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DB Challenge: Chocolate and Vanilla Battenberg Cake

June 27, 2012 18 Comments
battenberg2V

Hey guys!

So here is a Daring Bakers’ challenge I was really excited about! It may look like a lot of work, but it’s actually quite easy to do. And if you don’t do your own marzipan/fondant/chocolate plastique, it’s even easier!

“Mandy of What The Fruitcake?! came to our rescue last minute to present us with the Battenberg Cake challenge! She highlighted Mary Berry’s techniques and recipes to allow us to create this unique little cake with ease.”

Here is what you will need to make the same cake I did:

Battenberg Cake

Chocolate and Vanilla Battenberg Cake
From Runs with Spatula

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 9-inch square cake pan and set aside (See the PDF on how to separate the cake pan in 2).

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the large work bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Add the flour mix.

Divide the batter into two equal portions. Place the first batter portion on one side of the cake pan. Add the cocoa powder to the second half of the batter, and mix until fully incorporated. Transfer batter to the other half of the cake pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean. Cool the cakes in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let finish cooling on the rack.

Dark Chocolate Plastique
7 oz Dark Chocolate (I used semisweet chocolate and it worked just fine)
¼ cup Corn Syrup

  1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, stir occasionally
  2. Once completely melted, remove from heat and allow to cool a bit
  3. Stir in corn syrup, it will seize up almost immediately, just keep stirring until mixed and it comes away from the side of the bowl
  4. Transfer chocolate into a sealable bag, spread the chocolate out then seal the bag
  5. Leave overnight or refrigerate for about 2 hours until completely firm
  6. Turn out from the bag and knead on a surface dusted with powdered sugar, at first it will just break , but as you knead, it will warm up and start to become pliable. If your hands are hot, it will help!
  7. Knead until it’s pliable enough to roll out or mould, 5 – 10mins.
Follow the PDF to prepare the cake and assemble!

Battenberg Cake

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Peanut Butter Fudge Crackles

June 23, 2012 8 Comments
crinkled

Hey everyone!

How was your week?

Here, we had a heat wave with extra humidity! You know, when you do absolutely nothing and you sweat anyway! Yep that was it. I really don’t like air conditioning, but this week I was glad I had one! Also I finished the other part of my thesis that I told you about! Now it will be all about corrections: supervisor–>me–>supervisor–>me and so on!

Last week, I went through all my stuff (read: the big stack of magazine cuts I keep) and found a couple of recipes I wanted to do real soon! This one for example!

These are really delicious and I hope you will like them! It’s fudgy and peanut butter and chocolate are always such a great mix. They are also very easy to do!

Peanut Butter Fudge Crackles

Peanut Butter Fudge Crackles
Recipe adapted from Robin Hood
Yield : 48 cookies

  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 ½ cups peanut butter chips
  • 3/4 cup icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Melt shortening and semi-sweet chocolate chips on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add in sugar and then eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Let cool for 5 minutes.

3. Mix in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and chips; mix well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 ½ hours.

4. In a shallow bowl, sift icing sugar. Roll pieces of chilled dough to form 3 cm balls. Drop balls into icing sugar and toss lightly until well coated. Place on prepared baking sheets and flatten very slightly spacing about 1 ½” (4 cm) apart on baking sheet.

6. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until just beginning to feel firm when pressed in centre. Let cool on baking sheet on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer crackles to wire racks to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Fudge Crackles

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One-bite Triple Espresso Brownies

June 14, 2012 15 Comments
One-bite triple espresso brownies

Hello everyone!

I’m so glad to be back! I finished the biggest part of my “doctoral research project” (This is the presentation of your research for approval by a committee; what I had to deliver). I’ll do the other part soon enough, but as a reward I did a dessert and this post :D

So about the dessert, strangely enough I don’t drink coffee but love, love, love, everything with coffee in it, especially when it’s chocolaty! So I really had to try these espresso brownies!

The coffee and the cocoa I used are from Dominican Republic! It does sent me back there when I eat/smell them ;)

Have a good day :D

P.S. Have you heard about what’s going on in Quebec right now? The strike against the tuitions hikes turned into a social crisis? Yep that’s us! I know there are some demonstrations around the world in support of the students so you might have heard about it. Some things that happened are really upsetting. If you want a Quebecer’s view on the crisis, you can ask me ;)

One-bite triple espresso brownies

One-bite Triple Espresso Brownies

Chocolate Espresso Brownies 
Adapted from Pink Parsley
Yield about 44 mini brownies

  • 7 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used 77% cocoa chocolate)
  • 8 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into quarters
  • 3 Tbs cocoa powder
  • 3 Tbs prepared espresso
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • Walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.

On a double boiler, melt the chopped chocolates and the butter. Whisk in the cocoa.  Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, espresso, and salt until well-combined.  4walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs attached.  Cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

One-bite triple espresso brownies


Espresso Frosting
Adapted from Better Homes and Garden

  • 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 4 tablespoons prepared espresso (or 2 tablespoons boiling water with 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Meanwhile, for the frosting, place powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the 1/4 cup butter, 2 tablespoons boiling water, espresso and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Pipe a little frosting on each brownie.


 Chocolate Glaze
Adapted from Pink Parsley

  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 Tbs butter or vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp prepared espresso

Melt the chocolate chips and butter on a double boiler.  Stir in the prepared espresso. Drizzle over brownies. Enjoy!

One-bite triple espresso brownies

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