Chocolate Mousse Pavlova With Syrupy Cherries

This right here, is what a Black Forest cake WISHES it could be. 

Layers of chocolate-swirled meringue with dark chocolate mousse, glossy cherries, soft whipped cream and some chocolate curls thrown in for funzies. Repeat until epic tower of delicious awesomeness is achieved. 

I mean, look at it - I'm committing sugar-on-sugar crime and I'm not even sorry!

Which reminds me, quick poll: If I call this gluten-free (which it is) does that make it diet food? 

Right, so you want to know how to make this epic tower of deliciousness? First, you need to start with the crispy marshmallowy layers of meringue. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE meringue? It's literally food magic. Which, kind of makes me a dessert magician!  I'm totally okay with this title by the way (switches tabs and adds it to twitter bio). 

So meringue is made out of just two ingredients, which means they need to be GOOD ingredients: free-range eggs, people (yes it costs a bit more but you're voting for a better world with your money) and proper, unrefined sugar. It makes a difference, I promise you. Natura Sugars makes this beautiful Golden Caster Sugar (swoon over the colour!) which not only dissolves quickly when you're making meringue but also gives a subtle caramel flavour which is just heaven with the dark chocolate. 

For the chocolate mousse, I've chosen a recipe that uses up all the egg yolks leftover from the meringue because throwing them away just seems like a waste. If you'd like an easier recipe, use my 2-ingredient chocolate mousse and if you're feeling super lazy (no judgement here!) simply grab a tub from the shops. 

 The Natura Golden Caster Sugar is also perfect for the syrupy cherries since it's quick-dissolving (I also sprinkle it over strawberries - yum!). I bought a heap of cherries and plan on preserving them all - they're heavenly spooned over vanilla ice cream or inside these Black Forest Eclairs. 

Now, while you decide for who or what you're going to make this showstopper, I'm going to go and be the dessert magician that I am and make this pavlova dissappear! ;)

Chocolate Mousse Pavlova with Cherries

Serves 6-8

Pavlova:

4 egg whites

1 cup (250ml) Natura Golden Caster Sugar

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

50g dark chocolate, melted

Chocolate mousse:

140g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

200ml cream

1 sheet gelatine

4 egg yolks

100g Natura Golden Caster Sugar

Syrupy cherries: 

1 cup (250ml) Natura Golden Caster Sugar

1 cup water

200g fresh cherries, pitted

200ml cream, whipped, for serving

Fresh cherries and chocolate shavings, to decorate

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celcius. Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper and draw 4 x 10-cm circles on the paper to use as a template guideline. 

Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form, then gradually add in the caster sugar until completely dissolved. Whisk in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla. Divide the meringue between the 4 circles and spread into a disc using a palette knife. Drizzle with the chocolate and swirl to create a marble effect. Place in the oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until until crisp but still mallowy in the middle. (If you're not using a thermofam, place a wooden spoon in the oven door to keep it ajar - this will help to dry them out faster). 

To make the mousse, heat 75ml of the cream and pour over the chopped chocolate. Allow to stand for a few minutes and then stir until melted and smooth. Set aside. 

Whip the remaining cream and set aside. 

Place the gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften. 

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a glass or metal bowl and place over a pot of gently simmering water. Add the softened gelatine and gently whisk until the egg yolk mixture is hot to the touch (about 60 degrees celcius). Remove from the heat and whisk vigorously (you can use an electric mixer) until light and thick but still lukewarm. 

Fold the egg yolk mixture into the chocolate along with the whipped cream. Place in the fridge to set for 2-3 hours. 

To make the syrupy cherries, place the sugar, water and cherries in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the cherries are softened. Allow to cool or pour into sterilized bottles and seal. 

Assemble the pavlova by layering the meringue discs with spoonfuls of chocolate mousse, whipped cream and spoonfuls of cherries in syrup. 

TIP: To make the golden cherries, mix 1 tsp edible gold dust (available to baking shops) with a few drops of vodka. Use a pastry brush to splatter or paint the cherries and allow the alcohol to evaporate completely until dry. 

Disclaimer: This post has been sponsored by Natura Sugars who produce a range of really special sugars that are unrefined and made according to traditional Mauritian sugar-making techniques. The sugars are non-GM, non-irradiated and unbleached with no preservatives, colourants or syrups added which basically means they are pure, natural and packed with flavour! 

Homemade Crunchies (Chocolate Honeycomb)

Honeycomb was one of the first things I created that made me fall completely in love with baking. It's got that magic - like meringue - where you can make something glorious out of a handful of very basic ingredients. It really comes down to science, but it's still damn cool when you sprinkle bicarbonate of soda into a molten pot of caramel and it fizzes up like a heavenly volcano. (If there are volcanoes in heaven, I'm pretty sure they will ooze bubbly honeycomb...#justsaying)

There is not a South African alive that doesn't have an affinity for, what we call, crunchies. As a kid, my memory of them is of Friday after-school drives home, eating crunchies while letting the chocolate melt on my fingers so I could lick it off. When I say 'letting the chocolate melt' I mean it was done purposely, because chocolate bars never have time to melt in my hands! We'd buy the crunchies from this glorious little factory shop in George that sold all Cadbury's rejected chocolate bars. Rejected by them and welcomed by me! 

I've covered my homemade version in dark chocolate because I love how the bitterness balances the sweetness of the honeycomb, but feel free to coat yours in milk or even white chocolate. A sprinkling of sea salt also gives these a deliciously grown-up twist!  My memory of them is not quite the perfectly formed crunchies most would be used to, but I urge you to embrace this because cutting honeycomb into perfect bars? Ain't nobody got time for that!  What you will have time for though, is slowly letting the chocolate melt so you can lick it off your fingers! 

As seen on Food24.com 

Homemade Crunchie Bars

Makes 8

50ml water

190g Natura Golden Caster Sugar

50g Natura Light Demerara Sugar

140g glucose (available from pharmacies or baking shops)

60g honey

10g bicarbonate of soda

500g dark chocolate, melted (for coating)

Grease and line a 20cm-square baking tin with non-stick baking paper.

In a medium pot, over low heat, combine the water, sugars, glucose and honey until completely dissolved. Turn the heat up and simmer until the syrup reaches 144°C*

Remove from the heat and, working quickly, add the bicarbonate of soda all at once. Whisk until the honeycomb foams up then immediately pour it into the prepared baking tin.

Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Once completely cold, use a sharp serrated knife to cut the honeycomb into bars.

Dip the bars in the chocolate (you can also use a pastry brush to paint the chocolate on) and allow to set on a sheet of baking paper.

It is very important to store honeycomb in an air-tight container to avoid it becoming sticky. If you have silica gel sachets saved from shoes or handbags, place one of them in the bottom of the container to help absorb humidity.

*if you don’t have a sugar thermometer, simply drop the syrup into a small cup of tap water. It is ready when it forms a hard ball almost immediately.

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

You see that nibbled cookie there in the back? Now let me tell you something about food stylists, most of them would carefully break off a piece of said cookie to look like someone had taken a bite out of it, they would then meticulously arrange the crumbs with tweezers to look like they accidentally tumbled from the cookie. Er, yeah... that's totally what I did... JOKES! 

Are you kidding me?! The best way to make a cookie LOOK like it's had a big bite taken out of it is to TAKE A BITE OUT OF IT. And also, I ate a ton of these cookies while shooting them. The batch didn't make 9, I just ate so many that there were only 9 left...

 Oh you want to know about the cookie? Of course you do! Because you want to eat way too many like I did. That's why you're here!

This recipe is my twist on Christina Tosi's childhood chocolate chip cookie. 

Christina Tosi, incase you don't know, is the sweet genius behind Momofuko Milk Bar in the US. I haven't met her, but I just know we would be baking besties. 

For me, the perfect chocolate chip cookie has firstly, more chocolate chips than cookie and secondly, is crispy on the outside but chewy in the middle. This is ALL of those things!  Chris (my baking bestie) uses milk powder in her recipe, I swapped mine for Horlicks (because I basically keep them in business with my addiction) and I revved up the chocolate chips. And I really mean revved, because I used three kinds; white, caramel and milk chocolate. Good things always come in three's, people. 

Also, imagine Astro's or Smarties in these? Or Chuckles?

Now, go forth and bake cookies!

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe inspired by Christina Tosi
Makes 24

225g butter, melted (still warm but not hot)
1 cup packed Natura Light Demerara Sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tbsp Horlicks (malted milk drink) or milk powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
360g chopped chocolate or chocolate chips*

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees celcius. 
Mix together the butter and sugar for 1 minute or until well combined. 
Beat in the egg and vanilla for another minute. 
Mix in the flour, milk powder, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda until just combined. Add the chocolate bits and mix again. 
Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto lined baking sheets ad bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. 
I'm not going to even bother telling you how to store them because there won't be any left to store. 

*TIP: Chopped chocolate is much better than choc chips, in my opinion. We're looking for ooze here, and choc chips are way too stabilized. 

Microwave Double Chocolate Lamingtons

This chocolate cake recipe is legendary in the Williams household. 
It was the first thing I learnt to bake, probably the only reason we owned a microwave and definitely one of the last things I want to eat on this earth.
 The sponge is light as a feather and has been layered into birthday cakes, baked into a bundt and glazed with chocolate icing for bible studies, and poured into slabs and topped with swirls of tinned caramel for school fundraisers. It can be a cupcake, a swiss roll - and now, a lamington!

Start to finish? These lamingtons will take you 30 minutes flat (if that). 

Or your money back. Jokes! But seriously, just chuck everything in a bowl. 

Whisk. Microwave. Dip. Roll. Eat. Repeat. (The eating part, that is)

The recipe is really so easy that I've memorised it. Which is pretty handy, you know for cake emergencies and all.

I've made mine pretty ('cos I love pretty things - yes, even my lamingtons) by baking them in heart-shaped silicone moulds which you can buy super-cheap nowadays but you can simply bake the batter in a silicone muffin tray, or a microwave-safe dish and then cut them out with cutters or keep them in blocks. 

These are the classic lamington flavour (chocolate and coconut) but I will mention that my intention was to give them a tart twist by stuffing the insides with a raspberry sauce.  But I was craving the classic and they tasted just too darn good on their own. You can be more creative than I was and sandwich the cake together with jam, or caramel(!) or flavour the dipping glaze with coffee or liqueuer. 

You know what the only problem is with making a recipe from memory though? There's a very real possibility of leaving an ingredient out, say for instance, the sugar. Which I totally did! And yes, I flop recipes too. All the bloody time. And on that bombshell... go make these! Now! Just make sure to add the sugar ;)

Microwave Chocolate Lamingtons
Makes 18-20

1 cup (250ml) cake flour
1 cup (250ml) caster sugar
4 tbsp (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
4 tsp (20ml) baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup (250ml) hot water
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract

Chocolate glaze
60g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) cream
2 tbsp (30ml) golden syrup or honey
1/4 cup (60ml) hot water

Toasted desiccated coconut, for tossing

Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. 
Divide the batter between silicone heart moulds (or whichever you desire) sprayed with cooking spray - don't fill more than halfway as the cake mix expands quite a bit. 
Now pop the moulds into the microwave and microwave on full power/high for 2-3 minutes or until the cake springs back when you touch it in. 
Remove from the microwave and allow to cool slightly before unmoulding. 
Continue with the rest of the batter. 

TIP If your silicone tray doesn't fit in your microwave (mine didn't), cut it in half - the cakes will cook more evenly too. 

While the cakes are cooling, make the glaze by placing all the ingredients in a small microwave safe bowl and heat gently until melted and glossy. Allow to cool. 

When the cakes and glaze are completely cool, use a pastry brush to paint the glaze onto the cakes then toss in the toasted coconut. 

Egg-free Chocolate Chestnut Macarons

Egg-free, vegan macarons? Is this even possible? This must be some kind of dessert voodoo! Although baking is magic, this takes it to a whole other level. When I recently saw an article about chickpea meringue it stopped me in my tracks. That gross gloopy stinky water from a tin of chickpeas that I pour down the drain couldn't possibly make a meringue that's billowy, pristine and light as a feather - surely?

But, just when I think I know all there is to know about baking BAM, chickpea water surprises me. This is a revelation (well, to me anyway - it has been around for ages but there was an internet conspiracy hiding it from me) and I am now obsessed with finding  gajillions of ways to incorporate this sweet sorcery. 

Until now, one of the most difficult things about vegan baking has been getting sponge cakes that are float-off-your-fork light; Angel food cake, for example, is impossible to make without eggs (not counting egg substitutes). But now... that's all possible! "It's a whooole neeewww wooooorld!" Is it a bit odd that I'm getting THIS excited about chickpea water? Yes. Do I care? No. 

You should know me well enough by now to know that I'll use any excuse to make macarons, so when I whipped up that first batch of pea meringue, my first thought was - I wonder if this would make amazing macarons. YES! The answer is a thousand times yes. It makes brilliant macarons. In fact, I think chick-water is far more reliable. It doesn't have different water contents and freshness like eggs but that's all a bit sciencey and I'm starting to drift off to sleep... Anyway, all you need to know is you HAVE to try this to believe it. 

If your'e still going to therapy for your macaron-a-phobia (totally a real thing), then at least make egg-free meringues, people. Whip 180g chickpea water to soft peaks then beat in 1 cup (250ml) castor sugar and a drop of vanilla. Dry out in a 120C oven. 
FYI 1 egg = 3 tbsp chickpea water 

Egg white's are out. Chickpea water is IN!
Now I just need to figure out what the heck to do with 5 tins-worth of chickpeas... Hummus, anyone?

Egg-free Chocolate Chestnut Macarons

Makes 20

Macarons:

180g water from a can of chickpeas
125g ground almonds 
65g icing sugar
100g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
100ml cream (for a vegan version, use diary-free cream)
150g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
100g sweetened chestnut puree (available here)

Place the drained chickpea water in a saucepan and simmer gently until the liquid is reduced to 60g. This will make a nice strong meringue. Allow to cool. 
Pulse the ground almonds and icing sugar in a food processor until fine and then sift well - discard any leftover large pieces of almonds. 
Place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for about 15 minutes or until light, airy and soft peaks form. It will look exactly like meringue. Gradually add the castor sugar until a stiff glossy meringue forms, then whisk in the vanilla. 

Sift in the almond and icing sugar mixture in 3 batches, using gentle folding movements to incorporate it into the meringue. Keep folding until the mixture reaches a lava consistency - it should hold it's shape but ooze off the spatula when you lift it up. 
Place the mixture into a piping bag and pipe small rounds onto a silicone baking tray.
Lift the tray up to chest height and then drop it onto the counter a few times to spread the macarons. Now allow to dry at room temperature for about 2 hours or until they form a skin - you should be able to touch them without your finger sticking. 

While they rest, place an oven rack in the lower 3rd of your oven and preheat to 150C. Bake the cookies for 16-20 minutes. (I always make a small tray with one or two on so I can do a test batch first). Allow to cool. 

For the ganache, bring the cream to the boil and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Allow to stand for 5 minutes then stir until melted. Allow to set until spreadable. Place the ganache in a piping bag. 

To assemble, pipe a circle of ganache onto one macaron shell then fill the middle with the sweetened chestnut filling before topping with another shell. Continue with all the shells. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few hours then bring back to room temperature before serving. 

Baked Chocolate Mousse Cake with Spiced Clementines

This is gooey, chocolatey, messy, shove-your-entire-face-in-it good. 
Who wants to fiddle around with gelatine when you can just bake this and get a dessert that can only be described as the love child of a chocolate fondant and a mousse?! It's light but still deathly decadent. 

A slice of this would be heaven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or double cream (wait who am I kidding, we're all thinking the same thing - there is no way in friggin hell ONE slice is a serving.) Anyway, whatever size your serving is, be sure not to skip over the boozy clementines - they add a pop of brightness not only in colour, but also in flavour, so you can make your way out of the dark richness of it all. 

But if you honestly need another reason to make this? It's a source of Vitamin C*.

*sort of. 

Baked Chocolate Mousse Cake with Spiced Clementines

Serves 8-10

250g good-quality dark chocolate

125g salted butter

zest of 1 Clemengold

4 large eggs, seperated

110g white sugar

3 tbsp (60ml) cake flour, sifted

Spiced Clementines

6 Clemengold's, peeled

1 cup (250ml) sugar 

1/2 cup (125ml) water

3 tbsp (45ml) brandy (optional)

Cinnamon stick

3 cloves

1 vanilla pod, split

Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin (or standard loaf tin) and preheat the oven to 180C

Place the chocolate and butter in a large glass or metal bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in the Clemengold zest then set aside to cool slightly. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg yolks and sugar until very light, pale and thick. 

Whisk the egg whites in a seperate bowl until soft peak stage. 

Fold the egg yolk mix into the melted chocolate and then gently fold in the egg whites and flour in 3 batches until completely combined. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until just set but still gooey (trust the timings and resist the urge to keep baking). 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving with the spiced clementines. 

To make the clementines, slice the Clemengold's and set aside. 

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, brandy and spices over medium heat until dissolved. Bring to the boil then add the fruit and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Chocolate Marshmallow Log

This is an ode to the fabulosity that is the Chocolate Log; that delicious wafer-marshmallow-chocolate bar that is so deeply intrenched into each of our childhood’s. Those not from here, they just don’t get it. They don’t understand the utter joy in biting into a super-fresh chocolate log (you know the one’s when the wafer is still crispy?) or digging out the filling with your finger before eating the chocolate coating. And of course, there’s licking the squished marshmallow off the wrapper (and hoping no one will see and judge you for it). I've also just discovered that the serious chocolate log connoisseurs out there actually freeze the bar first, taking the squishy marshmallow to even gooier heights!

 This cake is by no means a replacement for the real thing, but it is almost as delicious! The gooey marshmallow filling is there (I’ve toasted it for added oomph), so is the chocolate coating - and the wafers - all wrapped up in a flourless light-as-air chocolate swiss roll.

If making your own marshmallow is too much effort, simply melt store-bought white marshmallows with a little water then spread that over. I won’t tell if you don’t. 

Chocolate Marshmallow Log

Serves 8-10

Chocolate log:

6 eggs (separated)

150g castor sugar

50g cocoa

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cocoa powder, for dusting

Marshmallow filling:

4 egg whites

1 cup (250ml) castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate glaze:

55g dark or milk chocolate

1/4 cup (60ml) cream

2 tbsp (30ml) golden syrup or honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate wafer biscuits, to garnish 

To make the Swiss roll: Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. 
In a large, clean bowl whisk the egg whites until thick and stiff, then slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of castor sugar. 
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining castor sugar until the mixture is very thick and pale (about 10 minutes). Fold in the vanilla and sifted cocoa powder.
Lightly whisk 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mix to lighten it, then fold the remaining egg whites in, taking care to knock as little air out as possible. 
Pour the cake batter into the lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until springy to the touch. 

While the sponge is baking, prepare the marshmallow frosting. Place the egg whites in a large glass or metal bowl and set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Using a hand beater, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks, then slowly start sprinkling in the sugar. 
Whisk the meringue until it is warm to the touch, then remove from the heat, add the vanilla and beat until cool. 
Remove the cake from the oven ad allow it to cool a little before turning it out onto another piece of baking parchment which has been dusted in cocoa powder.

Make the glaze by combining all the ingredients in a bowl, microwave until the chocolate is melted and the glaze is smooth. Cool to room temperature before drizzling over the log. Top the chocolate log with remaining marshmallow frosting and sprinkle with chopped up wafers or chocolate wafer bars. 

To assemble, place the cake with the short side closest to you, then spread with the marshmallow, leaving a border at the end furthest from you. 
If you want, you can toast the marshmallow using a blow torch (or place under a very hot grill) until golden brown. 
Roll the cake up tightly, trim off the ends if necessary and dust with cocoa powder. 

Easter Rocky Road brownies

Why eat your Easter eggs one at a time, when you can devour them all 

at the SAME time in one convenient block? 

These dark chocolate brownies are topped with an Easter egg rocky road which I’ve crammed all my favourites into – those moreish white candy-coated chocolate eggs, marshmallow eggs, and my absolute favourite; mini speckled eggs (which I should seriously consider purchasing shares in). I’ve also added some oreo’s for biscuity crunch but you can add your own favourites and turn them into your own Easter fantasy bars. Whether you’re making these FOR Easter to wow the kids (they'll love you forever!) or AFTER Easter as a way to use up your leftover stash of chocolate (what does 'leftover chocolate' even MEAN?!), these brownies are so darn swoon-worthy they’ll become a family favourite. Put simply, they're an Easter explosion of chocolate happiness in your mouth and you need to make them now! 

Happy Easter!

Side note - imagine these bars crumbled up into vanilla ice cream?! Oh em geeee.

Easter Rocky Road Brownies

Makes 12

200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

150g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

2 tsp vanilla paste or extract

150g castor sugar

3 eggs, beaten

75g plain flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

Rocky road topping

50g butter

150g dark chocolate, 

100g biscuits, crushed

50g marshmallow easter eggs, chopped

50g mini speckled eggs

50g White candy-coated chocolate eggs, cracked into pieces

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease a 20cm square baking tin and line the base with baking paper.

Melt the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the surface of the water does not touch the bowl.

Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, then leave to cool for a few minutes. 

Beat in the eggs, then sift in the flour, cocoa and salt and fold in until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the top starts to crack but the centre remains gooey. 

Turn off the oven and leave the brownies inside for a further 5 minutes before removing. Leave to cool completely in the tin.

Make the topping by melting the butter then add the dark chocolate and melt until smooth. Allow to cool then stir in the biscuits, marshmallows, speckled eggs and white eggs.

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