Caxton magazines staffChef and owner of the luxury store, The Hall Collection (083 626 1058), Debbie Reinders-Hall and her daughters, Nadja and Tash Swart, serve up a crowd-pleasing feast
INGREDIENTS
For the brownie cake:
- 150g Lindt dark chocolate (70 – 85% cocoa)
- 250g butter, softened
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 150g sugar
- 150g flour
- 100g Lindt white or milk chocolate, chopped
- 100g dried cranberries
For the ganache:
- 250ml cream
- 250g dark chocolate
For the garnish:
- fresh strawberries
- Ferrero Rocher chocolate balls
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 170°C. Butter a 20 x 30cm baking dish.
- Melt the dark chocolate and allow it to cool; it must be melted but not warm.
- Fit your mixer with the paddle attachment, then whisk the butter until smooth; don’t add air. Whisk the melted chocolate gently into the butter until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time and whisk until combined. Add the sugar and whisk until combined. Fold the flour in carefully. Finally fold in the chopped chocolate and the cranberries.
- Scrape the mixture into the baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 25 minutes; it will be slightly soft in the centre. Allow to cool before icing with the ganache.
- To make the ganache: bring the cream to the boil. Add the chocolate and remove from the stove. Allow it to stand for about 2 minutes so that the chocolate melts slowly. Whisk until smooth and then pour over the cake. Allow it to cool.
- Garnish the cake with the strawberries and chocolate balls.
This recipe serves 12.
