Chocolate Cheesecake with Nigella Lawson

Ingredients
Cheesecake base:
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon cocoa

Cheesecake filling:
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped small
2 1/2 cups cream cheese
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon custard powder
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon cocoa, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

Sauce:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dark corn syrup
Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Steps:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the base, process the graham crackers to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa. Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.

Put a kettle on to boil. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.Beat the cream cheese to soften it, then add the sugar and custard power, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and melted chocolate and mix to a smooth batter.

Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of cling wrap, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.

Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with just boiled water to come about half way up the cake tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.

Peel away the foil and cling film wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the refrigerator once it is no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with plastic overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.

To make the chocolate sauce: very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and pour it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate.

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Totally Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nigella Lawson

INGREDIENTS

125g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids
150g flour
30g cocoa, sieved
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
125g soft butter
75g light brown sugar
50g white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, cold from the fridge
350g (2 bags) semi-sweet chocolate morsels or dark chocolate chips
Serving Size : Makes 12

Steps:


1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Melt the 125g dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water.
2. Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.
3. Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. (I use my freestanding mixer, itself an odd source of comfort to me.) Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
4. Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate morsels or chips.
5. Scoop out 12 equal-sized mounds – an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job – and place on a lined baking sheet about 6cm apart. Do not flatten them.
6. Cook for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
7. Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4–5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.

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Triple Chocolate Mousse Anna Olson

Ingredients:

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon gelatin powder
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cups whipping cream

Milk Chocolate Mousse
10 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon gelatin powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream

White Chocolate Mousse
12 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon gelatin powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream

Dacquoise Crunch Garnish
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons ground hazelnuts
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Steps:


TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:
1. For bittersweet mousse, melt chocolate in a bowl resting over a pot of gently simmering water, stirring constantly. Stir gelatin powder into milk and let sit for a minute. Heat milk (microwave is easiest) to just below a simmer and whisk into chocolate. Let cool to room temperature. Whip cream to soft peak and fold into chocolate. Pour mousse into a plastic wrap-lined 9-inch square pan, spreading well into corners. Chill for at least 1 hour.
2. For white chocolate mousse, follow the same method as the bittersweet mousse: melt the chocolate, add gelatin to milk, heat the milk and stir in, let cool, whip cream and fold into chocolate. Spoon or pour gently over bittersweet mousse layer and chill for at least 1 hour.
3. For milk chocolate mousse, repeat the same process, and pour mousse gently over white chocolate layer. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
4. To serve, invert pan onto a plate and peel off plastic. With a hot, dry knife slice squares of mousse and lift onto plates with a pie-lifter. Break Dacquoise Crunch (directions follow) into large pieces and place on mousse as garnish. Yield: 1 9-inch square pan. Makes 9 to 12 servings.
5. DACQUOISE CRUNCH GARNISH: Preheat oven to 225° F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Whip egg white with cream of tartar until foamy and add sugar gradually. Whip to stiff, glossy peaks. Stir in vanilla. Toss ground hazelnuts with cornstarch and fold into meringue. Spread gently on parchment paper. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until dry but not browned. Allow to cool.

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Chocolate, marmalade and hazelnut cake with Rachel Allen Cooks

Ingredients A:
175g dark chocolate
175g of butter
Grind 150g of hazelnuts
5 eggs
175g of caster sugar
200g finely-cut marmalade
Grated zest of one orange

Ingredients B:
75g of dark chocolate
75ml cream
Grated zest of one orange

Steps 1:
Preheat oven to 190ºC.
Grease and line a 22cm loose-bottomed pan
Melt together 175g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa) and 175g of butter
Grind 150g of hazelnuts, with skins on, in a food processor.
Separate 5 eggs. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 175g of caster sugar until mousse-like in texture.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Add 200g finely-cut marmalade, grated zest of one orange and the ground nuts to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
Add the beaten egg whites, one third at a time, folding gently through.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to 170ºC. Bake for a further 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake (the skewer test wasn't helpful for me - see further down).
Cool for 20 minutes before removing the cake from the tin and leaving to cool completely on a rack.

Steps 2:


Melt together 75g of dark chocolate (70% cocoa), 75ml cream and grated zest of one orange. Spread over the cake with a spatula and leave to set for 30 minutes - 1hr
Serves 12

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Nigella Lawson with Instant Chocolate Mousse

INGREDIENTS

150g mini marshmallows
50g soft butter
250g good dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), chopped into small pieces
60ml hot water from a recently boiled kettle
1 x 284ml tub double cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Serving Size : Serves 4–6

Steps:


1. Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate and water in a heavy-based saucepan.
2. Put the saucepan on the hob, over heat, though keep it fairly gentle, to melt the contents, stirring every now and again. Remove from the heat.
3. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the vanilla extract until thick, and then fold into the cooling chocolate mixture until you have a smooth, cohesive mixture.
4. Pour or scrape into 4 glasses or ramekins, about 175ml each in capacity, or 6 smaller (125ml) ones, and chill until you want to eat. The sooner the better!

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Nigella Lawson with Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Sundae

INGREDIENTS

175ml double cream
100g milk chocolate, chopped
100g smooth peanut butter (Skippy for preference)
3 x 15ml tablespoons golden syrup
4 scoops toffee or caramel ice cream
4 scoops chocolate ice cream
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
4 x 15ml tablespoons salted peanuts, roughly chopped or left whole to taste
Serving Size : Serves 4 very lucky people


How to serve it:


1. Put all the cream, chopped chocolate, peanut butter and golden syrup into a saucepan and place on the heat to melt, stirring occasionally.
In about 2 minutes you should have your sauce ready.
2. Get out four sundae glasses and put a scoop of toffee or caramel ice cream in each, followed by one of chocolate and then another of vanilla.
3. Pour some chocolate peanut butter fudge sauce over each sundae and sprinkle with the salted peanuts.
Hand them round and wait for people to weep with gratitude.




Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Sundae

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Deluxe Double-Chocolate Cookies - SCHARFFEN BERGER

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons SCHARFFEN BERGER Natural Cocoa Powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
PREPARATION:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water. Be sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat.
3. Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set aside.
4. Beat the butter until creamy.
5. Slowly add the sugar and mix until the mixture is completely smooth and soft.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
7. Beat in the salt and the vanilla, and then add the melted chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated.
8. Add the milk and beat until combined.
9. Finally, add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated.
10. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies until they are just barely firm on top when lightly touched but are still very soft underneath, about 7 minutes. They will get firmer as they cool. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

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