Decadent Chocolate Tarts

My sister and I have a tadition. It is not the healthiest tradition. It is frowned upon by our parents. It is time consuming and self indulgent. But traditions must, at all costs, be maintained. Even if they have only existed for a few months... right?

The tradition is, when we both find ourselves home together on a weekend or holiday morning with no immediate plans (this is rare) we make a Gossip Girl Breakfast. We love Gossip Girl with a passion that transcends normality, and we love food, especially sweet, gooey, rich, dessert like food. Usually we have pancakes with chocolate sauce, ice cream and berries. This weekend however we woke up late and breakfast time had been and gone. What to do? Why a Gossip Girl Morning Tea of course! So I whipped up some little tarts, she set up the lounge and ta da - the perfect Sunday.

A couple of things worth noting: this whole process only took about half an hour start to finish. Admittedly I did use pastry that was sitting in the fridge but you easily use ready made frozen pastry just as quickly. The recipe is more or less made up on the spot. I think chocolate is one of those things that tastes best with as little interference as possible and this certainly backs that up. And lastly, don't make this a regular thing. (Unless you're deliberately training to be a sumo wrestler. I'm not but I think I'd do a pretty damn good job after a few more GGB's.)

Chocolate Tarts

About 1C sweet short pastry or 2 sheets frozen
1C dark chocolate, chopped
1T butter
1/2C cream
2 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 180C and spray a muffin tin with non stick spray.

Soften the pastry, roll out and cut using a cokoie cutter about 3-4 inches in diameter. Cut short slits (maybe 1-2cm) into opposite sides of each pastry circle.

Fit the circles each into a maffin tin, overlapping the slits so that they fit. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. I always find after this my pastry has puffed up and just about filled the tart. If you have the same problem give them a minute to firm up then just push it down with the end of a wooden rolling pin or similar. Let them cool a bit.

While those are cooking throw the chocolate, butter and cream into a small saucepan and heat over medium, stirring constantly with a whisk. When evreything is liquid give it a good beat to combine and set aside to cool. Note it is very important that you do let the chocolate mixture cool as otherwise it will cook the eggs.

Once lukewarm add the yolks, beating again to combine. Remove the tart cases for the tins and spread them out on a baking tray. Spoon the chocolate mixture evenly in until it is just below the tops then bake for about 12 minutes.

When you take them out they will still be very runny. Set them aside to cool and firm up (or throw them in the freezer like me). Yum!

Double Chocolate Whoppers

I made these at 11pm last Thursday just becasue I felt like baking something. They are the easiest cookies ever (no softening butter!) and the dough is delicious. I whipped them up in about ten minutes, put them in the fridge and baked them when I woke up the next morning. There is no nicer way to start the day than with a cup of tea and the smell of warm, chocolatey baking in the air.These are from the book Quick 'n' Easy Chocolate Recipes by Robyn Martin.

These are My Ultimate Cookies.

Ingredients

250g butter
1 1/4C chocolate bits (I used Nestle Dark Chocolate button because I like the way they feel when you bite two together...)
1C brown sugar
1 egg
2t vanilla essence
3C flour
2t baking powder

Melt the butter in a container big enough to fit all the ingredients and stir until smooth. Add half the chocolate bits and stir until smooth again. MIx in sugar, egg and vanilla, beating with a wooden spoon to combine. Mix in flour, baking powder and remaining chocolate and mix it all up until combined.

Roll this into a big log, wrap in gladwrap and put in the fridge until firm/you lose patience. If you can't be bothered waiting around you can just chuck it in the freezer for ten minutes or so. This is a good time to preheat your oven to 180C.

Once firm cut into slices, about 1-2cm, spread out evenly on a baking paper lined tray and bake for about 15 minutes.

First Steps!

First post ever - exciting exciting! So the photo is a chocolate cupcake I made yesterday - apparently we've had so many Vanilla ones lately my family are sick of eating them (don't ask me how it's possible to get sick of cupcakes, I've never had this problem personally). These are far nicer than the recipe I usually use, really light and fluffy and not too sweet either. The icing is a bit funny, I think there's a bit much milk so I'm posting the one I usually use instead. It's the Magnolia Bakery Chocolate Buttercream and it is Divine.

Chocolate Cupcakes (makes a dozen)

150g flour

1t baking soda

1/2t baking powder

85ml hot water

1/4C cocoa

85ml cold water

70g butter, softened

185g caster sugar

1egg

1T golden syrup

1t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a 12 hole tray with papers.

Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into a small bowl. In a seperate bowl whisk hot water and cocoa until smooth then add cold water and whisk to combine.

In an electric mixer cream butter until smooth, then add caster sugar and egg, beating until fluffy. Add golden syrup and vanilla then beat until combined.

Add half the flour, beating on low speed until combined, then half the cocoa mixture. Repeat until you have a smooth batter but be careful not to over beat. Divide mixture between papers and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer stuck in the middle comes out clean.

While they are baking make the buttercream by melting 110g of bittersweet chocolate then pouring it into 150g creamed butter. Add a tablespoon of milk , a splash of vanilla essence and - gradually - 1 heaped cup of icing sugar. Depending on how you like your frosting you may need to add a little more icing sugar or milk; I find that for piping it's better to have it a little firmer.