Chocolate & Lime meringue layered fudge

I love fudge and it always goes down such a treat with friends and family! I have even started to get a bit bolder with my flavours and this time I made a layered fudge, the bottom layer is milk chocolate and the top is a zesty lime meringue fudge using homemade lime curd.

Here's how...

I made the chocolate fudge first and pressed it into a 40 x 28 x 2.5cm tray, whilst it was cooling I made the lime meringue fudge which I spread evenly over the chocolate fudge and then left the layered fudge to set before cutting into squares.

Chocolate fudge (makes 24 pieces)

Ingredients

• 25g unsalted butter
• 397g condensed milk
• 400g milk chocolate chips
• 100g icing sugar

Cooking instructions

1. Line a 20cm (8") square pan with baking parchment or a 40 x 28 x 2.5cm tray if you are making the layered fudge
2. Place the butter, chocolate and condensed milk in a heavy based jug
3. Stir using a wooden spoon over low heat until smooth and silky
4. Remove from heat
5. Using an electric whisk or food mixer, beat in the sieved icing sugar
6. Pour mixture into prepared pan, smooth over the top with the back of a spoon
7. Leave to set for a few hours
8. Cut into small squares
9. Store in airtight container in fridge

Lime meringue fudge (makes 24 pieces)

Ingredients

• 75g (3oz) unsalted butter
• 700g granulated sugar
• 200ml (7 fl oz) double cream
• 397g condensed milk
• 4 tbsp lime curd
• 50g meringue, crumbled

Cooking instructions

1. Line a 20cm (8") square pan with baking parchment, no need to if you are making the layered fudge
2. Place the butter, sugar, milk and condensed milk in a heavy based jug
3. Stir using a wooden spoon over low heat until sugar has dissolved
4. Now turn up heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil, stirring continuosly so mixture does not stick to bottom of pan
5. Place candy thermometer in jug and continue stirring until mixture heats to "soft ball", 240 deg F
6. Remove from heat
7. Using an electric whisk or food mixer, beat mixture for about ten minutes
8. Add lime curd and broken meringue pieces, beat mixture for about ten minutes until it loses its gloss
9. Pour mixture into prepared pan, smooth over the top with the back of a spoon
10. Leave to set for a few hours
11. Cut into small squares
12. Store in airtight container in fridge

Tips...
You must use a candy thermometer as making fudge is an exact science
You can use a heavy based saucepan if you do not have a jug
Remember the mixture gets very hot, so please take care



Have a sweet day!

Cadbury's Creme Egg cupcakes

As I was saying yesterday, the lovely peeps at Just Bake sent me some pretty white broderie anglaise cupcake wrappers and cupcake decorations for Easter. So to fit in with my Neon and pastel colour palette I lined them in neon yellow, green and pink paper. I wanted my cupcake flavours to match the colour of the wrappers, to go with the neon yellow lined wrappers I decided to make chocolate cupcakes with a mini Cadbury's creme egg hidden inside. After some research, the best advice I found was to freeze the eggs first so they wouldn't completely melt inside. To match the gooey chocolate cupcakes I went for a cream cheese and marshmallow frosting and decorated them with white chocolate bunnies on a disc of green sparkles. I baked all my cupcakes in white foil cupcake cases from Just Bake.



Here's how...

Gluten-free Cadbury's Creme Egg cupcakes (makes 12 large cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 60g dark chocolate chips
• 160ml water
• 2 large eggs
• 100g gluten-free self raising flour
• 90g unsalted butter, softened
• 220g Brown sugar
• 40g ground almonds
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 12 frozen mini creme eggs

Cooking instructions

1. Heat oven to 150C fan assisted
2. Line baking tray with cases
3. Place water and chopped chocolate in to a small saucepan, stir over a low heat until smooth, set to one side
4. In a food mixer, beat the butter, sugar and eggs till light and fluffy
5. Stir in the sifted flour, cocoa powder, ground almonds and chocolate mixture
6. Divide half the batter between the cases
7. Place one frozen cream egg into the batter filled cases
8. Divide the rest of the batter between the cases, so you cover the eggs
9. Bake for about 25-30 mins until cakes bounce back when lightly pressed
10. Place on rack to cool

To decorate (for 12 large cupcake sized cakes) Ingredients

• 1 jar of marshmallow Fluff, 213g
• 200g cream cheese, room temperature
• White chocolate bunny disc
• White chocolate strands

Instructions

1. Place the marshamallow fluff and cream cheese in a bowl and whisk till light and fluffy
2. Fill piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle
3. Pipe a swirl of icing on top of the cakes and sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles
4. Place chocolate bunny disc inside

Have a sweet day!

Gluten free mini chocolate nests

Rather than giving decorated egg boxes of the same sweet treats I made a selection of four gluten free sweet treats all of which look like little nests to fill my egg boxes with. Yesterday I shared you my mini pina colada doughnuts, turkish delight mini doughnut nests and earlier today my white chocolate rocky road nests. So last but not least are the chocolate cornflake nests...



Mini chocolate nests (makes 24 mini size cupcakes)
Ingredients

• 100g milk chocolate chips
• 50g gluten free cornflakes, lightly crushed
• 50g raisins
• Edible pink glitter
• Pink sprinkles
• Jelly bean eggs

Method

1. Line mini cupcake baking tray with mini cupcake cases
2. Melt chocolate in microwave on low power for about 1-2 minutes (the exact amount of time needed will depend on the type of chocolate being used so remove and stir the chocolate every so often to ensure it heats evenly)
3. Once the chocolate is melted, remove from microwave and gradually pour into bowl of crushed cornflakes and raisins
4. Stir chocolate, cornflakes and raisins until the dried ingredients are completely covered in chocolate
5. Spoon mixture into cases and make a hole in the center
6. Sprinkle with pink sprinkles
7. Fill hole with jelly eggs and sprinkle with edible pink glitter, leave to set

Have a sweet day!

White chocolate rocky road nests

I have been meaning to make rocky road for a while now, so I decided Easter would be a perfect time! I went for white chocolate and made them into mini nests, more sweet treats for my egg boxes...



Mini white chocolate rocky road nests (makes 24 mini size cupcakes)
Ingredients

• 100g white chocolate chips
• 50g gluten free digestive biscuits, crushed into small pieces
• 50g mini marshmallows
• 25g desiccated coconut
• Edible neon yellow glitter
• Pink sprinkles
• Jelly bean eggs

Method

1. Line mini cupcake baking tray with mini cupcake cases
2. Melt chocolate in microwave on low power for about 1-2 minutes (the exact amount of time needed will depend on the type of chocolate being used so remove and stir the chocolate every so often to ensure it heats evenly)
3. Once the chocolate is melted, remove from microwave and gradually pour into bowl of crushed biscuits, marshmallows and coconut
4. Stir mixture until the dried ingredients are completely covered in chocolate
5. Lightly stir in pink sprinkles
6. Spoon mixture into cases and make a hole in the center
7. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut
8. Fill hole with jelly eggs and sprinkle with edible pink glitter, leave to set

Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free double choc rose cupcakes

Every month I get to choose some items from the lovely peeps at Wholeport to use and show you here on Torie Jayne...
This month I also chose some pretty red heart print cupcake cases, silicone 12 heart mould and some heart doilies. I decided to make some gluten free double choc rose cupcakes with a meringue icing topped with white chocolate red glitter hearts for Valentine's day. Here's how...

double choc rose cupcakes (makes 12 large cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 250g (1 1/4 cups) gluten-free self raising flour
• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 250g Caster sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp rose water essence
• 100g white chocolate chips
• 100g dark chocolate chips

Cooking instructions

1. Heat oven to 180C (fan 160C)
2. Line baking tray with cases
3. In a food mixer, beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy
4. Slowly beat the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mix
5. Slowly beat in sifted flour, cocoa powder and rose water essence
6. Divide half the batter between the cases
7. Stir in chocolate chips
8. Divide the the batter between the cases
9. Bake for about 20 mins until cakes bounce back when lightly pressed
10. Place on rack to cool

To decorate (for 12 large cupcake sized cakes) Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 170g caster sugar
• Red edible glitter chocolate hearts - see Chocolate glittered stars for how to create
• 100g dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Place egg whites and sugar in a medium heat proof bowl
2. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water
3. Whisk the egg whites and sugar for about 8 minutes until the mixture turns thick, glossy and stands in stiff peaks
4. Remove from pan of water
5. Fill piping bag fitted with a round nozzle
6. Immediately pipe a swirl of meringue icing on top of the cakes
7. Leave to set for at least half an hour
8. Melt 100g dark chocolate chips and drizzle over the top of the meringue icing
9. Place red edible glitter chocolate heart in centre of icing
10. Leave drizzle chocolate to set

Have a sweet day!

Strawberry truffles

Strawberry truffles (makes 35)

Ingredients
400g white chocolate drops
6 tbsp double cream (heavy cream)
100g strawberries blended to a puree
Bowl of strawberry flavoured sugar for rolling them in.
Edible white glitter

Cooking instructions

1. Place the chocolate drops and cream in a medium sized saucepan on a medium heat.
2. Stir until chocolate has completely melted and has a smooth texture.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in strawberry puree.
4. Pour into small bowl and refrigerate for about 1 1/2 hours, or until set.
5. Scoop tsp of chocolate mix into your hand and roll into a ball shape.
6. Roll in strawberry flavoured sugar to coat.
7. Sprinkle with edible glitter
8. Refrigerate to store, for up to a week (but best served at room temperature).

Here they are with my bubblegum flavoured truffles and dark chocolate & orange

Have a sweet day!

Chocolate glittered stars

The lovely peeps at Wholeport let me pick a bunch of lovely craft and baking treasures. I instantly fell in love with the pretty pink 12 five-pointed stars silicone mold because of the great 3d effect so I decided to make my chocolate stars really sparkle with edible glitter...

Chocolate glittered stars (makes 12)

Ingredients
100g white chocolate drops
Edible gold glitter
Edible teal glitter

Cooking instructions

1. Brush the edible glitter on to the inside of the star mould, so entire inside of mould is covered in glitter
2. Place the chocolate drops in a microwavable bowl and heat on low heat in short bursts so you don't overheat the chocolate, heat until chocolate is completely melted
3. Pour melted chocolate in to moulds
4. Lightly tap the mould on a hard surface to remove air bubbles
5. Place in fridge till completely set
6. Lightly push chocolate stars out of mould

Have a sweet day!

Raspberry & Chocolate mousse filled chocolate houses

Last year I made chocolate snowflakes filled with chocolate mousse that were yummy! so when the lovely peeps at Wholeport sent me a houses mould I knew I wanted to fill them with chocolate mousse but as they were deeper than the snowflake mould I decided to also fill them with a raspberry mouse so they were not to rich. I tried to make the layer of chocolate thinner on the houses than the snowflakes but sadly I got it too thin at the bases of some of the houses which caused some of the chocolate to break off, so I have adjusted the recipe to include a little more chocolate.

Chocolate House mousse (makes 6 Houses)

Ingredients

• 100g white chocolate drops
• Aqua chocolate colouring (must be chocolate colouring as regular food colouring will cause chocolate to seize and ruin)
• 300g double cream
• Pinch of caster sugar
• 300g milk chocolate drops
• 200g double cream
• Pinch of caster sugar
• 200g fresh raspberries blended into a puree
• Icing sugar for dusting

6 Cavity silicone house mould

Cooking instructions

• Melt white chocolate and stir in food colouring.
• Pour coloured white chocolate into moulds and, using a brush, coat sides of moulds in chocolate and leave to set.
• Place 300g of cream in a bowl with a pinch of caster sugar and whip until soft peaks form.
• Melt 200g of milk chocolate in the microwave on a low heat or in a double boiler on the hob, continuously stirring so as not to overheat.
• Stir melted chocolate into whipped cream until you have an even coloured mousse.
• Spoon mousse into chocolate coated house moulds and place in fridge to firm.
• Place 200g of cream in a bowl with a pinch of caster sugar and whip until soft peaks form.
• Stir blended raspberries into whipped cream until you have an even coloured mousse.
• Spoon mousse into chocolate coated house moulds on top of chocolate mousses and place in fridge to firm.
• Melt remaining 100g of milk chocolate and coat the top of the mousse with milk chocolate to seal in mousse.
• Place in fridge to set.
• Turn out house filled moulds just before serving and dust with sieved icing sugar.

Old fashioned glitter gold tart server

Have a sweet day!

Gluten free banana & chocolate star muffins

The lovely peeps at Musha Makes recently sent me a set of Tulip' Muffin Cases in a Grey star design that are part of the Tilda 'Winter Memories' Collection
So I decided to make gluten free banana & chocolate muffins sprinkled with white chocolate stars for Christmas mornings...


Gluten free banana & chocolate star muffins (makes 16 muffins)

Ingredients

• 150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 220g caster sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 mashed banana
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 150g Gluten free plain flour
• 6 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100g white chocolate stars

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 165C (fan assisted)
2. Line baking tray with cases
3. Cream butter, vanilla extract and sugar using an electric whisk till light and fluffy
4. Slowly whisk in eggs till well combined
5. Gradually add flour, cocoa powder, bicarb of soda and milk until well combined
6. Divide batter between the cases
7. Sprinkle with chocolate stars
8. Bake for about 15-20 mins until muffins bounce back when lightly pressed
9. Place on rack to cool
10. Sprinkle with chocolate stars and dust with icing sugar

Tips...
Butter should be soft enough to hold a thumbprint but still keep its shape.
Eggs should be at room temperature as cold eggs will be harder to keep from curdling.




Have a sweet day!

Gluten free Mint choc chip Christmas cupcakes

I was recently asked if I would like to review some of new online store, Just Bake's cupcake decorations. Ooh! Yes please! After much consideration I chose Antique white foil cupcake cases, White snowflake cupcake wrappers, Edible silver sequins and Pearl white edible silk. I was thinking I could decorate my cupcakes with mini peppermint cream pearl white Christmas trees, decorated with the edible silver sequins to match the snowflake and white cupcake wrappers I had chosen. So I decided to make choc chip cupcakes with a mint chocolate ganache icing to sit my iced Christmas trees on...



Gluten-free choc chip cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 185g (1 1/4 cups) gluten-free self raising flour
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
• 80ml (1/2 cup) milk
• 150g dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. Heat oven to 170C (fan 150C)
2. Line baking tray with cases
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper
4. In a food mixer, beat the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla essence and cocoa powder
5. Stir in sifted flour, chocolate chips and milk
6. Divide batter between the cases
7. Bake for about 25 mins until cakes bounce back when lightly pressed
8. Place on rack to cool

To decorate (for 12 cupcake sized cakes) Ingredients

• 142 ml Double cream
• 100g chopped Chocolate
• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• Ready to roll icing
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• Sieved icing sugar
• Pearl white edible silk
• Edible silver sequins

Equipment

• Rolling pin
• Star cutters in different sizes

Instructions

1. Ganache: In a medium pan heat the cream and sugar until it is about to boil
2. Remove from the heat and pour over chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted
3. Add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract and mix till you have a smooth consistency
4. Pour chocolate ganache over cooled cupcakes and leave to set
5. Add a few drops of peppermint extract to roll on icing.
6. Dust icing sugar onto a hard clean surface and roll out icing to 3mm thick.
7. Cut out 8 stars in different sizes, for each cake.
8. Layer up the stars, to form a tree.
9. Dust the top of the cakes with sieved icing sugar and place iced tree in the centre
10. Dust tips with edible silk using a damp brush
11. Sprinkle trees with edible sequins and glitter

For more beautiful cupcake decorations and cases check out Just Bake.

Have a sweet day!

Chocolate bark

Last Christmas I made chocolate bark with crushed candy. It went down such a treat that I have already had requests for it this year!

Chocolate bark (makes about 20 pieces)

Ingredients
200g dark chocolate
300g white chocolate
Crushed, broken candy canes


Cooking instructions

1. Coat a 38cm x 30cm, 1.5cm deep rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and line with baking paper
   
2. Melt the dark chocolate in a bain marie or in a microwavable bowl in the microwave on low power.
3. Pour into the baking tray and spread out to get an even layer, leave to set
4. Melt the white chocolate in a bain marie or in a microwavable bowl in the microwave on low power.
5. Pour into the baking tray over the dark chocolate and spread out, immediately sprinkle chocolate with crushed candy canes and leave to set
   
6. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
7. Peel off baking paper, and break bark into pieces.

Here they are on last years Christmas Winter Wonderland dessert table...





Have a sweet day!