Banana split

Some desserts will always be popular! Good, traditional banana split will always satisfy. 

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 banana, peeled, cut lengthways
• 2 scoops vanilla ice-cream
• 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce (see related recipe)
• 3 pecans, chopped

 

Method

1. Place banana slices on a plate. Top with scoops of ice-cream.
2. Drizzle with chocolate sauce. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve.

Chocolate mousse in minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 300g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
• 1 tbs good-quality cocoa powder, sifted
• 300ml thickened cream, plus extra whipped cream to serve
• Grated chocolate, to serve

 

Method

1. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Place eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters for 5 minutes, or until mixture is pale, thick and doubled in volume. Fold in cooled chocolate and cocoa powder until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whip cream until thickened (be careful not to over-beat). Use a large metal spoon to carefully fold the cream into the chocolate mixture, trying to keep the mixture as light as possible. Spoon into 6 serving glasses and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before serving, then top with extra whipped cream and grated chocolate to serve.

 

Notes

• Add your favourite spirit. To keep it French, go for Cognac (or another quality brandy) or Grand Marnier, adding 1 tablespoon to the melting chocolate.
• For a flavour twist, add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to the chocolate as it melts.
• Chocolate and coffee make a great pairing, so try adding two tablespoons of prepared strong black coffee to the chocolate when melting.
• For a cool treat, serve the mousse as a semifreddo - freeze for about 3 hours (but don't freeze solid).

Chocolate chunk muffettes

Preparation Time

15 minutes

Cooking Time

12 minutes

Makes

24

Ingredients

• Melted butter or margarine (optional), for greasing
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 25g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 75g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 60g (3 tbs) butter or margarine, melted, cooled
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• 80mls (V3 cup) milk or buttermilk
• 1 tbs raspberry jam

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush 24 mini (40mls/2-tbs) muffin pans with the melted butter or margarine to lightly grease, line them with paper cases or use non-stick muffin pans.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and chocolate.
3. Whisk together the butter or margarine, egg, milk or buttermilk and jam until combined. Add to the dry ingredients and stir with a large metal spoon until just combined.
4. Spoon mixture evenly into the muffin pans and bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand in pans for 2-3 minutes before turning onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 day

 

Notes

"Muffettes" was the name given to these mini muffins by our photographer Rowan Fotheringham - quite fitting, we thought! They are the perfect size to serve with coffee after dinner, for that mid-afternoon indulgence or warm with vanilla ice-cream, for dessert. This mixture will also make six medium (125 mls/ 1/2 cup) muffins

Chocolate mousse log

Make this relaxing, flavour-filled dessert a part of your Christmas banquet. 

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 180g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup thickened cream
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee powder
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 250g packet chocolate chip cookies
• 250g strawberries, halved
• Icing sugar mixture, to serve

 

Method

1. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure bowl doesn't touch water. Heat, stirring occasionally with a metal spoon, for 3 to 4 minutes or until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Add egg yolks. Stir until smooth.
2. Using an electric mixture, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold half the cream into chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold in remaining cream.
3. Wash and dry beaters and bowl. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Cover. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until just firm.
4. Place coffee and boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Stir to dissolve coffee. Cool.
5. Dip top half of biscuits into coffee mixture. Sandwich biscuits with chocolate mixture on a plate to form a log shape. Spread log with remaining chocolate mixture, swirling chocolate to give a rough texture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight (see note).
6. Top with strawberries. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

 

Notes

Refrigerating log overnight lets the biscuits soften and become cake-like.

Butterscotch hot chocolate

Treat the adults to our very special hot chocolate which has a generous splash of butterscotch schnapps. 

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

55 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 500ml (2 cups) milk
• 100g good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 125ml (1/2 cup) butterscotch schnapps
• Marshmallows, to serve

 

Method

1. Place the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes or until it almost boils. Remove from heat.
2. Divide the chocolate among 2 tall heatproof glasses. Pour over the hot milk and butterscotch schnapps. Top with marshmallows to serve.

Coffee truffles

Makes

20-25

Ingredients

• 200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup thickened cream
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
• 1/4 cup chocolate sprinkles

 

Method

1. Follow step 1 of Basic truffle recipe (see related recipe), replacing vanilla with coffee powder.
2. Follow steps 2 and 3 of Basic truffle recipe (see related recipe), replacing cocoa with sprinkles.

"Hot chocolate" mousse

End your meal on Christmas eve with these festive cups of chocolate comfort. 

Preparation Time

15 - 375 minutes

Cooking Time

5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 x 200g pkt milk chocolate with hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
• 3 eggs, at room temperature, separated
• 125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream
• 55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
• Icing sugar, to dust
• Candy canes, to serve

 

Method

1. Place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Stir with a metal spoon until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. Stir in the egg yolks.
2. Use an electric beater to beat the cream in a bowl until firm peaks form. Use a metal spoon to fold half the cream into the chocolate mixture. Repeat with remaining cream.
3. Use a clean electric beater to beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is thick and glossy.
4. Fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into four 250ml (1-cup) capacity serving cups. Cover and place in the fridge for 6 hours or until set.
5. Dust with icing sugar and serve with candy canes.

Chocolate marshmallow cakes

Preparation Time

120 minutes

Cooking Time

5 minutes

Makes

40

 

Ingredients

• 400g good-quality milk or white chocolate, roughly chopped
• 60g copha, chopped
• 250g packet shortbread biscuits (we used Scotch Finger), roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 80g Crunchie bar, finely chopped

 

Method

1. Line 40 x 1 1/2-tablespoon capacity mini muffin holes with small paper cases. Place chocolate and copha into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring constantly with a metal spoon, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Place biscuits, marshmallows and Crunchie into a large glass bowl. Pour over chocolate mixture. Stir until well combined. Place tablespoonfuls of mixture into paper cases. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

Banana chocolate cake

Made with ripe bananas, this moist chocolate cake is easy to whip up for any family occasion. 

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 1 1/2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 large, over-ripe bananas, mashed (see note)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• Icing

• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, warmed

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease an 8-cup capacity, 24cm fluted ring tin. Sift flours, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add husks from sieve. Add sugar. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre.
2. Combine eggs, banana, buttermilk and oil in a jug. Pour into well. Stir to combine.
3. Spoon cake mixture into prepared tin. Smooth surface. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake for 5 minutes in tin. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Make icing: Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add milk. Using a wooden spoon, mix until smooth. Pour icing over cooled cake. Using a flat-bladed knife, spread over top. Allow icing to run down sides. Stand for 20 minutes or until icing sets. Serve.

 

Notes

You will need 1 cup mashed banana.

Chocolate trifles

A classic trifle demands hours of setting, soaking and chilling, but this speedy sweet treat is ready to eat in just 15 minutes. 

Cooking Time

15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 6 chocolate rollettes, thinly sliced
• 2 tbs coffee-flavoured liqueur (such as Kahlua)
• 225g (1 1/2 cups) thawed frozen mixed berries
• 2 x 200g ctns King Island chocolate creme dessert
• White chocolate curls, to decorate

 

Method

1. Use the rollette slices to evenly line the bases and sides of four 250ml (1 cup) capacity serving glasses. Pour over the coffee liqueur. Spoon the berries among the glasses and top with a dollop of the chocolate creme dessert. Set aside for 10 minutes to develop the flavours.
2. Sprinkle trifles with chocolate curls and serve immediately.

Double Chocolate Batter Bread

INGREDIENTS

 

3          1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1/3       cup unsweetened cocoa

1/3       cup sugar

1/4       teaspoon salt

1/4       teaspoon baking soda

1          package active dry yeast

1 1/2   cups buttermilk

1/4      cup butter

2         eggs

1         (12-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

2         teaspoons oil

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

 

1 Generously grease 12-cup Bundt® pan. In large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, baking soda and yeast; mix well. In small saucepan, heat buttermilk and butter until very warm (120 to 130°F.). Add warm liquid and eggs to flour mixture; beat at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. 2 By hand, stir in remaining 1 cup flour and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Spoon dough evenly into greased pan. Cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel; let rise in warm place (80 to 85°F.) until light and doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. 3 Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover dough; bake 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Immediately invert bread onto wire rack; remove pan. Cool 45 minutes or until completely cooled. 4 Place remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and oil in resealable food storage freezer plastic bag; seal bag. Knead bag to evenly distribute oil. Microwave on HIGH for 30 to 60 seconds or until melted. Cut small hole in bottom corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle melted chocolate over cooled bread.

This delicious bread contains two forms of chocolate: cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate. Present the bread as a gift with the recipe to that special chocolate-lover on your list.

Despite its name, buttermilk contains no butter. It is skim milk that has had friendly bacteria cultures added to thicken it and give it a tangy flavor.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

 

INGREDIENTS

 

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

2 teaspoons sugar

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of two 8x4-inch loaf pans with shortening; lightly flour (or spray bottoms of pans with cooking spray; do not flour). 2 In medium bowl, stir flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until mixed; set aside. 3 In large bowl, beat 2 cups sugar and the butter with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in water and pumpkin on low speed. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed about 1 minute or until moistened. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Spread evenly in pans. Sprinkle tops with remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, the pecans and 2 teaspoons sugar. 4 Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

To ensure your loaf has a gently rounded top and no "lipping" at the edges, grease or spray only the bottom of the pans.