A classic for the festive holidays, but also a great and fun treat for any time of the year. Take it with you on a picnic in the country, or eat it sliced at the end of a meal, with a glass of dessert wine. It is pure comfort food. Not for those on a diet, but I always say that it’s better to have a little healthy homemade treat than lots of store-bought candies! It is an Italian recipe that has become an international one. Feel free to personalize it by adding new ingredients every time! Did I mention…
This winter, instead of instant hot chocolate, treat your loved ones to this decadent and comforting home-made white hot chocolate with caramel and toasted marshmallows! Direction and styling by Claire Ferrandi Photograph by Dylan Swart
Warm chocolate rum soufflés with chocolate sauce are so delightfully light and chocolatey, and made even more wonderful by the addition of chocolate sauce and cream. They’re also reasonably well-behaved and though they may shrink a little, they won’t collapse. Recipe and styling by Deila Smith
No one can turn down a dense, moist, deliciously rich mud cake. Especially when it’s a chocolate mud cake with zesty berry compote. Recipe by Marwan Al Sayed Photographs by Graeme Wyllie
Swiss walnut and chocolate cake pairs perfect decadence together. There’s nothing like the combination of nuts and chocolate, and the proof is in this cake. Recipe by Eric Lanlard Photographs by Kate Whitaker
Wontons can be found in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets. TO DRINK: After the espresso, DallaCia Cabernet Merlot Grappa.
Print Recipe Gluten-free chocolate torte Serves: 1 torte Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 mins Ingredients CAKE 6 extra-large eggs, separated 150g castor sugar 250g 55% dark chocolate 120g salted butter 30g almonds, ground GANACHE coffee bean, to infuse 150ml fresh cream 150g Belgian dark chocolate, roughly chopped GARNISH 375g strawberries, sliced 20g Belgian white chocolate,
Print Recipe Beetroot and chocolate cake Serves: 1 Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins Ingredients CAKE 500g plain flour 75g cocoa powder 10ml (2 tsp) baking powder 3ml bicarbonate of soda 5ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon pinch salt 200g soft brown sugar 4 large eggs 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract 375ml (1½ cups) buttermilk 250ml
Print Recipe Brown-butter buttons with caramelised white chocolate Serves: 12 Cooking Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Ingredients 250g butter, softened 60ml (¼ cup) sugar 50g cornflour + extra, if needed 2,5ml (½ tsp) baking powder 220g cake flour 2,5ml (½ tsp) almond extract CARAMELISED WHITE CHOCOLATE 100g good-quality white chocolate, chopped 15ml (1 tbsp) vegetable
Gorgeous and remarkably easy, this chocolate tart is the perfect ending to an elegant dinner party. Your guests won’t be disappointed! Recipe by Lila Bultel Photograph by Vanessa Lewis
TO PAIR WITH Avondale La Luna 2010 Recipe and styling by Eric Bulpitt Photograph by Bruce Tuck
The chocolate rusks keep it South African, but chocolate is not something you see often in a rusk. We’ve paired it with a caffè macchiato, so the rusk complements the stronger coffee and vice versa PAIR WITH Richness derived from the milk and the nutty characteristics of the rusks requires an equally lush, full-bodied, sweet wine with honeyed and marmalade notes. The legendary Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine from Klein Constantia Estate would be the perfect indulgence. Alternatively, the Mullineux Olerasay Swartland Chenin Blanc Straw Wine makes for a great match.
These chocolate flapjacks are a salty-sweet delight PAIR WITH The interplay between the chocolate and cacao richness with salty bacon notes requires a wine that is full-bodied and subtly fruity with mature prunes and raisins. Some of the Cape’s finest examples of port-style fortified wine include a Boplaas Tawny Reserve or Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG)Auction Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2009, both served lightly chilled. ALFRED’S CHOCOLATE TIP For chocolate flapjacks, don’t be tempted to fry them over a high temperature. The cocoa powder and chocolate pieces incorporated in the batter mean this mixture burns easily. Use a low, steady…
The JSHealth community so adored the banana bread in my first book that I felt I really should include a variation of it in this book. And I have to tell you, it could be my favourite sweet treat in this chapter. A slice of this with a smear of almond butter and a cup of chai and I’m in heaven. Living the Healthy Life by Jessica Sepel is out Thursday (6th April), published by Bluebird, £16.99. Images by Rob Palmer.
A Portuguese custard tart is an old favourite, so why not add something new to it? It’s brunch, so there’s chocolate puffed rice – we cooked rice in cocoa water, dehydrated and then fried it in really hot oil until crispy – but you can use Kellogg’s Coco Pops cereal. The chocolate flavour is a twist on the traditional vanilla custard. This pastry is a challenge to make, so take this on onlyif you have some time on your hands! PAIR WITH I love pasteis de nata and a natural pairing would be a seductive Moscatel de Setubal, from the…
