Chocolate Bavarian Desert

When you think of Chocolate Bavarian what do you come up with? For me it's the frozen desert you get from the supermarket or when you order a meal deal through Pizza Hut.
A freezer burned chocolate mousse concoction over a powdery chipboard biscuit base.
Yuck!

So, last week when I was lacking a little in inspiration (and sleep) of what to bake for his lunches, I told Rusty to set me a challenge.
When he asked me to make a Bavarian from scratch I was apprehensive. After all, they are still gonna taste like frozen chocolate mousse over cardboard right?
Oh, how wrong I was....

I made these bavarians in the mini form only because it's easier for Rusty to take in his lunchbox but they would work just as well as a whole tart/ pie.
It's up to you!
So Sara Lee eat your heart out....

Mini Chocolate Bavarians

1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon gelatin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup whole milk
170g milk/ dark chocolate chopped
3 egg yolks lightly beaten
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 packet sweet biscuits
melted butter approx 150g

Ok start off with your biscuit base.
-In a food processor (or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin) crush a packet of sweet biscuits until they resemble chunky breadcrumbs.
-Mix in melted butter until the mix holds together when pressed with the back of a spoon. You don't want it too buttery so just add a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.
-Press into the base of cupcake liners or a pie tin and refrigerate while you make your filling.

-In a medium saucepan add sugar, gelatin & salt.
-Whisk in milk, chopped chocolate (the finer the better) and stir until chocolate & gelatin dissolves and the mixture is nice and smooth.
-Stir a small amount of chocolate mix into egg yolks and then tip the eggy chocolate back into the sauce pan and cook for 2 mins. (we add the choc to the eggs to temper them so that way you don't end up with chocolate scrambled eggs)

-DO NOT BOIL!

-Pour into a large bowl and press cling wrap onto the top of hot liquid and chill until partly set. About an hour - but check regularly as you don't want it to be too solid.

-Beat cream and vanilla together until stiff. Fold into chilled chocolate mixture until well combined and smooth.

-Pour over crumb base and chill for 4 hours or overnight.

-Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

Grown Up's Chocolate Cake

I love deserts.

I am particularly fond of wildly decadent, three tiered, mousse covered concoctions that make your thighs expand just by moving within 5 feet of the desert bar at your local restaurant.

You know the kind I mean.
The sort where you convince your partner to share with you because you couldn't possibly eat an entire slice all by yourself - but then you polish it off before they even manage to lift their fork from the napkin??

Come on, tell me you do it to?
Don't leave me hanging here....

Well, this is not one of those cakes!

Because as fabulous as they are I think that sometimes we all need a recipe that is moist, rich, delicious and versatile...
This choccy cake will take you from dinner party to BBQ and even to a kids birthday party just by changing the icing.
I've used a ganache for the adults but a chocolate buttercream would be divine too!

Grown Up's Chocolate Cake

Adapted from taste.com.au

- 1 1/3 cup plain flour
- 2 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 200g good quality dark chocolate chopped
- 225g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 4 eggs (at room temperature)

- 1/2 cup milk (at room temperature)

Ganache

- 150g good quality dark chocolate chopped
- 125ml cream
- 20g butter

Then you....

- Preheat your oven to 160c. Grease and line a 24cm cake tin. I prefer to use a springform pan as they are less likely to decide to hold onto your cake and not let it go.

- Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder & bi-carb soda together in a bowl and set aside.

- Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water (don't let the water touch the bowl) until it is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

- While all this is happening cream your butter with an electric mixter for 1-2 min or until creamy. Add the caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy and almost white in colour.
- Move your mixer down to medium speed and beat in vanilla and then eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Pour in cooled chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
- Beat in a third of the sifted mixture, followed by a third of the milk - repeating until all is added.
- Beat until smooth but be careful not to overbeat as this will cause your cake to toughen and resemble a hockey puck!
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 mins in pan before transfering onto cake rack to cool completely.

To make Ganache....

- Combine all ingredients in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of barely immering water until smooth.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken for 30mins before slathering all over your finished cake.
- Dancing around the kitchen to bad country music while licking the bowl is entirely optional!