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Thursday, 13 August 2015

Chocolate Caramel Malteser Cake

Chocolate cake is the usual request for celebration cakes in our house and I've made quite a few different kinds of chocolate cakes over the years.  I'm easily bored, so always like to use or create a new recipe and I found my inspiration at Lavender and Lovage, where my friend, Karen had posted a Salted Caramel and Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake, many thanks to Karen for allowing me to post her recipe here with my minor variations.

Salted Caramel is very on trend and we love it, but as this cake had to be eaten by family with ages ranging from 2 years old to 90+ years old, I needed to keep the flavours a little more traditional, so I took out the salt but kept the caramel.

Maltesers make a really effective and simple decoration and they certainly went down well with everyone.

Chocolate Caramel Malteser Cake

For the cake
140g crème fraiche
125g  butter
200g soft light brown sugar
2 drops vanilla extract
4 free-range eggs
170g plain flour
50g cocoa powder (not hot chocolate)
1 teaspoon baking powder

for the caramel spread
3 tbsp caramel sauce or dulce de leche

for the buttercream icing
125g soft butter
2 drops vanilla extract
250g icing sugar

for the caramel buttercream
6 tbsp caramel sauce or dulce de leche 

for the chocolate buttercream
60g dark chocolate

for the decoration
121g share bag of Maltesers

To make the cake
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C and grease and line two 20cm sandwich cake tins.
  2. Put all the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat well for 3 to 4 minutes with an electric hand whisk, or 5-6 minutes by hand.
  3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and level the tops, leaving a slight dip in the middle of the cakes so they rise evenly. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the cake tins.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for about 10 minutes, before removing them from the tins and cooling completely on wire racks.
To make the two kinds of buttercream icing
  1. First make the basic buttercream, beat the butter with an electric hand whisk until it is well blended.
  2. Sift the icing sugar and the vanilla extract into the butter and gently mix together, then using the electric mixer beat until the mixture is fully blended and fluffy.
  3. Remove a third of the mixture and place in another bowl, add 3 tbsp of caramel sauce or dulce de leche to the buttercream and mix again. If the mixture seems a little too stiff, then add a little milk.
  4. Place the chocolate in a bowl and either melt over a pan of hot water, or melt in the microwave in blasts of 30 seconds to make sure you don't over heat it. Cool the chocolate for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.  Add to the remaining buttercream and beat with the electric whisk.
To assemble the cake
  1. Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate, spread 3 tbsp of caramel sauce over the base (it will sink in).  Now spread the caramel buttercream over the base and place the second sponge on top.
  2. Cover the top and sides of the sandwich cake with the chocolate buttercream and cover the top with Maltesers, starting at the outside and making concentric circles of the chocolates. 


If you like the idea of pairing chocolate with other flavours, here are a few ideas for great combinations from popular UK Food Blogs:

Slow Cooker Chocolate Mint Aero Bubble Cake - Baking Queen 74
Triple Layer Chocolate Mud Cake - Made with Pink
Chocolate Orange Cake - The Foodie Couple Blog
Jelly Tots Chocolate Cake - Planet Veggie
Moist Chocolate After Eight Cake - Tinned Tomatoes
Chocadoodledoo Cake (with minted strawberry cream) - Tin and Thyme
Chocolate and Porter Cake - Kavey Eats


I'm entering this for Bake of the Week run by Casa Costello and hosted this week by Jen's Food

This is my first entry for  Cake Club at Kerry Cooks. Kerry is also featuring a Chocolate Malteser cake, they are obviously popular!
 

Anything goes at We Should Cocoa this month as long as it contains chocolate which this surely does! We Should Cocoa is a long standing blog challenge run by Choclette at Tin and Thyme.

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posted by Janice @ 13:02 34 Comments

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Hotel Chocolat Easter Egg Giveaway

Do you remember that gorgeous creamy brown chocolate called Caramac?  It was one of my favourites, I've tried it again recently but didn't enjoy it, whether my tastes have changed or the recipe of the bar has changed, I don't know.  What I do know is that I've never found any of  the Hotel Chocolat chocolates disappointing.  Always high quality chocolate and some real fun items.

The Splat Egg - Caramel is 150g of caramel milk chocolate egg with a colourful white chocolate splat.  I have one Hotel Chocolat, The Splat Egg - Caramel worth £12.50 to GIVEAWAY to one lucky reader (UK only).

Just complete the answers on the Rafflecopter Widget below to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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posted by Janice @ 20:11 153 Comments

Monday, 24 September 2012

Tarte Tatin with Mermaid Bakeware

Not the greatest looking Tarte Tatin,  my nerve went on the caramel and I didn't let it cook for long enough to colour up properly.  It might not have had the full colour but it did have the sticky, sweet toffee apple taste.

I was inspired to make a Tarte Tatin because I was sent this Mermaid Hard Anodised Aluminium Tarte Tatin Tin to review, it's the perfect shape and size to make the famous upside down Apple Tart.  It's also extremely strong and hard wearing, I was able to put it on the stove top to make the caramel and  there was no buckling and no hot spots.  The Tarte Tatin dish retails for around £27 but is currently on sale on Amazon for £21.54

Tarte Tatin


8 eating apples
200g caster sugar
50g butter
375g all butter puff pastry (I used Tesco ready rolled)

1. Peel, core and halve the apples. Don't worry if they turn brown , it won't show in the finished tart.
2. Put the sugar in the base of the tin  with 50ml water, then melt the sugar slowly over a low heat, stirring.
3. Once the sugar has melted, turn up the heat and bubble for 5 minutes or so to give a golden  caramel.  You are looking for a rich reddy brown, but be careful it doesn't burn.
4. Take the caramel off the heat immediately and stir in the butter which will foam up.
5. Arrange the apple halves on top, cut side up, so they fill the pan, slice any left over apple pieces and fill in the gaps.

6. Put the pan back on a gentle heat and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let the apples cool completely.
7. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 7.  Roll out the pastry, then lay over the cooled apples in the pan.  Trim the pastry using the edge of the pan as a guide, then tuck it inside the edge around the apple, making sure they don't move.

8.  Bake for 30 minutes until dark golden and puffed.  Remove from the oven, stand for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the tart onto a serving plate.


I'll definitely be making another Tarte Tatin and try to get that dark mahogany coloured caramel.  The tin would also be excellent for other pies, whether upside down or right way up!

Many thanks to Ria, Sarah and Emma for sending me the bakeware to review, although I was supplied with the Tarte Tatin tin to review, all opinions expressed are my own.

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posted by Janice @ 20:06 9 Comments

Thursday, 10 May 2012

Club Chocolat Francais - French Chocolate Club


 The delicious smell when you open this box of 'folies gourmandes' from Club Chocolat Francais is not just of chocolate and sugar, but there is a strong smell of fruit!  This selection of chocolates includes glorious slices of crystalised orange dipped in dark chocolate, and chocolates flavoured with strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, passionfruit as well as caramel, coconut and almonds.  I really enjoyed these chocolates, the chocolate is very good quality and the flavours are not the same sort of selection we have here in the UK. 

Club Chocolat Francais is a gourmet chocolate tasting club.  Members are invited to participate in the creation of new and exciting chocolates as well as to share tasting notes and experiences with other members. They are currently running an introductory offer on their 12 month subscription with the first month costing £9.95, the 11 months will be the usual price of £19.95.


I'm afraid I would not be willing to spend £20 on a box of chocolates and certainly not every month, no matter how good they are.  But if you are passionate about your chocolate  have a look at the Club Chocolat Francais or if your purse or your inclination does not stretch to a large box of chocs every month then you might also want to check out the chocolate boutique where smaller quantities of chocolates, including Agen Prunes dipped in chocolate, are on sale. 



Club Chocolat Francais also have a Facebook Page  and a range of Pinterest Boards


 Disclosure Statement: I received this box of Club Chocolat Francais chocolates for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. The prices are correct at time of posting.

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posted by Janice @ 20:21 1 Comments

Saturday, 18 December 2010

Peach and salted caramel trifle

I should have been entertaining my husband's cousins tomorrow, but we have had to call it off because of the snow.  However, I had already bought all the stuff for this trifle recipe so I made it anyway.  We will be eating it all week, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing is it?

 

The recipe has been adapted from one in the Woman & Home Magazine supplement 'Tastes of Christmas'.

Peach and salted caramel trifle
Serves 8-12

8 trifle sponges
2 400g jars peach slices in light syrup
1 tbsp Amaretto liquer (or brandy)
397g can Carnation Caramel
1 tsp Maldon sea salt
1 litre (1 3/4 pint) ready-made vanilla custard ( I used Tesco Cornish Custard)
284ml carton double cream
2 tbsp toffee sauce
handful of hazelnuts roughly chopped

1. Place the trifle sponges in the bottom of the trifle dish.  Cover with the peaches and the syrup from one of the tins mixed with the Amaretto or brandy.
2. Mix the caramel with the sea salt and pour over the peaches and sponge.
Spoon the custard on top.  Chill while you whip the cream.
3. Whip the cream to soft peaks, spoon over the caramel.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.
4. Just before serving, drizzle with toffee sauce and scatter the nuts over the top.

 
I have to say it doesn't look that great in the bowl, but it tastes divine ...mmmmmm.

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posted by Janice @ 18:23 5 Comments

Monday, 12 October 2009

Sticky Spiced Toffee Pears

On Saturday I noticed there were still a lot of pears in the fruit bowl. They had been very hard when I bought them but now were suddenly all ripe at the same time. I knew right away what I woudl do with them, because since last weekend I have been smelling the Star Anise in the cupboard every time I opened the door. I couldn't get it all to fit in my spice jar and there were two 'stars' in the open box.

So I put some water in a pan with two tablespoons of light brown sugar, the two star anise, half a cinnamon stick and four cloves. I put it on a gentle heat to let the sugar melt, while I peeled the pears and cored them from the bottom - ouch! Once the sugar had melted, I poached the pears for about 20 minutes, then left them to cool in the syrup. Once cool, I lifted them out into a dish and then returned the syrup to the pan and turned up the heat. Now I was planning to reduce it slightly, but went to do something else and just caught it as it turned to caramel! Another few seconds and it would have been ruined.

I poured it over the cooled pears and found that indeed I did have caramel, with strands just like James Martin :o So I thought I should take a picture, because I'm sure I would never get the caramel right if was trying!

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posted by Janice @ 21:01 6 Comments