Chocolate and Sour Cherry Slice

 If only sour cherries were more popular in UK ...

Sacher torte, heavenly chocolate mousse, sour cherries with punch!, cherry jelly and chocolate ganache are all it takes to make it :)

SACHER CAKE 37x25cm

100g dark chocolate, melted

65g butter, melted

4 egg yolks

5 egg whites

pinch of salt

70g icing sugar

65g plane flour, sifted

Beat the eggs until pale. Add melted butter, after that add melted chocolate (both not too warm). In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with salt. Now add 1/3 of egg whites and flour, mix together. Add remaining egg whites and combine gently , be careful not to deflate the mixture.

You can buy cherry puree or prepare it yourself way in advance and keep it in the freezer.

For each 100g fruits you will need 10g sugar. Boil together and blend using hand blender.

I also soaked some remaining cherries in kirsch punch - 2tbsp Kirsch + 2tbsp vodka + 2tbsp sugar + some water to taste :)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE 18x18 and 14.5x14.5
210g caster sugar
6 eggs
750ml whipping cream
550g dark chocolate
12g gelatine

Boil sugar with little water to 121C. Bloom the gelatine.  In a separate bowl beat the eggs and start adding sugar syrup. Now on higher speed cool down the mixture a little. Add gelatine. Add melted chocolate as well. Mix everything together. Combine 1/3 whipped cream first, you can do it with a whisk. Now gently fold the remaining cream.

When you are ready to assemble , put a Sacher Torte in a pastry ring first. Spread some soaked cherries on the top. You can also use some punch to spray the cake. Now the chocolate mousse. Put as much as you like but leave some room for cherry jelly and a bit of ganache at the top. Into the fridge until firm.

CHERRY JELLY
150g cherry puree (or more if you want more jelly on the top)
50g sugar syrup
3 gelatine leaves
Bloom gelatine. Combine puree and sugar syrup together and boil it. Take it of the heat and add bloomed gelatine. When it cooled down pour it over chocolate mousse and put it back in the fridge.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1.5 : 1 chocolate to whipping cream. For example 100g chocolate and 67g whipping cream.
Heat the cream, add the chocolate. Wait a little until it melts. Combine together and pour it over your jelly.

Bit of work again but so rewarding ! Enjoy!

Super easy White Chocolate and Raspberry Tart

 

 This must be the easiest recipe to try EVER! You will need a tart case, whipping cream, white chocolate and raspberries. Simple as that! And trust me, it is beyond delicious.

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

120g butter

70g icing sugar

25g ground almonds

pinch of salt

1 egg

200g plain flour

Homogenize butter in a mixer and start adding following ingredients one by one making sure to incorporate each into the mixture before adding the next one: sifted sugar, ground almonds, salt, egg and flour. Combine them just until it all comes together. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 2h. 

Prepare your tart tin and blind bake for 15 min or until lightly coloured. If the pastry is still pale take the beans out and return to the oven for few more minutes. 

 CREAM FILLING

300ml whipping cream 

200g white chocolate

Pour cream into the pan and place it on the hob. It needs to be warm enough to melt the chocolate. Don't let it boil. Take it of the heat , let it cool a little and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours (ideally over night). When you are ready to fill your tart just whip it, like you normally  whip the cream.

Pipe the filling onto the case, top up with raspberries and enjoy!

  

Cinnamon cheesecake with apple mousse

 Summer is over! This year we had ... hmmm let me think ... about 2 weeks really warm and sunny days. That's 14 out of 365 days! My best friend and I developed slight fixation over the weather checking in order to find Summer this year and if not for my baking that would progress into deep state of depression. But hey, there is always next year :)
If any of you feels similar urge of consuming something sweet to boost your mood, this is a fantastic recipe to try.

BASE (20cm - 8")
200g digestive biscuits
100g butter, melted
pinch salt
1tsp cinnamon
Blend everything together and spread at the bottom of baking pan. Bake for about 10min in 180C.

CINNAMON CHEESECAKE
250g curd cheese
150ml whipping cream
50g mascarpone cheese
100g sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
25g cornflour
3 eggs 1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 grated apple
Put all the ingredients apart from grated apple into a mixing bowl. I used a hand blender to mix and smooth everything together. You can use any type of mixer, you are aiming for the smooth, runny composition. Add apple and pour it over the base. Bake in bain marie for about 1h. If the top is getting brown too fast, just cover it with the tin foil for the remaining time in the oven. Cool it down.

APPLE MOUSSE
250g green apple puree
50g caster sugar
14g gelatine bloomed
250g whipped cream
Heat apple puree and sugar until dissolves. Take it of the heat Add gelatine. Cool down and  mix in whipped cream. You can do this in 3, 1/3 at a time. Pour it over cheesecake and refrigerate for at least few hours. I also topped it with fried apples with cinnamon. Hopefully it will lift your mood ;)

Baked cheesecake with peaches

 Baked cheesecake was always fundamental in all my childhood celebrations. Christmas, Easter, birthdays you name it.  Always there. The only difference was that I knew only one type of cheesecake made by my grandmother, mother, auntie etc. - baked curd cheese base and chocolate glaze on the top (how boring!, I know).
Years later and enormous amount of recipes tried behind me  I miss what? Good old, boring baked cheesecake! I must be getting old. Today's cheesecake however is topped with peaches and jelly as opposed to chocolate glaze. I hope you will like it.

BASE (24cm - 10")
200g digestives biscuits
100g butter
pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Blend everything together. Line your baking pan with paper and spread the mixture at the bottom. Bake in 180C for 10-15 min.

CHEESECAKE FILLING
500g curd cheese
300ml whipping cream
100g mascarpone cheese
1 lemon zest
150g sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
50g cornflour
5 eggs
Place curd cheese, mascarpone, cream, zest, sugar, vanilla, cornflour and eggs in a mixing bowl and beat them together. Pour over the base and bake in bain marie for about 1h or just till slightly firm ( the middle part should still be springy). Cool down.

TOPPING
peaches (fresh or tinned)
peach jelly

I soaked peaches in Amaretto liquor with a bit of sugar beforehand as almond and peaches go very nicely together but they turned out very bitter. Next time I will skip this part. Enjoy!