Espresso caramel bars

Ingredients

• For the crust:

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 12 whole digestive biscuits (170g)
• 60g sugar
• 165g unsalted butter, melted

• For the caramel:

• 120ml double cream
• 110g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 340g light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp water

• For the chocolate layer:

• 340g milk chocolate chips
• 120ml double cream
• 1 tsp smoked sea salt, optional
• Special equipment: a candy thermometer

Use imperial measurements

Method

How to make Espresso caramel bars

For the crust: 
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C / gas mark 4. Line the bottom of a 23cm round spring form pan with parchment or greaseproof paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with cooking spray. 
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the digestive biscuits and sugar. Process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until the mixture forms into clumps. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently to form an even layer. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes.

For the caramel: 
While the crust is cooling, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 120ml of cream, butter, sugar, and water. 
Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 115°C, about 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel over the warm crust. Cool for 20 minutes. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

For the chocolate layer: 
Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a small bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the espresso powder. Remove the spring form pan from the freezer. Pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel layer and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with smoked sea salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.

Allow the layers to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Using a warm, slightly wet knife, carefully cut around the edges of the chocolate layer. Release the side of the pan and remove the paper from the bottom. Cut into 4 by 1cm bars and store airtight in a covered plastic container.

Apricot and nut cookies with Amaretto icing

Ingredients

• For the cookies:

• 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla essence
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 175g plain flour
• 60g dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 25g slivered almonds, toasted
• 15g pine nuts, toasted

• For the icing:

• 220g icing sugar
• 75-105ml almond flavoured liqueur (Recommended: Amaretto)

Use imperial measurements

Method

How to make Apricot and nut cookies with Amaretto icing

For the cookies: 
1) In a large bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Beat in the egg. Stir in the plain flour until just blended. Mix in the apricots, almonds, and pine nuts. 

2) Transfer the dough to a sheet of clingfilm and shape into a log, about 30cm long and 4cm in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic and refrigerate for two hours. 

3) Preheat the oven to 180°C / gas mark 4. Line two heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. 

4) Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/2 to 1cm thick slices. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 15 mins. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing. 

For the icing: 
1) Place the icing sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in the almond flavored liqueur, until the mixture is of drizzling consistency. 

2) Place the wire rack over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 30 mins.

Amaretti torta

Ingredients

• 20 amaretti cookies, plus 8 amaretti cookies crushed for topping
• 60g plain chocolate chips
• 220g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 200g sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur (Triple Sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier)
• 70g plain flour
• 60ml orange marmalade

Use imperial measurements

Method

How to make Amaretti torta

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C/ gas mark 4. Grease a 23-cm cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. 

2) Combine the 20 amaretti cookies and the chocolate in a food processor. Run the machine until the mixture is very finely minced. Set aside. 

3) Using an electric mixer and a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, incorporating each yolk before adding the next. Once all the eggs are added continue to cream the mixture together until light and fluffy, about 4 more minutes. Add the orange liqueur. With the machine on low, add the flour and the chocolate amaretti mixture. Mix well after each addition. 

4) In medium bowl whip the egg whites using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the cake mixture until well combined. Gently fold in the remaining whipped egg whites. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. 

5) Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a platter and continue to cool to room temperature. Top with the orange marmalade in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining crushed amaretti cookies over the top of the cake. Slice and serve.

Warm chocolate cakes with berries

Ingredients

• For the Chocolate Cakes:

• 230g unsalted softened butter, plus extra for buttering molds
• 230g dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 4 large eggs
• 4 large egg yolks
• 150g granulated sugar
• 4 tsp plain flour, plus more for dusting molds
• 3 tbsp Frangelico or hazelnut liqueur
• 150g fresh raspberries
• 150g fresh strawberries
• Fresh mint, for garnish

Use imperial measurements

Method

How to make Warm chocolate cakes with berries

1) Butter and lightly flour six (170 g) ramekins. Tap out any excess flour.

2) In a small saucepan, bring to a boil 4cm of water. In a large glass bowl, add butter, chocolate and espresso powder. Lower heat and place bowl over the simmering water. Slowly whisk mixture until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove bowl from heat and continue to whisk until all chocolate has melted. Allow to cool slightly.

3) In a large bowl, add eggs, yolks, and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy and pale in color. Reduce speed to medium-low and slowly pour in the chocolate mixture. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Do not overwork the batter.



4) Preheat oven to 230°C.



5) Divide the batter between the molds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chocolate molds onto baking sheet and place in oven for 7 minutes. If not baking immediately, cover chocolate molds with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 8 hours. When ready to bake, place refrigerated chocolate molds onto baking sheet and place in oven for 10 minutes. The top and sides should be cooked and dry and the inside will be runny.

6) Using oven mitts, carefully invert each mold onto a plate and let it sit for 10 seconds. Then lift 1 corner of the ramekin and the cake should slip out. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon Frangelico over each cake. Spoon berries around the chocolate cake and garnish with mint. Serve warm.

Hazelnut Crunch Cake with Mascarpone and Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• Butter, for greasing
• Plain flour, for dusting

• For the icing and garnish:

• 140g hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
• 135g sugar
• 75ml water
• 500g mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 250ml double cream
• 95g icing sugar
• 5ml vanilla essence
• 45g milk chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest

Use imperial measurements

Method

How to make Hazelnut Crunch Cake with Mascarpone and Chocolate

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 180°C / gas mark 4. Butter and flour two (20cm) cake tins. Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake according to package instructions. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

For the icing and garnish:

1) Place the toasted nuts close together in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the sugar mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil and let cook until the sugar is light brown, about eight minutes. Let the bubbles subside then pour the caramelized sugar over the nuts. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the sugar nut mixture cool until hard, about 30 minutes. When the sugar nut mixture is hard and cool, top with another piece of parchment paper and pound into small pieces, or place the sugar nut mixture on a cutting board and cut into small pieces. Set aside.

2) Put the mascarpone cheese, cream, icing sugar, and vanilla essence into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer whip the cream mixture to soft peaks. Fold the crunch mixture into the whipped cream.

3) Place the chocolate, sugar and zest in a food processor. Process the mixture until the chocolate is finely ground. Set aside.

To assemble:

Put one cake on a serving plate. Top with 2 1/2 cm of the whipped cream crunch mixture. Top with the second layer of cake and continue frosting the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream crunch mixture. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the ground chocolate. Serve. 

Chocolate love-heart tarts

Ingredients

215g frozen Cooks’ Ingredients Puff Pastry Sheet, thawed
1 Cadbury Flake
Flour for dusting
1 tbsp milk
2 tbsp Waitrose Seriously Chocolatey Chocolate Dipping Sauce
2 large scoops Waitrose Butterscotch Dairy Ice Cream

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Open out the pastry sheet and cut into 3 even-sized rectangles. Crumble half the Flake over 1 rectangle then place another on top. Crumble over the remaining Flake then top with the third piece of pastry.

 2. On a lightly floured surface gently roll out the pastry (the chocolate will break through a little as you roll) to make a rectangle, roughly measuring 15cm x 30cm. Using a small sharp knife, cut out 2 large heart shapes – don’t worry if they’re a little uneven.

 3. Lift the hearts onto a non-stick baking sheet. Brush with a little milk and bake for 15 minutes until puffed and golden. Leave to cool. Store in an airtight container if making more than a few hours in advance.

 4. Transfer the hearts to a serving plate. Warm the chocolate sauce in the microwave for a few seconds according to the label instructions. Top each heart with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle over the warm chocolate sauce and serve.

Cook’s tips

If you want your heart shapes to be identical, you could make a paper template to cut round. To serve the tarts warm, cut out the pastry hearts, place on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to bake.

Passion fruit bellini cocktails

Ingredients

1 passion fruit
250ml chilled rosé Champagne or sparkling rosé wine
2 tbsp orange liqueur eg Cointreau

Method

1. Halve the passion fruit and scoop the flesh and seeds into a small sieve or tea strainer. Press with the back of a spoon to extract the juice then place in the fridge along with 2 Champagne saucers or flutes and leave to chill.

 2. Pour the sparkling wine (or Champagne) into the glasses then add the liqueur and 1 tsp of the passion fruit juice into each glass – the wine will foam rapidly as the passion fruit is added.

Drink recommendation

SanLeo Rosato NV, Italy, sparkling wine