Here Is How To A Delicious Easter Cake
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE MERINGUE CAKE
Prep 20 mins • Cook 1 hour • Serves 10 to 12
200 g dark chocolate, chopped •150 g butter, chopped •1 tbsp instant coffee powder •6 eggs, separated •2/3 cup caster sugar •1½ cups almond meal •¼ cup raspberry jam •Melted dark chocolate, to drizzle mEriNGuE •3 egg whites •½ cup caster sugar •1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
1 Preheat oven to 160 C. Lightly grease and line base and side of a deep 22 cm round pan.
2 In a small saucepan, combine chocolate, butter and coffee powder. Stir over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly.
3 In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar together, until thick and creamy. Add chocolate mixture, then almond meal.
4 In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold through the chocolate mixture.
5 Pour mixture into pan. Bake 45 to 50 mins, until cooked when tested. Remove from oven. Cool in pan. Increase oven heat to 220 C.
6 MERINGUE In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is stiff, thick and glossy. Beat in vinegar.
7 Spread cake with jam, then dollop meringue over. Bake 5 to 10 mins, until meringue is lightly browned. Drizzle with melted dark chocolate.
CHOC-VANILLA SLICE
Prep 20 mins (plus chilling) • Cook 20 mins • Makes 16
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed •1 cup caster sugar •½ cup cornflour •½ cup custard powder •¼ cup cocoa •3 cups milk •300 ml tub thickened cream •100 g dark chocolate, finely chopped •60 g butter, chopped •2 egg yolks •2 tsps vanilla bean paste CHOCOLATE GANACHE •1/3 cup thickened cream •200 g dark chocolate, chopped •2 x 50 g Snickers bars, sliced
1 Preheat oven to 220 C. Lightly grease a 23 cm square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, and extend paper 2 cm over edge.
2 Place pastry sheet on trays. Bake 10 to 12 mins, until puffed and golden. Cover with a tea towel. Gently flatten pastry with hands.
3 Using pan as a guide, trim pastry sheets to fit. Line base of pan with one sheet of pastry.
4 In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornflour, custard powder and cocoa. Pour in milk and cream, stirring until smooth.
5 Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and butter, then yolks and vanilla. Pour custard into pan over pastry, smoothing surface. Top with remaining pastry sheet. Press down gently. Chill 1 hour.
6 CHOCOLATE GANACHE Simmer cream in a saucepan. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour cream over. Stir until smooth. Spread over pastry, then decorate with Snickers.
CHOC ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES
Prep 45 mins (plus freezing) • Cook 10 mins • Makes 8
200 g dark chocolate, chopped •50 g butter, chopped •2 eggs, whisked •2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar •1 tsp vanilla extract •1 cup plain flour •½ tsp baking powder •Melted white chocolate, to serve ICE-CREAM •½ cup peanut butter •½ cup roughly chopped salted peanuts •2 L tub chocolate chip ice-cream, softened
1 Preheat oven to moderate, 180 C. Line two trays with baking paper.
2 In a saucepan, melt chocolate and butter on medium. Cool.
3 In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thickened. Beat in melted chocolate mixture. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder.
4 Dollop tbsps of mixture onto trays to make 16 rounds, 2 cm apart. Bake 8 to 10 mins, until cookies are just cracked on top. Cool completely on trays.
5 ICE-CREAM Meanwhile, in a large bowl, fold peanut butter and peanuts through softened ice-cream. Return to container and freeze until firm.
6 Sandwich two cookies together with a generous scoop ice-cream. Drizzle with melted white chocolate to serve.
TIM TAM CRACKLE CHEESECAKE
Prep 45 mins (plus chilling) • Serves 10 to 12
3 cups rice bubbles •200 g Tim Tams, chopped, plus extra, to serve •200 g milk chocolate, melted •¼ cup desiccated coconut •2 tsps powdered gelatine •¼ cup boiling water •500 g cream cheese, softened, chopped •½ cup caster sugar •1 tsp vanilla essence •1 cup thickened cream •100 g dark chocolate, melted, cooled •whipped cream, to serve
1 Lightly grease and line a 20 cm springform pan with baking paper.
2 In a bowl, combine rice bubbles, Tim Tams, chocolate and coconut, stirring well. Press into base and side of pan. Chill 30 mins until set.
3 Meanwhile, in a heatproof jug, using a fork, vigorously whisk gelatin into water until dissolved. Set aside to cool.
4 In the bowl of a food processor, combine cream cheese, caster sugar and vanilla. Pulse until smooth. Add cream and gelatin mixture. Process until well combined. Pour in melted chocolate, pulse until smooth.
5 Pour mixture into case. Chill 6 hours or until set. Serve topped with whipped cream and extra chopped Tim Tams (see tip).
PHOTOS: ROB SHAW/BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU
