vanilla extract


Method


Put the butter and sugars in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the vanilla and egg.


Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt together, then add to the creamed mixture, with the chocolate chips. Combine to form a soft dough.


Lightly grease 2 baking trays. Put tablespoons of the mixture on the tray, spacing well apart and bake for 8-10 minutes.


Remove from the oven and leave on the baking trays for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Moist Chocolate Cake

The ultimate in chocolate desserts, this is a cross between a cake and a mousse. Its made with best quality dark chocolate and ground almonds and it has a slightly moist squidgy centre. This cake will sink when it comes out of the oven. It is meant to be gooey on the centre with a crunchy crust on the outside, a bit like a chocolate brownie.

Ingredients

4 eggs

225g caster sugar

1/2tsp vanilla extract

150g dark chocolate, preferably 70% cocoa solids

125g unsalted butter

50ml water

25g plain flour

50g ground almonds

cocoa powder to dust

whipped cream to serve

Chocolate curls to decorate

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/320F/gas 3

Grease and line a 7in loose bottomed cake tin.

Using a hand held electric whisk, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Put the chocolate, butter and water in a large bowl, and heat over a pan of simmering water. When they are all melted, stir gently together.

Using a metal spoon, gently fold the creamed mixture into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the almonds and the flour. Pour into the tin and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder and serve with whipped cream.

Chocolate Nut Cluster Cups

200 g milk chocolate

210 g flaked almonds, toasted

95 g raisins

75 g dried apricot, finely chopped

Melt the chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to combine

Spoon the mixture into cake cups or a greased bun tin and leave to set in the fridge.