DAPHNE'S CHOCOLATE YOGHURT CAKE

Good Morning to you,

Do you feel the year is galloping by? No sooner do I blink and it seems the month has gone, with the month of May being no exception.  Not that it has finished, as it has barely started.... or so I thought. 

You see the month of May has really thrown me into a tizz, because I seem to have lost track of the days. On Sunday I had it in my mind that it was the beginning of May.  I have no idea why, it just was.

I was waiting for my nephew to collect me to go to a family bar-b-que.  I had finished packing pasta salad, 3 bean salad and a plum tart into my basket and I was covering each item with an ice block.... please don't ask me why I wasn't using our ice box.... that is a whole other story, so a basket had to do.

Just as I put the last ice block into the basket, the phone rang and it was my niece, Rue, who, after a little chat, mentioned the reason she was ringing, was to ask, if I had the time to make her mum a chocolate cake for her birthday. Which of course I was pleased to do.   Whilst talking to Rue, I was thinking that I had plenty of time to make the cake as it was not needed until a week Thursday.  Just as I was talking to Rue, my mobile rang, so I ask Rue if she would mind holding on, because I knew it was Gloria ringing.  Gloria mentioned that her son was running late and would be with me in 10 minutes, I thanked her, said I was looking forward to seeing her and put the phone down.  I then had a quick chat to Rue and said I would see her a week Thursday and I never gave it another thought.

Of course George was not privy to this conversation because he was already at Gloria's, helping with the bar-b-que and I had forgotten to mention that Rue had rung.  If he had heard the conversation I feel sure he would have said something earlier.

Anyway, Thursday arrived and I was getting myself ready to go to my new craft group. I said goodbye to George, saying I would see him later in the afternoon.

George said, 'Before you go, I just wondered, did you remember to buy a birthday card for my sister, as we can pop over, to wish her a happy birthday, when you get back.'

To which I replied,'Oh yes, I've bought the birthday card, but I think you have got the date wrong, as it isn't her birthday until next week.'

George gave me a strange look and said, 

'It's not next week, I think you will find, it's today.'

I said, 

'Of course it's not today, it's only the beginning of May'. 

George replied, 

'I think you've got yourself in a bit of a muddle, as today's date is the 10th, check the barometer if you don't believe me.'

I checked and the date read, the 10th, but I wasn't having it, I thought maybe the battery had made the clock run too fast.  So I decided to check my trusty paper calendar.... and there it was, the date was certainly the 10th May, to which I howled, yes honestly, I think it is fair to say, I howled, 

'Oh no, I promised to make a birthday cake for today.'

George asked, 'What birthday cake, I don't remember you mentioning that you would make a cake.'

I replied, 'No you wouldn't know, because you weren't here on Sunday, when Rue rang to ask me to bake a cake... and now I feel awful, because I have mixed up my dates.'

George said, 'I don't know what your getting upset about, why don't you just buy a chocolate cake from the bakery.'

.... and it was as if he had blasphemed.... buy a chocolate cake from the bakery. How could he even suggest such a thing, when I had promised to make one.... I know, I was a tad dramatic.

I said, 'Anyway, I couldn't buy a cake, even if I wanted to, because I have bought all the ingredients, ready to make the chocolate cake.' 

I am smiling to myself, because on reflection, that really doesn't make sense, but my mind tends to fixate on the strangest things when I become stressed.

'Yes, but there is nothing that won't keep'. George continued,  'Seriously, you have arranged to go to your craft group, so there is no time to bake a cake. Make it easy on yourself,  pop to the bakery and buy a cake. I would go but I will probably choose the wrong sort of cake.'

I remained in a 'fizz' for a while, but George gently 'stroked my feathers' and I calmed down. Of course I could see the sense in buying a cake, so I decided I just had to get over myself and not feel I had let my sister-in-law down, by not making the cake myself.

So I went to the bakery and I bought a lovely chocolate cake and we delivered it to my sister in law later in the afternoon.... and guess what, she was over the moon with her surprise.  I apologised to Rue, and she laughed and said she didn't know why I was so upset, to which I replied, that I felt awful because I had promised to bake her mum a cake.

When George relayed the story to the rest of the family, he of course, embellished it quite a bit, which made everyone roll around laughing, saying I was silly to get myself in such a tizz.

.... and of course they were absolutely right.... but it's just the way I am.

So today, on 12th May 2018, we are making the Chocolate Yoghurt Cake, which should have been made for 10th May 2018.

Which secretly pleases George no end, as this cake is an added extra, as I was not going to bake a cake this weekend. 

So it's on with the pinnie and I know I've not chosen any music for a while, but today, is an exception. I have chosen this  video for George, for being so nice.

Neil Young singing Harvest Moon.... are you swaying yet.... I am.... I love, love, love this song.

I really must stop  listening to Neil and organise my ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

YOU WILL NEED

TO

MAKE 

DAPHNE'S CHOCOLATE YOGHURT CAKE

100g plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

175g unsalted butter ~ room temperature

200g dark Muscavado sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla essence

3 large eggs ~ beaten

150ml Greek yoghurt

150g self raising flower ~sifted

TO DECORATE

1 tablespoon cocoa powder 

Chocolate stars

YOGHURT, BUTTER FROSTING

100g plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

50g unsalted butter

350g icing sugar ~ sifted

6 level tablespoons Greek yoghurt

YOU WILL NEED

23cm loose bottom cake tin

baking parchment

Small saucepan 

Pyrex dish to fit the saucepan

HOW TO MAKE

DAPHNE'S 

CHOCOLATE YOGHURT CAKE

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan

Butter the cake tin and line with baking parchment

Boil a kettle of water and pour into the saucepan until quarter full.  Place on the heat.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in the Pyrex bowl. Place the bowl over the saucepan and allow the chocolate to slowly melt.

Set aside.

Place the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and whisk until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla essence, then gradually add the beaten eggs.  Continue whisking the mixture.  If you find it is beginning to curdle, add a tablespoon of flour to the mixture.

Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl and the yoghurt and continue to whisk until both have been fully incorporated.

Using a metal spoon, gently fold the sifted flour into the mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or until the cake is thoroughly cooked.

Leave the cake to cool for 10 minutes then run a palette knife around the edge of the cake to make sure the edge is released.  Leave the cake in the cake tin until it is cooled.

When cooled.  Take a second cooling tray and 

turn the cake upside down, so that the top becomes the bottom and the bottom becomes the top. This gives a nice flat surface to decorate.

HOW TO MAKE THE 

CHOCOLATE, YOGHURT FROSTING

Using a low heat, melt the butter and chocolate in saucepan.

Pour the butter and chocolate mixture into a bowl.

Add the icing sugar and the yoghurt and whisk until smooth. 

Continue whisking until the frosting cools. At this point you will also see it thickening.

Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and if you like you can spread the topping down the side of the cake.

Sprinkle with sifted cocoa and decorated with chocolate stars.

Then all there is left to do,

is,

cut a slice and enjoy.

As you can see, this cake has a lovely, moist texture. It looks as if the cake has sunk in the photograph, but as you could see, when I turned the cake upside down, the surface was flat.  The frosting has decided to run down the centre of the cake.

If you do not fancy yoghurt in your frosting, just make your usual frosting.  I however, love the flavour of this chocolate frosting, as the yoghurt stops the frosting from being too sweet.

Whether you make this Chocolate Yoghurt cake on a Thursday or Friday.... I feel sure you will thoroughly enjoy it.

Until next Saturday, take good care of yourself.

As Always,

CHOCOLATE FILO COIL

Good Afternoon to you,

Did you brave Black Friday, the new phenomenon which has crossed the water from America?

My goodness, the first year Black Friday arrived, I was horrified to see how people behaved. It turned, what I perceived, to be normal people, into aggressive people, pushing and shoving each other, to bag a bargain. I can honestly say, I had never seen anything like it. For instance, there were a couple of people shown on television, arguing over the same television set. They were pushing each other, trying to keep their hands on the television and they were so aggressive. It really was a sad sight. I remember thinking at the time, that if the television was still inside the box, it would be neither use nor ornament, because by the time the couple had argued over it, the television would be smashed to smithereens.

So last year, I avoided Black Friday, only to discover that many other people had avoided it as well and that the shops were pretty quiet.

So this year, George and I decided we would test the waters and buy our Christmas gifts on Black Friday. On Thursday evening, we sat down and listed our family and friends and thought about each gift we wanted to buy. George usually shops for the men in our family and I shop for the girls. We agreed, when shopping, there would be no dilly dallying, we would not be side tracked, we would focus on our lists.

We were up and about early on Friday and braced ourselves, but do you know what, we were fine.  At the start of the morning there were no crowds, but we did not linger. As agreed, we went to each shop and bought the gift we wanted and when we reached the end of the list, we decided to go home.

I have to tell you, it was just as well we decided to shop early in the morning, because by the time we had finished our shopping, the town was jam packed with people. 

.... and as we were walking through the crowds, we were secretly smiling to ourselves, because we knew, we were heading home,  to put our feet up and enjoy a cup of coffee.... oh such a nice feeling.

.... and what goes nicely with a cup of coffee? Well, chocolate of course, so this delicious Chocolate Filo Coil certainly hits the spot.

I love using filo pastry in savoury pies and sweet pies,  although I don't use it as much as I used to. 

A friend of mine gave me this recipe a number of years ago, and I found it whilst leafing through one of my old cookery books. So I thought it the perfect thing to make, especially as I love, the combination of chocolate, ground almonds and chopped dates, especially Medjool dates.... for me they are Top of the Pops where dates are concerned. You know about me and my sweet tooth, plus the flavours are so Christmassy.

So it's on with the pinnie and the music I am listening to is,

the marvellous Milos Karadaglic.  I adore this album and today I was in the mood to listen to some beautiful music.

I wanted you to listen to,  El Testament d'Amelia, which is on this album, but I could not find a You tube clip.  So instead I chose Quizas, Quizas, Quizas.... listen to it and tell me if you recognise the music.

Quizas, Quizas, Quizas

So while your listening I will gather my ingredients.

INGREDIENTS 

YOU WILL NEED

TO MAKE

CHOCOLATE FILO COIL

Serves 6-8 people

275g packet of filo pastry ~ thawed

75g unsalted butter

For Dusting

1 level teaspoon of icing sugar           

1 level teaspoon of dark cocoa powder

1 level teaspoon of cinnamon             

The Filling

75g unsalted butter

125g dark chocolate

115g ground almonds

115g chopped dates

75g icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

You will need a 25cm round cake tin

HOW TO 

MAKE A

CHOCOLATE FILO COIL

Butter the cake tin.

CHOCOLATE FILLING

Place the butter with the chocolate into a heatproof bowl.

Bring a quarter filled pan of water to the boil, reduce to a simmer and place the bowl containing the butter and chocolate over the pan. 

Do not allow the bowl to touch the simmering water. If it does, then empty some of the water from the pan. Make sure the bowl fits comfortably.

When melted, remove the bowl from the heat. Place a tea towel on your work surface so that the bowl does not slip. Stir the butter and chocolate together.

Add the ground almonds

Add the chopped dates

Add the icing sugar

and finally,

Add the cinnamon.

and mix the ingredients together.  The mixture will slowly come together.

Set aside to cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F

Melt the butter.

Then

gently unroll the filo pastry.

Remove the first sheet and brush with the melted butter.

Lay another sheet on top of the first sheet and brush the second sheet with melted butter.

Place some of your chocolate filling along the bottom edge of the filo pastry, about 1/2 inch from the edge and gently roll the filo into a long sausage shape.  With each turn, brush with melted butter.  I find this much easier than trying to turn the flat sheets of filo pastry.  It will take a little longer, but it is worth the effort.

To give you a guide, I used 8 teaspoonfuls of chocolate mix for each roll.  Do not overfill each roll, because otherwise, when you get to the final roll, you will not have enough mixture.

Place the first roll around the outside of the buttered cake tin.

and

repeat the process, until

the cake tin is full.

Brush the coil with the remaining melted butter.

If you find you do not have enough melted

butter, then just melt a little more.

Place the Chocolate Filo Coil in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the filo pastry is a golden brown.

Allow the pastry to cool a little and dust with the icing sugar mixture.  As you can see, the icing sugar has melted, because my filo coil was a little hot. I really did not have the time to cool the filo coil. 

Can you guess why?

Yes, you've guessed it. You certainly know my husband.

 The aroma from the kitchen had George walking in and out of the kitchen, ready and waiting for the coil to be baked.

So

just like George,

cut a slice,

pour over some single cream

and

Enjoy.  

If you do not want to make a coil, once the filo pastry is filled with the chocolate mixture and rolled, you could also cut the roll into 2 or 3 inch pieces and cook as individual pastries.  I feel sure you would probably have to adjust the cooking time, but I cannot imagine by much.

I tell you what, next time I make this Chocolate Filo Coil, I will cut the rolls and bake them and I will let you know how long they take.

So take care and I will see you next Thursday.

As Always,

CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE ~ NOT AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE

Good Morning to you,

I really do love writing this blog.

.... and I can honestly say, I love sharing my day to day recipes with you. Spending time in my kitchen, is not an effort for me, it is something I really enjoy.

.... and one of the things I do enjoy, is baking cakes. I'm not saying I'm a fabulous baker, but I think it would be fair to say that my cakes usually turn out pretty well.

So I was really looking forward to making a chocolate cake for this Easter weekend. I had decided to make George,

a Chocolate Marble Cake, using my,

brand new buntd tin. Did you happen to notice that I said, I was making this cake for George? Who am I kidding, you know how much I love chocolate. You won't be surprised to hear that I will allow the odd piece of chocolate cake to pass my lips this weekend.

.... but before I could do that, I needed to organise myself. I started gathering my ingredients, I had everything weighed out and ready to go.  I just needed to butter my buntd tin. I remembered reading somewhere, that it was so important, when using a buntd tin to butter it well, and when you thought you had buttered it enough, butter it some more.... and as you can see from the photograph, I did exactly that. 

When the ingredients were mixed together, I divided the cake mixture in half, then added chocolate to one half of the cake mixture.  I then spooned the mixture into the pre-buttered buntd tin, alternating between the chocolate mixture and the plain. I ran a spoon through the mixture to create the marbled effect I was after. I placed the cake in the pre-heated oven and baked it for the correct amount of time.  I  then allowed the cake to cool a little, before I was ready to turn it out of the buntd tin. When the time arrived, the cake had other ideas, instead of it releasing itself from the buntd tin, the cake stayed where it was,  it held firm.  I was not phased, I thought to myself, I just need to give it a little more encouragement, so I tried using a rounded knife, hoping this would help the cake to release itself. I then turned the buntd tin upside down and I waited patiently,

.... there was no movement, the cake held firm, it was going no where.

I reached for a wooden spoon and gently tapped the base of the cake.

I tried again. I turned the buntd tin upside down.

Can you believe it, the cake would not budge. My beautifully baked cake had decided, rather than being released, it preferred the confines of the buntd tin, it was happy to stay where it was.

.... but I had other ideas. By hook or by crook, this cake was going to be parted from its tin and take its rightful place, on my cooling rack, ready to be photographed.

I gently shook the cake. I gently banged the cake on the work surface... notice I say gently on both counts. 

But neither worked.  I was still no nearer to releasing the cake from its tin.

So I found myself another knife, and yet again, very gently, began coaxing the cake away from its tin. I was quietly confident.  

I took a deep breath and turned the cake upside down once again.  Ooh, there was movement,

.... and then I gasped. I say a gasp, I think it would be fairer to say it was more of a loud groan.

Look what appeared before me.... a mish mash of a cake. Half of the cake had decided to come out of the tin, whilst the other half, decided to stay put, inside the tin.... the cake was a mess. There was no beautifully rippled cake for me to present to you.

I was so disappointed.  I had been looking forward to using my buntd tin for so long and I was expecting to produce a beautifully shaped cake.... instead I got this mess.

George was listening to the world news in the den when he heard my groan.... yes it was that loud. He walked into the kitchen to see what I was doing. He looked at the cake, he then picked up a piece, and said "now that's really nice" and walked away.  I watched him walk away. Had he not noticed something a little odd about the cake, in actual fact, had he not noticed the cake was a mess. Between you and I, I can't help but feel he had decided not to comment on the cake, thinking it was better that he walked away, rather than stay and listen to me lament about the state of my cake. 

I was so disappointed, I had taken all my step by step photographs, which believe it or not, do take such a long time, and after all that effort, I didn't have a beautiful end result to share with you.

So I made myself a cup of coffee and sat down, feeling pretty miserable with myself.

George was trying to be kind, but whatever he said, didn't really help.

.... and then he looked up and said.... as only George could.... 'It does look a bit rubbish doesn't it'. I looked at George, he looked at me and I saw the twinkle in his eye and we both burst out laughing.

Yes, I admit it, the cake was a bit rubbish, but in my defence, it tasted lovely.  So I decided to wrap the cake in tin foil and put it away for the moment, then start all over again and bake another cake, this time using a standard cake tin.  I buttered the cake tin, I lined the cake tin with parchment paper, feeling very confident this time, that once baked, I would be able to remove the cake from its tin, very easily.

.... and I am pleased to tell you, that once baked, the chocolate marble cake, behaved itself, as all cakes should, and released itself,  from the cake tin, without any fuss. 

Once the cake had cooled, I used a pastry cutter to remove the centre of the cake, so that I could fill it with little Easter chocolates, which is what I wanted to do with the bundt cake. 

So all in all, everything turned out well in the end.  I am pleased with my cake, second time around, but I have decided I will not share the recipe with you just yet, because although the cake is lovely, it did not work out as it should have.  So I feel it would be wrong to share this recipe with you.

What I want to do, is bake this Chocolate Marble Cake in my buntd tin and present it to you, complete, recipe and all.

So please, do you have any advice to help me.  Is it just that I did not butter the buntd tin enough.... although I have to say I buttered it much more than I normally would.

On reflection, I was so disappointed that the cake had not turned out as I had expected it to, but once I had thought about it, I realised,  whilst I am proud to show you my triumphs, I also want to share with you my failures..... after all, life isn't perfect is it and the same can be said about my baking and I for one, can live with that.

.... oh well, there's nothing more to do, I suppose, I will just have to force myself,

to enjoy the odd piece of salvaged cake and I promise to leave the Easter eggs for the children. Come to think of it, I do have a packet secreted away in the biscuit tin.... well you just never know when the fancy will take hold.

Have a Happy Easter and I will see you next Thursday.

As Always,

CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Good Morning to you,

For those of my friends, who have been reading my blog for a little while, you will know about my love affair with chocolate. I have to tell you, it cannot be just any old chocolate, it has to be a good quality chocolate.

We all have our favourite chocolate and of course there are many different types of chocolate available, German, French, Belgian, Swiss and Dutch chocolate are amongst my favourites, oh yes and I must not forget Spanish drinking chocolate, if you have never enjoyed the experience of Spanish drinking chocolate, then you really must add this to your list of things to try.

I am being honest when I say, I find, eating one square of good quality chocolate is much more satisfying than eating a couple of squares of cheaper chocolate.

....but there is an exception.  What is it about Nutella.... I just love it. I came very late to the joys of Nutella, I never imagined I would like it, but when I tried it, I found I loved it. Sometimes I will spread Nutella onto toasted date and walnut bread, and with the addition of a small coffee, it tastes fabulous.

So what do you think we are making today,

you will not be surprised to hear that it is something with a dash of chocolate. I am making chocolate muffins today, but with a little something added in the centre.... Nutella.... well a girl can never have enough chocolate.

So without further ado, it's on with the pinnie, and the music I am listening to today is,

the Dixie Chicks. Listen to 'Ready to Run', 'Cold Day in July, and 'Good Bye Earl'.

With 'Good Bye Earl' playing, it is time to organise my ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

FOR

CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Makes 10 large muffins

175g unsalted butter

125g plain chocolate 

(70-80% cocoa solids)

50g dark brown sugar

200g caster sugar

125g plain flour

2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

4 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

12 teaspoons of Nutella

HOW TO MAKE

CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Pre-heat the oven to 180C

Place 10 large muffin cases

into a muffin tin.

(The red muffin cases are because I did

not want to leave the two centre

muffin holes empty)

Using a bain marie,

or a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Place

the

butter

and

the

chocolate into

the bowl

and

gently melt,

stirring when the chocolate and butter melt.

When melted

transfer the chocolate mixture into a large

mixing bowl

and

stir in the brown sugar

and

the

caster sugar.

Whisk the eggs

with the

vanilla essence

and

add a little at a time to the

chocolate mixture.

When the ingredients are thoroughly mixed,

sift the flour

and

the

cocoa powder

and

gently fold into the mixture.

Place a tablespoon of the

mixture into each muffin case

and

add

1 teaspoon of Nutella into the centre.

Divide the rest

of the chocolate mixture

equally 

between the muffin cases,

so that the Nutella

is covered with the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

You can enjoy your

chocolate muffin

dusted with a little

icing sugar

or

as we sometimes do,

with

with a little

stem ginger.

If eaten warm the Nutella is soft, but if the muffins are eaten cold, the Nutella is firmer,  which is just as lovely.

Do you know how I eat my muffin?  I peel off the paper case, cut the muffin into quarters, divide the stem ginger between the four quarters.  This way I know I am not getting too much Nutella, but just enough with each bite.

.... and I always enjoy chocolate with a strong cup of coffee.

Take care and I will see you on Wednesday.