6 down 3 to go … what to look out for

As has been my routine with previous recipes from this wonderful “Little Book” here's a few hints and tips.

I used unsalted butter and semi-skimmed milk. My sugar was ordinary caster sugar – my brown sugar was the soft dark variety and I used vanilla bean paste.

In a perfect world you'd make this and serve it immediately – it's my preference to be able to prep a pudding ahead but the downside here is that the sauce is absorbed more than one would want. It's the gooey consistency that's crucial.

Here are my suggestions on both counts.

I made the dessert ahead and froze it – the result was good but you might want to add more “goo”.

Defrost the pudding and then warm in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 15 minutes.

Make an additional quantity of the sauce – it only takes minutes and then divide it equally between the foil containers – you've created a triple chocolate pudding.

Try single cream instead of vanilla ice cream.

The recipe states it serves 6-8 – I'd be inclined to say 4-6 but of course it depends on how greedy your chocoholics are.

I always think that if you're going to indulge you should make a good job of it!

Remember the book … 6 down 3 to go!

Just when you thought I'd forgotten all about it.

This next extract from The Little Book of Chocolat by Joanne Harris and Fran Warde is definitely in the top ten for chocoholics, so, without further adieu :

Marianne's Chocolate Pudding

This rich, double chocolate pudding is named after my editor, a true chocoholic, who can always be relied upon to choose the most indulgent chocolate desserts (while I tend to opt for the cheese board!).

Takes 1 hour/ serves 6-8

butter for greasing dish

75g unrefined caster sugar

40g butter, soft

1 egg

40g cocoa powder

150g self raising flour

120ml milk

Sauce

180 unrefined soft brown sugar

200ml water

40g cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 160fan/180c/Gas 4. Rub the inside of a 1 litre ovenproof dish with a little butter.

In a bowl, place the sugar, butter and egg and whisk until blended. Add the cocoa powder and flour along with a little milk and blend until smooth. Add the remaining milk and mix in, then transfer to the buttered baking dish.

To make the sauce, place the sugar, water and cocoa in a small saucepan. Heat gently and mix until dissolved. Add the vanilla extract, pour over the top of the cake mixture, place in the middle of the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Hold that thought!

The muddle photos

I know I'm always saying your freezer is your best friend – hopefully the following photos will back me up!

Stating the obvious, the pudding, the ice cream and the rocky road all came out of the freezer.

I love these pots, just the right size for this type of dessert.

You must have heard the expression “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”? Literal meaning, that you can only judge the quality of something after you have tried, used or experienced it.

I think you'll like this “store cupboard” pudding!

The ultimate …

… sticky toffee sauce.

If I have a favourite dessert combination it's warm with cold – i.e. a good ice cream with a warm sticky toffee sauce. I say warm since its temperature should be hot enough to begin melting the ice cream but not hot enough to burn the inside of your mouth!

It should be said that, as usual, you can buy such a ready-made product easily – usually in 260g jars (it may vary). Personally the recipe that follows is the most rewarding 15 minutes you'll ever spend – on a dessert element that is.

Here goes :

Sticky Toffee Sauce

110g/4oz unsalted butter

225g/8oz soft dark brown sugar

50g/2oz chopped stem ginger (optional)

10 fl oz double cream (heavy USA)

Heat the butter, sugar and ginger – gently. When dissolved add the cream.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring.

One batch of the recipe produces 540g of sauce, or, over two portions – one to fold through a batch of home-made vanilla ice cream – based on the ice cream recipe which is on the blog.

It freezes too!

This is an excellent recipe and I'd wager that you'll not be buying a ready-made version once you've sampled this one.

Hmm – another element you could add to the “muddle”?

Frazzled …

… dictionary definition “the state of being worn out”.

I get so carried away with making sure I've got enough food - cooked or otherwise, that I completely forget that you have to eat in the lead up to the holidays – whether it's Christmas or New Year.

It seems so unreasonable that you have to provide food when you're so stressed!

Last weekend friends were coming for supper and cards. I thought I'd got it covered and, to be fair I had, for the main – I just didn't give dessert a thought – eek!

Then I remembered I'd made a batch of Rocky Road, some of which I'd taken as a gift for my hairdresser. The previous weekend I'd made a batch of ice cream when other friends were visiting. Hmm, then I remembered the fruit compote I'd made for the Traffic Lights dessert. Then I remembered I'd a decent sized portion of chocolate pudding in the freezer.

Here's my “muddle” recipe – if you can call it that :

Choose a dish or bowl that's not too large

Warm the chocolate pudding, one large dessert spoon

in each bowl

One scoop of vanilla ice cream

3 or 4 pieces of Rocky Road

Drizzle with a small ladle of compote

Alternatively you could choose from your secret chocolate stash in place of the Rocky Road.

The photos to back up my “muddle” are coming shortly!

Stock the store cupboard ...

… especially from a dessert point of view. If I have visitors at the last minute I want to be able to offer them a dessert but I may not have the time to make one from scratch or even to pop out to buy one.

When I say “store cupboard” I include the freezer too. Top of my list is a batch of vanilla ice cream – it cannot fail.

Earlier this year I gave you three different versions of a “Hodgepodge”. If you'd like to have a look at each of the recipes, you'll find them on the blog Easter Emergencies A Hodgepodge, Hodgepodge – take 2 and Hodgepodge … again. The Compote Compilation will give you the recipe for Blueberry Compote.

You don't have to spend a fortune and you can make bits and pieces yourself if you feel inclined or, more to the point, if you have time – for example meringue kisses or either of the curds – lemon or orange.

Frozen raspberries and cherries are essentials for the freezer.

The added bonus with this “stock” is that if it isn't used over the holidays it'll still be there and not committed to the food waste mountain because it's out of date.

Add a bag of hazelnuts and almonds to your shopping list too.

Choose a secret location and stash a selection of favourite chocolate bar(s). Note to self – remember where you stashed them! Nowadays you can buy bite sized versions of your favourites – very useful fridged and then chopped or bashed in their wrapper to add to ice cream, add fruit of your choice and decorate with a sprinkle of nuts.

Dessert any one?!

Running out of steam?

Feeling a little frayed around the edges? To make matters worse you've more guests staying over for New Year and whilst you might be out for the evening and have the food covered you've still got to think about breakfast, or, in reality brunch, on New Year's Day.

The following recipe may appeal.

BBB

(Bread and Butter Brunch)

Serves 8-10

French stick (225/250g) stale and sliced -

discard the heel ends

6 large eggs

200ml milk

200ml sour cream (or double will do – add a squirt

of lemon juice)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

salt and black pepper

Bunch spring onions, finely chopped

100g mature cheddar, 175g Gruyere and

100g Red Leicester, grated and mixed together

Chopped chive to garnish

You will need a oven-proof serving dish approximately 24cm square – greased if not non-stick.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, mustard and salt & pepper. Stir in the spring onions.

Arrange half the bread in the dish, overlapping the slices to fit. Pour over half the egg mixture and sprinkle with two thirds of the grated cheese. Cover with the remaining bread, again overlapping the slices. Pour over the remaining egg mixture and gently press down to help the bread absorb the mixture. Sprinkle the top with the remaining grated cheese.

Cover with cling film and put in fridge over night.

The following morning take the BBB out of the fridge and uncover so that it can come to room temperature.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Bake for 40/50 minutes or until puffed and golden. Set your timer for 40 minutes and check.

Let it stand for 10 minutes to set the “custard” before serving. Garnish with chopped chives.

The good news is that you're prepping this dish the day before and all you have to do is remember to take it out of the fridge the following morning – I suppose it does depend on how sore your head is!

It's exactly what's required as part of a hangover cure – serve with whatever you want, bacon and sausage are the obvious candidates. The beauty of this dish is that on its own it's vegetarian so you've all the bases covered - that's that sorted!

Happy New Year!