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.

Spiced sweet potato cake with Muscovado frosting

What's the best way to make sure you eat your 5-a-day? Stick them in a cake! Hidden vegetable cakes are big this year so whether you're tucking bright pink beetroot into a red velvet cake, grating courgettes into a carrot cake, adding mashed potato to chocolate cake (this is apparently a thing) or opting for sweet potato like my recipe below, the results are always deliciously moist and healthy (well, sort of!). 

This is hands-down one of the most delicious cakes I've ever made. It's gently spiced, buttery, light, not too sweet and the sweet potato gives it a lovely moist texture. You could swop out the sweet potato with pumpkin or mashed butternut - I think that would be equally delish. 

The brown sugar frosting is something a little different, using Muscovado sugar, which is caramelly and rich, imparts a crazy-good molasses flavour.  

It's quite a looker this cake, and I wanted it sky-high with four layers for these photos but have adjusted the recipe below to make it three, as four is just impractical and results in HUGE slices of cake (now, depending on what kind of person you are, you may agree or disagree with this statement!). But I want to share a little secret when it comes to assembling layer cakes; freeze the cake layers. Wrap each cake in wax paper and cling wrap then freeze the night before. Make sure your frosting is at room temperature and then go about assembling your cake using the frozen layers. The cake will be rigid so it will be easy to spread (no crumbs!), the layers won't break and as you work, the frosting will set and you won't be left with a leaning tower of Pisa. Once you're done, allow the cake to return to room temperature before cutting and serving. Voila! You're welcome.

Spiced carrot and sweet potato cake with brown sugar frosting

Serves 10-12

210g butter, softened

270g Demerara sugar

3 eggs

180ml cooked and mashed sweet potato

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g self-raising flour, sifted

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

120g finely grated carrots, squeezed well

1/2 cup sultanas (optional)

75g flaked almonds

Frosting

200g butter, softened

2-3 tbsp boiling hot water

75g Muscovado sugar

300g icing sugar, sifted

250g smooth full fat cream cheese

Toasted flaked almonds, to decorate (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line 3 x 20cm sandwich cake tins.

Cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well in between each addition.

Beat in the sweet potato and vanilla.

Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices and stir into the cake batter.

Stir in the carrots, sultanas and flaked almonds then divide between the 3 tins and bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes, comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool, upside down, completely then remove from the tin.

For the frosting, cream the butter until light and fluffy.

Pour the boiling water over the muscovado sugar to dissolve (pop in the microwave for a few seconds if needed) then allow to cool.

Add the cooled muscovado syrup to the butter with the icing sugar and beat until combined. Mix in the cream cheese.

Sandwich the cakes together with the frosting, leaving enough to cover the top.

Decorate with nuts, if desired.

TIP This cake batter would make fantastic cupcakes! Just fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake until golden. Then top with the frosting. 

Embossed spiced butter Christmas biscuits

Years of working in magazines meant that, thanks to print deadlines, Christmas was celebrated in September (if you're lucky) so by the time December arrived (and the magazine world has just put it's Easter issue to bed) I was in no mood for Christmas. Go away, gammon! Thankfully, the television industry has once again restored my intense love of the festive season and I can finally celebrate Christmas when it's actually Christmas. If you're struggling to get into the spirit, then baking a batch of cookies should sort you out. Filling up your home with the smell of spices will definitely put you in the mood. And your family will thank you for the nibbles! 

I spotted the cute idea of embossing cookies on Pinterest (isn't this where all great ideas come from?!) and thought it would make some beautiful edible tree trinkets. Such a beautifully simple idea and so easy to do. 

Spiced butter Christmas cookies

Makes 25

140g butter, softened

1 egg

500g Sasko Quick Treats cookie mix

60ml cornflour

1 tsp mixed spiced

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Royal icing

1 egg white, beaten

2 cups icing sugar, sifted

squeeze of lemon juice

Cream the butter until fluffy then beat in the egg until combined.

Mix the Sasko Quick Treats cookie mix, cornflour and spices and add it to the butter mix with the vanilla.

Beat until combined and a soft dough forms.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 1/2cm thick and cut out with cookie cutters.

Place on a lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 180C until golden brown.

Allow to cool before icing with royal icing.

To make the royal icing, whisk the egg white gently then add the icing sugar until a stiff paste forms. Add the lemon juice and stir before placing in a piping bag.

TIP: To make the embossing, dab a clean sponge in black gel colouring then lightly dab onto a clean rubber stamp (be careful not to apply too much). Gently press the stamp onto the cookie and lift. Allow to dry thoroughly. 

How to make perfect red wine poached pears

Winter's treasure of plump ripe pears get an even rosier blush with a good glug of red wine and a sprinkling of spices. Embarrassingly simple to prepare, these tipsy poached pears with their gluhwein spices were inspired by the delicious Pinot Noir-themed tasting menu I recently had at Haute Cabriere restaurant in Franschhoek. The menu really got me thinking about how versatile red wine is and Haute Cabriere's range of famous Pinot Noir's infused a soft spiciness to these gems. It's a simple low-fat dessert that will leave a lasting impression on the lips (and not the hips!) But if you're after something more decadent, I'll be posting two more delicious recipes during the coming weeks that use the boozy fruit. 

Photography by Angie Lazaro Photography

Red wine poached pears

(Serves 4)

2 cups red wine (see TIPS)

1/3 cup castor sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1 vanilla bean,split and seeds scraped

4 ripe pears, peeled

Combine the liquid, sugar and spices in a saucepan and stir until sugar is dissolved. 

Add the pears and bring to the boil. 

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with a cartouche. 

Poach gently until pears are tender, for about 1 hour. 

Remove the pears. 

Bring the syrup to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened. 

Pour over the pears and allow to cool before refrigerating.

TIPS and IDEAS

• Experiment using different liquids such as white or sparkling wine, fruit juice, port or sweet wine, teas such as green, jasmine, earl grey etc.
• Vary the spices by adding cloves, cardamom, star anise, lemongrass or saffron
• Core the pears from the underside and pipe in flavoured mascarpone or mousse before serving.
• Add poached pears to baked puddings, layer into trifles, or serve with French toast or crumpets drizzled with honey for breakfast.

To book for the Pinot Noir tasting menu:

Haute Cabriere

www.cabriere.co.za

Pass Road, Franschhoek, Cape Town, South Africa

+27 21 876 8500

Chai cupcakes with marshmallow frosting

... that's what the best cupcakes are made of! 

While baking a test batch of vanilla cupcakes this week for a dear friend and bride-to-be I couldn't resist whipping in a sprinkling of spice. Since my two whirlwind work trips of the 'Spice Islands'; Seychelles and Zanzibar (which both happened in the space of 4 weeks - I know, I'm such a jet setter!), I've found my spice drawer overflowing with the most beautiful cinnamon quills, nutmegs, cloves, cardamom, juicy vanilla pods and white peppercorns. 

The markets in Zanzibar and Seychelles are packed with spice stalls and the heady aroma hangs in the thick humid air - it's intoxicating! The vendors all haggle for your attention and you're encouraged to get the best bargain whether it be in Seychelles rupees, Zanzibar shillings or dollars. Compared to Seychelles, the spice sellers of Zanzibar are far more persistent and I found myself purchasing spices I didn't even need just so we could continue our tv shoot in peace! 

The cinnamon quills were my favourite treasure - long, golden and perfectly curled they're unlike anything we get here in South Africa. Cinnamon is actually one of the spices first used in antiquity (along with francincense and myrrh) which of course only adds to it's charm. I love how it laces everything it's added to with a deep warmth. Vanna Bonta said it perfectly; 'Cinnamon bites and kisses simultaneously'. Which is exactly what these spicy cupcakes will do! 

Chai cupcakes with marshmallow frosting

Makes 12

125g butter

150g castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup self-raising flour

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp chai spice*

Marshmallow frosting

2 egg whites

1/2 cup castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Sift over the flour and spices and beat again. Spoon into a muffin tin lined with cupcake wrappers and bake at 180C for 12-15 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean. 

Make the frosting by whisking the egg whites in a heatproof bowl until soft peak stage. Add castor sugar and whisk over simmering water until the meringue is hot to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat on high with a hand mixer until cool. Whip in the vanilla. Place in a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes immediately. 

*TIP: To make the chai spice mix, combine 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon and cardamom then add 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves, ground nutmeg and ground white pepper. Store in a sealed jar. 

I like to grind the whole spices myself in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar as the flavour is far more punchy than the store-bought ground stuff.