Chocolate Lime Dessert Food

CHOCOLATE & LIME CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base of 2 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Beat the butter and light brown sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs gradually, beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. If the mixture is very stiff, stir in the milk.
• Spoon into the cake tins and bake for 20-25 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment. Gently heat the lime juice and caster sugar together, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. While the cakes and the syrup are still warm, pierce the cakes all over using a skewer and spoon over the syrup. Leave to cool completely.
• Next, make the candied lime zest. Pare the zest from the limes, cutting it into broad strips. Cut away the white pith and discard, then slice the zest into matchstick-sized strips. Put them in a pan and cover with water, then bring to the boil. Cook for 1 min, then drain and rinse. Dry and set aside. Juice the limes and add enough water to make 225ml. Heat gently with the sugar until the sugar has melted. Add the strips of zest and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated and turned syrupy - about 30 mins. Scoop the strips of zest out with a slotted spoon, then place them on parchment to dry.
• To make the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar together using an electric mixer or by hand (start off gently or the icing sugar will fly everywhere), until pale and light, but don't beat for so long that it gets too fluffy. Add the lime zest and beat again until smooth. Chill in the fridge until the buttercream is firm, but spreadable.
• To make the icing, heat the cream gently (don't let it boil), then take it off the heat. Add the chocolate and let it melt, stirring to help it along. Put the marmalade in a small pan with the extra 1 tbsp cream and heat slowly to dissolve. Add to the chocolate and cream and stir until everything is blended. Leave to cool a little, but not so long that it becomes firm. Pour over one of the layers of sponge and leave to cool and set - it will run down the sides and drip off.
• Spread the buttercream over the other layer, then put the chocolate coated layer on top. Decorate with the candied lime zest.

CHOCOLATE LIME FONDANTS WITH CANDIED LIME PEEL

Steps:

• For the candied lime peel, put the sugar and 150ml water in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a slow simmer. Add the strips of lime peel and cook gently for 25 mins until the peel has softened and the syrup has thickened. Sprinkle a layer of caster sugar over a sheet of baking parchment, lift the softened lime peel with a slotted spoon onto the sugar and roll to coat. Leave to cool until hardened. Will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
• Next, make the lime curd. Put the lime juice and zest, sugar, cornflour, butter, eggs and egg yolk in a heatproof bowl, and whisk together to combine. Set the bowl on top of a pan of simmering water, and continue to whisk for about 20 mins until thickened - don't be alarmed if it looks like it has curdled at first, as once the butter has melted, it will come together. It should coat the back of the spoon once done. Stir through the food colouring, if using, and set aside to cool. Will keep, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Brush the moulds with the melted butter, then place them on a tray and put in the freezer for 10 mins or until the butter has set. Take out and brush with butter again, then return to the freezer for another 10 mins. Dust the insides with a good coating of cocoa powder, tap out any excess and set aside.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together, then leave to cool.
• Whisk the sugar and eggs with an electric hand whisk until light, fluffy and the mixture has tripled in volume. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and lime zest, and mix well. Fold the flour gently and quickly into the fondant mixture until fully incorporated, then spoon the mixture into the moulds, filling them almost to the top - leave a little space as they will rise. Bake in the oven for 10 mins or until a crust has formed and the sides are just starting to come away from the moulds.
• Remove from the oven, and leave to stand for 1 min, then turn out - don't leave them any longer or the heat from the moulds will continue to cook the fondant and they won't have an oozy centre. To serve, place a spoonful of curd on each serving plate and spread with the back of a spoon. Place the fondants on top, and top each one with candied lime peel.