Chocolate Pecan Tartlets

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup salted butter
2 large egg yolks
2-3 Tbsp ice water

Filling

1/2 cup salted butter
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
2 large eggs
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups pecans, chopped

Topping

24 pecan halves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

1. Prepare pastry. In medium bowl combine flour and butter with pastry cutter until dough resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks and water, then mix with a fork just until dough can be shaped into a ball.
2. Gather dough into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Refrigerate until firm—about 1 hour.
3. Pepare filling. In a 2-quart saucepan combine butter and chocolate, stirring constantly over low heat. Transfer to medium bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
4. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs into chocolate mixture. Add sugar, corn syrup and vanilla, and blend on low speed until smooth. Fold in pecans.
5. Preheat oven to 350° F.
6. Assemble tartlets. On lightly floured counter or board, use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2-1/2-inch fluted tartlet pan as a guide, cut dough 1/4 inch around entire edge. Repeat with remaining dough. Lay dough rounds in tartlet pans and press in firmly.
7. Fill pans two-thirds full of chocolate pecan filling. Place on baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until filling is set and does not look wet.
8. While still warm, place one pecan half in center of each tartlet.
9. Chill mixing bowl and beaters in freezer.
10. Prepare topping. In a medium bowl with electric mixer set on high, beat cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat. Transfer the whipped topping to a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip, and pipe decorative topping onto each tartlet.

Makes 24 (2-1/2-inch) tartlets.

Source: Mrs. Fields Cookie Book

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Rich Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Chocolate-Marshmallow Frosting

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3-3/4 cups powdered sugar
4 cups miniature marshmallows

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 13″ x 9″ baking pan.
2. In a large saucepan, combine chocolate and butter. Heat over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt until thoroughly blended.
4. Stir in flour, blending well. Spread evenly in bottom of greased baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Brownies should be moist. Do not overbake. Cool in pan.
5. Make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate and butter. Heat over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove from heat. Add eggs, vanilla and powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in marshmallows.
7. While frosting is slightly warm, spread brownies with Chocolate-Marshmallow Frosting. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Cut chilled cookies into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 40 (1-3/4″ x 1-1/2″) brownies.

Source: Cookies

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Chocolate Orange Cake

Ingredients

2 cups regular flour
9 tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup butter
1-1/4 cups fine sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk

Frosting

1 cup butter
grated rind of 1 orange
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, sieved
juice of 1/2 an orange

To Decorate

Fresh orange segments or slices

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and line two 8 inch cake pans.
3. Sieve together the cocoa and the flour.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; gradually add the beaten eggs. Stir the buttermilk into the mixture, and then fold in the cocoa and flour.
5. Turn the mixture into the prepared pans. Bake for 40 minutes.
6. Remove the cakes from the oven; turn out of the pans and allow to cool on a wire rack.
7. When the cakes are cold, split each cake into two layers.
8. Make the frosting. Cream the butter with the orange rind until soft; beat in the confectioner’s sugar, alternately with the orange juice.
9. Sandwich the cakes together with some of the butter frosting and spread the remaining frosting on the top and the sides of the cake. “Rough” with a fork and decorate with the orange slices or segments.

Makes 1 cake.

Source: Chocolate Cooking

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Marbled Swiss Roll

Ingredients

3-1/2 oz plain flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 oz plain chocolate, grated
1 oz white chocolate, grated
3 eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar

Filling

3 oz unsalted butter or margarine, softened
l-1/2cups icing sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
3 tbsp chopped walnuts
plain and white chocolate curls, to decorate (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Grease a 12 x 8-inch Swiss roll tin and line with non-stick baking paper.
2. Sift half the flour with the cocoa into a bowl. Stir in the grated plain chocolate.
3. Sift the remaining flour into another bowl. Stir in the grated white chocolate.
4. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot water until the mixture holds its shape when the whisk is lifted.
5. Remove the bowl from the heat and tip half the mixture into a separate bowl. Fold the white chocolate mixture into one portion, then fold the plain chocolate mixture into the other. Stir 1 tbsp boiling water into each half to soften the mixtures.
6. Place alternate spoonful of the mixture in the prepared tin and swirl lightly together for a marbled effect. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until firm. Turn out on to a sheet of non-stick baking paper.
7. Trim the edges to neaten and cover with a damp, clean dish towel. Cool.
8. Make the filling. Beat the butter or margarine, icing sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla essence together in a bowl until smooth, then mix in the walnuts.
9. Uncover the sponge, lift off the baking paper and spread the surface with the buttercream. Roll up carefully from a long side and place on a serving plate. Decorate with plain and white chocolate curls, if wished.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: The Ultimate Dessert Cookbook

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Chocolate and Cinnamon Wontons

Ingredients

16 wonton wrappers
40 g butter, melted
16 small squares (120 g) dark chocolate
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Brush the edges of the wonton wrappers with a little butter and place a chocolate square on one half of each wrapper. Fold over the wrappers to enclose and press to seal. Place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.
3. Brush wontons with butter and sprinkle with combined cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Donna Hay

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