Chocolate Fudge Hearts with Raspberry Swirl Topping

It's Valentine's Day tomorrow, and although I'm not into the whole commercialised idea of spending heaps of money on flowers and chocolates and fuzzy teddy bears, I do like to cook something special for the family. (Okay, I admit it. If someone bought me flowers and chocolates I wouldn't say no, as long as it was good chocolate. And fuzzy teddy bears are pretty cute too.)

Anyway, this year I came up with this recipe for dense, fudgey chocolate heart cakes, and just for fun I decorated them with a dairy free chocolate ganache spread, coconut cream, and raspberry coulis. (There's a little video clip below showing how I did the raspberry swirl heart at the bottom of this post.) Of course, we already ate them all because I had to get this blog post done before Valentine's Day. And then I didn't get time to do it til now... oops! So by the time you read this it may be too late to make these for Valentine's Day, but hey, if you love someone you shouldn't need to wait for a certain date on a calendar to show it... so just go make these anyway!

P.S. These cakes are gluten free, grain free, and dairy free. If you can't have nuts you can use flour instead. If you can't have eggs you can probably substitute for those too, I just haven't had a chance to try it.


Chocolate Fudge Hearts

I make these in little heart shaped flan tins - you could use heart shaped muffin tins too, or just make them in regular muffin tins and decorate with a raspberry swirl heart on top. Or you could use a regular cake tin, but you'll need to cook it for a little longer.

Recipe inspired by Tash's Rich Chocolate Cake 

Preheat oven to 190C.

1. Grind chocolate in Thermomix bowl for 10 seconds on speed 9.
- 200g roughly chopped dark chocolate (I use a good quality, dairy free, naturally sweetened 65-70% cocoa chocolate like Valrhona or Rapunzel chocolate)

2. Add dates and chop for 10 seconds on speed 9.
- 150g pitted dates

3. Add coconut oil and melt at 60C for 5 minutes on speed 2.
- 180g coconut oil (or butter or ghee)

4. Add walnuts, salt and eggs and mix on speed 8 for 10 seconds.
- 70g walnuts (or you can use 50g of gluten free or regular plain flour if you can't have nuts)
- 1/4 tsp fine Himalayan or sea salt
- 3 large eggs*

5. Pour mixture into tins (greased with coconut oil or butter) and bake at 190C for approx. 20 minutes for small cakes or muffins, to 30 minutes for a cake. Skewer inserted into centre of cake should come out clean.

Allow cakes to cool, then ice with chocolate ganache spread.

* I didn't have time to try these cakes with an egg replacement, but apple sauce or chia gel are both great replacements. If you use apple sauce, cut down on the amount of dates. Not sure of amounts - will test when I can!

 

 

Chocolate Ganache Spread

This is a recipe I developed as a dairy free, nut free substitute for Nutella, and I found it also works perfectly for a chocolate sauce when hot. You can pour it over a cake like ganache and it will set all firm and glossy in the fridge. Or spread it on toast when it's cold. It's a kind of multi-purpose ganache-spread-topping... for now and then of course. :)

1. Break up chocolate and grind in Thermomix for 10 seconds on sp 9.
- 100g dark dairy free chocolate
    Scrape down bowl.

2. Weigh remaining ingredients into Thermomix bowl and cook for 2 minutes at 60C speed 2.
- 30g coconut oil (or ghee or butter)
- 30g rice malt syrup (or honey)
- 200g thick coconut cream (or less if you like your chocolate darker)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

3. Place in the fridge to cool a little, then when it's slightly less runny, spread over cake/s and place cakes in fridge to set.*

If there's any ganache spread left, pour it into jar and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. (Tastes lovely swirled with sunflower seed butter or nut butter on toast or crepes, and topped with slices of banana!)

* Note: I found it was easiest to make the raspberry-coconut cream swirl hearts on top of the cakes if the chocolate ganache was set and firm. The first batch I made while the chocolate was still warm and runny, and although it looked pretty, it was difficult to keep in a heart shape as it tended to run off the edges. (See photo below) So it's up to you - if you want a more freeform swirly heart, go ahead and do it while the chocolate is warm, then put it straight into the freezer to set.

Raspberry Swirl Topping

These  cakes are best served within an hour, once the heart swirls are made, as the raspberry coulis eventually will sink into the cream if it's in the fridge for too long. So make the cakes with the chocolate topping on them and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to finish them off. They can stay in the fridge for days, and actually taste best cold from the fridge.

For the Raspberry Swirl Topping, all you need is:
- tin of smooth coconut cream (do not shake it up!)
- a batch of Raspberry Coulis.

To make the Raspberry Coulis:

Cook raspberries and Rapadura (or preferred sweetener) in Thermomix for 4 minutes at 90C on speed 4. Strain through a fine seive to remove seeds. Set aside to cool.
- 200g raspberries
- 40g Rapadura (or preferred sweetener - see this list sugar alternatives)

Don't shake up the tin of coconut cream! When you open the tin, scoop the thicker cream off the top into a small dish. Whisk cream with a fork until it's nice and smooth.

Using a teaspoon, blob some cream onto the top of the chocolate covered heart cake in the shape of a heart, rounding edges with a butter knife to neaten.

Drizzle on a few small blobs of raspberry coulis.

Using a toothpick, swirl the cream and the coulis together - don't 'over-swirl' or it will all run together. Less is more.

Here's a little video clip showing how I make the topping. (Okay, you can't actually see the 'swirling' process, but hopefully you get the idea!)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Jo xx

Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake

I know it may seem like all I ever do is bake sweet things (mostly chocolate sweet things) and eat them, but I really don't... I do love to bake, but generally I only make decadent things like this for special occasions, like Mother's Day or birthdays or when friends come to visit. And I only eat a tiny bit - there's always plenty of people willing to help eat it. And I tweak them to make them healthier. So I hope you'll excuse me for posting another one, and I promise to post something healthier next time! :)

This is my take on the classic French flourless chocolate, coffee and almond cake. I love it, because it's grain free, and I love nut flour cakes as they stay moist for days. I made mine with walnuts instead of almonds - you could use almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts, and pecans would probably work well too.  Unlike my Flourless Pecan Cake, however, this one isn't a light cake - it's a dense, fudgey cake, delicious for dessert with some berries and maybe a drizzle of cream (cashew cream, for me!)... And just for fun, you can also make mini Flourless Espresso Cakes like these ones I made for my friend's 'birthday cake', covered in chocolate ganache. She loved them!

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 F). Butter (or grease with coconut oil) a 20cm round cake tin, sift cocoa over the butter so cake won't stick, and set aside.

1. Insert the butterfly into the Thermomix bowl and whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on speed 4 until stiff - about 3 minutes:

- 5 egg whites

- a pinch of cream of tartar

   Set aside and clean out Thermomix bowl, drying well.

2. Grind up nuts on speed 9 until fine - don't overdo it, or they'll be too oily. About 8-10 seconds should be enough. Set aside.

- 100g raw walnuts or almonds or hazelnuts

3. Grind up Rapadura until fine, about 30 seconds on speed 9:

- 150g Rapadura

4. Add the chocolate, broken into pieces, and grind on speed 9 until fine:

- 200g dark, bitter chocolate (I use 70% cocoa Lindt chocolate)

5. Add coffee, essence, and butter/ghee and melt at 50 degrees, 3 minutes, speed 2:

- 2 Tablespoons very strong espresso coffee, liquid not instant (or 3 Tablespoons instant coffee)

- 1 tsp rum or brandy essence (or a tablespoon of the real thing)
- 150g butter or coconut oil

6. Add ground nuts and mix well on speed 5 for 10 seconds.

7. With motor still running on speed 5, add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well between each one:
- 5 egg yolks

8. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the beaten egg whites to the mixture and mix in on speed 3. Scrape mixture into a large bowl, and gently fold in the rest of the egg whites with a rubber spatula.

Before folding in egg whites

After folding in egg whites

9. Turn mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool before removing from cake tin. Don't worry if the crust cracks and collapses a bit, that's normal.

10. Dust with a little icing sugar to serve (made in the Thermomix, of course!)... and I like to top it with some raspberries and mini rapadura-sweetened choc chips too. :)

Mothers Day 'Mess'

I wanted to make a special Mother's Day lunch for my extra special mother, and when I saw a recipe for a 'Muddled Mother's Day Mess' (think 'Eton Mess', kind of like a trifle) on the Thermomix Recipe Community, I knew I just had to make it for dessert! The only problem was that if I made a dessert full of cream and sugar, I wouldn't be able to have any... So I decided to 'tweak' the recipe to make it gluten free, dairy free and naturally sweetened. I hope mum doesn't mind - but just in case she does, I've also made her a Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake! :)

I just want to say a quick word about my mum - she is the most amazing cook, and taught us from a very young age to experiment in the kitchen, and never minded the messes we made or the fact that half the things we 'invented' were quite inedible. It's funny, when I was a kid I'd get quite annoyed with mum wanting to 'tweak' recipes to use what she had in the fridge or cupboard - I just wanted to follow the recipe exactly as it was written! Well, mum, thanks for all that early training in 'tweaking' - it's come in really handy!! And I've made a lovely 'Mess' just for you... (I've always been good at making messes, right mum? lol)

Here's my version:

1. First make a Sponge Cake. 

I used this recipe for a Gluten Free Almond Sponge Cake. It's actually even grain free if you use arrowroot or tapioca starch instead of the cornstarch! I halve the sugar and use Rapadura, and add a little green stevia powder. If you can't have nuts, make a plain gluten free cake like this one. Cool the cake, then slice into cubes.

While the cake is cooking, make the other layers.

2. Passionfruit Cashew Cream:

    (If you can't have nuts, change this to a rice milk vanilla custard)

    Blend in the Thermomix for 1 minute on speed 9:
- 150g raw cashews
- 200g water
- dash of pure maple syrup or raw honey

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

    Stir in:

- the pulp of 4 passionfruit

    Remove to a bowl and refrigerate. (It will thicken as it cools.)

3. Raspberry Coulis

    Weigh into Thermomix bowl:

- 200g raspberries

- 100g Rapadura

- juice of 1/2 a lemon

    Cook at 90 degrees, 6 minutes, speed 4.

    Pour into a strainer over a bowl to remove seeds, then refrigerate.

4. Lemon/Lime Butter

    Grind for 30 seconds on speed 9:

- 60g Rapadura

    Scrape down sides with spatula, insert butterfly, and add:

- 1/4 tsp green stevia powder

- juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes

- 80g coconut oil

- 2 eggs

    Cook for 8 minutes, 80 degrees, speed 3.  The lemon butter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. To Assemble: 

Place a third of the cubes of sponge cake into large glass serving bowl, or several individual glasses. Drizzle with a little coulis. Dollop with some Lime Butter and Passionfruit Cream. Repeat layering a couple more times, until all ingredients are used, ending with cream. (Swirl a little of the coulis through the cream on top with a skewer.) Garnish with raspberries. Serve cold.

Banana Raspberry Smoothie

Smoothies are perfect for an energy boost at morning tea time - my blood sugar levels always seem to be dropping at this time of day, and a good smoothie really helps. Here's one that we love to make... it's delicious!

I start off most of my smoothies by grinding up raw almonds, pepitas, linseeds and dates - that makes the sweet milk they are based on. You can really add any frozen fruit, plus water, and some additional sweetener if needed. I usually add frozen banana to make it thick and creamy - (just peel them and freeze them whole in a plastic bag, and break them off as you need them). I also like to add tahini to make it creamier, and to add a calcium boost. (Of course, if you have a powerful machine like the Thermomix, you can grind up your own sesame seeds at the start if you'd rather, instead of adding tahini.)

(Note: If you have time, soak the almonds and seeds for a few hours or overnight, then drain off the water, add all other ingredients and mix on speed 9 for 1 minute.)
1. Grind up for about 20 seconds on speed 9, or until finely ground:
- 2 handfuls of raw almonds
- 1 handful of raw pepitas
- 2 tsp linseeds (flaxseeds)

2. Add and grind for another 10-20 seconds on speed 9, until fine:
- 1 big handful of pitted dates

3. Add and mix on speed 9 for 1 minute:
- 3-4 frozen bananas, chopped in 1 inch chunks
- 2 big handfuls frozen raspberries
- 2 Tblspns tahini
- 1 Tblspn agave syrup (or pure maple syrup) (optional)
- 1 litre water (more or less depending how thick you want it)

Enjoy!