Little French Fudge Cakes Food

LITTLE FRENCH FUDGE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 6 cupcake cups, preferably in a dark-colored metal pan.
• Place 1 chopped bar of bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl; place bowl in microwave, and cook on low power until the butter has melted and the chocolate is soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Check and stir often to avoid burning the chocolate. Stir until smooth.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk cinnamon, vanilla extract, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined, and stir in the flour just until blended. Mix in the chocolate mixture, stir the batter a few times until smooth, and lightly mix in the 1/2 bar of bittersweet chocolate broken into 1/2-inch pieces. Spoon batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling them about 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center of a cake comes out with streaks of thick batter, about 18 minutes. The tops of the cakes should be almost firm. Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes to serve warm, or 20 minutes to serve at room temperature.

LITTLE FRENCH FUDGE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 6 cupcake cups, preferably in a dark-colored metal pan.
• Place 1 chopped bar of bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl; place bowl in microwave, and cook on low power until the butter has melted and the chocolate is soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Check and stir often to avoid burning the chocolate. Stir until smooth.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk cinnamon, vanilla extract, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined, and stir in the flour just until blended. Mix in the chocolate mixture, stir the batter a few times until smooth, and lightly mix in the 1/2 bar of bittersweet chocolate broken into 1/2-inch pieces. Spoon batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling them about 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center of a cake comes out with streaks of thick batter, about 18 minutes. The tops of the cakes should be almost firm. Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes to serve warm, or 20 minutes to serve at room temperature.

CANADIAN MAPLE WALNUT LAYER CAKE WITH FUDGE FROSTING

Steps:

• You will need two 8" (20cms) cake tins; greased and lined with baking paper. Pre-heat oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
• Beat the butter and sugar together until light, fluffy and pale golden brown - this is essential to make the mixture light and aids the cake to rise. It can take up to 15 minutes by hand or 5 to 10 minutes by hand-held mixer!
• Add the baking powder to the flour, and the milk and maple syrup to the beaten eggs.
• Gently fold in a large spoon of flour, followed by a spoon of egg mixture - mix gently but thoroughly between each addition of flour and egg mixture. Continue to add, fold and mix until the flour and the egg mixture is finished. If the mixture is a little stiff, add some more milk.
• Add the chopped walnuts and gently mix through the cake mixture evenly. You should have a fairly stiff consistency that drops easily.
• Put the cake mixture equally in to the prepared cake tins, smoothing slightly on top, with a slight indent in the middle, then bake for between 25 and 35 minutes in a pre-heated oven. Different ovens vary; these cakes normally take 30 minutes to bake in my oven. (They are cooked when they are well-risen, golden brown and when a wooden skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the middle of the cake.).
• Allow them to cook in the tins for 5 minutes, before carefully taking them out of the tins and allowing them to cool completely on a wire cooling tray/rack.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the fudge frosting/icing. Place all of the ingredients, except the icing sugar, into a saucepan and gently them all together until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool slightly and then add the icing sugar, beating to a smooth and glossy finish.
• Place one of the cakes on to a serving plate or tray, if you wish, you can cut each cake in half to make a multi layer cake. Spread some of the frosting/icing on top of the cake and scatter some chopped walnuts over the top if using. Place the other cake on top and pour the remaining fudge frosting/icing over the top of the cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides. Decorate the top of the cake with walnut halves.
• Serve cut into slices - this cake makes about 8 to 10 slices. Preparation time includes the time to make the fudge frosting/icing.