Commissioned for the birthday of a work colleague.

A two layer chocolate sponge, sandwiched with chocolate butter icing (and all the extra shapes ‘glued’ on with butter icing), carved into shape. Crumb coated with same icing and then covered in fondant.

It’s the first real shaped cake I’ve done that I’m really happy with (the only other ones being the corset cakes. The Great A’tuin was more modeling fondant). It’s not perfect, but I’ll only get that with plenty of practice.

I tried using chocolate sprinkles as hairs, but they slide off before I could press them in, so it ended up clumpy which didn’t look good, so the poor chap got shaved *grins*

The lighting on this picture looks good, it shows the nice skin tone I got (and it took me forever! My arms were aching after all that kneading!)

The flash washed the colour out in this one. As you can see my writing needs lots of practice but it’s legible which is a start. I even managed to get really nice black buttercream (start with chocolate and then add the colouring)

The large amount of offcuts means it’s been thoroughly tasted and approved of.

The Birthday Girl definitely approved

So, we’ve all read Matilda.. or at the very least seen the film. And we all remember the chocolate cake.. yes.. that one.. the one that Bruce Bogtrotter has to eat all of.

So on finding the recipe for the cake, as it is in Roald Dahl’s ‘Revolting Recipes’ I just have to try it out.

Preheat the oven to 180C

Melt 225g dark chocolate with 170g butter

Stir in 4tbsp flour, 6 egg yolks and 225g icing sugar

Beat the egg whites and fold in

Bake for ~35 minutes.

While it’s cooking melt 200g dark chocolate into 200g double cream, put in the fridge to cool a little.

When the ganache is semi set (still pretty sort is good) cover the cake with it, if you want, split the cake and put some in the centre too.

I added some Cherry Bounce (see the truffles) for extra flavour.

Enjoy.. (one small bit at a time)

As you can see we broke it taking it out the pan.. We didn’t leave it to cool it smelt so good. If you leave it to cool it’ll come out nicely. We were definitely going for taste rather than looks with this one (though it wouldn’t be too hard to get it to look good.. we were just impatient), but warm cake, with the ganache still warm… *drools* Absolutely divine!

Made at work for a function (no camera at work so no pictures )

This made 9 portions, served piped into wine glasses with wipped cream piped on top.

675g Chocolate

45g Butter

300g Caster Sugar

9 eggs, separated

130ml Whisky (or spirit of your choice)

130ml cream, whipped

Melt the chocolate, butter and half the sugar

When melted add the egg yolks and whisky.

Whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar until stiff peaks, fold into the chocolate mix

Fold in the whipped cream.

Leave in the fridge to set.

The cold weather’s here (or maybe it just seems colder to me after a month in the heat) and it’s the time of the year for stew!

This one contains beef, potato, carrots, parsnip, swede, onions and liver and kidney.. served with dumplings of course!