Hot Fudge Sauce



If you are looking for a quick sauce to make for pudding, or as a gift, look no further!  Everything I seem to write about lately has the word quick in it. There's a reason for that. I have a 'proper' job, and baking is just my hobby on the side.
My day job, as a teacher at a very busy London school, takes up a great deal of my time outside school as well. So most of my baking is done late at night, or squeezed in around other things. Like this fudge sauce. I am supposed to be writing reports - it's almost the end of year, and school reports go home to parents on the final day. These reports I'm working on today, are due tomorrow. Typical. So, what do I do....perfect my fudge sauce!

I first saw this on Pinterest ages ago and had forgotten about it actually until my wonderful friend David asked me about it. So we have been testing it out in our respective kitchens. The first time, well, it didn't work. I followed the recipe to the tee. So, after experimenting and tweaking it, here is the final recipe and it truly is to die for.

I have decided to give it as 'teacher's gifts' at my son's school this year. Presented in these cute little jars, they look great. Last year I made some passionfruit curd and gave those and that was so well received that I thought I would do similar but different. (If you are one of said teachers reading this, act surprised!)

Note: the first time I made this I used good quality 70% dark chocolate. When it set in the fridge, the cocoa butter solidified. This time I have used a lower % chocolate - 54% -  and it's worked a dream.

Anyway, this recipe takes 5-7 mins to make. Yes, that's right...it's SOOO quick.

Hot Fudge Sauce
Makes about 2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 397g can condensed milk
• 200g chocolate - I used Sainsbury's Belgium dark cooking chocolate
• 110g butter

Method:

1. Melt the butter and chocolate over a medium heat in a saucepan on the stove, stirring.
2. Add the full tin of condensed milk, stirring as you add and until it is combined and looking rich in colour. Keep stirring as it warms up and combines, to keep it thick and glossy. It might take a few minutes for the butter to combine in properly.
3. Pour into the jars, or another airtight container. This can be stored in the fridge and taken out and heated in a microwave before eating.

Serving ideas: drizzled over vanilla ice cream, in a milkshake or even in a pot to dip strawberries into!
Variations: David added some Bailey's to his and said it was amazing. You can also add a few drops of vanilla or a favourite liqueur.

Oreo Bundt Cake

As soon as I saw the Oreo Bundt Cake from Olivia at Liv For Cake. I knew I had to give it a go. She used Nordic Ware's newest square pan, which I don't have, so I used one of my favourites that I DO have instead.

I can't even pretend that mine looks as good as hers - the cake looked great before I attempted to put the topping on. I was going for the marshmallow to ooze down the spirals, but it just didn't pour as I hoped so it ended up being an all-over covering. Hehehe.....oh well.

Anyway I couldn't resist having a slice, even though I made it to take into work tomorrow - I know my work friends will forgive a big piece missing!

If you would like to make this cake, go to Liv For Cake and follow the recipe there - I will add, that for 2 sticks of butter, that coverts to 225g. And for the topping, I used about 4-5 tablespoons of cream to make it runny enough. Maybe even a little more would be even better.

Let me know if you give it a go.

Kris x

Lamington Slice Cake

As you may already know, lamingtons are my favourite cake of all time. So after receiving two bags of shredded coconut recently, and after a suggestion from an old school friend, I decided to make Donna Hay's lamington cake slice today. I wanted something I could whip up quickly...and here it is!

I have made some slight changes to the original recipe as I didn't want to use cow's milk as my son is allergic, so I have substituted with two types of coconut milk. 

Apparently you should put the cake in the fridge to set before cutting. I couldn't wait and cut it up straight away and had a massive piece for lunch! THAT'S how good it is....

Anyway here is the recipe...I urge you to try it, it's so yummy. 

 Lamington Slice Cake
Adapted from Donna Hay


Ingredients:
For the cake
125g unsalted butter, softened
275g caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
260g plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
185ml coconut milk (from the carton in photo above)

20g shredded coconut (or desiccated if you can't get shredded)

For the chocolate icing/ganache
125ml coconut cream (from the can - shake to combine)
300g dark chocolate
1 tablespoon icing sugar

 Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160C. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5 mins or until pale, creamy and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, baking powder and coconut milk and beat on low speed until combined.
3. Spoon the mixture into lightly greased 20cm x 20cm tin lined with baking paper and spread evenly.
4. Bake for 35 mins or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
5. Cool in the tin for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To make the chocolate icing, finely chop the chocolate and put into a heatproof bowl with the icing sugar.
7. Place the coconut cream into a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and pour it over the chopped chocolate and let stand for 5 mins, then whisk until combined and smooth. If there are still some lumps, add a tiny amount of water to the saucepan  and place on the heat putting the bowl on the top to heat up. Stir as it warms.
8. Spread the cake with the warm icing, sprinkle with coconut and place into the fridge for 30 mins before slicing to serve. Or serve straight away if you just can't wait, like me!