Serves 8 (v)
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
COOKING TIME
5 minutes, plus chilling
125ml (4½fl oz) double or regular cream
125g (4½oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped, or dark chocolate drops
1 tbsp brandy (optional)
2 eggs, separated
To decorate
Raspberries (optional)
Icing sugar (optional)
4–6 little bowls, glasses or cups
* Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir just until it melts. Add the brandy (if using) and whisk in the egg yolks.
* In a spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until just forming stiff peaks. Spoon a small amount of whisked egg whites into the chocolate and cream mixture, then carefully fold in the rest of the egg whites, just until combined.
* Spoon into the bowls, glasses or cups and chill in the fridge for 1–2 hours or until set. Decorate with raspberries (if using) and a hint of icing sugar.
Ice cream with chocolate sauce is a combination made in heaven and the chunks of Oreo biscuit just add to the divine wickedness of it all! This great chocolate fudge sauce recipe is one I was kindly given by the indefatigable American cook, Charita Jones. It makes quite a lot, but, in a household of chocoholics, that is never a problem! Stored in a jar in the fridge, it will keep for months – simply reheat to serve.
Serves 1 (v)
Charita’s chocolate fudge sauce: makes 1 litre (1¾ pints) (v)
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
COOKING TIME
5 minutes
For Charita’s chocolate fudge sauce
350g (12oz) caster sugar
100g (3½oz) soft light or dark brown sugar
85g (3oz) cocoa powder
25g (1oz) plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 x 400ml tin of evaporated milk
50g (2oz) butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
For each sundae
2 Oreo biscuits, broken into chunks
2 scoops of coffee, vanilla or even banana ice cream
One sundae glass or bowl per person
* To make the chocolate fudge sauce, place all the ingredients apart from the vanilla extract in a saucepan with 225ml (8fl oz) water and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Boil for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, using a whisk at first to break up any lumps of flour. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
* To make each sundae, place half the biscuit pieces in the bottom of the glass or bowl, add a scoop of ice cream, then add most of the remaining biscuit pieces, followed by the remaining scoop of ice cream. Pour over the hot chocolate fudge sauce and crumble over the rest of the biscuit pieces.
Sundaes are a huge favourite of my children’s, but anyone with a sweet tooth is susceptible to an ice cream sundae. It’s great to have a few sauces and ingredients on hand so people can get creative. The toffee sauce used in this recipe takes minutes to make and is so useful to have for pouring over ice cream, meringues or even baked fruit, such as peaches, pears or bananas. Once made, it keeps for months, so I always have a jar of it nestled somewhere in the back of the fridge. Simply reheat to serve.
Serves 1 (v)
Toffee sauce: enough for 4 sundaes (v)
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
COOKING TIME
5 minutes
For the toffee sauce
100ml (3½fl oz) golden syrup
50g (2oz) soft light brown sugar
50g (2oz) caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
100ml (3½fl oz) double or regular cream
For each sundae
2 scoops of chocolate or vanilla ice cream
2 tbsp salted peanuts
One sundae glass or bowl per person
* To make the toffee sauce, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly to help dissolve the sugar. Boil for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened, then remove from the heat.
* To make each sundae, place one scoop of ice cream in the bottom of the glass or bowl, add half the peanuts, then add another scoop of ice cream, followed by the rest of the peanuts, and finally drizzle with the hot toffee sauce.
Chocolate marshmallow biscuit cake
My children would survive solely on this given half a chance. You can use whatever biscuits or chocolate bars you like, although ginger biscuits add a great spicy crunch.
Makes about 16 bars (v)
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes, plus chilling
COOKING TIME
10 minutes
450g (1lb) milk chocolate, broken into pieces, or milk chocolate drops
150g (5oz) ginger nut biscuits, broken into 1cm (½in) chunks
100g (3½oz) mini marshmallows
2 x 60g Snickers bars, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes
2 x 40g Crunchie bars, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes
20cm (8in) square cake tin
* Line the base and sides of the tin with baking parchment.
* Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot water. Bring the water to the boil, then take the pan off the heat and allow the chocolate to melt slowly. Once the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan and allow the chocolate to cool to just above room temperature. (If it’s too hot, the marshmallows will melt.)
* Stir in the remaining ingredients and press into the prepared tin. Place in the fridge to chill for 1–2 hours or until set, then cut into fingers or squares to serve.
Fruit sundae with strawberry coulis
Strawberry coulis is such a useful sauce for pouring over ice cream, yoghurt or fromage frais. Use straightaway or store in the fridge, in a covered bowl or jar with a lid, for up to a week. It can also be frozen for up to one month.
Serves 1 (v)
Strawberry coulis: enough for 4 sundaes (v)
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
For