Chocolate and lime is a wonderful combination making these melt-in-the-middle puddings reminiscent of old-fashioned sweets. You will end up with more curd than you need for the puddings, like water for chocolate recipes slather any leftovers on toast or serve with ice cream. Chocolate is made by roasting and grinding up cocoa beans to yield chocolate ‘liquor’.
A huge range of eating and cooking chocolate is available in supermarkets and specialist shops, including chocolate made from organically grown ingredients and coming from Fairtrade sources. The difference between all the various brands depends on the type of cocoa beans used, the proportion of cocoa solids and cocoa butter, the sugar content and the flavourings. Seek out quality chocolate – the results will shine through. High-quality chocolate will make a distinctive, crisp, snap when broken, shattering cleanly.
It should also start to melt when you hold it in your hand for a few seconds – the quicker the better, as this indicates a high cocoa butter content. 99F, just below human body temperature, which is one of the factors that gives chocolate its enduring appeal. Store chocolate tightly wrapped in its original packaging or in cling film in a cool, dry place. If stored at warmer temperatures, chocolate can develop a ‘bloom’ – a white, filmy residue.
There is a second type of ‘bloom’, referred to as a ‘sugar bloom’, which is caused by moisture settling on the surface of the chocolate: this can happen when the bar is stored in a damp atmosphere. Chocolate is used in a wide spectrum of dishes. Cocoa powder provides a concentrated chocolate flavour in cakes, biscuits and icing. Block chocolate is used in richer cakes, chocolate mousses, tarts, cheesecakes, sauces and ice cream. The epitome of chocolate for most chocolate lovers is the indulgent chocolate cake. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Read about our approach to external linking. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list. This is the sort of cake you’d want to eat the whole of when you’d been chucked. But even the sight of it, proud and tall and thickly iced on its stand, comforts. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, bicarb and salt.
In another bowl or wide-necked measuring jug whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Bake the cakes for 50-55 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely. To make the icing, melt the chocolate in the microwave – 2-3 minutes on medium should do it – or in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water, and let cool slightly. I know sieving is a pain, the one job in the kitchen I really hate, but you have to do it or the icing will be unsoothingly lumpy. Then gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth.
Ice the top and sides of the sandwiched cake, too, spreading and smoothing with a rubber spatula. Even better than your Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake which is a firm family favourite. I only had the ingredients for half the icing so I spread it on top. It was enough since I’d baked a single large cake. 2 tsp of salt and a tsp of rum to offset the sweetness of the icing. France where sour cream is not easy to get hold of, I always use creme fraiche instead – works really well! I would like to add 2 things to the recipe:- Firstly, it needs to be stressed the importance of cooling the melted butter before using it, and then adding very very cold water to the mix.
The result of these two steps gives you a thick emulsion which looks like mayonnaise. I sometimes use the whisk attachment of the kitchen aid mixer to help achieve this. I put this mixture in cupcake cases and mixed in some chocolate chips, baked for around 20 minutes and ended up with really delicious moist cupcakes! This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted, and made. It’s so good, I can’t even mess it up! I’ve never been a chocolate cake fan, but this one converts.
To me it adds extra ‘chocolaty-ness’ that is not too much at all. Each time I make it, no one can get enough. I also divide the mixture between cup-cake tins. You don’t then need as much frosting, probably just over half. I just freeze the rest, and use on something else. My husband is always upset that I’m making the cake for someone else!