Honest to goodness

PHOTOS: Neil Corder | PRODUCTION: Abigail Donnelly 

You’re not Martha Stewart, so relax about perfect presentation. When food is made with wholesome ingredients and love, it’s the flavour that counts.

A densed, cracked chocolate cake

200g good quality dark chocolate, chopped

about 15ml espresso (very strong coffee)

140g butter, diced

5 free-range eggs, separated

200g castor sugar

5ml baking powder

30ml good quality cocoa powder

90g cake flour marzipan roses* to decorate

Preheat the oven to 180ËšC. Grease the base of a 21–23cm shallow springform cake tin. Melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. As soon as it starts to soften, add the coffee and leave it for 2–3 minutes. Stir very gently, then when the chocolate has melted add the butter and stir until it has melted. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff, then fold in the sugar.

Remove the chocolate from the heat, quickly stir in the egg yolks, then slowly, firmly and gently fold the chocolate-and-yolk mixture into the egg whites. Mix the baking powder with the cocoa powder and flour, then sift these dry ingredients over the chocolate mixture. Gently stir in the dry ingredients with a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock out any air. It should feel light and wobbly. Do not over-mix – just enough to fold in the flour. Scoop into the cake tin and bake for 35 minutes.

Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out. Decorate with the marzipan roses.

SERVES 6

*TIP: To make the roses, roll out some good-quality ready-made marzipan. Cut out some circles and shape into a rose.

Double-baked, sunken asparagus-and-pea soufflé

butter and grated Parmesan to coat the ramekins

60g butter

45g cake flour

300ml milk

5 free-range eggs, separated and 1 yolk unused

125g asparagus, cooked and puréed

45ml chopped chives

60g Gruyère cheese, grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

300ml cream

200g shiitake mushrooms, stir-fried

100g fresh peas and broad beans, blanched

30g freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 200ËšC. Butter 4 x 250ml dishes and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over moderate heat, stir in the flour and slowly add the milk to make a béchamel sauce. Leave to cool slightly. Stir four of the egg yolks into the sauce. Add the asparagus, chives and half the Gruyère, then season.

In a bowl, whisk the 5 egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir 30ml beaten egg white into the asparagus mixture, then fold in the rest using a metal spoon. Pour the mixture into the dishes. Place the dishes in a bain-marie and place in the oven. Turn the temperature down to 190ËšC and bake for 15–20 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in their containers; they will sink a great deal.

Turn out the soufflés then place in a shallow ovenproof dish. Pour the cream, mushrooms, peas and broad beans over and around the soufflés, sprinkle with the rest of the Gruyère and the Parmesan. Bake until risen, heated through and golden brown: about 15 minutes. Serve at once.

SERVES 4

Sweet onion chrysanthemum and wedge of Gruyère

4 large onions

250ml sugar

a wedge of Gruyère, to serve

Using a very sharp knife and being careful not to cut right through the bottom of the onion, slice the onion about 8 times to form 16 wedges. Place in a big bowl of iced water and leave for 30 minutes until the onion petals open. Drain on a tea towel.

Heat the sugar over a low heat until it turns a light caramel colour. Pour over the onions and leave to set. Serve with cheese.

SERVES 4

Burnt orange crème caramel

1 litre milk

115g castor sugar

5ml orange-blossom water or grated orange zest

6 free-range eggs

6 free-range egg yolks

CARAMEL

225g castor sugar

125ml warm water

Preheat the oven to 190ËšC. Combine the milk, sugar and orange-blossom water or zest in a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. In the meantime, make the caramel: bring the castor sugar and water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan, stirring briefly to dissolve the sugar. Do not stir once it is simmering. Watch carefully and remove from the heat the second it turns a deep caramel colour.

Carefully pour equal amounts of the caramel into 6 x 250ml metal dariole moulds or ramekins, or 1 large heatproof container. Hold the moulds at the top of the rim (the metal will be hot lower down) and swirl to coat the moulds halfway up their sides with the caramel. Set aside. Lightly mix the eggs and yolks in a bowl. Strain the cooled milk mixture into the egg mixture, slowly whisking. Strain again and pour into the moulds.

Lay a tea towel on the bottom of a roasting pan or bain-marie that is deeper than the moulds or mould. Put the moulds or mould in and half fill the pan or bain-marie with hot water. Cover with foil and place in the centre of the oven to cook for 30–55 minutes or until set. (The time will vary depending on the oven.) Allow to cool and then refrigerate. Pour some boiling water into a bowl and place a mould in the water for about 15 seconds.

Carefully run a knife around the edges of the mould. Place the serving plate on top and quickly invert the two; slowly remove the mould, allowing the caramel to gently spill down the edges of the pudding. Repeat with the remaining moulds and serve immediately.

SERVES 6

Leaning copper-topped meringue tower

16 free-range egg whites

1kg castor sugar

45ml cornflour

20ml white vinegar

liquid copper*, raspberries and whipped cream, to serve

Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Line baking sheets with nonstick silicone paper. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat until glossy. Sift the cornflour over the mixture and fold through with the vinegar. Divide into three portions – one small, one medium and one large – and mound these on the baking sheets, shaping them into rounds. Place in the oven, reduce the heat to 120ËšC and bake for 30–35 minutes.

Turn the oven off and allow the meringues to cool while still in the oven. Drizzle with liquid copper. Pile the meringues on top of one another and serve with raspberries and cream.

SERVES 10

*TIP: Readymade liquid copper is available from Dhouby Decor (073 154 1802). To make your own, mix a little edible-copper powder from a cake-decoration specialist shop with some brandy.

Char-grilled tomatoes on the vine and poached egg

8 tomatoes on the vine* or Roma tomatoes

olive oil, to drizzle

4 free-range poached eggs, to serve

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to serve

Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil. Heat a grill pan until very hot. Cook the tomatoes until the skin chars and bursts. Turn the heat down a little and cook until soft. Grind over salt and pepper and eat with poached eggs and slightly charred toast.

SERVES 4

*TIP: If you can, grab some extra leaves and cook them too for an unusual garnish.