Chocolate Espresso Brownies

Makes15-17 Pieces

Ingredients:
1 (20 ounces) packet brownie mix
1/3 cup water + 2 tbsp water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tbsp + 2 tsp espresso powder
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp salted butter, at room temperature

Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
2. Take a 8-9 inch baking pan and coat it from inside with butter and line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper.
3. In a mixing bowl beat the eggs with water and vegetable oil. Do not over mix it, mix it until everything comes together. Add in the espresso powder stir it well in the mixture.
4. Now add 1 whole packet of brownie mix. Combine it all together until mixture becomes silky, about 50 strokes. (Tip 1)
5. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool completely.
6. In the mean time prepare the glaze by mixing espresso powder with a water in a separate bowl. Add softened butter and icing sugar and start whisking it together until glaze becomes shiny and silky.
7. Once the brownies are completely cooled, spread the glaze evenly on the top of the brownies with the help of a spatula.
8. Place the brownies if the refrigerator for about an hour to let the glaze set on them.
9. Serve in a platter with a scoop of your Favorite ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!

Tip:
1. You can also add any toasted nuts of your choice to the brownie to add an extra crunch to it.

Chocolate Chips Pizza

Makes 2 medium size pizza's
















Ingredients:
For pizza dough
250 gm white flour
3 gm yeast
160 ml Luke warm water
5 gm salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter, melted
Toppings
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 up white chocolate chips
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (e.g Nutella)
1/2 cup toasted & chopped hazelnuts or any other nuts of your choice


Procedure:
For pizza dough
1. To make the dough by hand; in a mixing bowl mix the flour, yeast, salt & water to form a sticky dough. Add the oil, mix it in, then turn the dough out on a clean work surface. Knead until smooth and silky.
2. Or, to use a food mixer; fit the dough hook and add the flour, yeast, salt and water to the mixing bowl. Mix on a low speed, then add the oil and leave to knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth and silky.
3. Shape the dough into a round, then leave to rise in a clean bowl, covered with a plastic bag, until doubled in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours.
4. Preheat you oven at 400 degrees F. Then take the dough on a floured working surface and divide the dough into halves. Take one half and roll it with a roller pin to about 1 inch thick, keeping it as round as you can. Place the rolled dough on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
5. Lightly press down the dough with the tip of your fingers to make small indentations where the melted butter can sit. Brush the surface of the dough with melted butter.
6. Bake the pizza dough in a preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes, until the surface of the dough becomes golden brown and slightly crispy.
7. Repeat the same procedure for the remaining dough.
Make pizza
1. Take the pizza base out of the oven. Let it sit for a minute or two. Spread a thick of the chocolate hazelnut spread all over the pizza base.
2. Sprinkle over bittersweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips evenly. Top with some toasted and chopped hazelnuts to add an extra crunch to the pizza.
3. Pop the pizza back in the oven for just a minute to melt the chocolate chips a little bit. Don't let it be in the oven for any longer than that. Otherwise the chocolate chips will burn and taste bitter.
4. Repeat the same procedure with the remaining pizza base. Place it on a decorative platter and serve as a different type of dessert in your next pizza party. Enjoy!

Orange Curd Dip

Ingredients:
Zest of 4 oranges, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 ounces butter, room temperature
4 extra large egg's, room temperature
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/8 tsp salt
10-15 fresh strawberries, for dipping

Procedure:
1. Place orange zest and granulated sugar in a food processor and blend it together for a minute.
2. Place the room temperature butter in a mixing bowl and cream the butter with the help of a hand mixer. Add sugar & orange zest mixture to it and mix until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg's, one at a time. Then add orange juice and salt. Mix until combined.
4. Place all the mixture in a saucepan and cook it on a medium low heat until thickened, for about 10 minutes. Stirring constantly. The orange curd will be ready when it coats the spoon. Be careful otherwise it will curdle, do not overcook.
4. Let the mixture cool down properly. Place the orange curd in a bowl and place fresh strawberries around it decoratively. Enjoy!

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:
225 gms bittersweeet/ semisweet chocolate
180 ml heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp coffee liqueur
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Procedure:
1. Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl & set it aside.
2. In a sauce pan heat butter & cream together on a medium heat. Bring just to boil and immediately pour the boiling cream over chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a minute without stirring. Then stir it very gently as you do not want to incorporate air into the ganache with a spoon or whisk.
3. Add coffee liqueur if desired. Enjoy!

Pancake Dessert

Makes about 5 sandwiches















Ingredients:
1 cup chocolate ganache
3 cup raspberry sorbet
10 small pancakes, about 2 inches of diameter
5 strawberries/raspberries

Procedure:
1. Take 1 pancake. Scoop out raspberry sorbet and place it on the pancake & top with another pancake (like sandwich).
2. Spread out a spoonful of chocolate ganache on the top and garnish with a strawberry. Enjoy!

Chocolate & Cheese Danish

Ingredients:
1 Puff pastry sheet, cold
2 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

Procedure:
1. In a bowl mix together mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, sugar, salt, egg yolk, flour, and finally chocolate chips and vanilla extract
2. Cut the patry sheet into 4 equal squares and put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment papaer.
3. Put a couple of tbsp of cheese mixture in the center of each square.
4. Fold one corner of the square fold it over leaving one inch border roughly forming a triangle shape. Press it little bit. Give it a egg or milk wash all around the edges. Then take another little corner (the corner opposite to the one we've folded) and fold it over the top. Again give it a egg or milk wash.
4. Pop them in the oven for about 15 minutes until they are golden and puffy and cheesy chocolaty inside.
5. Cool them on a wire rack for few minutes and Enjoy!

Mocha Chocolate Cake

Ingrediants:
2 cups cold heavy cream
12 ounces of Italian mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
250 gm chocolate chips cookies
shaved semisweet chocolates, for garnish

Procedure:
1. In a bowl mix together heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, liqueur, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla extract with a electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Mix it on low speed then gradually increase the speed until it forms firm peaks.
2. To assemble the cake, form a chocolate chip cookies flat in a 8 inch springform pan, covering the bottom as much as possible (break some cookies to fill up the empty space).
3. Spread a fifth of the mocha cream evenly on the layer of cookies. Spread another layer of cookies on the top. Followed by another fifth of the cream layer. Continue layering cookies and cream until it forms 5 layers of each, ending with the layer of a cream.
4. Smooth the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Run a smooth, sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Sprinkle shaved chocolate on the top. Serve chilled.
Enjoy!

Palmiers (French puff pastry)

Makes 15-18

Ingredients:
1 sheet of puff pastry (Defrosted)
1cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven at 400 degree fahrenheit.
2. Mix 1/2 cup of sugar with pinch of salt.
3. Spread it evenly on your working surface. Roll out the the puff pastry on sugary surface, about 11x11 inches square.
4. In a different bowl mix together other 1/2 cup of sugar with ground cinnamon. Spread it evenly on rolled pastry sheet.
5. Starting from the edge near to you roll the pastry inward stopping in the middle of the sheet. Roll the opposite side of pastry inwards. The two rolls should be meeting at the middle and touching. Put one roll on the other as if closing a book
6. Starting at one end, cut off pieces of the log, in the slices about 3/8 inch in thick. Lightly sprinkle sugar on each side. Pinch and press the sides of the two rolls together so that it won't unroll in the baking process.
7. Place them on baking sheet cut side up, lined with parchment paper. Make sure to keep at least 1 inch space between each pastry pieces because they will increase in size dramatically.
8. Bake them for 5-6 minutes until caramelized and brown at bottom  then flip with spatula and again bake them for 3-5 minutes until caramelized on other side as well.
9. Allow them to cool on a wire rack and enjoy.

Cappuccino cream torte

Ingredients:
For fat less sponge
3 eggs
100g sugar
2 tsp vanilla sugar
80g plain flour (all purpose flour)
1 tsp baking powder
25g cornflour
For the filling:
5 sheets for clear gelatine
800g of chilled whipping cream
6 tsp instant espresso coffee powder
3 tbsp lukewarm water
50g sugar
3 tsp vanilla sugar
2 tbsp apricot jam
1 tbsp orange liquor(optional)
For garnishing:
50g dark chocolate

Procedure:
1. Grease the bottom of spring form mould and line with baking paper. Preheat the oven about 180 degree Celsius /gas mark 4/ fan oven 160 degree Celsius.
2. To make the sponge put the eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk with the hand mixer with the highest setting until foamy. Fold in sugar and vanilla sugar and whisk again for 2 minutes.
3. Mix together flour, baking powder and cornflour(cornstarch) and whisk briefly into egg and sugar mixture. Transfer the sponge into the spring form mould, smooth down the surface and bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes.
4. Take the sponge cake out of spring form mould, put on a cake rack and leave it to cool. Now cut the cake horizontally into 2 layers.
5. For the filling, soak the gelatine following the instructions on the packet. Whip the cream until stiff. Stir the water into cappuccino powder in a small pan.
6. Lightly squeeze the gelatine, then add the cappuccino powder and water mixture stirring over low heat until it has dissolved. Mix the sugar and vanilla sugar and stir into gelatin mixture. First stir 2 tablespoons of whipped cream into the gelatin mixture, then stir gelatin mixture into the rest of the whipped cream.
7. Put the bottom layer of the sponge pastry on a serving plate. Drizzle orange liquor over it and spread apricot jam on the top then put 2/3rd of the whipped cream on the top to form a dome. Put the top layer on the top of the whipped cream dome and press down lightly. Spread the rest of the whipped cream on the sides and top of the cake and make depressions in the cream by using back of the spoon. Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours.
8. To decorate the cake, coarsely chop the cooking chocolate and spread it evenly over the cake.

Chocolate log

Ingredients:
300g chocolate
6 large eggs, separated
175 caster sugar
Icing sugar to dust
For the filling:
4 tbsp nutella spread
250g mascarpone
150ml double cream
50g pistachio

Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius/ gas mark 4/ fan 160 degree Celsius. Grease and line a 28 x 32cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper. Put 175g chocolate into bowl over a pan of simmering water and melt it slowly. Remove from heat and stir gently until smooth.
2. Put the egg yolks and sugar into bowl and beat it with electric hand mixer until pala yellow and frothy then whisk in the melted chocolate.
3. In a separate bowl whisk in egg whites to soft peaks. Stir a little into chocolate mixture then fold in rest and mix gently with a spoon. Pour into cake tin and bake for 25 minutes until soft to touch. Cool for 10 minutes and then cover with damp tea towel. Chill for at least 2 hours.
4. While roulade is chilling, make the fillings. Mix nutella and mascarpone together until smooth. Cover and chill until needed.
5. To make chocolate 'bark', melt remaining chocolate as before then allow to cool for 10 minutes. Pour onto a baking tray lined with a baking paper and spread it thinly with spatula. Chill for 8-10 minutes. Tear the chocolate into small pieces and line and again chill it till crisp.
6. Whisk the cream until hard peaks and set it aside. Lightly crush the pistachios.
7. Spread half the chocolate filling on roulade. Then spread cream on the top and spread the pistachios on it.
8. Holding the baking paper, lift up the nearest short edge to you and carefully roll up the roulade. Don't worry if it cracks. Transfer to a plate. Spread rest of the chocolate filling on the top of the roulade then arrange chocolates on the top overlapping. Chill for 1 hour, dust with icing sugar to serve.

Cinnamon snail(A type of Danish pastry)

Makes 10-12 rolls


Ingredients:
For dough
300g white flour
100g butter
200ml milk
1 tbsp sugar
14g powdered dry yeast
pinch of salt (optional)
For filling
100g butter
100g brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon powder
2 tbsp dry shredded coconut

Procedure: 
The dough
1. Take the butter and milk in a saucepan over a low heat. Slightly warm it, stir until butter melts. Remove from the heat.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the warm milk mixture.
3. With your hands, mix and forms a rough dough.
4. Tip out the dough on to a floured work surface and knead until it forms soft and silky dough.
5. Place the dough back into the greased bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave it at a warm place to rise until doubled in size.
Make the filling
1. To make cinnamon filling, beat the butter until soft and add sugar and cinnamon powder into butter. Leave the mixture aside.
Make the cinnamon snails
1. Preheat the oven at 200 degree Celsius.
2. Tip the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a rectangle(about 5mm thick).

3. Spread cinnamon mixture all over the dough leaving 2cm margin free from the edges. Sprinkle dry coconut all over the surface
4. Now, starting from the edge closest to you, roll up the dough to enclose the filling and form a long sausage.
5. Moisten the margin at the top with water and press to seal.
6. Cut the rolls into equal pieces(about 2cm width) and arrange them on  baking tray lined with a baking paper.
7. Slightly push away each layer of the rolls by your fingers.
8. Set aside at a warm place for 25-20 minutes.
9. Brush the pastry with beaten eggs and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.