By Hannah Powling
Apologies in advance, but these delicious concoctions that have come our way this week are just too much to resist. It is National Chocolate Week so if you have any excuse for an indulgence, it’s a good one. It is basically like breaking the law if you don’t?
Take a look at some scrumptious recipes using our favourite ingredient ever….chocolate.
Chocolate Bark
This recipe has been made using Bahlsen Choco Leibniz Milk Chocolate Biscuits – which, here at Beauty and the Dirt we have agreed they are definitely one of our favourite choccy biscuits! Perfect for dunking in tea too. Yum.
Ingredients
450g Bahlsen Choco Leibniz Dark biscuits, broken up
150g almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
60g dried apricots, roughly chopped
40g raisins
4-6 pieces crystallised ginger, roughly chopped
Sprinkling of sea salt
Method
1. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Place a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water and put two-thirds of the Choco Leibniz into the bowl. Melt the chocolate slowly, stirring the biscuit pieces as you go, then remove from the heat and stir in the remaining third of Choco Leibniz until melted. Return to the heat and warm through.
3. Pour the melted Choco Leibniz onto the foil-lined tray, spreading it out with a spatula until it is around 0.5cm thick. Scatter over the dried fruit and nuts. Then sprinkle over a little sea salt.
4. Chill in the fridge until firm, peel off the foil and break into irregular pieces before serving.
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BAKED DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
This pudding is one of chef James Martin’s recipes – who will also be appearing at the BBC Good Food Show Winter in November.
“This is a great pudding to place in the centre of the table for everyone to help themselves. Just wait for the reaction when the first spoon hits the bottom of the dish, revealing the rich chocolate sauce that forms as the pudding bakes. Serve with cream or ice cream.”
Ingredients
100g melted butter, plus extra for greasing
3 eggs
175ml milk
250g self-raising flour
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
150g light brown soft sugar
100g dark chocolate drops (70% cocoa solids), or dark chocolate, finely chopped into approx. 5mm dice
100g milk chocolate drops, or milk chocolate, finely chopped into approx. 5mm dice
For the sauce
300ml water
200g light brown soft sugar
40g cocoa powder
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4 and butter a 2-litre ovenproof dish.
2. Whisk the melted butter, eggs and milk together in a jug until smooth. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl then stir in the sugar.
3. Pour the butter mixture onto the flour and mix well to a smooth batter. Stir in the dark and milk chocolate and spoon into the prepared baking dish.
4. To make the sauce, bring the water and sugar to the boil in a saucepan, then add the cocoa and whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over the top of the batter then place the dish in the oven to bake for 25–30 minutes. The top of the sponge will be just firm to the touch, but underneath there will be a runny chocolate sauce. Serve hot with double cream or ice cream.
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Click here for the next page of choccy recipes.…
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