Chocolate orange marble layer cakes

Last weekend, I asked the pony to choose something from my to-bake list for me to make.

When he chose chocolate orange cake, I was a little disappointed, as I had been hoping for something a bit more challenging. But a promise is a promise, so I set about thinking of ways I could put a bit of a twist on a simple chocolate orange cake.

I decided to combine it with another item on my to-bake list, marble cake. But not content at that, I decided that rather than one big cake, I would make several mini layer cakes (yes, I did have quite a bit of time on my hands).

I baked the sponge in a 9×13 rectangle tin, then used a tin can to cut out rounds. I ended up with 4 mini cakes, each 3 layers high, sandwiched and covered with chocolate ganache.

A little extravagant maybe, but I think they looked quite impressive and the pony enjoyed eating them!

Chocolate orange marble layer cakes (sponge adapted from Apple and Spice):

Makes 4 individual cakes

• 200g butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 200g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 20g cocoa powder
• 1tbsp milk
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 300ml double cream
• 300g dark chocolate

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add in the eggs one at a time. Sift in the flour and baking powder, and fold until just combined. Divide the mixture in half, then to one bowl stir in the zest and juice of the orange, and to the other bowl the cocoa powder and milk.

Spoon the two mixtures alternately into a greased and lined 9×13″ tin, so it looks like this:

Using a knife or skewer, swirl the two mixtures together lightly, being careful not to over-mix. Bake at 180 degrees for about half an hour, or until golden and springy. Leave to cool, then turn out of the tin and remove the baking paper.

Using a tin can, or circular biscuit cutter, cut out 12 rounds from the sponge (I could only get 11, but you can get two more halves from the edges).

For the ganache, heat the cream until almost boiling, then pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Leave to cool until thick enough to spread.

To assemble the cakes, take four of the rounds and spread a layer of ganache on top. Top with another sponge, then ganache, sponge and ganache again, finishing by spreading a layer of ganache all over to act as a crumb coat.

Chill for half an hour, then reheat the remaining ganache to a pouring consistency. Pour on top of the four cakes, then spread down the sides with a spatula to cover evenly. Leave to set, then eat!

Cheese and herb knotted rolls

For some reason, whenever I know the next thing I’m posting is savoury, I find it takes a lot longer to get around to writing it.

I don’t know if it’s just because I find sweet baking more interesting, or if it’s because the pictures I take of bread aren’t very good, but I just don’t seem to find it as exciting… does anyone else have this problem?!

Don’t let that put you off making these bread rolls though, they were actually really good!

I adapted Paul Hollywood’s basic dough recipe for bread rolls, then added in cheddar cheese, basil and parsley – purely because they’re what I have growing in my window at the minute, I’m sure any fresh herbs would be good.

I twisted them into knots to try and make them look a bit more exciting, which I think worked – a bit?!

Cheese and herb knotted rolls (recipe adapted from Paul Hollywood’s 100 Great Breads)

• 250g strong white flour
• 1/2 tbsp salt
• 30g butter
• 15g yeast
• 150ml water
• 50g cheddar, grated
• handful fresh herbs

Mix all the ingredients, apart from the cheese and herbs, in a bowl until all the flour has been combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Put the dough back in the bowl and leave to rise for an hour.

After an hour, knock the dough back and knead in the cheese and herbs. Divide into 6 equal sized pieces, then stretch each out into a long sausage shape. Tie each piece into a rough knot shape.

Place the knots on a baking tray, lined with foil and dusted with flour. Leave to rise again for another hour, then bake for 20 minutes at 220 degrees, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Jam crumble bars

I’m always on the lookout for things that are quick, cheap and keep and transport well for the friendly pony to take to work, and as soon as I saw these bars on 17 and Baking I knew they would be perfect.

The same mixture makes the base and the topping so they’re super quick to whip up, and all the ingredients are things I usually have on hand, plus the flavour can be adapted to whatever jam or fruit you need to use up.

I used a mix of blackcurrant and the last of my homemade raspberry rose jam, with a handful of frozen berries thrown on top which turned out great, and was a nice change from all the chocolate baking I’ve been doing lately!

Jam crumble bars (adapted from 17 and Baking)

Makes 8 large bars

• 150g plain flour
• 70g light brown sugar
• 140g butter
• 1 tbsp milk
• 150g oats
• 250g jam
• handful frozen berries (optional)

Mix the flour and sugar in a food processor, then add in the butter and mix until it forms bread crumbs. Transfer into a bowl and stir in the oats, then add the milk and bring together with your hands into a dough. Press about 3/4 of the mix into an 8×8 square tin, lined with foil.

Spread the jam on top of the base, heating a little in the microwave if it’s too thick to spread easily. Add the berries on top if using. Sprinkle the rest of the oat mixture on top, then bake at 190 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until golden. Leave to cool before slicing into bars.

Red velvet cupcakes

Red velvet cake has been on my to-bake list for quite a long time, and when better to try it than Valentine’s Day?

I’m not much of a romantic, but who could resist a deep red cake, topped with swirls of cream cheese icing – in red cases, dotted with white hearts, of course…

The red velvet cupcakes I’ve had in the past have actually always been a disappointment – dry sponge and heaps of too-sweet icing – but I still wanted to give them a go to see what the fuss was about.

I used a recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery, which seems to be widely regarded as the best recipe around.

The cakes didn’t disappoint – they were actually surprisingly light, and the cream cheese icing was just the right side of sweet, unlike so many of the shop bought cupcakes I’ve had.

The only slight negative was, as the pony put it, “they’re a bit more like orange velvet” – not quite as deep red as I would have liked…

Oh, and I still have a way to go to mastering the Hummingbird Bakery icing technique…

I followed the recipe exactly so no point re-posting it, but it can be found on Good To Know’s website if you want to give it a go.

Chocolate and pecan crusted goat’s cheese

This post is a bit of an anomaly for the Hungry Hinny – an actual meal as opposed to a baked good!

But as the challenge set by Choclette for this month’s We Should Cocoa was to create something savoury and vegetarian using chocolate,  I was happy to branch out.

The only savoury cooking I’ve done with chocolate in the past is using it in chilli, but I thought that was too obvious and set out to find something a bit different.

I stumbled across this recipe for warm encrusted goat’s cheese which used cacao nibs, which I figured would at least be interesting, if not actually nice, so I set about recreating it.

After a bit of reconnassaince on Twitter, I found a local shop which sold cacao nibs, but when I visited they only had 200g bags costing over £8, which I couldn’t really justify spending on an experiement, so the final version of this is definitely more ‘inspired by’ than an actual replication of the original…

I served the goat’s cheese on seeded panini breads with caramelised onions, a rocket salad and balsamic dressing, and I have to say I actually really liked it!

The pony wasn’t so keen on the crust, but then he doesn’t like pecans anyway so I wasn’t too surprised – it’s definitely worth giving it a go for something slightly different to do with chocolate!

Chocolate and pecan crusted goat’s cheese (adapted from All Chocolate):

(Serves 2 as a lunch)

• 2 x 65g packs of Gevrik Goat’s Cheese (other goat’s cheeses will work fine, but if you’re a strict veggie double check as some French ones aren’t suitable)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50g pecan nuts
• 1tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Use a food processor to quite finely chop the nuts, then add in the cocoa powder and black pepper. Cut each mini-log of cheese in half width-ways, so you have four rounds, then dip each in the beaten egg before coating with the nut mixture, then place on a baking tray. Bake at 180 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until the coating is crisp and the cheese is just starting to ooze out.

To serve:

• 2 medium onions
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1tsp brown sugar
• 2 seeded paninis, or other breads
• 1 pack of rocket or other leafy salad

Heat a little oil in a frying pan then add the sliced onions. Cook slowly for about 15 minutes or until starting to turn golden, then add in 1tbsp balsamic vinegar and the brown sugar. Cook for another 10 minutes or so, until caramelised.

Heat the breads for about 5 minutes in the oven, then slice in half and top with the onions and goat’s cheese. Arrange on top of the salad and drizzle with the remaining balsamic vinegar.

Peanut butter blondies

In theory, I should love blondies.

Basically the same as brownies (which I love), but with the melted chocolate swapped out for brown sugar or white chocolate. I even thought I might prefer blondies, as I prefer plain cookies with chocolate chips to the double chocolate variety.

Unfortunately, my first attempt at blondies was not a success. They were far, far too sweet, and the brown butter in them that everyone raves about actually just seemed to make them greasy.

Although my first experience was a bad one, I was willing to accept that it could have just been a bad recipe, or maybe down to my dodgy oven, so I decided to give them another go.

I chose this recipe from Rachel Allen because the pony had requested something with peanut butter. Not being a fan of peanut butter normally, I was fully expecting not to love these, but no – they were amazing!

They were literally so addictive, I couldn’t stop eating them. To the point that I put on two pounds in the past week and fully attribute it to these blondies.

If, unlike me, you can actually exercise portion control and self restraint, you should definitely make these – I am now a 100% blondie convert.

Peanut butter blondies (adapted from Rachel Allen’s recipe)

• 250g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 200g butter
• 300g crunchy peanut butter
• 350g light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g white chocolate, chopped

Cream together the butter and peanut butter until well mixed, the add in the sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then sift in the flour and baking powder and fold to combine. Stir in the chocolate, then pour into a 9×13 ” tin, lined with baking paper. Bake at 170 degrees for 25 minutes, then leave to cool before cutting into squares.

Chocolate sandwich hearts

I’m by no means an expert when it comes to relationships (something people who know me well will be quick to testify!) but one thing I do know, with some certainty, is that the way to any boy’s heart is food.

In the case of the friendly pony, if the food involves some sort of chocolate, then it’s pretty much the equivalent of Cupid’s arrow – which is why for Valentine’s Day there will be no cards, no gifts – just lots of chocolate-based treats.

First up are these chocolate sandwich hearts, which I’m entering for the February Tea Time Treats challenge, this month hosted by Kate of  What Kate Baked (the theme of course being romance).

The biscuits are  thin, crisp and quite strongly flavoured of cocoa with just a hint of cinnamon. The fudge filling is my new favourite obsession – a rich, chocolatey fudge sauce that can be whipped up in 5 minutes with ingredients I always have on hand – slightly dangerous for my waistline but delicious nonetheless!

Together, they create a perfect bite-sized chocolatey tea time treat. And if the thought of Valentine’s romance makes you feel a little queasy, just use a round cookie cutter instead!

Chocolate sandwich hearts (biscuits from 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies and Other Tempting Treats, filling adapted from Espresso and Cream)

(Makes 10-ish sandwich biscuits)

For the biscuits:

• 125g butter
• 75g icing sugar
• 115g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then sift in the rest of the ingredients, mixing to combine. Bring the mixture together into a dough, then chill for 20 minutes in the fridge. Dust two sheets of baking paper with cocoa powder, then roll out the dough inbetween the sheets, to about 3mm thick.

Use a heart (or any shape!) cutter and place the biscuits on a baking sheet, with about an inch space between them. Bake at 160 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until firm. Leave on the baking tray to cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Heat the butter and milk in a saucepan, stirring until the butter has melted, then bring to the boil and simmer for a minute or two. Quickly stir in the cocoa powder and sugar, and whisk until the sauce is thick and glossy. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

Once the biscuits and filling are cool, spread some of the filling onto half of the biscuits, then sandwich with another biscuit on top. Give to your Valentine, or just eat them all yourself!

Homemade Twix bars

When I saw these homemade Twix bars on Pinterest, they jumped straight to the top of my to-bake list.

They aren’t really that different to the millionaire’s shortbread I’ve made in the past, but being called a Twix was enough to sell it to me, as I love recreating shop bought treats at home.

I was a bit dubious about the base as it was a very liquid mixture, and it seemed spongy when it came out of the oven, but once cooled it did turn biscuity. The only problem was that as a result of it being so liquid to start with, all the butterscotch chips sank to the bottom, and a lot go stuck on the foil, making the bars not quite as perfect looking as I would have liked, but still tasty.

If I were to make them again, I think I would just cream the butter and sugar without melting the butter first and see if that makes a difference. On the plus side though, I think this was the best caramel I’ve made so far!

Homemade Twix bars (adapted from Bakers Royale):

(Makes 24 finger-sized bars)

For the base:

• 115g butter, melted
• 110g brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 110g plain flour
• 75g butterscotch chips

Mix together the melted butter and sugar, then beat in the egg and vanilla before folding in the flour and butterscotch chips. Pour into an 8×8″ square tin, lines with foil or baking paper, then bake at 175 degrees for 15 minutes, or until firm. Leave to cool completely while you make the caramel.

For the caramel:

• 200g caster sugar
• 90ml water
• 60g butter
• 60ml double cream

Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to the boil, then continue to boil without stirring until it turns a golden amber colour. Remove from the heat, tip in the butter and cream, and whisk vigorously until combined and the mixture stops bubbling. Pour into a bowl or jug and leave to cool before pouring on top of the base.

For the chocolate layer:

• 170g dark chocolate
• 1tsp golden syrup
• 75g butter

Melt all the ingredients together in a bowl over simmering water. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little, before spreading on top of the set caramel. Leave the tin in the fridge for an hour or so to allow everything to set, before cutting into finger-sized bars and serving.