Flourless Chocolate Cake

Name: Everyday Maple Bran Muffins (small batch)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk; 1 large free range egg; 2 TBS butter, melted; 3 TBS canola oil; 3 TBS maple syrup; 3/4 cup (31g) all bran whole grain cereal; 1/2 cup (75g) chopped dried apricots; 1/4 cup (37g)dried cranberries; 1/2 cup (70g) all purpose plain flour; 1/4 cup (14g) wheat bran; 3 TBS soft light brown sugar; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; pinch salt; 1/4 cup (32g) roasted sunflower seeds

Friday, 29 July 2022

As promised . . . today we have chocolate. Enough of salads!! You are banished for the weekend!!

And what a wonderful way to have chocolate this is! A delicious flourless Chocolate cake that is soooooo moreishly fudgy and wantonly scrumptious . . .

You will find yourself sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night just for . . . ONE . . . MORE . . . PIECE!! (Trust me on this.) This was sooooo good, I sent the leftovers home with the missionaries. It was far too dangerous to keep around!

I have made this a bazillion times over the last 10 years. As the personal Chef for an American family down south, this was often on a luncheon menu . . . you know how it goes . . .

♥Ladies who lunch♥♥♥chocolate♥

They go together like peas and carrots!

Believe it or not, as many times as I have baked this cake . . . yesterday was the first time I had ever eaten it myself! Wow . . . was I impressed. This is my new favourite chocolate cake!!!

At the Manor, I usually served it with some homemade raspberry coulis, and it was very good, yes it was . . . but yesterday we just had it plain, with a bit of icing sugar dusted over top . . . oh . . . and . . . um . . . some clotted cream.

I didn't get a picture of it with the clotted cream though . . . once we added that . . . it was quite simply . . . gone! Naturally!! (I can't believe I waited so long to make this for myself!!)

I am assuming this is ok for a gluten free diet as there is no flour, cocoa or leavening in this recipe.

*Flourless Chocolate Cake*

Makes one 9 inch cake

Printable Recipe

There are a lot of versions of this floating around. This is the one I use. When I cheffed at the Manor, this was the one my boss always requested.

8 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped into bits 4 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped into bits (you want one that is at least 60% cocoa solids.)

8 ounces butter (1 cup)

9 ounces of caster sugar (about 1 1/4 cups)

6 large free range eggs, separated

Sifted icing sugar to serve

Preheat your oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.

You will need a 9 inch springform pan. Remove the bottom and then place a large square of parchment paper over this bit. Replace the ring around the bottom and clamp on, making sure that the parchment paper is clamped in place. Butter the paper lined bottom of the pan and the sides. Set aside on a baking tray.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl placed over a pan simmering water, without allowing the water to touch the bottom of the bowl.

Stir as it melts, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Remove from the pan and whisk in the sugar.

Pour into a larger bowl and beat in the egg yolks one at a time, beating constantly.

Beat the egg whites until stiff using clean beaters. Fold these into the chocolate mixture, carefully to combine, working gently and not whisking. (You want to keep the mixture airy.)

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. The cake will rise dramatically and fall drastically when it is removed from the oven. That is ok. It's supposed to happen.

Allow to cool to room temperature on the countertop then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours before removing the sides of the springform pan. Dust with icing sugar and cut into wedges to serve.

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Everyday Maple Bran Muffins (small batch)

I was wanting to bake myself some muffins today. I love bran muffins more than any other kind of muffin out there. Bran muffins make for a very healthy morning muffins, especially if you keep the sugar down in them.

I don't think muffins should be like cupcakes. They should be like muffins. Not too sweet. Sturdy. When you eat one you should feel like you have eaten something wholesome and substantial and something that will keep you going until lunch time.

This is one of my all time favorite bran muffins, and yes, I have baked quite a few different kinds. Today I decided to small batch one of my favorites and make a few changes.

The original muffin recipe made 12 large muffins. You can find that recipe here. It is filled with sultana raisins and toasted pecans. A brilliant combination.

Today I decided to use some chopped dried apricots, and dried cranberries. I also left out the pecans and used roasted sunflower seeds in their place to make a bit of a difference.

And with there being only me in the house, I small batched the recipe to make only six medium sized muffins.

They did not puff up as tall as they normally do, and I think that is because I only had All Bran Buds cereal, not the normal All Bran. I did not think it would make much of a difference, but it did a bit.

Normally my muffins puff up with a nice crown. They still tasted fabulous however, so that's what counts!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EVERY DAY MAPLE BRAN MUFFINS

Simple every day ingredients. Things most people have in their larders, or at least I do anyways!

3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk
1 large free range egg
2 TBS butter, melted
3 TBS canola oil
3 TBS maple syrup
3/4 cup (31g) all bran whole grain cereal
1/2 cup (75g) chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup (37g)dried cranberries
1/2 cup (70g) all purpose plain flour
1/4 cup (14g) wheat bran
3 TBS soft light brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/4 cup (32g) roasted sunflower seeds

The buttermilk in these muffins makes for a really moist muffin. If you don't have any buttermilk, never fear! You can very easily make your own. There are two ways of doing this.

1. Put 1 TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar in the bottom of a measuring beaker and fill up with milk to the required amount. Leave to clabber for at least five minutes.

2. Whisk together equal amounts of full fat milk and full fat plain yogurt to make up the measure of milk that you need.

Easy peasy and works a charm!

I did use All Bran Buds, but recommend you use the regular All Bran for a better result. It shouldn't make a difference, but I think it does.

You can use either Wheat Bran or Oat Bran. I used wheat bran today. I used whole dried apricots that I snipped into small bits using my kitchen scissors. If you can get them already chopped, so much the better.

Try not to use salted sunflower seeds (hulled ones), but if you can only get salted, just leave out the salt in the recipe.

HOW TO MAKE EVERYDAY MAPLE BRAN MUFFINS

Its pretty standard as are most muffin recipes. Mix together wet. Mix together dry. Combine the two without overmixing.

Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a six cup muffin cup really well. Set aside.

Whisk together the all bran, buttermilk, butter, oil, egg, and maple syrup and leave it to stand for about 10 minutes or so.

Whisk together the bran, flour, brown sugar, soda, baking powder and salt. Stir this into the wet mixture, mixing it in only to combine, so that no dry streaks remain.

Stir in the apricots, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen, golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched. Do not overbake.

Leave to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Served best on the day they are made or you can freeze the in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

You can also very easily turn these into Blueberry Bran Muffins. Add 1 1/2 TBS of orange juice concentrate (undiluted) to the wet ingredients. Substitute 3/4 cups (142g) fresh or unthawed frozen blueberries for the dried apricots, sunflower seeds and cranberries.

Mix and bake as otherwise directed!

Although they didn't rise as much as they normally do when I baked them this time, they are an excellent muffin and I highly recommend this recipe. Especially if you are looking for a bran muffin instead of a cupcake.

I call these deliciously wholesome! You can substitute chopped dates for the fruit in the recipe as well if you would rather have dates. I think they are especially tasty when made with dates!

And of course I can never resist having one, warm from the oven with a pat of butter melting into all of that tasty muffiness.

Some of my other muffin recipes which you might enjoy are:

MOTHER IN LAW BRAN MUFFINS - This is the recipe my mother in law gave me in a little handwritten note book many moons ago. Simple and delicious. We like to stuff these with lots of raisins. Low in fat and high in fiber.

SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY MUFFINS - Bakery quality muffins that you can bake at home. A small batch recipe that is moist and filled with lots of lovely berries.

MAPLE AND TOASTED PECAN MUFFINS - Maple and pecans are perfect partners and shine in these delicious, tender crumbed muffins. They are quite wholesome as well, using some whole wheat flour. Altogether a really great muffin!

Everyday Maple Bran Muffins (small batch)

Yield: 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Not too sweet and loaded with chopped dried apricot, craisins and unsalted roasted sunflower seeds.

Ingredients

3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk
1 large free range egg
2 TBS butter, melted
3 TBS canola oil
3 TBS maple syrup
3/4 cup (31g) all bran whole grain cereal
1/2 cup (75g) chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup (37g)dried cranberries
1/2 cup (70g) all purpose plain flour
1/4 cup (14g) wheat bran
3 TBS soft light brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/4 cup (32g) roasted sunflower seeds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a six cup muffin cup really well. Set aside.
Whisk together the all bran, buttermilk, butter, oil, egg, and maple syrup and leave it to stand for about 10 minutes or so.
Whisk together the bran, flour, brown sugar, soda, baking powder and salt. Stir this into the wet mixture, mixing it in only to combine, so that no dry streaks remain.
Stir in the apricots, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds.
Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen, golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched. Do not overbake.
Leave to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Served best on the day they are made or you can freeze the in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Did you make this recipe?

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Milk & Honey Bread (Bread Machine)

Thursday, 28 July 2022

I am sharing a milk and honey bread machine recipe with you today that you are going to fall in love with. I got my bread machine about two weeks ago now and I am just loving it. I have used it at least twice a week since then.

I baked this lovely loaf the other day and was really pleased with it. So pleased with it that I knew I had to share it with you!

I just love my bread machine. I have been using the same model of bread machine for about 20 years now. It makes fantastic bread. It is a Panasonic SD-RD250 with a raisin dispenser.

My friend Jo had one in the UK and she talked me into getting one and I was so pleased with it that I have used no other kind ever since. In fact I wore out one of them in the UK and had just purchased another one about a year or so before moving back to Canada.

I had not been going to get another one, but I just don't like the store bought bread here, so I finally caved a few weeks ago and purchased one. I am so glad that I did!

If you are a person who lacks the arm strength to knead bread really well, I can't recommend a bread machine enough! Even if you never actually bake your bread in it, they are great for making the dough and letting it rise.

You can just use the dough cycle and then pop your dough into a bread tin for the final rise and baking (in the oven of course!)

This recipe is one I adapted from the bread machine book entitled, The Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook, by Tiffany Dahle. I purchased the kindle version.

There are over 60 recipes in this book for some really delicious sounding loaves, in two sizes, 1 1/2 pound and 2 pound loaves. Each recipe is also accompanied with a tasty photograph so you know exactly what to expect.

This is the first recipe I have baked from it, but I have my eye on quite a few recipes and I think I am really going to enjoy baking my way through the book. I highly recommend!

As you can see this recipe produces a really nice tall loaf with a beautiful crumb. If you are a novice bread baker, even in the machine, this recipe is a great place to start!

It produces a loaf of soft, tender, slightly sweet bread that is perfect for sandwiches, or toasting. The other night we enjoyed it with bowls of chili. The milk and the honey add a richness to this bread that is quite irresistible!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MILK & HONEY BREAD

There is nothing complicated here and you can get quite fancy with the honey if you like by using different varieties. Each will give you a slightly different flavor. I used clover honey this time. I am keen to try it with Greek honey.

1/2 cup (120ml) water
1/2 cup (120ml) milk
1 1/2 TBS butter softened
2 TBS honey
3 cups (420g) bread flour
1/2 TBS vital wheat gluten (optional)
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 3/4 tsp instant yeast

I used whole milk. I only keep whole milk in the house. I am not a milk drinker per se, only using it for cooking or for on my breakfast cereal, so whole milk works for me. It has a special richness.

I use a good quality bread flour for this loaf. I did not use a blend this time as it was a white loaf.

I used clover honey, but as I said, I am keen to try it with Greek honey. I adore Greek honey. It has a slight anise flavor to it that I really enjoy. Some other good honeys to use would be orange flower honey, wild flower honey, and buckwheat honey.

The original recipe in the book called for 1 1/2 TBS of canola oil, instead of butter. I chose to use softened butter. I like butter and as you can see it worked well.

I also added vital wheat gluten to the recipe as it helps to boost the protein content of the bread and gives you a nicer rise. She did not use it in her original recipe.

If you have a larger machine you may want to make a 2 pound loaf, which will have a slight increase in amounts needed:

2/3 cup (160ml) water
2/3 cup (160ml) milk
3 TBS honey
2 TBS butter, softened
4 cups (560g) bread flour
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 TBS vital wheat gluten
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

HOW TO MAKE MILK & HONEY BREAD

Follow the recommendations when it comes to the order of adding ingredients to your machine. There are reasons why some machines put the dry ingredients first and the wet last. Others might recommend putting in the wet first and the dry last. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE EXACT ORDER AS RECOMMENDED BY YOUR PARTICULAR MODEL!!

You could of course use the dough cycle and then bake your bread in a bread pan in the oven. 40 minutes at 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4 will do the trick. Just use the dough cycle for your particular machine and then at the end shape it into a loaf, pop it into a greased bread pan, cover lightly and leave to rise for an hour, and bake as stated.

This is a really lovely loaf of bread. I was very pleased with how it came out! If you are a keen bread baker and don't mind making bread by hand, here are a few other recipes you might enjoy:

QUICK AND EASY FRENCH BREAD - With only five basic ingredients and half an hour's time, this is a bread everyone will enjoy! It really is that quick! I know, amazing!

AMISH FARMHOUSE WHITE BREAD - Simple and easy. If I can make this anyone can. The Amish know what they are doing! They are great cooks. You can trust their recipes for anything.

OATMEAL BATTER BREAD - I have always had a fondness for batter breads. They are so much easier to make than regular breads. You can make them simply with a mixer and a bowl. They also tend to be a lot quicker to make than regular bread. This version is particularly good.