This week’s food blog celebrates one of the world’s most renowned and much-loved ingredients. Sugary comforter and a source of craving to many, chocolate forms one of the key staple elements of a student’s daily diet.
This week, I’ve been experimenting with three out-of-the-ordinary recipes in a search for the perfect Mother’s Day present/stress-busting chocolate treat. Apologies to anyone who has given up chocolate for Lent, but here are three tasty recipes to look forward to testing after Easter!
Chocolate Truffles (around £3)
Ingredients: digestive biscuits, condensed milk, hot chocolate powder.
This is a super cheap, super easy recipe that was recently recommended to me by a housemate. Comprising just three ingredients, these truffles are delicious, and make for a perfect Mother’s Day or birthday present (especially if you’re on a tight budget).
Method:
Combine 16 crushed digestives with a can of condensed milk and six heaped tablespoons of hot chocolate powder (I recommend Cadburys). Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling into 30-40 small balls, covering each ball in hot chocolate powder to finish.
Top Tip:
Fill an old jam jar with your chocolate truffles, then tie a ribbon around to create your perfect Mother’s Day gift.
Nutella Mug Cake (£2-£5)
Mug cakes are the perfect quick-fix after a long day at university, or for anyone craving a dessert but lacking in time. Adaptable as either a small pudding for two, or as a cheeky feast for one, this recipe requires minimal steps and can be completed in under five minutes. What’s more, you will probably already own most of the ingredients, so this is a great recipe if you’re looking to keep spending to a minimum.
Method:
Combine 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of caster sugar, 4 tablespoons of Nutella, 5 tablespoons of plain flour, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking power (or bicarbonate of soda) in a mug. Heat for 1 minute.
Top Tip:
Leave to stand for 1-2 minutes before eating for best results. Perfect with a tablespoon of vanilla ice-cream.
Chocolate and salted caramel tartlets (£5+)
This recipe is a little more adventurous, and requires a bit more spending and time. However, the results are well worth the effort. Again, these chocolate tarts would make for another great gift for Mother’s Day, or are similarly ideal for a little self-indulgence. I borrowed and combined recipes from the GoodFood Channel and carnation.co.uk in order to create my own mini tartlets.
For the pastry
Ingredients: butter, plain flour, icing sugar, beaten egg (1-2), ceramic baking beans or dried rice.
– Rub 100g of butter (cubed) into 200g of plain flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in 1 tablespoon of icing sugar, then add half a beaten egg to bring the mixture together (or 1 full beaten egg if required).
– Flatten out the dough until 2cm thick, wrap in cling-film, and chill for 20 minutes. Once chilled, roll out the dough to around 0.5 cm thick. Line 6-8 greased tartlet tins with your pastry, and prick the pastry with a fork. Chill in the fridge for a further 10-20 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.
– Once chilled for the second time, line each tartlet with a square of greaseproof paper, and fill with ceramic baking beans (dried rice is a suitable alternative). Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and greaseproof paper, brush with beaten egg, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
For the caramel
Ingredients: butter, soft dark brown sugar, can of condensed milk, sea salt flakes.
– Melt 100g butter and 100g dark brown soft sugar in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add a can of condensed milk and bring to the boil for a minute, stirring until a thick golden caramel forms. Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of sea salt flakes.
For the chocolate layer
Ingredients: caster sugar, 4 eggs, dark chocolate, butter
– Whisk 100g caster sugar with two eggs and two egg yolks until thickened and creamy, then set aside. Melt 250g dark chocolate and 150g cubed butter in a bowl over a saucepan of gently boiling water. Leave to cool for a minute before adding the sugar and egg mixture, then whisk together until smooth.
To finish
– Spread the caramel over the base of your cooked pastry cases, then spoon over the chocolate mixture.
– Bake for 20 minute, leaving to cool before indulging!