Chocolate Fridge Cake Food

CRISPY CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 20 x 30cm tin with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth and glossy. Add the vanilla, biscuits, sultanas and Rice Krispies, and mix well until everything is coated.
• Tip the mixture into the tin, then flatten it down with the back of a spoon. Press in some mini eggs, if using, and put in the fridge until set. When hard, drizzle all over with the melted white chocolate and set again before cutting into chunks.

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE ROLL

Steps:

• Tip the chocolate and butter into a medium heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of barely simmering water, taking care not to allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Once the chocolate mixture is melted and smooth, add the rum, cocoa powder and orange zest and mix. Remove from the heat and use a rubber spatula to fold in the biscotti, cherries, apricots, pistachios and almonds until thoroughly combined.
• Transfer the mixture to a piece of parchment and roll into a log about 7 inches long and 2 inches in diameter; make sure the log is tightly rolled by twisting both ends of the parchment. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill.
• Spread the confectioners' sugar on a plate. Remove the paper from the log and roll it in the confectioners' sugar, brushing off any excess. Allow the log to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 1/2-inch slices
• Or, if you are aren't eating it immediately, store the log in the fridge. If you are gifting it, wrap it in parchment.

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Put the dried fruit in a small bowl and pour in just enough brandy or juice to cover. Microwave for 2 mins until steaming, then set aside.
• The non-messy way to chop chocolate is to smash it (still wrapped) onto your work surface, then unwrap it down to the foil and snap it (still in foil) into small bits using your fingers. Empty the chocolate into a microwaveable bowl. Add the butter and golden syrup, cover the bowl with cling film and microwave for 2 mins until melted. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment, using a little butter to stick it in place. (You can also use foil but it's more fiddly to peel off later, or cling film if you don't mind wrinkles on the underside of your cake.)
• Take a third, large bowl. Use your fingers to break the biscuits into it. Stir in the nuts, soaked fruit and soaking liquid, then mix everything together. Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl with the biscuits, using a spatula or spoon to scrape out every last bit of chocolate. Mix together until everything is coated in chocolate.
• Check the ingredients list to make sure everything is accounted for (it's surprisingly easy to miss something in this recipe), then tip the chocolate mixture into the tin, pushing well into corners and flattening the top. Put in the fridge (no need to cover) for 4 hrs or overnight until set. To serve, remove from tin, peel away the parchment and cut into 16 squares (any crumbly bits that fall off make tasty samples for the cook). Will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep).
• Put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a medium pan with 200g butter.
• Mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan.
• Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder, and squash out any lumps.
• Beat 3 medium eggs with 75ml buttermilk.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir everything to a smooth, quite runny consistency.
• Pour this into the tin and bake for 1hr 25 - 1hr 30 mins. If you push a skewer into the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit).
• Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cold cake horizontally into three.
• To make the ganache, put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Pour 300ml double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar and heat until it is about to boil.
• Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until it is a little thicker but still pourable.
• Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smooth over any gaps with a palette knife.
• Decorate with 50g grated chocolate or 100g chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

CHOCOLATE-CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven, and preheat it to 350. Butter the interiors of two 9-inch round cake pans, dust with a little cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Working with an electric mixer (use the paddle, if you have one), beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, and beat for a minute after each goes in; beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low, and add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (start and finish with the dry, and don't worry if the buttermilk makes the batter look slightly curdled). Mix in the melted chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
• Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until a tester poked into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to racks, let rest 5 minutes and then run a blunt knife around the edges of the pans. Unmold the cakes onto the racks, and cool to room temperature.
• Make the frosting: Sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Using an electric mixer (with the paddle, if available), beat the sugar, cocoa, salt and butter on high speed until fluffy. On low speed, add the chocolate. When it's almost incorporated, beat in the buttermilk. It's best to use the frosting immediately.
• If necessary, just before you're ready to frost the cakes, slice a sliver off the top of each layer to create a flat surface. To assemble, place one cake layer, top up, on a serving platter, and cover with frosting. Top with the second layer, top down, jiggling it into the frosting to hold it in place. Frost the top and sides of the cake - go sleek or swirly. If you're using decorations, scatter them over the cake. Chill for at least 1 hour (or for up to 1 day); bring to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Use cling film to line a 20cm (8in) shallow, square-shaped tin. Leave extra cling film hanging over the sides.
• Bash the biscuits into pieces using a rolling pin. (Put them in a plastic bag first so they don't go everywhere!)
• Melt chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the broken biscuits, apricots, raisins and pecans (optional).
• Spoon the mixture into the tin. Level the surface by pressing it down with a potato masher.
• Leave to cool, then put the chocolate mixture in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.
• Turn out the cake and peel off the cling film. Cut the cake into 12 squares and enjoy!

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Break the biscuits into small pieces directly into a large bowl. Add the pecans, pistachio nuts, cherries and bits of meringue. Put the rest of the ingredients, except the cocoa powder, into a bowl and put over a pan of simmering water on low heat to melt.
• Mix the ingredients together and place in the container which acts as your mold. To help with turning out, line a 12 by 8-inch (30 by 20 centimeter) container with cling film, first leaving plenty of extra film at the edges to fold over the top.
• Leave in the refrigerator to firm up then turn out and cut into chunky slices. This cake can be kept in an airtight container and actually improves after a couple of days.

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Break the biscuits into small pieces and put in a large bowl.
• Add in both kinds of nuts and the cherries and stir to mix.
• Put the rest of the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over the lowest possible heat until the chocolate and butter are melted.
• You may have to give it a stir or two to combine the ingredients.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl with the biscuits and use a spoon to mix everything until the chocolate is evenly distributed across the rest of the ingredients.
• Line a loaf pan with saran wrap, leaving lots of extra at the edges to cover the top of the finished cake.
• Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan.
• You may have to use the back of the spoon to pack it down.
• Pull the extra saran wrap over the top and use your hands to push down firmly on the cake, making sure it is well packed together.
• Place in the fridge for two hours to cool, then take out and slice.
• For a special touch, dust with cocoa powder.

CHOCOLATE REFRIGERATOR CAKE

Steps:

• Grease round 20cm cake tin with butter.
• Put biscuits between sheets of greaseproof paper and crush with rolling pin.
• In a bowl mix together biscuit crumbs, nuts, cherries and raisins and liqueur.
• In a small saucepan over low heat add syrup, 150g chocolate and melted butter. Stir until all mixed together and melted.
• Pour this mixture over the biscuit mixture and stir well.
• Pack mixture into cake tin.
• Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
• Then melt the remaining chocolate and pour over cold cake whilst in tin.
• Allow chocolate to set in fridge and then serve in small slithers.

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the nuts and place in a large bowl with the fruit. Break the biscuits into different sized chunks either using hands or placing in a plastic bag and smashing against a kitchen cabinet. Add to the fruit and nut mix.
• Place a saucepan with hot water in on the stove and place a glass bowl on top, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Place the butter, chocolate (broken into pieces to melt quicker) and the golden syrup into the bowl and stir until all has melted.
• Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and pour ontop of the fruit and nut mix, encorportating it fully with a spoon. Try not to crush the biscuits up even more in this process.
• Grease and line with parchment paper a 28cm cake tin and pour the contents into it, refrigerating for a minimum of two hours to allow it to harden.
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• You could use shortbread instead of digestives, fruit mixes which you can get from health shops can be used. I used one with papaya and dried dates in which was equally as yummy.
• White chocolate chunks can also be added into the fruit and nut mix, along with minature marshamallows.