Soft Chocolate Fudge

Soft Chocolate Fudge

It’s a simple soft chocolate fudge, made of condensed milk. It’s very easy to prepare and delicious too !!!

Ingredients

400 ml Milkmaid condensed milk

100 g butter

2 tablespoons Cocoa powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

Grease a baking pan or steel plate with 1 teaspoon butter and keep aside.

Heat a nonstick pan on medium heat. Transfer above ingredients into the pan and stir well for 15 – 20 minutes until it leaves the sides of the pan. To see if it’s ready, drop a little of the mixture (with the help of a teaspoon) into a small bowl of ice cold water. If it’s ready, a soft ball of fudge should form (fudge won’t melt too) and that’s the right consistency. Switch off the heat.

Transfer  hot fudge into the greased pan and keep aside to cool. Once it cools completely, keep it in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and cut into desired shape and size.

No Bake Chocolate Coconut Rolls

No Bake Chocolate Coconut Rolls – A delicious rolls . Recipe from BBC Goodfood India Magazine, November, 2013 (Hindalco Freshwrap Aluminium foil) !!

Ingredients

25 Marie biscuits

2 level  tablespoon cocoa powder

2 level  tablespoon powdered sugar

 75 – 100 ml milk (1/2 cup)

For the filling:

5 tablespoon grated coconut

2 tablespoon powdered sugar (or up to 5 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 tablespoon butter

Method

Powder the biscuits in a blender or mixer (use big size bowl).

In a bowl, mix powdered biscuits, cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Mix well with finger tips until well combined.

Add milk little by little till the mixture forms a stiff dough.

In another bowl, mix grated coconut, powdered sugar, vanilla essence and butter.

Place the biscuit – cocoa dough on a clean and smooth surface (kitchen platform). Using a rolling pin, lightly roll the dough into a circle (like chapatti) or rectangle. Spread the  sweet coconut mixture all over it. Slowly start rolling the dough to form a Swiss roll.

Tear a sheet of Freshwrap Aluminium foil that is long and wide enough to cover the cocoa roll.

Wrap the roll in the Aluminium foil, seal the edges carefully and store in a refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight,  so that it can set.

Once the chocolate roll has set, cut it into ¼ - inch thin (or thick) slices and serve immediately. It’s a delicious party snack. Kids will love it.

Chocolate Pistachio Fudge (Recipe from Nigella Lawson)

Chocolate Pistachio Fudge (Recipe from Nigella Lawson)

Ingredients

350 grams dark chocolate (chopped, minimum 70% cocoa solids) Dark chocolate available @ Nuts N' Spices and Currim Bhoys, Chennai.

1 x 397 grams can condensed milk

30 grams butter

pinch of salt

150 grams pistachios

Cup measurement

12 oz bittersweet chocolate (chopped, minimum 70% cocoa solids)

1 x 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter

pinch of salt

1 cup pistachios

Method

Put the chopped chocolate, condensed milk, butter and salt in a heavy-based pan on a low heat, and stir to melt.

Put the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into both big and little pieces.

Add the nuts to the melted chocolate and condensed milk and stir well to mix.

Pour this mixture into a foil tray 23cm / 9 inch square, smoothing the top.

Let the fudge cool, and refrigerate until set (or overnight). You can then cut it into small pieces approx. 3 x 2.25cm / 1¾ x 1¾ inches. Cutting 8 x 10 / 7 x 7 lines in the tin to give 64 pieces best achieves this.

Once cut, it can be kept in the freezer - no need to thaw just eat straight away. Recipe from Nigella Lawson.

Homemade Chocolate (2nd recipe)

Homemade Chocolate. Recipe from Lakshmi Nair. Cookery video of homemade chocolate available on you tube !!

Makes: 28 – 30 moulded chocolates

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

5 tablespoon drinking chocolate

5 tablespoon icing sugar

2 tablespoon milk powder

4 level tablespoon milkmaid sweetened condensed milk

Method

In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (cocoa powder, milk powder, drinking chocolate and icing sugar) with a thick tablespoon.

To the above dry ingredient mix, add  4 leveled tablespoons of milkmaid sweetened condensed milk and mix well with a tablespoon (until it is uniformly mixed). Gently knead  this mix and make a soft dough (like a soft chapatti dough). If the dough is dry ( not soft enough), sprinkle an extra 1/2 to 1 teaspoon milkmaid condensed milk and knead again to a soft dough.

Divide this dough into 28 – 30 portions. Cast this dough to desired size and shape or use chocolate mould to get perfect shapes. The dough can also shaped to round balls. If chocolate mould is used, it is recommended to store the mould with dough in refrigerator for 6 hours until it completely sets. Once set, remove the chocolate carefully from the mould with the help of a sharp needle.  Wrap these chocolates in colourful gift paper. These chocolates can make a perfect homemade gift for all occasions. Store them refrigerated.

Homemade Chocolate (Easy method)

Homemade Chocolate (Easy method)

Makes: 24 chocolates (depending upon the size of the mould)

Ingredients

150 g good quality cooking chocolate, chopped  (here I used Rich’s Premium Choco Dark Compound (Rs152/ 500 g). Cooking chocolate and chocolate moulds  available @ CurrimBhoys, Anna Nagar East (near Airtel office and opp K4 Police station)

2 chocolate moulds (silicone chocolate mould or good quality plastic mould)

2 teaspoon butter or oil (to grease mould)

Method

Grease chocolate moulds with butter or oil and keep it ready.

Melt chopped cooking chocolate in a double boiler until smooth and creamy.  Double boiler -a pair of saucepans, one of which fits above and partly inside the other:  chocolate is  melted in  the upper one by water boiling in the lower and it helps even cooking and smooth in consistency. Stir continuously until it reaches a creamy texture.  Keep aside to cool for 15 minutes and then fill in each mould with the help of a teaspoon. Store in refrigerator once it reaches at normal temperature. It may take 1 to 1 1/2 hours to set completely. Gently remove from the mould with the help of a sharp needle. Wrap moulded chocolates in colourful gift paper. It can be used as a perfect homemade gift for all occasions.

Chocolate Burfi (Recipe from 'The Hindu', Chennai Edition)

Chocolate Burfi – Recipe from ‘ The Hindu’, Chennai edition !!

Ingredients

Milkmaid sweetened Condensed milk: 200 grams (1/2 tin)

Butter: 30 grams

Chocolate, chopped: 30 grams

Cocoa powder: quarter cup

Whole-wheat flour: quarter cup

Lightly roasted nuts: half cup

For greasing: A few drops of ghee

Method

Lightly roast the flour. Remove from the flame when it turns light brown in colour. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan, mix in condensed milk, cocoa powder and roasted flour. Cook for 4-5 minutes on a low flame, stirring continuously to avoid sticking and burning. Mix in chopped chocolate and cook for one minute. Add nuts and spread the mixture in a greased metal tray. Gently flatten with spatula. Cool for an hour. Slice into squares and serve.

Milk Chocolate

Milk Chocolates -  A jiffy sweet for all occasions.  This can be done in microwave or on stove top. Recipe from Chithra Ma’am (Chithra Viswanathan – A popular culinary expert  from  Chennai) !!

Keep ready all ingredients assembled including a greased plate / baking tray / dish. Use standard measuring cup.

Makes: 12 – 16 slices

Ingredients

Milk powder - 1 heaped cup

Cocoa powder - 1 tablespoon

Sugar - 1 level cup

Water - 1/3 cup

Unsalted white butter - 50 gm (1/4 cup) (@ normal temperature)

Method

Mix milk powder and cocoa. Sieve twice.

In a bowl / saucepan mix water and sugar, stirring well and  heat in a  on medium flame while stirring it occasionally.

To test the right consistency of sugar syrup, take a tea spoon of syrup  and drop in cold water - it should roll into a soft ball. That’s the correct stage. If it’s not forming to a soft ball, continue to boil  for 2 – 3 minutes until it reaches soft ball consistency.

Microwave method – In a microwave safe bowl of 1 litre capacity, mix sugar and water together and Microwave on high power (Power setting of my microwave oven is 750 W - high power) for 3 minutes. Switch off microwave and remove. Stir well and microwave again for 2 minutes. Test by dropping a drop of sugar solution in cold water – it should roll into a soft ball. That’s the right consistency.

To this  (thick sugar syrup) first add butter and mix well until it form a  smooth paste and without  lumps.

Add dry ingredients (sieved milk powder – cocoa powder) mix well with a hand beater or spatula or steel ladle until smooth and creamy.

Transfer to a greased plate. Spread the paste evenly with a flat spatula. Keep aside for 5 minutes and immediately thereafter cut into pieces of desired size and shape. Once it completely cools to room temperature, remove from greased thali / plate / baking dish. 

One may add chopped dry fruits like cashew, almonds, raisins etc. Add this during the final stages of paste; before spreading. 

These home made chocolates are a welcome change from the ones from shop. One can be assured of the taste and quality; at the same time much cost effective. The preparation will also give an amount of satisfaction. This can also be a  gift for your loved ones - in which case, cut into desired size and shapes, wrap in butter paper. Also, this is can be a perfect snack box item for the kids. 

Whittaker's Chocolate

My husband brought these chocolates from Malaysia. Very very tasty chocolates !!!

Chocolate Cake (Microwave Method)

Chocolate Cake (Microwave method)

Here is a super quick and easy recipe that is bound to satisfy your sudden chocolate craving !!! Basic recipe from BBC Goodfood)

Serves: 4 – 5

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minute 30 seconds

Please do not make any change in ingredients. All the ingredients should be in level tablespoon and teaspoon.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

8 tablespoons flour (maida)

8 tablespoons sugar

2 small egg (each egg weighs 50 g)

6 tablespoons milk

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 tablespoon chopped nuts (cashew nuts / hazel nuts / almonds /chocolate chips or a mix of all four)

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond essence

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a large microwave safe dish ( or microwave safe dish of 17 x 17 cm or rectanglular dish ) and microwave high for 5 minutes 30 seconds (750 W). Or first keep for 4 minutes and if it is not cooked well then keep again for 1 minute 30 seconds. Cake is ready now. Keep aside to cool for half an hour and cut into desired shape and size.

Cake cutting tip:

Heat a knife first before cutting a cake for crumble-free slices. To heat the knife, you can run the knife under very hot water then wipe dry with a clean towel.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake

5 Minute Chocolate Cake

Here is a super quick and easy recipe that is bound to satisfy your sudden chocolate craving !!! Recipe from Goodhouse Keeping India.

Serves: 4 – 5

Preparation time: 2 minute 30 seconds

Cooking time: 2 minute 30 seconds

You will need

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

4 tablespoons flour (maida)

4 tablespoons sugar

1 small egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoon chopped nuts (cashew nuts / hazel nuts / almonds /chocolate chips or a mix of all four)

½ teaspoon vanilla or almond essence

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl (microwave safe mug or square dish) and microwave high for 2 minutes 30 seconds (750 W). Cake is ready now. Keep aside to cool for half an hour and cut into desired shape and size.

Cake cutting tip:

Heat a knife first before cutting a cake for crumble-free slices. To heat the knife, you can run the knife under very hot water then wipe dry with a clean towel.

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