Milk Chocolate And Passion Fruit Ganache Food

MILK CHOCOLATE AND PASSION FRUIT GANACHE

Steps:

• Chop the milk chocolate into small pieces. Boil the passion fruit and heavy cream together and pour over chocolate. Stir until incorporated and the ganache forms. Wait a couple of minutes for the ganache to cool a bit and add the softened butter. Stir to create and emulsion. Let it harden a bit until it is pipeable and fill the macarons

DARK CHOCOLATE & PASSION FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Sift the flour, icing sugar, cocoa and ½ tsp salt into a bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks along with 2 tbsp ice-cold water, and continue to mix with your hands until a soft dough forms. Alternatively, pulse the ingredients together in a food processor. Wrap the dough and chill for at least 1 hr. Will keep chilled for up to two days.
• Line the base of a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin with baking parchment. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use it to line the tart tin, pressing it up the side and leaving some overhanging. Cover and chill for another 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20 mins. Remove the beans and parchment and bake for 20 mins more until crisp. Leave to cool completely, then use a sharp knife to trim the excess pastry.
• To make the curd, put the passion fruit pulp in a food processor and blitz to separate the seeds and flesh. Push through a sieve over a medium saucepan, then discard the seeds. Tip in the remaining ingredients and set the pan over a low heat. Whisk until the butter has melted, then, using a wooden spoon, stir until the curd has thickened, about 10 mins. (Don't turn up the heat to speed up the process, as the eggs will curdle.) Stir well, especially at the edge, as this is where the curd can catch. Sieve into a bowl, leave to cool, then spoon into the case. Chill the filled tart for 30 mins.
• To make the ganache, melt the chocolate, cream, sugar and a pinch of sea salt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water, stirring until glossy and thick. Remove from the heat, leave to cool for 15 mins, then pour over the curd layer. Scatter over the cocoa nibs, if using, then chill for at least 4 hrs, or overnight. Dust with cocoa, then slice and serve with crème fraîche.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH PASSION FRUIT ICING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until pale, light and fluffy - this is easiest using a freestanding machine or an electric hand-held mixer. Gradually add the egg, a little at a time, beating well between each addition.
• Sift both flours, the bicarbonate of soda and the cocoa into a bowl. Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture and fold in using a large metal spoon. In another bowl, mix the soured cream and cream cheese together until smooth. Add half to the cake batter and fold in. Repeat this process with the remaining flour and soured cream, and mix until smooth. Pour into the cake tin. Bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack and removing the baking parchment.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and softly whipped. Add the icing sugar and whisk until smooth, then add the cream cheese and whisk again. Sieve the juice from the passion fruits, reserving the pulp and seeds. Add the juice to the icing.
• To assemble, split the cake into 3 even layers and place the bottom layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread one-third of the icing over the bottom layer, swirling out to the edges. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers of cake and icing, finishing with a layer of icing. Top with the passion fruit pulp and seeds. Serve straight away. Will keep for 3 days, chilled - but bring back to room temperature before serving.