Popcorn Chocolate

Quick, simple and easy... not to mention DELICIOUS!
You can play with this, too. Use colorful chocolate, use sprinkles, be creative!!

Ingredients

Popcorn
Salt
Chocolate
Rule of thumb: for every 1/2cup of popcorn kernels, 2cups of chocolate pieces. But you can really make it to suit your taste.

Method

1. Pop the popcorn, any method will do. Sprinkle a little salt over and mix well. Place the popped popcorn in a baking dish.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, until fully melted. 
3. Pour the chocolate evenly over the popcorn.
4. Place in the fridge until set.

Enjoy!!

Yours in sugar & cream

Risch

Coco-Choc Souffle

Like I said, the Sunday Dessert is also a big feature on Sundays... I wasn't really in the mood for making something, but my daughter kept asking what is for dessert? And so the bug bit me and the brain started working... what can I make? Making a dessert with flour is easy - through a couple of things together and voila!!... but I was also in the mood for a dessert, and my diet has been coming along so well, I didn't want to spoil it with another carb-loaded dish. So, what can I make that is delicious, that will appeal to the rest of my family members who is NOT on a diet, AND that is something I can eat, too? 

I screened Google... Ah! Cheesecake!! Nope, don't have enough cream cheese... (add that to the grocery list)... My heart started to sink, as all the ingredients required in these recipes was NOT in my house... What can I eat? Cream, eggs.. and that's when the idea struck!!

Preparation time: 20min
Cooking time: 40min
Difficulty level: Easy
Serves: 5 small portions

Ingredients

4 eggs, separated
250ml cream
1t vanilla essence
1/4cup desiccated coconut
1/4cup sugar
2tbs chocolate chips

Method

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray, or line well with butter. Cool in fridge. Beat the egg whites to form stiff peaks. Beat the cream, essence and egg yolks together. Add the coconut and sugar and mix until most of the sugar has dissolved. Add the chocolate chips. Fold in the egg whites. Do not over-fold. Pour into baking dish. The egg whites will float to the top and the chocolate chips will settle at the bottom. Try to lightly distribute the chocolate chips evenly. Bake in the oven at 140degrees C for about 40min until golden brown on top.

See the melted chocolate, custard and meringue layers...??

I had to very quickly take a photo, before it was all gone!! This was such a tasty dessert... 

Yes, there is chocolate and sugar in, which probably means it isn't really carb-friendly. However, I did have my slice. A little sugar is better than a little flour, I reckon... 

Yours in oil and veggies... and chocolate!

Risch

Simple Chocolate Mousse with Meringue crumbs

And this is the dessert you simply have to try! Smooth, chocolatey, creamy, rich and decadent... with meringue crunch and chocolate vermicilli... And this is very easy, and quick to make. A little skill is required, and it may help if you have someone to assist you for a short while... It does need some setting time too, about 4 hours, but it certainly is worth the wait and effort!!

The rule I have discovered is this: 30g chocolate + 1 egg + 50ml cream per person. You can then adjust the cream to suit your needs. This recipe is for 5 people. Everybody had a generous helping, and still a little left over.

Mousse

Ingredients

2x 80g slabs milk chocolate 
5 egg yolks
250ml cream, beaten stiff
50g margarine

Method

Melt the chocolate and margarine over a double boiler. I used my small pot in the big pot. The water in the big pot must not touch the small pot. 

Stir continuously until melted. Remove from heat. Beat the egg yolks well. Slowly pour the egg yolks into the melted chocolate, while briskly stirring the chocolate. DO NOT STOP STIRRING THE CHOCOLATE!! If you do, the egg yolk will set, and you will have chocolate with egg.... Continue until all the egg yolk is incorporated fully. 

Now add the whipped cream. Fold it into the chocolate mixture until well mixed.

 Pour into dish, and put in the fridge to set.

Meringue   (I consider this my flop attempt... but the result was exactly what I wanted!)

Ingredients

5 egg whites

1/4t cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1/2cup castor sugar

Method

Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

Add the cream of tartar, salt and whip good. Add the castor sugar. Whip continuously. You will have a shiny smooth white gooey mixture. Pour this into a baking tray.

Bake in the oven on 140degrees C. Lower the temperature after about 10minutes to 120degrees C. Once it starts browning, switch off the oven. Remove after 10 minutes and let it set. It should be crunchy.

Now for the assembly....

Once the mousse has set, you are ready to assemble your dessert!!

Scoop mousse into a small glass, break some of the meringue on top. Add some chocolate sprinkles. Layer the mousse and meringue if you wish, or eat as is....

This is a very rich, very creamy, very decadent dessert. Enjoy on a lazy sunday afternoon, with rich smooth coffee... or with cream liqueur to end off a feast with friends!! 

Yours in Oil and Veggies.... and chocolate!!

Risch

No-Bake Butter Chocolate Brownies

My son hounded me to make his cookies... It's nice cookies, but he has made them a couple of times now, and I was in the mood for something different. 

So I thought of this no-bake chocolate brownie. My mom actually has the perfect recipe, and I will still get that recipe and post it here as well. But I wanted to see if I couldn't find something else...

 Alas, all the recipes on the web, is complicated. With nuts, and dates, and oats, and some other weird ingredients I either don't have in my cupboard, or I feel is to expensive to use. Oh, and I wanted something WITHOUT oats. 

I want an easy recipe, quick and cheap. One you can even make at the end of the month... 

So, I decided to make my own...

Ingredients

250g margarine

1cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1tbs vanilla

1 packet tennis biscuits

pinch of salt

Breadcrumbs

choc chips (optional)

Method

Melt the margarine over low heat. Add the sugar, salt and the cocoa. Constantly stirring. The sugar must melt. It makes a syrup consistency. Remove from heat, continue stirring. Add the crushed cookies, mix well. Add the vanilla, mix well. Spray a dish with non-stick spray, or brush with margarine and sieve icing sugar over. Sprinkle the choc chips on the bottom, if you want to use it. Scoop the mixture into the dish. Level out. Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. Put into the fridge to cool down and set. Once cooled, cut and enjoy!!

Perfect with a cup of coffee when you feel indulgent... 

It is not so sweet as some of the others, and the breadcrumbs adds a little dimension to the already wonderful chocolatey flavours. It is so easy and quick to make, and it sets quickly too. Chocolate is always a sure winner to serve, and if unexpected guests arrive, this is a perfect solution!!

Have a sweet day!

Yours in oil and veggies... and chocolate!

Risch