Ingredients:

• 2 (8 ounce) containers candied cherries
• 1 (8 ounce) container candied mixed citrus peel
• 2 cups raisins
• 1 cup dried currants
• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 (2.25 ounce) packages blanched slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup apple juice

Method:

• In a medium bowl, combine cherries, citrus peel, raisins, currants, dates, and almonds.
• Stir in brandy; let stand 2 hours, or overnight.
• Dredge soaked fruit with 1/2 cup flour.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Grease an 8×8x3 inch fruit cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease again.
• In a small bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking soda, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter until light.
• Gradually blend in brown sugar and eggs.
• Mix together molasses and apple juice.
• Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture, making 4 dry and 3 liquid additions. Fold in floured fruit.
• Turn batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.
• Remove from pan, and lift off paper.
• Cool cake completely, then wrap loosely in waxed paper.
• Store in an airtight container.

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites
• ½ cup (110 g)sugar
• 5 oz (140 g)hazelnuts, finely ground
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 9 oz (250 g)dark sweet chocolate(60_70%)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup (70 g)sugar
• ¼cup +1 cupwhipping cream

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F(Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
• Line a 9 inch cake tin with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin.
• Whisk the eggs whites until stiff and in peaks by using an electric mixer, gradually add the sugar and whisk well each time sugar has been added.
• Mix with finely ground hazelnuts and cocoa powder.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake.
• Melt finely chopped dark chocolate over hot water.
• Beat the egg yolks with 2 oz sugar until white.
• Heat ¼ cup whipping cream to the boiling point, and whisk in beaten egg yolks.
• Fold in melted chocolate.
• The mixture will immediately thicken.
• Cool to approx. 100 deg F / 38 deg C.
• Whisk 1 cup of whipping cream.
• Fold with the egg and chocolate mixture, one tablespoon at a time until the filling becomes soft, then the remaining part of the cream.
• Transfer to the cake tin, and place in the refrigerator for several hours.
• If served cold the filling appears more like chocolate truffle than mousse.
• If you prefer a more sweet flavor of the filling you can use semisweet chocolate (40-45%) instead of the recommended type.
• For decoration – make chocolate panels to cover around outside of cake.
• To make chocolate panels: melt 8 oz (250 g) bittersweet chocolate.
• Spread onto a piece of baking paper.
• Allow to become mat dry.
• Mark panels height of cake x 2 inches (5 cm) by scoring with a knife.
• When set a little more, break off panel pieces and stick onto outside of cake by using a little mousse as a ‘glue’ Overlap each piece little.
• Decorate top with piped mousse, Tie a ribbon around circumference of cake .

Ingredients:

• 1+1/3 cup flour
• 1+½ cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup butter
• 3 fl oz boiling water
• 3 eggs
• 4 oz chocolate chips
• 5 oz chopped walnuts or pecan nuts

Frosting:

• 1/3cup butter
• 8 oz sweet dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoon strong coffee

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
• Line a 13 x 9 in (33 x 23 cm) cake tin with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan.
• In a bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.
• Add eggs, melted butter and hot water and mix until smooth.
• Add chocolate chips and nuts.
• Bake at 350 degrees F until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 20-30 minutes.
• Cool the cake.
• Glace with the chocolate frosting.
• For the frosting, mix butter, chopped chocolate, syrup and coffee and heat in a double boiler until melted.
• Stir until smooth and spread over the cake.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup butter
• 1+½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt (optional)
• 3 oz walnuts (optional)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
• Line a 13 x 9 in (33 x 23 cm) cake tin with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin. Melt the butter.
• Beat eggs with sugar, and add vanilla, flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt (optional) and melted butter.
• Add chopped nuts.
• Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 20-30 minutes.
• Cool the cake.
• Dust with powdered sugar or glace with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (220 g) sugar
• 1 cup (110 g) all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
• 2/3 cup (150 g) butter
• 4 oz (120 g) semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
• Grease 6 extra large muffin tins or cups (paper muffin bake cups are recommended) or 12-15 medium cups.
• Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla and milk.
• Fold in the melted butter.
• Add chocolate chips (please note that these might end up in the bottom of the muffin).
• Bake at 350 degrees until a until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes for XL muffins, about 20 minutes for medium size muffins.
• The Chocolate Muffins may be served hot or at room temperature.

Variations:

• If you wish to use less saturated fat, try substituting ½ the butter with a good quality vegetable oil.
• If you wish a strong chocolate flavor you can add 1-2 more tablespoons of cocoa powder.
• You may add vanilla or white chocolate chips instead or regular ones.
• If you want lean muffins you may use 1+½ cup flour and ½ cup of butter instead of the amounts given in the recipe, and in addition add ½ teaspoon of salt (suggest
• Chocolate chips should be added the last five mins so it will just stay on top of the muffins, and if you put sweetened coacoa it tastes better.