Chocolate
When buying chocolate for use in cooking, read the list of ingredients and look for the percentage of cocoa solids. For simple chocolate cakes I use a dark chocolate with about 35% cocoa solids. For rich brownies, where you want a more intense chocolate flavour, I use a chocolate with 50–70% cocoa solids. The simple almost flourless chocolate cake comes from Alaphia Bidwell, a cake goddess who I had the fortune to work with in 1989. I am constantly refining my brownie recipes and this is definitely the best ever gooey, fudgy version. The trick with brownies is not to overcook them – the top should look crisp and feel firm to the touch, but the centre should still be a little soft when you insert a skewer or toothpick. The chocolate will continue to cook slightly for a few minutes after coming out of the oven.
Alaphia’s chocolate cake
300g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
250g unsalted butter, diced
5 eggs, separated
125g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
50g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Sifted icing sugar, to serve
Preheat the oven to 170C (fan forced 150C). Grease and line the base of a 21 cm loose bottom tin. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) until melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Beat the eggs yolks, followed by the caster sugar, flour and baking powder into the melted chocolate. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form firm peaks. Using a large metal spoon, carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for about 45-50 minutes. It will be firm to the touch. Let it cool in the tin. Serve dusted with icing sugar
Best ever brownies
300g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
300g unsalted butter, chopped
5 free-range eggs
350g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
150g plain flour
40g (1/3 cup) cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
100g dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 180C (fan forced 160C). Grease a shallow 20 cm x 30 cm baking tin and line with baking paper (leave a little overhanging the two long sides to help remove the brownies from the tin). Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Allow to cool.
Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat for 3–4 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture. Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and a pinch of salt and fold in with a large metal spoon until smooth. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until dark brown and the top has formed a crust. It should be firm to the touch but still a bit fudgy. Allow to cool in the tin, then remove and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Makes 15–18
Chewy chocolate chip cookies
280g (2 cups) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
40g (1/3 cup) cocoa
250g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, diced
185g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
150g brown sugar
2 large free range eggs, beaten
200g dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 180C (Fan forced 160C). Line two baking trays with baking paper. Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa and a pinch of salt into a bowl.
Beat the butter and sugars with hand-held electric beaters until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, alternating with a little of the flour mixture until combined. Fold in the remaining flour mixture, then stir in the chocolate chips.
Place tablespoons of the mixture onto the trays, leaving room for spreading (about 12 per tray). Bake for 8 minutes then remove and leave to cool on the tray for 2 minutes. You may need to bake a third tray if any mixture remains. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Makes about 30
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