(Nearly-)Whatever-You-Want Chocolate Cookies

Spring seems to have finally, finally sprung.

I'm having to adjust to taking pictures with sunlight streaming into my kitchen instead of the beautiful muted light we've had all winter. I went out yesterday without a coat or thick scarf or boots or socks. The woollen throw has been tossed off my bed. The violets are flowering in every nook and cranny of my little garden and the buds on my apple tree are bursting open.

To celebrate, I've made cookies.



About ten years ago, mum bought a simple, magazine-style cookbook from the Australian Women's Weekly series. She spent a year working in Melbourne before I was born and I think she came across the series at that point. We've only ever made one recipe from the book: the chocolate cookies. They've evolved over the years but they're still essentially the same - thick, crispy-on-the-edges, squidgy-middled and wonderfully deep with muscavado and plenty of cocoa powder.

I've made them to say thank you. I've made them for picnics. I've made over a hundred for a catering job. I've made them when friends have come to stay. Mostly, I've made them when I really wanted a chocolate cookie.



Since I first posted about them in 2009 (they were the eighth recipe I posted on here), they've got a little lost in the archives. I wanted to talk about them again, so I thought I'd see what else you could fold through the dough. I usually use pecans with whatever other chocolate I have on hand - usually dark. So I could try a few different things, I split one batch of dough into three: Crystallized Ginger & Dark Chocolate, Double Chocolate & Walnut and Freeze Dried Raspberry & White Chocolate.

I used:
80g dark chocolate
25g crystallized ginger pieces

40g dark chocolate
30g milk chocolate
45g toasted walnuts

100g white chocolate
7g crushed freeze dried raspberries

I haven't tried baking freeze dried raspberries into anything before and sadly it didn't work here - any bits on the outside burned and I wasn't happy with the flavour (so the recipe went from whatever-you-want to nearly-whatever-you-want). Despite that, the ginger variation was great (though I might add a little more ginger next time - I was nervous as this packet seems extremely fiery) and I'm always a massive fan of the nut-chocolate combination.

What combination would you try?



(Nearly-)Whatever-You-Want Chocolate Cookies
(adapted from an Australian Women's Weekly book - I'm not sure which as I can't find the book)

125g unsalted butter
200g soft brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
185g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Mix in:
350g of assorted chocolate, nuts etc

Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. Put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and briefly beat to soften it up. Add the sugar, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate, baking powder and salt and mix on the lowest setting to combine. Stir through the mix-ins. Use a couple of teaspoons to create smallish heaps of dough on a lightly greased baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes (12 if from frozen). Leave to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack.

The dough can be chilled for about 24 hours and frozen for a few months. I freeze formed ready-to-bake cookies on a tray then transfer them to a zippy bag. You can then bake them straight from the freezer whenever you want fresh cookies.

(Makes about 25-27 small cookies)



Three more posts about cookies/biscuits:
2012: Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
2011: Sesame Wafers
2010: Peanut Butter Biscuits

Crunchy and Creamy Dark Chocolate with Raspberries

Last Sunday I went to the Big Feastival on Clapham Common, London. Jamie Oliver masterminded this weekend of food and music with all profits going to charity.

My favourite tastes of the day were both sweet ices - a delicate pistachio gelato and later a fantastic creamy raspberry pavlova ice cream with tangy raspberry coulis. I'm going to have a go at recreating both sometime this summer

I also saw some great demonstrations by Giorgio Locatelli, Matt Tebbutt, Rachel Allen, Willie Harcourt-Cooze, Gennaro Contaldo, Jay Rayner and, of course, Jamie Oliver himself. I learnt a lot and they were all engaging and amusing to watch.

 While I was there I picked up a copy of the cookbook they produced to go with the Feastival. It has a great collection of recipes from some of the participating chefs. After a bit of deliberation, I decided to try this recipe by John Murray of Vinoteca. I haven't made many multi-component desserts so this seemed like a good challenge. 

If it helps this was the order I made it in: the ganache and creamy chocolate, which went in the fridge to cool. I made the coconut crunch mix and then the crumble while it chilled. I took the creamy chocolate out of the fridge to come to room temp. Then I baked the coconut crunch, turned the oven up and baked the crumble. Finally I assembled it.   

The balance of this dessert is great - so many contrasting and complementary textures and flavours. The raspberry cuts through the rich chocolate and the various crunches from the coconut and almond round it out. It's an exciting dessert to eat. 

Crunchy and Creamy Dark Chocolate with Raspberries

(adapted from John Murray's recipe in The Big Feastival Cook Book)

For the raspberry ganache:

50g fresh raspberries

50g quality white chocolate

Chop the white chocolate up into small chunks and place in a small bowl. Press the raspberries through a fine sieve into a small saucepan until you only have the seeds remaining. Scrape down the bottom of the sieve so you don't loose any juices. Heat the raspberry juices until boiling. Take off the heat, wait 30 seconds, then pour over the white chocolate. Stir until smooth then cover and place in the fridge. 

For the creamy dark chocolate:

1 egg yolk

10g demerara sugar (or soft brown)

65ml double cream

60g quality dark chocolate

Chop the chocolate up and place in a small bowl to one side. Whisk the yolk and the sugar together in another small bowl and set aside. Place the double cream in a small saucepan and heat until just starting to boil and then take off the heat. Pour a small amount into the egg bowl, whisking as you go. Scrape the egg mixture back into the saucepan and whisk to combine. Put back over a medium heat and use a spatula to stir and scrape down the mixture until it has a custard consistency. Pour over the dark chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy. Put in the fridge until 1 hour before you want to serve. 

For the coconut crunch:

25g caster sugar

15g unsalted butter, at room temperature

pinch of sea salt

1 tsp milk

15g dessicated coconut, lightly toasted and cooled

1/2 tbsp plain flour

Cream the butter, sugar and salt together until light and fluffy. Stir in the milk then fold in the coconut and flour. Place into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes, meanwhile preheating the oven to 150C. Spread the mixture into circles or teardrops of about 3mm thickness - it should make 8. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Set onto a wire rack to cool until needed. 

For the chocolate crumble:

20g demerara sugar

20g unsalted butter, at room temperature

20g ground almonds

17g plain flour

1/2 tsp cocoa powder

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Fold the almonds, flour and cocoa in. Roll into a log, wrap in cling film and place into the freezer for 30 minutes. When nearly ready to serve grate the log onto a lined baking tray. Spread out and bake for 8-12 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. 

To assemble:

16 - 20 fresh raspberries 

handful flaked almonds, toasted

Divide the raspberry ganache into four and spread into four ramekins or small glass bowls. Sprinkle over 1/4 of the crumble, followed by 4-5 raspberries. Heat one or two spoons (whichever you are more comfortable with) in some hot water, then create four quenelles from the room temperature creamy dark chocolate mix. As you go place each one on top of the raspberries. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top and place one or two coconut crunches on top or to the side. 

(Serves 4)

Black and White Mini Cakes

Sometime in the distant past, mum bought a mini muffin tin. We don't use it very much. I decided this was a shame, and so these mini cakes were developed. They're chocolate cake topped with dark chocolate ganache and white chocolate shavings. 

I had help making these. Isabella - you may well have seen her comments on my posts - is quite possibly this blog's biggest fan.  I invited her over to have a bit of a baking session and this is the result. She's a very useful assistant!  

We whipped up a cake dough and set about dividing it between the cases. Our kitchen surfaces are very tall so we moved to the kitchen table to make things easier.  Some cases got a bit more than others but they all look lovely. 

(Also, how gorgeous is Isabella's dress? So cheerful and bright.)

While they were in the oven, we set about making a simple ganache. We broke up the dark chocolate, getting very messy fingers in the process. We measured out the cream and heated it up, chatting about Dr Who and Jamie Oliver.  I showed Isabella how fun it is to watch cakes rise through the oven door. 

Once we had set the ganache aside to cool, we started making the chocolate shavings. We had a lot of giggles trying to make them work, but in the end we ended up with a big pile and no major mishaps. I love the way you can see through the bar once you've scraped lots of it away. 

After taking the cakes out of the oven and letting them cool a bit, we put them all on a big stand and started spooning (dripping) ganache over them. Then we sprinkled handfuls of the chocolate shavings over the top - I love the rustic look of them piled on top. 

We ate some while they were still slightly warm, with the ganache spilling off the top. Pretty messy but very tasty. 

I'm not usually a fan of black and white food photos, but here it just seemed to work.  I love the fact that these photos ended up with a colour palette of browns and white with splashes of yellow, blue and pink nails. 

I had such fun making these and they taste wonderful too. 

Black and White Mini Cakes

(adapted from Nigella Lawson's recipe for basic fairy cakes in How to be a Domestic Goddess)

For the cakes:

125g butter

50g caster sugar

70g light brown sugar

2 eggs

100g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

20g cocoa powder

2-3 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 180C. Cream the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the egg a little at a time until incorporated. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa over the top and beat in until combined. Divide between cases using a tablespoon. Place in the oven and make for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

For the ganache:

60g dark chocolate

50ml double cream

Chop the chocolate up into small pieces and put it in a small bowl. Heat the cream up till nearly boiling, then pour over the chocolate. Leave for a few minutes then beat until smooth. Leave to cool before topping the cakes. 

To assemble:

100g bar of white chocolate (you won't use it all)

While the ganache and cakes cool, make white chocolate shavings by scraping a small sharp knife down the bar of chocolate, with the blade tilted towards you and pressing on the end as you drag it.  Make sure the chocolate is secure and won't move and be careful. Spoon some ganache onto each cake and then top with some of the white chocolate shavings. 

(Makes 24)

Espresso, White Chocolate and Rose Cake

As I walked into the kitchen yesterday, I felt the need for a light cake. A coffee cake seemed like an excellent idea. And so this cake was born - a light but flavourful espresso sponge dripping with a thick white chocolate ganache and topped with a handful of sugared rose petals.

Making sugared rose petals is very easy, if a little fiddly. It's just a matter of painting them with egg white and covering then in fine sugar before letting them dry. It's important that they're not sprayed with chemicals, so picking from your garden is best.

I made mine yesterday while I watched the finals at Wimbledon. Much as I love watching tennis, I felt I could sit on the sofa making these and watch Rafa winning easily at the same time. (Oh how I wish Federer had been there - I was so upset when he went out).



I have to admit to something. I didn't use real, brewed espresso. I used espresso powder that I bought the other day, mixed 1tbsp/1tbsp with boiling water.  I know it's not the real thing, but it worked a charm in this cake.

I had forgotten what an odd looking ganache my favourite white chocolate from Green & Blacks makes. It's almost slightly green and translucent until it cools fully, when it's whiter. So forgive the ganache in the photos for its slightly poorly appearance - I couldn't wait to take the photos and eat some!

Before we knew what had happened, Mum and I had polished off nearly half of the cake. I particularly enjoyed mine with a few fresh raspberries to add a tart element. The sponge is lovely and light and has great flavour, especially combined with the ganache. A success!

Expresso, White Chocolate and Rose Cake

For the cake:
110g butter
60g soft brown sugar
50g caster sugar
2 eggs
110g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp strong espresso
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 160C/ 320F. Grease and line the bottom of a 8"/20 cm round tin. Cream the room temperature butter and the two sugars together until fluffy. Add an egg, beat well, then add the other (you may need to add a tbsp of flour in between the eggs). Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold to combine. Add the espresso and vanilla and fold in. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer/toothpick comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and cool slightly before removing the tin and paper.

For the sugared rose petals:
petals of an unsprayed rose
1 egg white
25g white caster sugar

Carefully pull petals off the rose - I only took 20 or so. Separate an egg and put in a small pot. Put the sugar in a small bowl/pot. Using a paintbrush or pastry brush, lightly cover a rose petal in the egg white. Either carefully press the petal into the sugar or sprinkle it on. Put to dry on a sheet. Repeat for all your petals. Leave to dry for about 30 minutes or until fairly hard before using.

For the white chocolate ganache:
100g good quality white chocolate
30ml double cream
1-2 drops rose water (optional)

Break the chocolate up into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Heat the cream until nearly boiling and pour over the chocolate. Leave for a few minutes then stir until smooth. When it has cooled slightly, pour over the cake and arrange the petals on top.

(About 8 slices)

Baked Custard Pots

I have a very exciting project making its debut upon the world on Friday. I had a lot of unused egg yolks sitting in my fridge as a result of this very exciting project and wanted to do something nice with them. I came across a recipe for Black and White Custards in Annie Bell's lovely 'Gorgeous Desserts' and decided to play with it.

Instead of making just vanilla and chocolate, I decided to make three types: coffee, dark chocolate and cardamon. I found a pot of cardamon pods in the back of my mum's cupboards while I was at home and I brought some back with me in a little bag. I've never used them before but it is a lovely taste and a gorgeous aroma. 

I was surprised to find that the coffee was my favourite. The texture of the chocolate wasn't quite right and neither was the cardamon. All were good, but I would want to tweak the chocolate and cardamon recipes before making them again.  The coffee was gorgeous - silky, smooth and delicate.

I also worked out how to make walnut shavings with a cheese slicer thing to go on top of the coffee pots. I got very excited it, much to my flatmate's confusion.

Baked Custard Pots

EDIT: I've removed this recipe as I'm not happy with it and haven't had the time to go back and try it again - I wouldn't want you to use up ingredients and be disappointed.

Triple Layer Chocolate Tarts

A few days ago, I was pondering a gift for my friend's birthday. I wanted to make her something special to go with some lovely narcissi and an amusing card we had bought for her. 

I had some spare chocolate pastry cream from the Gooey Chocolate Meringue Stack so I was contemplating how I could incorporate this into my gift. I didn't want to give her a big cake but a few smaller things, like cupcakes. The pastry cream is quite runny so I felt it would be a bit annoying on top of cupcakes, and I didn't think it would bake well as a filling inside cakes and it seemed a shame to not do something special with it.

In the end, I decided that little tarts were just the thing.  I could make little chocolate pastry cases, paint them with melted chocolate to stop the pastry cream making them soggy, and fill them with that delicious   cream. It almost reminds me of very very thick yummy hot chocolate.  

On top of this, I decided to put some white chocolate ganache, for a bit of a colour change and a different flavour. I was a little worried it would sink but when I piped it on and then smoothed it over it was fine. On top of this, to seal it all in, I poured melted chocolate and then let them set in the fridge. 

The result was yummy, if a little messy to eat (as one of my friends found out, when trying to eat one standing up in my kitchen - needless to say, the floor needed mopping afterwards). They're not too sweet - the pastry and dark chocolate counteract the sweeter pastry cream and ganache. Still, the small portion size is good as it comes together to be really quite rich. 

Happy Birthday to B - you'll always be my bow!

Triple Layer Chocolate Tarts

(Chocolate Pastry Cream from Nigella Lawson's Domestic Goddess)

For the pastry cases:

85g plain flour

15g cocoa powder

50g cold butter

1 tbsp caster sugar

cold water to bind

20g dark chocolate

Place the butter in the freezer while weighing out the flour, cocoa and sugar into a food processor, then chop it roughly and add it too. Blend until totally incorporated. Slowly add a very small amounts of cold water into the processor until it comes together into a ball. Wrap the ball in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface into a rectangle then cut out circles that fit into a muffin tin. Press these circles into the tin and scrape off the tops so they are even. Insert a cupcake/muffin case into the pastry cases and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 20 minutes then remove the cases and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Melt the dark chocolate then brush the cases with it once they have cooled slightly. Then take out of the cases and let them cool out on a wire rack. 

For the chocolate pastry cream:

3 egg yolks 

50g golden caster sugar

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp plain flour

150ml milk

150ml double cream

50g good quality dark chocolate

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together, then add the flour and cocoa and beat well to incorporate. Warm the cream and milk in a small saucepan then add half to the egg mixture, beating well with a whisk as you go.  Return to the rest of the milk/cream mixture in the pan and whisk again. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly until it thickens. Take off the heat and remove to a bowl to cool, topping with greased baking parchment to stop a skin forming. Don't put it in the fridge.

For the white chocolate ganache:

50g white chocolate 

75 ml double cream

Chop up the white chocolate and put it into a small bowl. Heat the cream until nearly boiling and then pour over the chocolate. Leave for a few minutes then beat in until smooth and leave to cool slightly.

To assemble:

50g dark chocolate

Spoon the pastry cream into the painted pastry cases until they are about half full. Pipe or spread the white chocolate ganache over this and place in the fridge for five minutes. Melt the dark chocolate then pour it over each case, making sure it reaches every edge. Put into the fridge for 20 minutes or so until the chocolate sets on top. 

(Makes six)

Summer Fruit and White Chocolate Layer Cake

Last week my mum's friend, Alice, celebrated her 40th birthday. She had a lovely party at a nearby village pub, especially as we could spill out into the sunshine to catch the last rays on the village green to the beat of her bongo-drumming friends with a pint of cider. It was really rather idyllic.

A few weeks ago I heard that she wasn't going to have a cake, so I jumped at the opportunity and offered my services. I wanted to branch out from my normal chocolate birthday cake and make a summery, light version. In the end I created this, a mish-mash of various recipes and luck - but it came out beautifully. I tried a new buttermilk sponge recipe, which I ended up not overly happy with as it ended up a bit heavy, but that's easily rectified by reverting to my trustworthy old recipe, which I've put below. The recipe seemed to overcomplicate everything yet not improve upon a simple recipe.

I bought myself some beautiful new square cake tins, in 6" and 9", when I was in London and I couldn't wait to try them out. They're amazing - though I think I overfilled them and so the mix didn't rise evenly - or maybe I'll just blame it on the recipe! Still, the square is great - it's really fun to work with a new shape.

I played with the white chocolate ganache mixture I used for mum's birthday cake, upping the white chocolate in the ratio to thicken it. I was intending to use that as the icing, but it ended up so yellow from the lovely white chocolate and I didn't have enough, so I decided to improvise a buttercream. I didn't really have a recipe, as the two books I have with me don't really have one, and I didn't have internet access. Luckily it came out nicely, though I still stand by my feeling that buttercream is too sweet. I think it might be rather weird to have chucked in lime juice, vanilla and the ganache, but it felt right at the time and seemed to work! As a result of it all being rather hurried and adding icing sugar etc till I felt it was right/tasted good, I don't think the recipe below is exactly what I used - you would have to go on your own instincts there.

I froze the cake layers for a few hours while I made the icings, which made them much easier to deal with. When it came to assembling it, I smeared a little ganache onto the middle of the cake board to help secure it, then placed strips of baking parchment around the edges to keep it free from icing. I used a big serrated knife to cut the frozen layers in half, then proceeded to sandwich it all together.

For the fillings between layers I first spread a thick layer of the white chocolate ganache, then arranged the strawberry slices and blueberries on top, before spreading a layer of whipped cream on top. Between the two halves I just used the ganache, and then used the ganache again to fill in the gaps and give a first crumb coat - see below. I then properly crumb coated and topped the whole thing with the buttercream and more fruit.

Summer Fruit and White Chocolate Layer Cake

For the cakes (6"/9"):

110g/275g butter

110g/275g caster sugar

2/5 eggs

110g/275g flour

1/2.5 heaped tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 170C. Line/grease and flour tins. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add eggs one at a time with a tablespoonful of flour, beating well between each addition. Fold in the rest of the flour and baking powder until combined. If needed, add a little hot water. Pour into the tin and spread out evenly. Bake for about 25-30 mins, though the 9" may need longer, or until they are golden and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for five minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

For the ganache:

300g (best quality) white chocolate

150ml double cream

150ml creme fraiche

Heat the cream and creme fraiche in a saucepan until nearly boiling. Meanwhile break the chocolate into a bowl. Take the cream mix off the heat and pour onto the chocolate. Make sure all the chocolate is submerged then leave for a few minutes before stirring until thickened and smooth. Leave to thicken in the fridge.

For the buttercream:

250g unsalted butter

500g icing sugar

2 tbsp white chocolate ganache, above

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tbsp lime juice

Beat butter in mixer until paler, then add the icing sugar and beat until fluffy. Add in the ganache and beat well, followed by the lime juice and vanilla. Leave to set slightly in the fridge before using.

Triple Chocolate and Pecan Cookies

I promised in my last post that I would share my attempt over the holidays to soothe my cravings for Ben's cookies by making these triple chocolate and pecan cookies. They're a bit different from Ben's - I used both dark and white chocolate, and they have walnuts rather than pecans. Thinking about it, I'm fairly sure that Ben's don't have nuts in the actual dough, either. But most of all it's the volume - these are fairly flat, even sunken - whereas Ben's have big domes. They're also a bit too crispy in places - I want some chewiness, and a more brownie-like consistency. I'm going on work on that over the summer. I think one starting point will be Erin Cooks' recipe for Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. By the time I graduate I want to be able to recreate them perfectly!

I'm much more of a fan of pecans than of walnuts - I find walnuts often have a funny aftertaste. In a similar way I always thought macadamia nuts had a really metallic taste. Pecans almost always hit the spot, though, especially when toasted. The white chocolate chips I used were left over from decorating Mum's Birthday Cake, and I think some 'real' white chocolate would have improved them. They weren't half bad chips - but a lump of Green and Blacks or similarly cocoa-butter rich type. For some reason the supermarkets in town at home only have pretty shoddy white chocolate. Perhaps if we went down into the valley it would be better.

Despite the fact they're not Ben's, they're not quite tall enough, etc etc, they really are quite lovely. The nutty muscovado and the pecans go beautifully and the chocolate melds into the dough, yet you still get pockets of melted chocolate. The pile disappeared really very quickly.



Triple Chocolate and Pecan Cookies
(Inspired by a recipe from Australian Women's Weekly)

100g pecans
125g butter
200g soft brown sugar
1 egg
185g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
150g dark chocolate
100g white chocolate

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Toast the pecans in a dry saucepan or in the oven for 4-5 minutes or until they smell nutty and look slightly darker, then leave them to cool. Beat the butter and sugar together until well combined. Add the egg, then sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and beat just until combined. Chop and stir in the pecans and both types of chocolate. Scoop out balls of dough and place on lined baking sheets, with at least 4cm or so between them. Squish slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they look set in the centres. Remove from oven and let cool on the tray for five minutes before removing to a wire rack.

The dough keeps for at least a day in the fridge. I often freeze the balls of dough and then bake from frozen, which takes an additional 1-2 minutes. They keep in the freezer for up to two months.

(Makes 15-20, depending on size)

Double Chocolate Birthday Cake

We have always made the same chocolate cake on birthdays - Mum even swears my Grandma made the same recipe for her. The only thing that changes is the toppings. So when it came to making another big cake for mum's birthday party I couldn't bring myself to change the cake itself, but decided to try a different topping/filling. Before we've often used a egg white based chocolate topping, creating a mousse-like filling (though it sometimes curdled a bit!) We sometimes added Mars bars to the mix when I was little. We've also played with the cocoa/hot chocolate powder ratio over the years - as I child I liked it with just hot chocolate powder. After making the white chocolate tart the other day I decided to play with the ganache-like mix with the creme fraiche, cream and white chocolate for the filling, and look at a normal dark chocolate ganache for the outside topping. I bought some white chocolate roses from Squires to decorate it - the theme of the party is Black & White - so I wanted to contrast the dark chocolate with the white roses and some white chocolate buttons I had.

Last year I made a similar size cake with just a hand electric whisk - was so lovely to have a big kenwood chef to do some of the work for me! It always seems to make a lighter cake, too - that big whisk really does the job. Having said that, one of the spokes came off mine yesterday and so I had try and wind it around the top - hence the photo! Last years cake had the egg-white based topping and filling and was covered in raspberries - I really thought hard about including raspberries again, perhaps as a filling, but in the end it was expensive and I decided to keep it simple.

I got up early and started baking at 8am - I had decided to not bake any layers before the day, especially as I didn't have big tins or freezer space to keep them really fresh. So I just baked all day until 5pm - it was exhausting! I had four 'tiers' as such, though they were on top of each other - 8 layers of cake. The top was 8", then 10", 13" and 16" - it's bigger than it looks in the photos! As I don't have any circular tins bigger than 10", I had to do both the bottom layers as four batches of rectangles and then use templates to cut out each half and assemble it all. I used foil to try and reduce the waste by creating a more semi-circular tin. Overall I made 11 batches of cake mix! I used a 2 egg mix for both the 8" halves , then multiplied it up so that the 10" was 2 egg mix in each half, 13" had 3 egg mix for each quarter, then the 16" had 4 egg mix for each quarter. I'll give the basic 2 egg mix below.

I multiplied up the ganache recipes in a pseudo-mathematical exercise with lots of areas of circles that just meant I ended up with far too much, but that isn't too much of a chore! We've had plenty of dinner parties since - my best friend is staying in town for a week - so we've just been serving up offcuts of the cake with the rest of the ganache and chopped up pears or strawberries and more cream and ice cream. I've melted some of the ganache down with a little more cream to pour it over the fruit and ice cream too. I'm just experimenting with freezing it too.


I was feeling very happy about my time keeping (the cake had to be picked up and taken to the club where the party was being held by 5pm) until I realised that the clock in the kitchen I had been keeping time with had stopped as the batteries had run out and it was 4:15! So I had to put the cake together in about 35 minutes. Luckily I had already got all my templates and things together and so it didn't take too long to cut out the other layers and build the cake. I switched the halves position on each half so the cake didn't just have a great split down the middle. I had some sticks in the drawer - think they might be kebab sticks - that I used to pin it all together.

As I was so rushed I didn't get any photos of it being put together or the crumb coat etc. The photos at the top and bottom of this post are of the cake being lit at the party and were taken by the photographer we hired, Thomas Roulin at Alpimage. I have to admit I turned them into black and white. I wish I had had time to take more myself!

Double Chocolate Birthday Cake

For the cake:

130g self raising flour

130g caster sugar

130g butter

45g cocoa

40g hot chocolate powder

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

3 tbsp milk

3 tbsp boiling water

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 170C and line two 8" tins with greaseproof paper. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add an egg and a tbsp of flour and mix, before following with the other egg and more flour. Beat in well. Sift in the rest of the flour, baking powder, cocoa, hot chocolate powder and salt. Fold into the mix lightly - the mixture will be dry and almost flakey. Add the milk and fold again quickly - it should soak up most of the dry bits, but don't worry too much - it's a fairly lumpy mix. When you are totally ready to whip it into the oven, measure in the boiling water and fold in the water - it will seem like lots and swill around but it will mix in. Quickly transfer into tins and into the oven and bake for around 25-30 mins or until a skewer comes out clean and it is springy to touch. Cool on a rack.

For the filling:

100g white chocolate

75ml creme fraiche

75ml double cream

Break the chocolate up and put in a bowl. Measure out and heat creme fraiche and cream in a pan on a medium heat till nearly boiling. Pour over the chocolate and leave for a minute before stirring until smooth. Chill in the fridge for around 2-3 hours.

For the coating/ganache:

200g best quality dark chocolate

200ml double cream

Chop up the chocolate into half-squares and put in a bowl. Heat cream and pour over the chocolate. Leave for a minute and then stir. When smooth leave to cool - but don't put in the fridge.