Rich Chocolate Cake

My gang absolutely love anything that contains chocolate and are constantly bemoaning the fact that I don’t use it more often in my cooking and baking. They would be quite happy if I spent all my time in the kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake and the like!

 

Truth be told, I am often disappointed with a lot of desserts and cakes that contain chocolate as they either don’t actually taste of chocolate or contain chocolate that is far too bitter. I want something that has a full and genuine chocolate flavour and is satisfying to eat. To use chocolate effectively requires a deft touch and an appreciation of this hugely popular ingredient.

 

I have been on the hunt for a chocolate cake recipe that satisfies my rather exacting requirements and think that this one in pretty much perfect in all regards. It is rich with an intense chocolate flavour being provided by the inclusion of both melted chocolate and cocoa powder. However, due to the use of whisked egg whites, which are folded into the cake batter just prior to baking, the resulting cake is light and not too heavy or dense and is not dry to eat. Finally, it is covered by a thin layer of chocolate ganache which sets to a beautiful glossy icing on the finished cake.

 

Although I used a chocolate with 70% cocoa solids in the cake batter, I decided that this would be a little too bitter for the ganache icing and used one with 58% cocoa solids instead. This still gave a good chocolate hit and made the resulting cake palatable to adults and children alike. If you like, you can flavour the icing with a little brandy, Cointreau or other liqueur to make it a really grown-up and indulgent treat but if it is being consumed by children leave it as is. Either way, this cake is delicious.

 

As regular readers will know, I love cakes that are adaptable and can be served as a dessert or as a cake in its own right and this is one that works well as both!

 

Ingredients:

130g butter
170g caster sugar

5 large eggs, separated

130g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) melted and allowed to cool a little

100g self-raising flour

15g cocoa powder

Icing:

175g dark chocolate (58% cocoa solids), roughly chopped into small pieces

125ml double cream
 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/Fan Oven 150C/Gas Mark 3. Butter and flour a 27cm round spring-form tin and set aside.

2. Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and using a hand-electric mix, beat together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolks, one-by-one mixing well before adding the next.

3. Stir in the cooled melted chocolate and sieve the flour and cocoa powder together and fold into the batter. In a separate, clean bowl using clean whisk attachments on your hand-held electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks.

4. Mix one third of the egg whites through the batter to loosen it and fold in the remainder, trying to preserve as much of the air as possible. Make sure the egg whites are well mixed in and then pour the batter into the prepared tin, levelling out the mixture to the edges of the tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until risen and springy to the touch. Do not over-bake as this will result in a dry cake.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to finish cooling completely on a wire rack.

Icing:

6. Place the chocolate in a medium sized bowl. Place the double cream in a small saucepan and heat until over a moderate heat until the cream is almost boiling. Immediately pour the heated cream over the chopped chocolate and stir using a small whisk until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture has a thick sauce like consistency.

7. Allow to cool for twenty minutes or so, stirring every-now-and-again until the mixture has thickened slightly. Spread over the COOLED cake, spreading it out slightly with a small off-set spatula, if required. Allow to stand for an hour before serving in order to give the icing a chance to set.

Serves 10-12.

 

Lemon Ricotta Cake

I just can’t resist anything that contains lemons, and this cake is one that is packed full of intense lemon flavour, but without being too sharp on the palate. It’s very adaptable, perfect for eating as it is or served as a dessert at room temperature with a dollop of cream and some homemade lemon curd or soft fruit on the side. In fact, how could anyone resist it?

Made with ricotta and a good amount of lemon juice, the cake is beautifully moist and very moreish to eat. Because of the inclusion of ricotta, cooking king purists might consider this a cheesecake and although moist and slightly creamy in texture, this cake does not have the same density as a classic baked cheesecake would have. It really is more like a cake than a cheesecake.

Recipes like this one always appeal, because they are so simple to make, yet produce such elegant looking and delicious results.

 

For those readers, who feel I am relentlessly bombarding you with lemon recipes, I apologise, but this IS a great cake, which even those who are ambivalent about lemon will love. It keeps well covered and refrigerated, but do let it come back up to room temperature before serving.
 

Ingredients:

175g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 4 lemons

3 large eggs, separated

250g fresh ricotta

100g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

25g ground almonds

100ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/Fan Oven 160C/Gas mark 4. Butter the base and sides of a 20cm round spring-form cake tin (about 6-8cms deep) and line the bottom with some non-stick baking parchment. Place on a baking tray and set aside.
2. Place the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl and using a hand-electric mixer, beat together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat in until they are fully incorporated.
3. Drain any liquid off the ricotta and using a wooden spoon, stir into the butter mixture.

Place the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer, whisk until they form stiff peaks.

4. Sieve the flour and baking powder together and along with the ground almonds, fold into the cake batter using a large metal spoon.  Add the lemon juice and stir through so that it is well mixed in.

5. Add a quarter of the egg whites and stir through the batter, to loosen it and then fold in the remaining egg whites, trying to retain as much air as possible, but do ensure that they are mixed in fully.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared spring-form tin and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 50 minutes. Check the cake after 30 minutes and if it is browning too much cover loosely with some tin foil. The cake is ready when a thin skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin, before removing. Serve lightly dusted with icing sugar just before serving.

Serves 8-10.
 

Brown Sugar Meringues with Hazelnuts & Roasted Rhubarb

There are certain things that taste flippin’ delicious and this is one of them. Well… brown sugar meringues, cream and beautifully pink roasted rhubarb… how could you go wrong?

 

What I love about these meringues, is that they are so simple to make and unlike standard meringues which are normally made with refined caster sugar, these have a depth and complexity of flavour that goes so well with the slightly tart rhubarb.

 

Due to the fact that the recipe requires the use of light brown muscovado sugar, the finished meringues have a slightly chewy interior, but I like this contrasted against the crisp shell of the meringues and the crunch of the hazelnuts… not to mention the comforting feel of the softly whipped cream in the mouth. Absolutely delicious!

 

As with all meringues, the only watch-point is when you are separating the eggs – it is really important not to allow any yolk into the whites and also to make sure that you use a scrupulously clean bowl and whisks to whip them to the stiff peak stage. Other than that, the meringues are a cinch to make and the finished dessert looks so much more than the sum of its parts.

 

I have served the meringues with roasted rhubarb, but you can use poached plums or pears or any fruit that takes your fancy. Likewise, you don’t have to use chopped hazelnuts and can substitute them for other nuts of your choice, but personally, I think that they work wonderfully with the brown sugar in the meringues and the rhubarb.

 

Although, the rhubarb does need sweetening as it roasts, try not to over-sweeten it as the aim is to have it on the slightly tart side as the meringues are so full of almost toffee-like sweetness. I love roasting rhubarb because it retains its shape much more successfully and doesn’t collapse into a stewed mush, but also because it tends to retain its beautiful pink colour. For these reasons, I recommend that you roast it rather than stew it.

 

I like to serve the roasted rhubarb chilled but it tastes just as delicious served warm at room temperature – it’s up to you! The rhubarb and meringues can both be prepared well in advance and merely assembled just before you wish to serve them.
 

Ingredients:

Meringues:
3 large egg whites

175g light brown muscovado sugar

25g chopped skinned hazelnuts

Roasted rhubarb:

200g rhubarb, chopped into 4-5cm lengths

50g caster sugar

1tblsp orange juice (or water)

To finish:

250ml whipping cream, softly whipped
 

Method:

Meringues:

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/Fan Oven 130C/Gas Mark 2. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking parchment and set aside.

2. Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer whisk until they are standing in stiff peaks. Gradually add the muscovado sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition until all has been incorporated and the meringue is still holding its shape.

3. Spoon the meringue onto the prepared baking tray, making 6-8 individual meringue ‘mounds’ spaced a few centimetres apart as they will rise and expand a little as they bake. Sprinkle a few of the chopped hazelnuts over each of the meringues and place in the preheated oven.

4. Immediately reduce the heat to 130C/Fan Oven 110C/Gas Mark ¼ and bake for 60 minutes. After this time, turn off the oven but leave the meringues to cool completely in the oven. They can then be removed carefully and stored in an air-tight container for up to 5 days until you are ready to use them.

Roasted rhubarb:

5. Preheat oven to 200C/Fan Oven 180C/Gas Mark 6.

6. Place the rhubarb in a single layer in a roasting dish and sprinkle over the sugar and the orange juice (or water). Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the rhubarb is tender and releasing its juices, but has not disintegrated. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool and then refrigerate until ready to assemble the dessert.

To finish:

7. Place a meringue in the middle of your serving dish. Dollop some softly whipped cream on top and spoon on some of the roasted rhubarb and its juices.

Serves 6-8.

 

Review: Afternoon Tea in Tankardstown House Hotel, County Meath

I’m on a bit of an afternoon tea odyssey at the moment; partly because I want to seek out and find the best places in Ireland to have afternoon tea, but also in large part because I just LOVE afternoon tea! Yes it’s something that is a little bit self-indulgent but I firmly believe that these treats, if experienced every now and again, make life all the more enjoyable.

 

I also believe that there are certain foods and dining rituals that elicit an emotional response from deep within us; these vary from person to person and in many cases are associated with foods that we ate when we were children or that remind of us of happy times in our lives. I defy anyone to tell me that they don’t have at least one food or meal that does this for them. When I was younger, I remember that when guests were expected, my grandmother would bake a range of cakes and scones and serve them with dainty little crustless sandwiches. I always loved these occasions and her version of afternoon tea.

 

I have always enjoyed eating individual sized portions of foods and I love having a choice of different foods to eat – that way I can get to sample a broader range of what is on offer! I am also rather partial to pastries and cakes, so afternoon tea definitely ticks all my boxes and I am determined to try out as many places as I can in 2015.

 

I have been hearing a lot of great things about the Brabazon and The Cellar restaurants in Tankardstown House Hotel so when I heard that afternoon tea was also available, I decided to journey up to County Meath and sample it. I know, I know... it's a tough life!

 

Driving through the gates of Tankardstown House, you are immediately struck by the beauty of the lovingly restored Georgian house and the magnificent grounds. The owners Brian and Patricia Conroy have created something that is, in many ways, spectacular and totally sympathetic to the original architecture of the estate. The gardens are immaculate with high stone walls dividing the courtyard and garden areas creating spaces that you just want to explore further.

 

Afternoon tea is served in a restored cottage located off the same courtyard area that also houses Tankardstown’s other two restaurants. Weather permitting, afternoon tea can also be enjoyed in a dedicated Tea Garden area, but unfortunately conditions were a little unpredictable on the day I visited so this was not really an option.

 

Mismatched crockery sets the tone for the afternoon tea, which is relaxed without being stuffy or overly formal. A range of teas, including herbal teas are available, as is coffee. In keeping with tradition I opted for tea, choosing a strong breakfast blend as this suited my particular humour on the day. A large pot was duly delivered to my table along with a three tiered stand of edible delights. A tea cosy kept the tea warm and added a quaint note, reminding me of times spent having tea with my grandmother who always insisted on keeping a pot of tea warm in this manner rather than be allowed go slowly cold. The tea was strong with a robust flavour – just the way I like it! On a whim, I decided to have a glass of Prosecco, which was suitably dry and pleasantly fizzy.

 

Each of the plates making up the three tiered stand was crammed with delicious things to eat. The top plate held sandwiches, the middle tier a selection of cakes and pastries and the bottom tier had fruit scones with butter, jam and cream.

 

I decided to start from the top with the sandwiches, each of which was presented as open-topped so that you could easily see its constituent elements. The selection included:

• Rare Roast Beef with Sliced Cornichon & Mustard Dressing on Brown Bread
• Smoked Salmon with Horseradish Cream & Chives on White Bread
• Goats Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade on White Bread
• Smoked Chicken, Red Pepper & Brie on Brown Bread

Whilst all were lovely, my favourite of these bite-sized treats was the roast beef which I felt worked very well with the piquancy of the cornichon and mustard dressing. The cream cheese/red onion marmalade combo was simple, but equally delicious. Perhaps it’s conditioning over many years, but I would have preferred the smoked salmon on thinly cut brown soda bread rather than the white bread, but this is only a minor point and a personal preference.

 

I decided to try out the scones next. Our waitress informed us that they were made by Slane Bake, the ‘little sister’ of Tankardstown House and that the bakery was also responsible for all the cakes, pastries and breads laid out before us. The scones were lovely, with a slightly chewy crumb and just the right amount of dried fruit. A good dollop of a well-flavoured raspberry jam and some whipped cream turned them into an indulgent treat, perfect for eating between sips of tea.

 

The choice of cakes and pastries was varied and included:

• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
• Chocolate-dipped, Cream-filled Éclair
• Bakewell Slice
• Red Velvet Cupcake
• Vanilla Cupcake with Chocolate Fudge Icing
• Chocolate Biscuit Cake ‘Truffles’

Of these, the two stand-outs were the carrot cake and the bakewell slice, both of which were full of flavour, with a wonderful moist texture and not at all dry. The least successful of the cakes and pastries were the Biscuit Cake Truffles, which were a bit mealy in the mouth, but they did have a lovely taste. At this stage, my appetite was well satisfied, but I still managed to finish everything that was put before me.

 

The afternoon tea in Tankardstown was absolutely charming and was wonderful way to spend a leisurely afternoon. The food was lovely and the service exemplary.

 

In fact, the only negative thing that I have to say about the experience was in relation to the condition of many of the roads in County Meath. I have never seen potholes like the ones that I encountered that day… there are so many wonderful places to visit in this beautiful county, including Tankardstown House, that one would be hopeful that Meath County Council is prioritising the repair and upkeep of its roads to encourage more visitors to the area.

 

Compared to many of the afternoon teas that are available, this one is very reasonably priced and highly recommended.

 

Cost:

Afternoon Tea for Two €40

Sparkling Afternoon Tea for Two (with Prosecco) €50

Tattinger Afternoon Tea for Two €65

 

Opening Hours: Saturday & Sunday 1pm-5pm

 

Tankardstown House Hotel

Rathkenny

Slane

County Meath

 

Tel: 041 9824621

Web: www.tankardstown.ie