Fudgy Chocolate Cherry Float Food

CHOCOLATE MALTED CHERRY FLOAT

Steps:

• In 4 medium size glasses, place two to three scoops of chocolate ice cream into each. Slowly pour cherry vanilla soda over ice cream and top with chopped malted milk balls and a maraschino cherry. Serve with long spoons and a straw.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY FUDGE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides.
• Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add granulated sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and pudding mix; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup cherries and 1/3 cup of the reserved cherry juice; spread into prepared pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack.
• Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and remaining cherry juice until blended. Drizzle over cooled dessert; top with remaining cherries. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into bars.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet; stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat, gently swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until light amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Toss the cherries with the lemon juice and arrange over the caramel; set the skillet aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and the remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter over the cherries and spread evenly.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if the cake is browning too quickly.) Let sit 15 minutes, then invert onto a platter and let cool completely.

FUDGY CHOCOLATE CHERRY FLOAT

Steps:

• LINE a dinner-sized plate with foil. Place in freezer to chill for 10 minutes. Turn Magic Shell bottle upside down and shake for at least 20 seconds.
• SCOOP 6 rounded servings of cherry vanilla ice cream onto chilled plate. Immediately coat with Magic Shell. (To assemble later, return to freezer until ready to serve.).
• ASSEMBLE by placing two scoops of ice cream into 1 of 3 tall (12 ounce) glasses. Fill glasses 2/3rds full with black cherry soda. Serve immediately with iced tea spoons and straws.

CHOC-CHERRY FUDGE TORTE WITH CHERRY SORBET

Steps:

• For the sorbet, whizz the compote with the sugar until smooth-ish, then tip into a freezer-proof container. Freeze until solid.
• Mix the cherries and the brandy and leave to soak for a few hrs.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the base of a round, 20cm loosebottomed tin with baking parchment. Mix the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking powder, bicarb and xanthan gum in a big bowl. Whisk the oil, rice milk and agave syrup, then add to the dry ingredients and stir in with a wooden spoon. Add the cherries and any brandy, then scrape into the tin. Bake for 35-45 mins until crisp on top but fudgy in the centre. Cool in the tin.
• Carefully lift the torte onto a serving plate. Dust with cocoa and icing sugar, and serve with the cherry sorbet.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY FUDGE

Steps:

• In a microwavable bowl, combine milk and chocolate chips. Microwave on high until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred, about 1 minute. Stir in almonds, cherries and extract. Spread evenly in a greased 8-in. square pan. Cover and chill until firm. Cut into squares. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

FUDGY DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment; dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. Whisk in sour cream; let cool, then whisk in chocolate. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition; scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined.
• Divide batter between prepared pans (or muffin tins lined with paper liners); smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes (18 to 20 minutes for cupcakes).
• Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. Re-invert cakes; let cool completely, top sides up.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers to level. Transfer a cake layer to a cake turntable or platter to frost. Using an offset spatula, spread 3/4 cup frosting on top. Set remaining cake layer into place.
• Spread remaining frosting over entire cake, swirling to coat. Serve immediately, or cover with a cake dome and refrigerate; let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.