Chocolate Fudge Brownie & Raspberry Trifle

Trifles are not only impressive looking desserts but they are incredibly easy to make. This Chocolate Fudge Brownie & Raspberry Trifle is layer upon layer of rich decadent chocolate that will knock your socks off. 

This trifle has fudgy brownie, chocolate mousse, whipped cream and raspberries, all different texture and flavours that compliment each other well.

This Chocolate & Raspberry Trifle is not for faint heart. It's a statement to how much you love chocolate. This is a perfect dessert for a dinner party because you can assemble it early in the day, or even the day before.

Ingredients:

• 180g dark chocolate
• 225g cream cheese, room temperature
• 500ml whipping cream
• 360g rapsberries
• 50oml whipping cream

Method:

To make the brownie follow the recipe below:

https://yummymummyrecipes.blogspot.com/2019/09/quick-east-brownies.html

The brownie can be prepare up to 24 hours in advance. Cut the brownie into cubes.

For the easy chocolate mousse: In a bowl gently melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a Ban Marie. Set aside to cool.

Using electric mixer or a stand mixer whip up the cream cheese until smooth and no lumps. Pour in the whipping cream and continue whipping until the mixture becomes thick. This is the base for your mousse.

Take a spoonful of the cream cheese and quickly mix it into the melted chocolate then swiftly fold the chocolate mixture into the rest of the cream cheese. You will want to do this fast because the chocolate will start to stiffen quickly once added to the creamy mix.

Once the melted chocolate is fully incorporated, place in the fridge until needed. It will last for up to 3 days.  Whip the second measurement of whipping cream  until it reaches soft peaks. No need to add any sugar or flavour to it. Set in the fridge until needed. It id goes soft while resting you can whip it up again to stiffen.

Begin layering the trifle: Lay half the brownie cubes into a trifle serving glass dish. Compress slightly so that there are no gaps. Spread half the chocolate mousse over the brownies. Top the mousse with the raspberries and half the whipped cream.

Repeat he layering and garnish with chocolate curls or cocoa powder and serve.

This trifle can be made hours in advance or refrigerate up to overnight until serving.

Orange Chiffon Cake

I love making chiffon cakes as the ingredients are so simple. Eggs, sugar and flour, these are the ingredients we usually have in the pantry. For the flavouring, literally work with anything you an think of-earl grey tea, chocolate, coffee, matcha, mango, and the list goes on.

Airy, bouncy and slightly sweet, orange chiffon is an elegant cake with floral fragrance fom the orange zest

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, separate
• 170g & 90g sugar
• 50ml vegetable oil
• 100ml fresh orange juice
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 tsp orange essence
• orange colouring, optional
• 150g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cream of tartar

Method:

Prepare a clean and grease-free 23 cm chiffon/angel tube pan.

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C for fan oven.

In a grease-free and dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with electric mixer or a stand mixer with sifted cream of tartar and salt until frothy. Then slowly add in the 170g sugar. Continue to beat until a thick white meringue with soft peaks forms. To test, you should be able to turn the entire bowl upside down without the meringue falling out. set the bowl aside.

In another mixing bowl, add 6 egg yolks and remaining 90g sugar. Whisk until the eggs is pale and thickened. Add in the vegetable oil, orange juice, orange essence and orange zest. Add the orange colouring if used. Mix well.

Sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold until combined.

Fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the orange batter. Mix until well combine. Then add in ½ of the meringue in orange batter. This time you need to slowly fold in with the batter until combine. Add the remaining meringue  and fold until well combine. Do not over mix so that you don't loose the air from the meringue.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and invert immediately upside down. Leave it to cool in this position and do not un-mould cake until completely cold.

To remove, scrape all round the sides with a thin knife and let the cake slip out gently of the pan. Loosen the centre tube by running a knife around the tube. Scrape the bottom to remove the base/tube.

Cut the cake with serrated knife. Enjoy with hot coffee or tea!

Quick and easy brownies

Delicious warm brownies make for a quick family dessert. If you are a dab hand in the kitchen, you might be able to make these in half and hour!

Ingredients:

• 96g plain flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 190g sugar
• 170g butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C for fan assist. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa and salt. melt butter in a large sauce pan and remove from heat. Stir in sugar and vanilla extract. Quickly whisk in eggs, one at a time.

Add butter mixture to flour mixture ans stir until well blended. Spread brownie into prepared tin and bake for 20-30 minutes. Cool completely.

Non Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecake

Adorable Non Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecake are ultra fresh with the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, vibrant and simple to make with no oven require!

I love mini cheesecakes because they are so much quicker and simpler to make & easy to transport  than a full sized cheesecakes. For perfect adorable mini cheesecakes, get yourself a mini cheesecake pan, I use mine all of the time. The bottom are removable just like a springform or tart pan so you can pop out each cheesecake and keep it perfectly in tact.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 180g digestive biscuits
• 60g butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

• 340g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 180g double cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 80g blackberry preserves

For the topping:

• 150g blackberries
• 1½ tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• blackberries for garnish

Method:

For the crust : Thoroughly grease a mini cheesecake pan. Place digestive biscuits in the food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add n the melted butter and pulse until moistened. Divide the mixture among the cavities of the cheesecake pan, about 1 heaping tablespoon in each. Firmly press into the bottom of each cavity (a shot glass or other small object makes easy work of this). 

Set aside. 

For the cheesecake: Beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until creamy and well combined. Add in the cream, lemon juice and preserves and continue beating for 2-3 minutes, until well combined and thickened, with a texture similar to frosting. 

Divide the mixture among each cavity and cover with plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. The cheesecake can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

For the topping: Combine the berries, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl  of a blender or food processor and pulse until pureed. Top each cheesecake with a dollop of the puree.

Garnish with more fresh blackberries. Serve.

Luxurious Vegan Chocolate Truffle Cake

On a scale of deliciousness from 1 to 10, this vegan chocolate truffle cake is off the charts. With melt-in-mouth chocolate sponges, fluffy vegan chocolate frosting and absolutely stunning decorations, it's the perfect showstopper for all occasions. In fact, this may very well be the ultimate vegan chocolate cake!

Ingredients:

For hazelnuts chocolate shards:

• 150g dark chocolate, chopped
• 120g hazelnuts, toasted in a pan and roughly chopped

For vegan chocolate sponges (makes 3x6" sponges)

• 400g plain flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 65-85g cocoa powder, depending on how intense you want the flavour to be
• 450g sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 360ml cups almond milk, room temperature or other non-dairy milk of choice
• 90ml melted coconut oil
• 180ml warm water
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice

For vegan chocolate frosting:

• 250g dark chocolate , chopped
• 400g coconut cream, divided
• 60g -125g icing sugar, depending on how sweet you want the frosting to be
• 1-2 tsp vanilla extract

For vegan chocolate ganache:

• 50g dark chocolate, chopped
• 100g coconut cream

Method:

For the vegan chocolate truffles:  

Refer to:

https://yummymummyrecipes.blogspot.com/2019/09/vegan-chocolate-truffle.html

For hazelnut chocolate shards:  Cover a baking sheet or a shallow baking tray with a smooth layer of cling film.

In a heat-proof bowl above a pot of simmering water, melt 2/3 of the chopped dark chocolate until it reaches 55°C. Remove from the heat and mix in the rst of the chopped chocolate. Stir gently until the chocolate completely dissolves- this will lower the temperature of the chocolate.

Heat the chocolate over the pot of simmering water up to a temperature of 32°C, then pour it immediately onto the baking sheet/tray lined with cling film. Gently spread it into an evenly thin layer by tilting the baking sheet/tray in all directions.

Scatter the chopped roasted hazelnuts onto the chocolate and allow to set. If the chocolate has been tempered properly, it will set within a few minutes at room temperature and will have a glossy shine. Don't refrigerate the chocolate.

Allow the chocolate to firm up for at least 1-2 hours( while you make the rest of the cake) Then, cut into triangles that you will use to decorate the cake.

For vegan chocolate sponges:  Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C for fan oven. Line 3 6 inch round cake tins with baking paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder. Add sugar and salt, and whisk well so that the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.

Combine the almond milk or other on-dairy milk of choice, melted coconut oil, warm water and lemon juice. Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and whisk well until you get a smooth batter.

Distribute the cake batter evenly between the three lined cake tins. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For vegan chocolate frosting:  Place the chopped dark chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat 1 cup of coconut cream until only just boiling (either on the stove or in the microwave), then pour it over the chocolate.

Leave it to stand for 2-3 minutes, then stir well until you have get a smooth glossy ganache. Allow to cool. Combine the ganache with 1 cup of coconut cream, and whip (either by using hand mixer or using a stand mixer with whisk attachment) until fluffy. The frosting will get a bit lighter in colour as air is incorporated.

Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract, and whisk until evenly incorporated into the frosting. Set aside.

For vegan chocolate ganache:  Place the chopped dark chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the coconut cream until only just boiling (either on the stove or in the microwave), then pour it over the chocolate.

Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes, then stir well until you get a smooth glossy ganache. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

Assembling and decorating the cake:

Layer the sponges and frosting on a cake stand of choice in the order:

sponge-frosting-sponge frosting-sponge. Then, frost the outside of the cake with the remaining chocolate frosting, creating an even smooth layer.

Chill the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Check the consistency of the chocolate ganache. It should be runny enough to drip, but not too hot (otherwise it will melt the frosting). If it is too thick, heat it up briefly in the microwave. For the easiest ( and prettiest) drip, transfer the chocolate ganache into a squeeze bottle.

Create the chocolate drip: first allow the chocolate ganache to gently run down the sides, then fill out the top of the cake by drizzling on  more ganache and smoothing it out with an offset spatula.

Use the hazelnut chocolate shards and the truffles to decorate the top of the cake.

Enjoy!!

Vegan Chocolate Truffle

These chocolate truffles are oh so decadent and rich, not to mention super stunning. They are also vegan, paleo, healthy and dairy free. Whether you dip them in chocolate or roll them in cocoa powder or roll over chopped nuts, these chocolate truffles are fantastic vegan chocolate dessert or snack that you won't feel guilty about at all.

Ingredients:

• 250g dark chocolate, chopped
• 125g coconut cream
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1-2 tbsp icing sugar (optional if you want the truffles to be slightly sweeter)
• chopped hazelnuts, cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate for decorating the truffles

Method:

Place the chopped dark chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the coconut cream and coconut oil together until only just boiling (either on the stove or in the microwave), then pour it over the chocolate.

Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes, then stir well until you get a smooth glossy ganache. Taste the ganache-if you want it to be sweeter, then add some icing sugar.

Allow to cool first at room temperature, then in the fridge for about 30 minutes, until you can easily form truffles. Make truffles in different sizes if you want to decorate cake as it will make the cake decorations more interesting. Roll them in chopped hazelnuts or cocoa powder or dip them in melted chocolate. For a crunchy chocolate shell, mix some of the chopped hazelnuts into the melted chocolate.