Hedgehog Slice

• Ingredients
• 
  
• 1 pkt (250g) super wine biscuits, broken into small pieces
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup soft brown sugar
• 70g slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 100 g milk or dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 T Maple syrup or golden syrup
• 100 g butter
• 1 egg
• 
  
• Chocolate topping 
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 50g butter

Method

1. Lightly grease a 20cm square cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl combine biscuits, coconut, brown sugar, slivered almonds and cocoa.
3. In a small saucepan, over a gentle heat stir chocolate, maple or golden syrup and butter until mixture is melted and combined. Cool slightly. Whisk in egg.
4. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well to combine. Spoon into prepared tin and press firmly into the tin with the back of the spoon. Chill while preparing the chocolate topping.

Chocolate topping

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over hot water until melted. Stir to combine. Spread over the chilled slice. Refrigerate until topping is set. Cut into small squares to serve

Tips

• Add chopped marshmallows for a rocky road twist
• Use gluten free biscuits instead of wine biscuits

Quick, easy microwave fudge

Ingredients:

500 g chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
60 g butter
1 t vanilla essence
1/4 t salt

Method:

1. Line a square slice tin with baking paper and spray with oil.
2. Place chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and butter in a microwave safe bowl.
3. Microwave for 1 minute. 
4. Beat. If the mixture isn't nice and glossy microwave for a further 15 seconds. 
5. Beat. Repeat step 3 if necessary.
6. Add vanilla essence and salt. Beat together.
7. Pour mixture into slice tin and spread evenly.
8. Refrigerate until set.
9. Cut into squares. Makes approximately 36 pieces.

Gluten free chocolate brownies

Ingredients:

1/3 c  (45 g) cornflour
1/4 c (20 g) cocoa powder
1/2 t salt (4g)
340 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
90 g butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces, plus more for baking dish
3/4 c (185g) sugar
3 large eggs
1 t vanilla
1 c chopped pecans (approx. 110 g)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. 
2. In a bowl whisk together cornflour, cocoa powder and salt, set aside. 
3. Add chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl, top with butter and heat mixture in microwave on HIGH power in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. 
4. To chocolate mixture add sugar and stir in. Add vanilla and stir. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. 
5. Add dry mixture and stir until well blended and smooth, then mix in pecans. 
6. Pour batter into a well buttered 20 by 20 cm baking dish (you can also line the baking dish with baking paper and grease with a little extra butter if desired) and spread into an even layer. 
7. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into centre comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 - 38 minutes. 
8. Allow to cool completely then cut into squares (I found mine cut cleaner after freezing for about 45 minutes - after cooling, if you can waiting any longer).

A very easy and very tasty brownie recipe. Made it for the first time with my husband and 2 year old. Husband declared he could make it himself. I'd like to try macadamia nuts instead of pecans.

Recipe Source: adapted from Martha Stewart

Dark chocolate sponge

 Ingredients:

100 g plain chocolate, chopped
250 ml milk
275 g brown sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
100 g salted butter, softened
175 g plain flour
1 t baking powder
2 T cocoa powder

 Ganache icing:

1/3 c (80 ml) cream
200 g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. 
2. Grease two 17 cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper. 
3. Melt the chocolate in the saucepan with half the milk and half the brown sugar. Stir the mixture constantly to prevent the chocolate sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. 
4. Using a wooden spoon or electric mixer, cream the butter with the remaining brown sugar. 
5. Whisk in the beaten eggs, a little at a time, until light and fluffy. If necessary, add 1 - 2 T of flour to the mixture when beating in the eggs to prevent curdling. 
6. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together. 
7. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the flour mixture into the creamed mixture in three batches. While the chocolate mixture is still warm, fold it into the cake mixture. 
8. Stir in the remaining milk to form a runny consistency, then divide the mixture between the two prepared sandwich tins. 
9. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated oven 160 degrees C (375 degrees F, gas mark 3) for about 20 - 25 minutes, until the sponge springs back when lightly pressed or when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. 
10. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the tins. 

 To make ganache: 

1. Stir cream and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat until smooth. 
2. Cool 15 minutes before icing. 

Sandwich cakes together with ganache, then cover with more ganache.

 Notes:

•  I made one and a half times the recipe and split between three 22 cm sandwich tins. 
•  Try using 200 g white chocolate with 4 T cream to make ganache, then add food colouring if you wish to change colour of the icing.

Chocolate Coconut Slice

Makes about 20 slices


Ingredients:
250 g butter
1 cup sugar
1 T cocoa
1 T golden syrup
2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup coconut


Icing:
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 T cocoa
1 T soft butter
1 1/2 - 2 T boiling water


1/4 c coconut to sprinkle over icing


Method:

1. Melt the first four ingredients in a pot. Do not let boil. Cool.
2. Preheat oven to 160°C fan bake.
3. Grease an 18 x 27cm baking pan and line with baking paper for easy lift out.
4. Add dry ingredients to coca mixture and press into pan.
5. Bake for 25 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mix the icing ingredients together and beat well.
7. Ice the slice while warm, not hot, with chocolate icing and sprinkle the additional coconut over the top..
8. Cut into small pieces when cool.

Notes:
You don't need as much icing if you ice while warm this helps "melt" the icing making it go further. 
I have a gas oven, no fan, slice cooked nicely in 25 minutes at around 170°C.


Like this recipe? You may want to try Morriss' Fudge Squares or Chocolate Truffle Fudge Cake!

Rich Chocolate Self-saucing Pudding

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours, using high and low



Ingredients

3 cups self-raising flour

1/4 cup cocoa

100 grams butter, chilled and diced

1 cup sugar

2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence



Chocolate sauce

3 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup dark rum or coffee liqueur

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa
Method
Turn the slow cooker on to low to pre-warm while gathering and preparing the ingredients.

Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre.

Beat the milk, eggs and vanilla essence together and mix into the dry ingredients using a holed spoon to form a stiff batter.

Into the pre-warmed slow cooker, put the boiling water, rum or coffee liqueur, sugar and cocoa and stir to dissolve the cocoa.

Carefully spoon the batter evenly into the slow cooker and cover with the lid.

Cook on high for 1 hour then turn to low for a further 1 hour.

Serve hot with ice cream and cream.



Allyson's tip

The alcohol will have cooked out of the rum or liqueur, however, use only water for an alcohol-free recipe.

Choclate Truffle Fudge Cake

Ingredients:
125 g butter
1/4 c caster sugar
2 T golden syrup
2 T milk
2 T drinking chocolate
1 T cocoa
1 pkt plain sweet biscuits, crushed
1 1/2 c chocolate cake crumbs or crumbled sponge cake
nip of whisky or rum
60 g cherries, chopped
1/3 c raisins
250 g dark chocolate, melted for icing

Method:

1. Heat butter, sugar, milk and syrup over a low-medium heat.
2. Add drinking chocolate, cocoa and 1/2 biscuits and mix.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix.
4. Press into 20cm sandwich tin or flan dish.
5. Melt chocolate in a bowl over boiling water.
6. Spread melted chocolate over slice to ice.
7. Allow to set.
8. Cut with a sharp hot knife.
9. Store in the fridge in a sealed container.

Makes about 30 small pieces.

Mum's Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS:

20 cm square tin
300 g butter
6 T cocoa
9 t hot water
1 ½ c sugar
1 1/8 c flour
1 ½ t baking powder
3 eggs

METHOD:

Melt butter, cocoa and hot water in a thick based saucepan.
Add sugar and stir well.
Add flour and baking powder and blend together lightly.
Stir in egg yolks and then quickly stir in stiffly beaten egg whites.
Pour into a greased tin and bake at 180ºC for 30 – 40 minutes.

ICING:

90 g cream cheese
90 g butter
2 c icing sugar
2 T cocoa
Vanilla essence

Beat cream cheese and butter to a cream.
Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until smooth.

Morriss' Fudge Squares

170 g butter

3/4 c sugar

2 T golden syrup

2 T cocoa

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

3/4 c coconut

Icing:

125 g icing sugar

1 T cocoa (sifted)

15 ml warm water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius or gas mark 4.
   
2. In a pot melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup and cocoa (I like to sift this to get out any lumps).
   
3. Add the flour, baking powder and coconut to the melted mixture.
   
4. Press mixture out in a Swiss roll tin (or similar, shallow tray).
   
5. Bake for 10 minutes.

Icing:

1. Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl.

2. Add warm water and mix until smooth. Add extra water drop by drop if the icing is too stiff.
TO FINISH:

Ice fudge squares when cool and cut into squares.

Chocolate Brownies

To prepare: 20 minutes
To cook: 35 minutes

225 g butter
200 g dark chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 t vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa, sieved
1 1/2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped (optional or substitue for other nuts)

Brownie topping:
200g melted dark chocolate
OR
dust with icing sugar

Method:

1. Melt butter and chocolate over a low heat in a pot.
2. Add sugar to the melted butter and chocolate. Allow to cool if necessary before adding eggs.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir in vanilla essence.
5. Sift in flour and cocoa. Add nuts and mix until evenly combined.
6. Pour into a greased 30cm x 24cm baking tin.
7. Bake at 180 degrees C for 35 minutes until set.
8. Cool then spread over melted chocolate or dust with icing sugar.
9. If topping with melted chocolate allow to set before cutting in to squares.
10. Makes about 30 pieces.

TIP: I often make this recipe ahead of time. It can be pretty gooey even when properly cooked. It is easier to cut if you freeze it first. Obviously take out of the freezer for a bit before you try and cut it unless you are super strong and have a really good knife! If you are going to freeze this mixture, dust with icing sugar after freezing and before serving.

Enjoy!