Cookie Cutter Blog

This recipe is for the best chocolate cake I have EVER eaten.  Remi you must send me a picture of this INCREDIBLE recipe.  In fact I can’t believe the frenchman even shared it with me and the blog.

Method

Take 200g of butter and 200g of dark chocolate (lindt 70%) that you put together in the microwave until it’s melted, stir, and add 250g sugar little by little and stir.

Let it rest a few minutes, you can prepare the tin for it (put butter and flour so that it doesn’t stick).

Come back to the cake, add 5 eggs (1 by 1) and stir a lot, then 1 big spoon of flour and it’s ready put it in the tin.

Bake 25 minutes at 180 degree (the middle should still be a bit melt).

Serve it with custard cream, whipped cream and vanilla ice and say thank you to the chef

FitzPacker’s Chocolate Delights (muffins)

This easy to follow recipe is great for first timers like us.  It’s definately not one for the health concious, however tastes delicious and is perfect for that mid-afternoon treat.  For recipe, email rachel.fitzpatrick88@gmail.com :)

Birthday macaroons

These were made for my beautiful girlfriend, Jasmine’s birthday.  She’s a classy girl who likes pretty things, so I thought that chocolate and raspberry macaroons would suit her style!

Unfortunately they don’t look perfect - you can see the cracks on the biscuits.  However they did taste delicious which is most important! The cream centre was made with cream, white chocolate and berry compote as seen in this recipe.

Previously I have used this biscuit recipe and my macaroons were devine, picture perfect smooth round discs, just like the picture.  This time not so perfect looking as you can see, using this recipe.

I don’t blame the recipe, in the comments on the link show it has worked out fine for many.   From my good and bad macaroon experience below are the tips I have picked up along the way.

Top Macaroon Tips: 

1. Be very sure to use extra large eggs when making your macaroons.  Also, it is essential to separate the eggs a few nights before baking, allowing the white to mature and be ready for macrooning (I failed to complete either of these tasks for these pink/chocolate ones and see what happened).

2.  Make sure your eggs and other ingredients are at room temperature (this goes for most baking recipes and increases your chances of a good result).

3.  Once you have piped the mixture onto paper, let the macaroons sit for half an hour before putting in the oven.  This will allow the crust and the rim around the edges to form. 

Effort Rating: 7/10  Taste Rating: 6/10  Make these again? Yes, however following the recipe/tips more carefully. 

Australia Day Lamingtons Gourmet Traveller

Celebrating Australia Day brings back many memories from childhood and Australia Days in the past.. getting up super early with dad to choose the best prawns from the fish markets, lazy summer days with paddlepops by the pool, and of course who could forget lamingtons for dessert!  Alongside pavlova, lamingtons are one of the great all time favourites for Australia day patriots.

Click here for the recipe.  I chose this recipe as it uses dark chocolate melted with cream for the icing (I usually use this icing for my favourite cheesecake recipe - it’s delicious).  I purchased organic coconut from Thomas Dux, in my attempt to imitate the famous Yael’s Belgian chocolate lamingtons sold in TD, which are to die for. 

I’m not sure mine were quite as good as Yael’s, but if it’s anything to go by, the fridge light kept flashing in the kitchen last night and I found little bits of shredded coconut trail on the kitchen floor this morning… 

Effort rating: 8/10  Taste rating: 8/10  Make these again? Yes - only on 26 January

Chocolate Hazelnut Flourless Cake with berry coulis and whipped cream

My girlfriend Michelle brought this incredible cake over to my place for a barbeque the other day.  It really was a trip for the tastebuds.  Such a moist cake with a rich chocolate and subtle nutty aftertaste, and the berry coulis and cream on the side really put the icing on the cake.

Although the original recipe uses plums, it was unanimously decided at the table that berry coulis was a much better summer option for this cake.

Click here for the recipe.