Chocolate

CoPcOoWaER
Easter is a time for indulgence, and what better way
to treat yourself than with these devilishly decadent
chocolate recipes from baker Stephen Chisholm
Photography Harry Weir | Assisted by Brian Clarke

RECIPES

Malt genoise cake
Recipe on page 50

RECIPES Chocolate and pistachio éclairs ˘

Pictured on page 49 Éclairs are really coming back into fashion 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line a
in Paris and New York so get ahead of the baking tray with baking paper.
Malt genoise cake curve and master choux pastry now. This is
a twist on the classic and makes for quite 2 For the choux pastry, place the milk, water,
Genoise is a type of sponge that is heated the show-stopping dessert. The pistachios butter and salt into a pan over a medium heat.
and beaten first to give it lots of volume before add a welcome crunch Fold a piece of baking paper in half, open it again
being beaten again off the heat. It’s a light and sieve the flour and cocoa powder onto it (this
sponge that goes very well with the malt Makes 6 éclairs makes it easier to slide it into the pan). When the
flavour, which is also light and airy liquid has come to the boil, remove from the heat
For the choux pastry and beat in the flour. Return to the heat, stirring
Serves 6-8 60ml whole milk constantly until the mixture becomes a smooth,
60ml water glossy ball that pulls away from the sides of the
For the genoise sponge 45g butter pan. Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool.
4 eggs ½ teaspoon salt
125g caster sugar 80g strong flour 3 Beat in a little of the eggs at a time.
30g butter, melted 20g cocoa powder The mixture will look as if it has come apart but
100g plain flour 2-3 eggs, beaten together don’t lose heart, keep beating and it will come
50g malted milk powder back. You may not need all of the eggs, only add
20g cocoa powder For the filling enough until you have a thick paste that only
½ teaspoon salt 50g ground pistachios drops from a wooden spoon when lightly shaken.
400ml double cream
For the ganache 2 tablespoons icing sugar 4 Transfer to a piping bag and pipe 6cm
125ml double cream sausages onto the prepared tray. Use a wet
200g 70% dark chocolate, broken into For the glaze finger to press down any peaks and sprinkle the
pieces 1 leaf gelatine tray with water. Bake for 20 minutes, open the
25g unsalted butter 120g caster sugar door and close it to release steam, then bake
120g malted chocolates, to decorate 60ml water for a further five minutes. Turn the oven off and
1 tablespoon golden syrup leave the door ajar with the éclairs still in to dry
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. 75g cocoa powder out completely.
Line the base of a loose bottom 23cm cake tin Pistachio nuts to decorate, toasted
with baking paper. 5 For the filling, whisk together all ingredients
until firm peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag and
2 For the sponge, put both the eggs and refrigerate until needed.
sugar into a heatproof bowl over a pan of
simmering water. Using a handheld whisk, beat 6 For the glaze, soak the gelatine in cold water
the eggs and sugar over the heat until thick, for 10 minutes. Dissolve the sugar with the water
pale and doubled in volume – about 5-7 in a pan over a high heat and boil for one minute.
minutes. Remove from the heat and continue Mix in the golden syrup and remove from the
to beat on high until the mixture has cooled heat. When cooled to body temperature, sift in
and tripled its original volume. Whisk in the the cocoa powder followed by the squeezed
butter for a few seconds only. Sift in the out gelatine and stir to combine. Leave to firm
remaining ingredients and very gently fold up slightly.
until no streaks of flour remain.
7 To assemble, slice each éclair in half. Pipe a
3 Pour into the prepared tin and bake for line of the cream along the bottom half of each.
20-25 minutes or until a skewer or knife comes Dip the tops into the glaze and sprinkle with the
out clean once inserted. Leave to cool on a pistachio nuts, then place on top of their other
cooling rack for 30 minutes before removing halves again.
from the tin.
Stephen Chisholm was crowned The Great Irish Bake-off champion for 2013. Since then, Stephen has
4 For the ganache, place the cream into a pan
over a medium heat until it just comes to the been honing his baking skills working in numerous food related fields. As well as working as a head baker
boil. Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, in a local café and restaurant where he produces everything from breads to pastries, cakes and buns
pour over the hot cream and leave for 30 daily, Stephen has been featured on stage at numerous food festivals. He co-hosts a regular recipe slot on
seconds before stirring to combine. Finally, stir BBC Radio Ulster to help inspire listeners to get back into the kitchen and you can also catch him sharing
in the butter and leave the mixture to cool until tips and tricks of the trade at the Belfast Cookery School, where he tutors classes.
it reaches a thick pouring consistency.

5 To assemble; slice the cooled sponge in half
using a serrated knife. Spread the ganache
over one half of the sponge, letting a little ooze
over the sides.

6 Either break or cut the malted chocolates,
such as Maltesers, in half and sprinkle half
over. Lay the next layer of sponge on top
and repeat the process. Serve on its own or
with some cream.

Tip This will keep

for two to three days.

Tip It’s best to glaze

the éclairs while the glaze
is still warm. Otherwise,
heat it up gently first.

RECIPES

White chocolate and orange tartlets

I recently enjoyed a white chocolate and orange 1 For the sweet pastry, in a large bowl mix the 5 In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and
parfait in a restaurant and it inspired me to flour, sugar and salt together. Rub in the butter sugar until thick and pale. Slowly pour in the hot
create this recipe. The citrussy orange balances using your fingertips until a sandy texture is cream to the egg mixture, whisking all the time.
out the sweetness of the white chocolate. achieved. Mix the egg with the vanilla before Pour back into the pan and cook over a low heat,
You can use dark chocolate instead but you’d stirring into the flour mix until you form a dough constantly stirring, until the mixture thickens.
need to use 50g sugar instead to the crémeux ball. Knead on a worktop a few times gently, wrap Pour the mixture into a bowl, then stir in the
in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. chocolate. Leave to cool for five minutes
Makes 6x10cm tartlets before stirring in the gelatine. Whilst still warm,
2 Preheat your oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. fill each case with the mixture and leave to set in
For the sweet pastry Roll out the pastry onto a floured worktop to the fridge.
200g plain flour 3-5mm thick. Cut out circles slightly larger than
80g icing sugar your tart tin size and line the six 10cm tins. 6 For the honeycomb, grease an A3 size piece
½ teaspoon salt of baking paper with butter or a neutral flavour
100g unsalted butter, cubed 3 Chill for 10 minutes before lining with baking oil. Place all ingredients except the bicarbonate of
1 egg paper and filling each with baking beans. soda into a pan over a high heat until it reaches
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Bake blind for 15 minutes, remove the beans and 150°C on a candy thermometer (if you don’t have
paper and continue to bake for a further five to 10 one, wait until it becomes a dark amber colour).
For the white chocolate and orange crémeux minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the Tip in the bicarbonate of soda and stir very
1 gelatine leaf tins once cool. quickly; the mixture will bubble up a lot so be
120ml double cream careful. Quickly and gently pour over the
120ml whole milk 4 For the crémeux, bloom the gelatine in a prepared paper and leave to set until hard.
½ vanilla pod, seeds only bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, squeezing out
1 orange, zest only excess water right before using. Place the cream, 7 To assemble, break up the honeycomb
3 egg yolks milk, vanilla seeds and orange zest into a pan over into shards and fine powder. Press a few
15g caster sugar a medium heat. Leave to come to a simmer for a shards into each tartlet and sprinkle over the
135g white chocolate few minutes. rest to decorate.

For the honeycomb
150g caster sugar
100g golden syrup
50ml water
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Tip Buy sweet shortcrust

pastry to save time.

54 F&W

Banana, cocoa and hazelnut breakfast bread Tip When kneading the

This is a great recipe for the freezer but also a 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Roast dough, try not to add any
good one to bring to a friend’s house for brunch. the hazelnuts in the oven for 15 minutes, turning extra flour or oil to the
I love making bread and this is a nice, sweet once. Leave to cool before chopping roughly. surface. Elbow grease is best.
twist. The banana adds softness while the nuts
and chocolate chips add texture 2 In a large jug, mash the banana using your 4 Take the risen dough from the bowl and
hands. Whisk in the honey, then add 250ml of gently shape into a tight sausage. Either
Makes 1 large loaf cool water, whisking until smooth. In a separate place into a 450g loaf tin or leave free-form
bowl, mix the flour with the cocoa powder. Add to rise until it has doubled in size, about one
100g blanched hazelnuts the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to hour at room temperature or you can place
1 large banana, about 100g approximately another. Pour in the wet mixture until a soft in the fridge for 8-12 hours (perfect to bake
30g honey dough forms, at this point you may add the fresh for breakfast the next day).
250-300ml water remaining water if it feels a little stiff.
500g strong white flour 5 Preheat the oven to 210°C/gas mark 7.
60g cocoa powder 3 Knead on a worktop for a good eight Wet the risen loaf with a little water, then
10g salt minutes, by which point the dough will start to sprinkle over the oats. Score the loaf
5g instant yeast look smooth and shiny. Add the hazelnuts and lengthways before placing into the hot
50g milk chocolate chips chocolate chips and knead for a further two oven, toss in some cold water to make
Rolled oats, to decorate minutes. Leave to rise in the bowl until doubled steam. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the
in size, about 1.5 to two hours. oven temperature by 20°C for a further 25
minutes.

6 Try to cool for about 30 minutes before
digging in.

RECIPES

Dark chocolate rye brownies 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. 4 In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with
Line and grease a 36cmx36cm baking tray. a wooden spoon or spatula until just mixed
There’s very little gluten in rye flour, so this together. Stir in the chocolate mixture before
recipe makes for extra gooey brownies. 2 If including the nuts, roast them in the oven adding the rest of the ingredients, holding back
You want these to fall apart. The nuts are for 15 minutes, turning once. Leave to cool before a third of the dark and white chocolate.
optional but they add extra crunch and the chopping roughly.
chunks of white chocolate add decadence. 5 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and
A must-try recipe 3 Put all of the butter and 400g of the sprinkle the remaining chocolate over the surface.
chocolate (roughly chop the remaining 50g and Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven,
Makes 12 set aside with the white chocolate) into a at which point it will look wobbly and under-
heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water baked but as it cools it will firm up. Leave on a
80g blanched almonds, optional and leave to melt slowly, stirring every so often. cooling rack for at least one hour or in the
80g blanched hazelnuts, optional Leave to cool slightly before using. fridge overnight.
300g unsalted butter, chopped
450g 70% dark chocolate
5 eggs
500g caster sugar
125g rye flour
1 pinch sea salt
100g white chocolate, broken into chunks

Tip You can replace the

rye flour with plain flour
or the white chocolate
with milk chocolate.