Molten Chocolate Volcano Cake

Again we have another ship inspired recipe! Another favourite past time of mine onboard was going to the signature restaurants for dinner. It was again lovely on occasion to go and have a sit down meal and actually be served, and for the food to be beyond delicious!
I could say one of the best deserts but I think it may just be THE BEST DESERT, the chocolate volcano cake. I hunted about online and eventually found a fair few variations of this recipe. Whether if it 100% the same of not I will never know but I tell you I think it takes incredible!
If you like a ridiculously rich chocolate cake with a gooey hot centre then this is the perfect desert for you. A word of warning though. this recipe makes 8 portions, and I would highly recommend separating it into 8 portions unlike me who halved the recipe (4 portions) and then forced all the mix between two portions. Me and the other  half only made it half was through 1 portion and we could not fit in another bite for love nor money.

So you will need 8 ramekin or another type of oven safe dishes for this recipe.

Ingredients:

Butter                            1 lb (there are 16oz in a pound)
Bittersweet Chocolate  11 oz
Sugar                             7 oz
Salt                                1/2 tsp
Flour                             4 oz
Cocoa Powder              2 oz
Baking Powder             2 tsp
Grand Marnier             1 oz
Orange Zest                 1 tbsp
Whole Eggs                 3
Egg Yokes                   3
Egg Whites                  3    

Preparation:

• Melt 12oz of butter and all the chocolate together and set aside to cool. 
• In a separate bowl mix 4 oz of butter and 7 oz of sugar until pale and fluffy. add on egg at a time and 1 egg yoke at a time while mixing.
• Once the chocolate mix is lukewarm add this to the mixture and then all the Grand Marnier and the Orange Zest

• Sift in the flour, cocoa, salt and the baking powder and continue to mix for about 3 minutes after it is fully incorporated.
• Using the Egg whites and the remaining sugar create a meringue mixture and then fold into the chocolate mixture.
• Fill each of the ramican dishes with about 7 oz of the mixture and bake in a Pre heated oven at 375F or 190C for about 15-20 minutes.
• You want to serve these hot in there dishes. There fore if you are having them after a meal don't put them in the oven unit you main course is already finished.

My Recommendation for serving them is with a side of Vanilla ice-cream as the flavour and the cold compliment the hot richness of the Volcano cake! I had way too much fun making this dish to be honest and I still have half of a dish in the fridge which I think won't be there by evening fall today!
Enjoy baking and most of all Enjoy Tasting!

 Tara x

Bagel or Beagle

When I was young I always confused the two spellings. Well in all honestly I confused a lot of spellings but I definitely know the difference now..... Today I am focused on Bagels rather then Snoopy!
While I worked at sea I just loved having the chance of having room service! No having to be polite and smile at the guests. I could sit down in my PJ's curse and give out about the world and I no guests are around to hear me! And what was always a constant on my room service order! Smoked salmon Bagel with Cream cheese! Yum Yum Yum! My absolute favourite! Unfortunately most of the time they usual forgot one of the vital ingredients, some times it was the cheese, some times the salmon and sometimes they managed to forget the bloody bagel! Well now I am the master of my own kitchen I won't be forgetting anything any time soon!

I decided to go with poppy seed bagels but you can pretty much sprinkle what ever your favourite topping is, over the top.

Ingredients:

7 g dried yeast
4 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
450g bread flour
poppy seeds

• Tip your yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar into a large bowl and pour over 100ml or warm water. Leave to the side for about 10 minutes until it is nice and frothy.
• Pour another 200ml warm water into the mix and stir in the salt and half of the flour. 
• Keep adding more and more flour until you have a soft but not sticky dough. Use your hands for the mixing otherwise you won't be able to feel when the sticky-ness is gone out of the dough. 
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes or until you have a nice smooth elastic dough.
• Lightly oil a bowl like with the Previous baguettes and tip in there and lightly cover with plastic wrap until it has doubled in size. This will take roughly an hour. 
• Pre heat the over to 220C or 430F - Now on a floured surface divide the dough into 10 pieces. roughly about 85g each. you can make them smaller if you only want mini bagels instead. Shape each piece into a flattish ball and using the end of a wooden spoon (dust it with flour) create a hole in the centre of the dough and then spin it around the spoon to widen it to about 3-5cm. 
• After you finish each bagel wrap each one lightly in plastic wrap until they are all complete. 
• While you have been doing these it is best to make sure you have a large pan of water coming to the boil. Add the remaining sugar to the boiling water and then tip in up to 4 bagels at a time.  
• Cook each bagel for 1-2 minutes turning them over in the water until the bagels have slightly puffed out and a skin has formed over them.
• Remove and drain each one and place on a lined baking tray. Sprinkle with poppy seeds or your chosen topping.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and crisp. The base sound sound hollow when tapped.

Voila you have bagels! They have been super tasty and to say the least more then half of them are gone already! If you aren't into smoked salmon you can just put cream cheese and salon or you can make it a sweet bagels with Nutella and peanut putter and bananas. Where ever the flavours take you I hope you enjoy!