Super Moist. Super Delicious. Carrot Cupcakes With Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Posted on August 9, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Carrot Cupcakes With Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Resurrecting the classic carrot cake. Super moist. Super delicious. There are so many variations of this old fashioned treat. With or without nuts, raisins and even pineapple. The one constant being plenty of sweet, grated carrot.  It’s the type of recipe that your mother or grandmother  would have carefully penned into a recipe book. Time-honoured. Perhaps closely guarded.

I like my carrot cake studded with toasted walnuts and topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting. Here it is recreated in cupcake form. As luck would have it I still had a small stash of hazelnut praline leftover from my husband’s birthday cake. Sprinkled liberally over the cream cheese frosting, this batch of carrot cupcakes was just a little more decadent than usual.

Carrot Cupcakes

Carrot Cupcakes With Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting 

More often than not I finish my cupcakes with a liberal sprinkling of finely chopped toasted walnuts over the frosting. If you prefer to use a praline as I did the recipe I used is here. 

Makes 12 Large Cupcakes

3 medium carrots
125g packet of walnuts
1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 cup (80g) brown sugar
3/4 cup (185ml) olive oil
1/2 cup (125ml) golden syrup
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

PREHEAT oven to 170C. Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper cases.
PEEL the carrots and grate them coarsely using a box grater. Set aside.
LIGHTLY toast the walnuts in a dry pan. Cool.
COARSELY chop 100g of the walnuts for the batter. Finely chop the remaining 25g of the walnuts for sprinkling over the frosted cupcakes when baked. Set aside.
SIFT the flours, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice into a large bowl.
LIGHTLY whisk the brown sugar, oil, golden syrup, eggs and vanilla together in a separate bowl.
ADD to the sifted dry ingredients, stirring lightly until just combined.
LASTLY fold through the grated carrot and coarsely chopped walnuts.
SPOON the batter evenly into the paper lined muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean.
SET aside to cool before frosting and garnishing with a sprinkling of finely chopped nuts.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

60 g butter, softened
160 g Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
3 cups (480 g) icing sugar mixture

BEAT butter, cream cheese and lemon zest in a small bowl until light and fluffy. At least 5 minutes.
GRADUALLY beat in icing sugar, ensuring it is well incorporated.

Posted in Baked, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

A Blast From The Past. Retro Popcorn. Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs.

Posted on August 7, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs

Today I’m taking a trip down memory lane. Back to my childhood. Remember Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs? A nostalgic blast from the past. Nutty caramel-coated popcorn clusters that hit Australian shores by storm in the 1980’s. As their tagline put it “Everyone’s idea of bliss”. I have no idea if Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs are available today. I certainly haven’t spied any of the distinctive fluorescent and psychedelic packaging on supermarket  shelves in a very, very long time.

To satisfy a growing hankering for Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs I decided to have a go at recreating them at home. My rendition. Decadently delicious caramel corn with nuts. Deceptively simple to prepare. The popcorn is freshly microwaved using the brown paper bag method. A dark, rich caramel prepared on the stovetop. The two elements then combined with nuts and baked in a slow oven until crisp and crunchy. Sweet. Salty. Moreish. These truly are my idea of bliss.

Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs (aka Caramel Corn With Nuts)

A candy thermometer takes the guesswork out of determining when the caramel is cooked to soft ball stage. If you don’t own a candy thermometer crude benchmarks to help assess the readiness of the caramel can be found in this post It’s the Shatter That Matters. Old Fashioned Homemade Honeycomb. 

8 cups popped popcorn (instructions follow for microwave popcorn)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
125g butter
1/4 cup golden syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup mixed salted nuts

PREHEAT oven to 120 C fan forced. Spread popped popcorn in an even layer over a large baking paper lined oven tray. Set aside.
COMBINE brown sugar, butter and golden syrup in a medium sized saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil.
CONTINUE  cooking, stirring occasionally, until candy thermometer reaches 120 C or small amount of mixture dropped into ice water forms a soft ball.
REMOVE from heat; stir in baking soda, vanilla and salt. Carefully pour the very hot mixture over the popcorn. Sprinkle nuts over the top and toss until well coated.
BAKE  for 15-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until caramel has hardened on the popcorn. Remove from oven. Cool completely. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid.

Microwaved Popcorn Using a Brown Paper Bag
Makes approximately 8 cups

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 brown paper lunch bags

IN A CUP mix together the unpopped kernels and oil. Pour 1/4 of a cup coated corn into each brown paper bag.Fold the top of the bag over twice to seal in the kernels.
MICROWAVE each bag separately.  Stand the bag upright on the carousel and cook at 1000 watt power for 2 1/2 minutes, or until you hear pauses of about 2 seconds between pops. Place an empty cup in the microwave to help keep the bag upright as the corn pops. This helps prevent the popcorn from burning.
CAREFULLY open the bag to avoid escaping steam
POUR popcorn into a bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels of corn.

Posted in Confectionery, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The 5-2 Challenge. A Fast Day Curry. Butter Chicken With A Difference.

Posted on August 6, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Butter Chicken With A Difference

Butter chicken on a fast day? No, I’m definitely not joking. This incredibly delicious but healthy butter chicken tastes authentic but contains very little fat. There’s no butter in this recipe, just butternut pumpkin, loads of spices and a little yoghurt for creaminess. A fast day feast inspired by The Cooking Chook’s humorous post Butter chicken without the butter? What’chu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?

I love it when I am inspired by other blogger’s posts. The other day I was idly thinking about what to cook on my next fast day when I chanced upon this recipe. I too grew up watching  Differ’nt Strokes on TV and was intrigued by the familiar quote. I’ve amended the recipe just a little to meet my 5-2 diet fast day calorie requirements. To keep the calorie count low it is important to use only skinless and boneless chicken breast fillets. And ditto only low fat Greek yoghurt. Whilst tomato paste adds depth of flavour to this dish, I also used tinned tomatoes to add lightness and freshness to the curry. At 335 calories a serve there is even room for a side serving of steamed basmati rice. Just remember each half cup of steamed rice will add 95 calories to your meal.

Here is my day on a plate.

Breakfast
2 Cups of Tea
4
Lunch
Small Banana
90
Mid Afternoon
2 Cups of Tea
4
Dinner
1 Serve Butter Chicken
335
1/3 Cup Steamed Basmati Rice
63
Total Calories
496

Butter Chicken With A Difference.

Serves 4 (335 calories per serve. Add 95 calories per each half cup serve of steamed basmati rice.)

750g chicken breast fillets, skinless and boneless, sliced into 4cm pieces (825 calories)
1 tablespoon oil (120 calories)
1 large brown onion, finely chopped (46 calories)
3 garlic cloves, crushed (12 calories)
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated (5 calories)
1 cinnamon stick (0 calories)
2 tsp garam masala (16 calories)
1 tsp ground coriander (6 calories)
1 tsp smoked paprika (6 calories)
1 tsp ground cumin (8 calories)
1 tsp ground turmeric (8 calories)
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (4 calories)
400g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces (104 calories)
500ml (2 cups) chicken stock (40 calories)
400g tin of diced tomatoes (32 calories)
50g sachet tomato paste (36 calories)
125ml (1/2 cup) low-fat Greek yoghurt (70 calories)

HEAT oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often until onion is soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
ADD tomato paste, cinnamon, garam masala, coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric and chilli. Fry for a minute or so until aromatic.
ADD pumpkin, chicken stock and tinned tomatoes. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes until pumpkin is just tender. Remove cinnamon stick.
ADD sliced chicken. Simmer until chicken is almost cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
STIR through yoghurt. Return to low heat and simmer gently until warmed through. Serve with steamed basmati rice.

Posted in Poultry, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Variation To A Perennial Favourite. Black Bottom Chocolate Caramel Slice

Posted on August 5, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Black Bottom Chocolate Caramel Slice

With three teenagers I find that I am always asked to bake something. For school, afternoon tea, cake stalls, bbqs, spring fairs and many other fundraisers. So much so that I have taken to ordering cake boxes in bulk from a packaging wholesaler. Eliminating the need to constantly chase up the return of empty tupperware containers. By far the most popular request is for Chocolate Caramel Slice. This weekend I was asked at late notice to make a third batch of this perennial favourite. Wanting to speed up the process I used a chilled crushed biscuit layer for the base. With one lone packet of Chocolate Ripple biscuits in the pantry this very welcome variation has been christened the Black Bottom Chocolate Caramel Slice. It truly is divine. Here it is ready to go. All packaged up in it’s cake box.

Black Bottom Chocolate Caramel Slice
The original post and recipe for a more traditional Chocolate Caramel Slice here.

For the Base

250g packet Chocolate Ripple Biscuits
100g butter

GREASE and line a 25cm square baking tin with deep sides. Ensure that baking paper extends over the sides of the dish for easy removal of the slice.
PLACE broken biscuits into a food processor and process until roughly crushed.
ADD butter and continue to process until evenly moistened.
PRESS biscuit crumbs into the base of the prepared tin in an even layer.
REFRIGERATE for at least half an hour until firm.

For the Caramel Layer

1/3 cup golden syrup
125 g butter, melted
2 x 395 g cans of sweetened condensed milk
1 -2 teaspoons of flaky sea salt

PREHEAT oven to 180C.
PLACE the golden syrup, butter and condensed milk in a small saucepan over low heat.
STIR for 7 minutes or until the caramel has thickened slightly.
POUR  evenly over the refrigerated biscuit base and sprinkle with flaky salt, if using.
BAKE for 12-15 minutes in a 180C oven, centre rack position until caramel is golden.
COOL to room temperature before adding the chocolate topping.

For the Chocolate Topping

180 g dark chocolate
3 teaspoons olive oil

PLACE chocolate and oil in a heatproof microwave jug. Microwave on low for 2 minutes and chocolate is melted. Stir well.
POUR evenly over caramel layer.
REFRIGERATE until chocolate is set. Cut into rectangular fingers or squares. I like to cut these into 12 large fingers or 24 small squares.
STORE in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Posted in Baked, Chocolate, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The 5-2 Challenge. The Beauty of Delayed Gratification. Seared Marinated Rump Steak

Posted on August 3, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Marinated and Griddled Rump Steak

Yesterday might have been a fast day but I was craving steak. Or more specifically, a juicy, full of flavour rump steak. Marinated, griddled whole, rested and sliced on the diagonal into ribbons. Mouthwateringly good. It is no coincidence that I just happened to have two magnificent pieces of rump steak begging to be eaten in my refrigerator. And this is why I love the 5-2 diet so.  The beauty of delayed gratification. With a little forward planning I could have my steak and eat it too.

Fortunately, now that I am well into my fourth month of this eating plan, I’m well used to keeping my hunger pangs at bay. So it doesn’t phase me in the least that I won’t have anything to eat until dinner time. The anticipation of that rump steak served with a simple side salad keeps me honest. Sustained throughout the day by nothing more than a skim cappuccino for lunch and a couple of mugs of black tea. The beauty of this diet is today in theory I can eat whatever I please. Strangely, as has been the case on so many of my feast days following a fast day I am not hungry in the least.

Seared Marinated Rump Steak
Serves 4 (400 calories per serve)

2 x 400g  rump steaks, trimmed of fat (1400 calories)
1 tablespoon olive oil (120 calories)
75ml red wine (60 calories)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce (12 calories)
2 cloves garlic, crushed (8 calories)
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (3 calories)
a good grinding of fresh black pepper

PLACE rump steaks in a shallow, non reactive dish.
IN A JUG prepare the marinade. Whisk together olive oil, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, chilli and garlic.
POUR the marinade over the steaks. Cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours, preferably, overnight.
HALF an hour before you are ready to cook the steaks, remove them from the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature.
HEAT a heavy ridged griddle pan on high. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper towels. Season with a good grinding of black pepper.
SEAR steaks, one at a time, in hot griddle pan, 3 minutes each side.
ALLOW to rest, covered for 5 minutes before using your sharpest knife to diagonally cut each steak into thin slices.
TRANSFER to a platter and serve with a simple side salad.

Posted in Beef, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 5-2 Challenge. The Beauty of Delayed Gratification. Seared Marinated Rump Steak

For The Cheese Plate. Very Retro. Short and Crumbly. Baked Cheddar Biscuits.

Posted on August 2, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Baked Cheddar Cheese Biscuits.

Not so long ago we dropped by friends for a pre-dinner drink before heading out for a meal at a nearby restaurant. At the door we were greeted by the most delicious aroma. Home baked cheese biscuits. The perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine. Very retro. They reminded me of 1980’s dinner parties. Here’s my rendition. Short and crumbly baked cheddar and cayenne biscuits. Adapted from a recipe in Stephanie Alexander’s recipe bible, The Cook’s Companion. For good measure I made two batches. The second batch incorporated a dollop of my homemade chilli jam for a spicier but sweeter variation. Try both and see which you prefer.

Baked Cheddar Cheese Biscuits. Two Ways.

Baked Cheddar Cheese and Cayenne Pepper Biscuits
Adapted from Stephanie Alexander’s The Cook’s Companion

For the chilli jam variation, omit 1 tablespoon cheese and add 2 teaspoons of chilli jam to the mixture.

Makes about 30 biscuits

100g unsalted butter
100g (3/4 cup) plain flour
100g mature cheddar, grated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

PREHEAT oven to 180 C and line two oven trays with baking paper.
BLEND butter with flour in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
ADD cheese, salt, cayenne and white pepper. Process until the dough forms a smooth ball.
REMOVE from the food processor and roll into a 20cm log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours until firm.
SLICE thinly and place well apart on prepared baking trays.
BAKE in a hot oven for 10 minutes until golden brown.
COOL briefly on the oven tray, then cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight tin.

Posted in Baked, Cheese, To Serve with Drinks, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The 5-2 Challenge. Full of Flavour. Low in Fat. Lamb Shank and Barley Soup With Vegetables.

Posted on July 31, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Lamb Shank and Barley Soup With Vegetables

Nothing beats a Lamb Shank and Barley Soup in winter. Delicious and nutritious. Loaded with vegetables. Full of flavour. Low in fat. Hearty, warming fast day fare.

To be perfectly frank this dish has always been a staple on our winter dinner menu. Well before I embarked on the five two diet. So from the outset I knew today’s fasting wasn’t going to be difficult. With just a little tweaking of ingredients I was able to reduce calorie count without sacrificing any flavour. The formula behind my most successful fast day menus is to use plenty of whole foods, only a little carbohydrate and keep a close eye on fats.

French trimmed shanks are much leaner than their untrimmed counterparts and perfect for this soup. Jam packed with vegetables, one and a half cups of soup provided a very satisfying dinner for just under 370 calories. Coupled with my mid morning smoothie, this fast day was a breeze. No skim cappuccino required to tide me over.

Breakfast
1 Cup Tea
2
Mid Morning
Banana and Raspberry Smoothie
133
Mid Afternoon
1 Cup Tea
2
Dinner
1 Bowl Lamb Shank and Barley Soup
366
1 Cup Tea
2
Total Calories
505

Lamb Shank and Barley Soup With Vegetables
Makes 10 cups (244 calories per serve)

2 tablespoons olive oil (240 calories)
4 frenched lamb shanks, bone in, trimmed of all visible fat, 250g each (1330 calories)
1 large onion, diced (46 calories)
2 large cloves garlic, minced (8 calories)
4 medium carrots, diced (104 calories)
3 medium leeks, diced (110 calories)
2 sticks celery, diced (14 calories)
2 parsnips, peeled, diced (150 calories)
1 litre stock; chicken or vegetable (80 calories)
1 litre water
½ cup pearl barley (350 calories)
fresh bay leaf (1 calorie)
sprig of thyme (1 calorie)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped (4 calories)

HEAT oil in a large heavy-based pot. Brown shanks on all sides, remove from pot and set aside.
ADD onions, garlic, carrots, leek, celery, parsnip and thyme. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes until softened but not browned.
ADD stock, water and lamb shanks. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that comes to the surface.
ADD the bay leaf and barley, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and reduce the heat to low, or transfer to a 150 C  oven, for about 2 hours, or until the meat falls easily from the bone.
REMOVE shanks and shred meat into bite sized pieces with your fingers or a fork. Discard bones.
SKIM the top of the soup again, if necessary, to remove any excess fat. Return  meat to the soup and bring to a low simmer for fifteen minutes.
SEASON to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with parsley to serve.

Posted in Lamb, Soup, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

What To Bake With Leftover Egg Whites. Dainty Little Almond Tea Cakes. Raspberry and Lemon Friands.

Posted on July 30, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Raspberry and Apple Friands

What to bake with all the egg whites leftover from my husband’s birthday mousse cake. Something fruity and delicious. Raspberry and lemon friands definitely hit the sweet spot today. Dainty little almond tea cakes that disappear in a few bites. So very quick and easy to make. All that is required is one bowl and a fork to quickly and lightly whisk the ingredients together.  While traditional friand tins give these little tea cakes their signature oval shape  if you don’t own one just substitute a regular muffin tin. The end result is just as delicious. This is why I love this recipe so much. No fuss baking at its very best.

Raspberry and Apple Friand Batter

Raspberry and Lemon Friands

I like to measure out this recipe using a 250ml cup, and whisk together the ingredients in a bowl using a fork. Friands are a great way to use up leftover egg whites when I don’t want to go to the effort of making a meringue or pavlova.

Makes 6

100g unsalted butter
4 large egg whites
1/3 cup plain flour
1 cup pure icing sugar
2/3 cup, almond meal
finely grated zest of one lemon
18 raspberries
extra icing sugar, for dusting

PREHEAT oven to 190C.
GREASE and flour a six hole friand or muffin tin.
MELT butter and set aside to cool.
IN A medium bowl, whisk the egg whites with a fork until just foamy.
SIFT flour, icing sugar and almond meal together into the egg whites. Add lemon zest and stir ingredients together until just combined.
LASTLY add the melted butter, stirring lightly to combine.
SPOON the mixture evenly into the prepared tin. Place three raspberries in a cluster in the centre of each friand.
BAKE for 25 minutes until the friands are a light golden colour and spring back lightly when pressed. Remove from oven and allow to stand for five minutes before turning the friands out. Cool on a wire rack. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

Posted in Baked, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The 5-2 Challenge. Fast, Healthy and Wholesome. Raspberry and Banana Smoothies.

Posted on July 29, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Fast Day Smoothie

Last week I embarked on just one full fast day instead of my usual two. Railroaded by an attempt to bake my husband’s rather decadent chocolate birthday torte on fast day number two. My usual fast day eating plan was supplemented by a flurry of taste tests sampling each delicious component. Chocolate hazelnut cake, chocolate mousse, candied cherries and hazelnut praline. I cannot even begin to fathom how many seemingly innocuous calories were consumed. So this week I am going to be extra vigilant and begin my fast day with a healthy, wholesome smoothie. How’s that for a short and sweet post?

Fast Day Raspberry and Banana Smoothies

Serves 2 (133 calories per serve)

1 banana, peeled and cut into chunks (90 calories)
1/2 cup orange juice (56 calories)
1/2 cup frozen raspberries (32 calories)
1/2 cup plain yoghurt (88 calories)

In a blender blitz banana,orange juice, raspberries and yoghurt until smooth.

Posted in Breakfast, Fruit, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

For Serious Chocoholics. A Wicked Indulgence. Chocolate Mousse Torte with Candied Morello Cherries and Hazelnut Praline

Posted on July 27, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Chocolate Mousse Torte With Cherries and Hazelnut Praline

In our family we always celebrate birthdays with a homemade cake. The choice of cake is always at the discretion of the birthday boy or girl. Needless to say over the years I have made all manner of cakes – traditional sponge cakes, chocolate cakes, tiramisu, cheesecake, pavlova, croquembouche and once a very memorable ice cream cake moulded in the shape of a ballet shoe. This week it was my husband’s turn. His request? Chocolate Mousse Torte or Black Forest Cake. Here’s my hybrid version. Layer upon layer of chocolate decadence studded with candied morello cherries and hazelnut praline. A wicked indulgence. This one truly is for serious chocoholics.

For such a rich, decadent cake it has an incredibly light texture. But don’t be deceived. A little sliver goes a long, long way. Consisting of four delicious components; a flourless chocolate hazelnut cake, a chocolate mousse, candied cherries and hazelnut praline, this torte also happens to be gluten free. Always a  bonus when catering for a group of party guests. The beauty of this recipe is that it is infinitely adaptable. The cake layer is delicious on its own, as is the mousse. Together they really are sublime. The hazelnut praline and candied cherries add interest and crunch. Any leftovers are eagerly anticipated as add ins for lavish ice-cream sundaes. When all is said and done this torte is definitely not for the faint-hearted. A wicked indulgence. Much appreciated by the birthday boy..

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Base Layer
Top With Candied Cherries
Scatter With Hazelnut Praline
Finish With Top Layer of Chocolate Mousse and Press Hazelnut Praline Onto the Sides
Serve

 

Chocolate Mousse Torte with Candied Morello Cherries and Hazelnut Praline

Serves 12

For the Chocolate Kahlua Hazelnut Cake Layer

100 g unsalted butter, coarsely chopped.
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa, plus extra for dusting.
280 g dark chocolate (70% cacao), coarsely chopped.
50 ml Kahlua liqueur
6 eggs, separated.
3/4 cup (175 g) sugar
100 g hazelnuts, roasted, peeled and finely chopped.

PREHEAT oven to 190 C.
BUTTER a 25cm diameter cake spring form cake tin and dust with cocoa.
MELT chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, stir through kahlua, cocoa and egg yolks.
WHISK egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form and fold with hazelnuts into chocolate mixture.
POUR into the prepared cake tin and bake until cake rises and top cracks (20 – 30 minutes).
COOL in tin, gently pressing down on the top of the cake so it falls back evenly. Set aside.

For the Chocolate Mousse Layer

300g dark chocolate, chopped
3 egg yolks
300ml thickened cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

MELT the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
WHISK the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
HEAT 250ml of the cream in a small saucepan over low heat. reserving the remainder of the cream for whipping.
ADD half of the hot cream into the egg yolks. Stir gently to combine then pour the mixture into the saucepan  containing the remaining hot cream.
STIR over low heat until the custard begins to thicken. To test dip a spoon into the mixture and using your finger draw a line on the back of the spoon through the coating. If the line holds its shape the custard is cooked.
REMOVE from heat. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla. Stir well to combine. Allow to cool.
MEANWHILE whisk the reserved cream until soft peaks form. Fold through the cooled chocolate custard. Set aside.

For the Hazelnut Praline

1 cup caster sugar
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted lightly and skinned

LINE an oven tray with baking paper.
PLACE sugar in a dry heavy-based saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until melted.
ONCE melted, cook without stirring, swirling pan, until lightly golden. Add hazelnuts, stirring until well coated. Immediately pour mixture onto the oven tray and cool completely.
BREAK praline into pieces. Place half the praline into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.
COARSELY chop the remaining praline with a knife or mezzaluna. Set aside.

For the Candied Cherries

1 x 640g jar Morello cherries, drained
¼ cup caster sugar

PREHEAT oven to 150 C.
PLACE cherries on a baking paper lined oven tray.
LIGHTLY dust with sugar and bake in the oven for an hour.
REMOVE and cool. Set aside.

To Assemble The Torte

REMOVE the cake from the tin. Line the sides of the tin with baking paper so that paper extends 2 cm over the top of the tin.
RETURN cake to the tin. This is the base layer of the torte.
ARRANGE semi dried cherries evenly over the top of the cake layer. Then scatter the coarsely chopped hazelnut praline over the cherries.
POUR the chocolate mousse evenly over the cherries and praline.
COVER with cling wrap and leave to set in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Overnight is best.
NEXT day remove the torte from the tin. Press the finely chopped praline onto the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until required, allowing the cake to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Posted in Baked, Chocolate, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments