Extra Rich Fudge Food

BEST-EVER CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Chop 2 oz. chocolate. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with mixer until blended. Stir in chopped chocolate. Pour into 2 (9-inch) round pans sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.
• Microwave COOL WHIP and remaining chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min. Let stand 15 min. to thicken.
• Stack cake layers on plate, filling and frosting with COOL WHIP mixture. Sprinkle with nuts.

EXTRA RICH FUDGE

Steps:

• In 2-quart Pyrex bowl melt chips (2-3 minutes) on high or till melted. Stir.
• Add rest of ingredients and mix well.
• Spray or butter a 9x13 pan and pour fudge into pan.
• Refrigerate and cut into squares.

CLASSIC FUDGE

Steps:

• Butter and line a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter, condensed milk, sugar and milk in a large saucepan over a low heat. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.
• Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Bubble for 10 mins, stirring all the time until the mixture reaches 115C on a sugar or probe thermometer. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to 110C. Add the vanilla, then beat in a stand mixer or with an electric hand whisk until it cools to 60C. This will help break up any large sugar crystals. The fudge should be thick and matte-looking.
• Spoon the fudge into the prepared tin and press down with a spoon to smooth the surface. Leave to set, then cut into squares. Will keep for up to three weeks in an airtight container.

EXTRA RICH PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

Steps:

• Combine sugar and milk in saucepan.
• Cook to soft ball stage. Add remaining ingredients, stirring until blended.
• Pour into 8-inch greased square pan and cool.
• Cut into squares.

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.