White Chocolate and Caramel Brownie Recipe and a giveaway

White Chocolate and Caramel Brownies - recipe at below

I'm back home living with my parents whilst my new house undergoes some renovations.

So when I received a box of goodies from Nestle to join in the #Bakeityours challenge instead of reaching for the chocolate like I normally would I decided to make something with white chocolate and add in one of my dad's favourite lollies Jersey Caramels to come up with a treat he would appreciate.

The resulting brownies were dense and a little chewy which I liked and quite sweet. I think they improved after a day losing some of the initial sweetness and improving in texture.

Anyway onto the reason Nestle sent out the box of goodies is to let y'all know they have a new Nestle Bakers' Choice range. I like the suggestions on the front of the packets that say things like 'for coating and decorating' or 'for adding and pouring' and found the white chocolate to be quite a nice creamy texture which melted quite easily.

To help celebrate this they have offered Bubble and Sweet Australian readers the chance to win a lovely baking package valued at around $100 which includes products from the new Bakers' Choice range and and some baking products. Enter below using rafflecopter (Entry only available to Australian Residents aged 18 and over no purchase necessary):

You can enter up to 3 times, however you do not need to follow all 3 steps for your entry to be valid.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of luck

White Chocolate and Caramel Brownies
(makes 12 store in air tight container in fridge for up to 3 days) Wilton 195 piping tip used for decorating.

150 g ( 5 1/4 oz) butter
200 g ( 7 oz) white chocolate
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 2/3 cup plain flour
220 g (7 3/4 oz) Jersey Caramels chopped
Whipped jersey caramel topping (see below)
6 Jersey Caramels cut into half extra for decorating

Line a rectangle slice tray approx 18cm x 28cm ( &" x 11") with baking paper

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F)

Melt butter and white chocolate in a microwave safe dish for 2 minutes on medium low heat. Mix (the mixture will not be soft yet) and then heat for another 2 minutes at medium low heat. Whisk until no lumps remain.

Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until just combined.

Fold through the flour and then the jersey caramels and spread the mixture into the prepared tray.

Bake for 30 minutes until the brownie is golden and cooked through in the middle.

Cut into triangles and pipe a dollop of whipped ganache into the middle of each brownie and top with half a jersey caramel.

Jersey Caramel whipped ganache topping

5 jersey caramels
1/2 tsp water
100 g (3 1/2 oz) white choc
25 g (7/8oz) cream

Melt the jersey caramels and water for 60 seconds at low rest and stir and then heat for another 60 seconds in the microwave and mix until smooth.

Melt the white chocolate and cream together at medium low heat 2 minutes and mix until smooth. Add in the melted caramel mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

Whip with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, mother, owner of The Biscuit Cafe and author of the children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the US in 2011 the book is still available online at Amazon and other online book stores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog

I love when people share my blog ideas and give credit. All posts contain original ideas, photography* and recipes by Linda Vandermeer-McCubbin unless otherwise credited. Please feel free to link back to my blog for non commercial purposes.

I was sent a box of nestle product to assist in the development of recipes for this blog post. No sponsorship or financial incentive was received.

It's an amazing day to bake, laugh and live

I haven't been posting very much lately as I've been spending all my time with the children over the past few months as we go through the process of a marital separation.

Life goes on, we are doing well considering the situation and focusing on a the amazing aspects of our life.

I have been baking but mostly comfort food: cookies, cinnamon rolls, banana raspberry muffins, making and decorating cupcakes with the kids.

I have plans to make macarons this week, some gingerbread cookies and maybe a Christmas cake, although you might remember in the past I am more for the anti-fruit cake variety.

These are images I took for the latest issue of 'Tickle the Imagination' magazine where I share 10 fabulous reasons to bake up some fun with your kids.

Kids wear aprons by Greengate similar available Simply Sweet Home

I also share a recipe for a healthier donut to make with the kids which is baked in a donut pan instead of fried and has a banana muffin base. It's a great alternative to all those super sized treats that are around at the moment.

Tickle the Imagination magazine is available online here and at selected newsagents and outlets.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission except for non commercial purposes where you may use 1 image, give credit and link back to original post.

Chocolate Hot Cross Bun Recipe

I love baking, love it. But for some reason when it comes to hot cross buns I usually buy them from the bakery or supermarket.

But this weekend we had a bit of free time so I whipped up some myself taking an old traditional hot cross bun recipe and modifying to add chocolate chips, removing all that unnecessary dried fruit and changing the bun into a chocolate bread with a lightly fragrant cinnamon base.

Deliciously perfect just baked Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

I don't know why it took me so long, look at that picture, delicious just baked softly fragrant buns and oh my goodness the house smells even better than those buns look.

Plus it cost me way less than the bakery ones, so economical as well.

They were super easy as I used my stand mixer's dough hook attachment and saved about 10 minutes time of hand kneading, although don't worry, the recipe will work out just fine hand kneading if you don't have a dough hook/stand mixer.

I find the key things for successful baking with yeast is to not overheat and to prove the yeast prior to mixing into the other ingredients. Oh and time, you can't really rush it, I made the ones in the picture in about 2 1/2 hours including rising and baking time but I would normally set aside at least 3 hours.

Chocolate Hot Cross Bun Recipe makes 12 large hot cross buns
I use premix royal icing mixed with water to a piping consistency.

2 X 7g packets yeast 14g total (1/2 oz total)
1 tsp caster sugar
3/4 cup milk (6 fl oz)
50 g unsalted butter (1 3/4oz) melted/softened
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk (4 fl oz) extra
525 g plain (18 1/2 oz all purpose flour)
70 g caster sugar (2 1/2 oz)
25 g cocoa (7/8 oz)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
230 grams chocolate chips (8 oz)  # the baking kind that hold shape.
1/2 cup royal icing mixed with  1/2 tsp cocoa and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.

Put milk in microwave safe jug and heat in microwave for around 15- 20 seconds at high so that it is warm to touch (not hot). Using a fork whisk in yeast and 1 tsp sugar and allow to sit around 10 mins until needed.

The yeast should froth up like this

Sift the flour, cocoa, remaining caster sugar, cinnamon and salt together and set aside until required.

In the bowl a large stand mixer with a scraper beater attachment or regular beater, place the butter, egg and 1/2 cup milk and mix for 30 seconds at low speed. Add the yeast mixture and mix another 10 seconds, then add the sifted flour mixture and beat at low speed until all the dry mixture has been incorporated. The mix will be quite sticky.

Switch to a dough hook and mix at medium low speed for a couple of minutes until the mixture is smooth and elastic.* If you do not have a stand mix and dough hook you can knead by hand for around 10 minutes.

Spray a large bowl with oil, place the dough into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and pop in a warm place to rest for around 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the mixture has doubled in size. I use my oven and turn it up to 50C for a few minutes then turn it off before placing the bowl into the oven, if required I turn the oven light on. It should be just warm not hot.

Once the dough has risen remove from bowl, punch it down and mix in the chocolate chips quickly. I used baking chips which do not melt very quickly, the higher quality chocolate will melt and become a sticky mess.

Dough should be smooth and flexible

Lightly spray a baking tray around 20cm X 30 cm with oil. Shape the dough into 12 even rolls and place into the tray. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest/rise for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 190 C (fan forced). Remove the plastic wrap from baking tray and pop the buns in the oven for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 160 C and cook for a further 20 minutes.

Allow to cool a little. Pop the royal icing into a zip lock bag, cut a small hole in the corner and pipe crossed onto the top of the buns.

Best served immediately although still good next day. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Cute dress from Target Australia

Sweet Deer Cookies with silver leaf

I've been making super cute gingerbread deer cookies today.

Really I had planned to do this 2 months ago, so yes I'm just a little behind. I had this great idea for cupcakes with white chocolate Christmas tree shards and silver leaf and matching little deer cookies.

Then I went to make them and Oh My Goodness my deer cookie cutter was missing.

Greengate from Simply Sweet Home

It's kinda the sweetest little cookie and I just didn't want to make them without THAT cutter and I originally got it from Cakes by Bien but I wanted it quick so I had it sent from Cakers Bits and Bobs who are here in Australian and ship pretty fast so I got it within a day.

But then I realised I didn't order my silver leaf because, well because I was being cheap when I did the last online order and it can be a bit expensive. I was going to just pick up a little jar locally I figured it would work ok but then Oh My Goodness it was like $17 for a teensy weensy tiny jar so I decided to just order a whole book of transfer* sheets from Baking Pleasures which will last for cookies or sweets for ever (well not really but I don't use that much).

Then I kinda lost momentum.

But it's Christmas in a few days so I am baking like crazy and finally made them.

I tried them just white with silver leaf which was lovely and elegant, then with a little eye drawn on with edible marker, still adorable. Then I added a pink fondant nose and little pink ears which was super adorable.

Then I made some plain with the decorations and they worked out so well. I think gingerbread is the perfect colour just naturally with the spices for these little deer cookies and in fact the cutter is so sweet that the minimal decorating looked super dooper cute.

I guess the secret to these cookies is having a good gingerbread cookie recipe that will not spread out of shape so I've included my recipe below :)

Silver Leaf Elegant Deer Cookies
*I have used edible silver leaf on transfer sheet - not loose leaf which kinda flies all around the place for me. You can use the loose leaf if it works for you.

Deer cookies (see gingerbread recipe below)
White roll out fondant
Small plastic rolling pin
Deer cutter
Cornflour (or cornstarch)
Water and 2 clean brushes (used only for food)
Edible silver leaf transfer* sheet (I got mine at Baking Pleasures in Australia)
Optional - black edible marker



Knead white fondant until pliable, dust workbench with a little cornflour and roll out the fondant until quite thin. Cut out deer shape, brush water onto the cookie and then gently press the fondant onto the cookie.

Using a clean brush dab a teeny amount of water on the back area of the cookie. You just want the cookie to be slightly damp so wipe the brush on a paper towel to make sure it is barely wet.

Press the silver leaf transfer with the silver leaf facing down towards the cookie and rub your finger (or a cake tool) randomly on bits of the cookie. Pull the transfer off and allow the cookie to dry.

If you like you can add a small eye with the edible marker as shown in the picture.

Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
*Make sure that the spices you use are fresh as possible if you want your cookies to be aromatic and tasty. Conversions to imperial are approx.
I made these with both white sugar as per the recipe below and treacle (molasses, golden syrup, dark corn syrup) - the same weight and the recipe turned out well. I found it kept it's shape better with the white sugar which was important to me for what I was doing. The treacle gave a light fragrant undertone to the cookie and it had a more tender crumb, just putting the option out there for you. 

455g plain flour (1 pound all purpose flour)
2 tsp ground ginger 
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice (or ground cloves if you prefer) 
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa(US 1Tbsp + 1 tsp)
230g unsalted butter (8 1/8 oz) softened (not too soft
70g dark brown sugar (2 1/2oz)
70g white sugar 
1 egg

Sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, salt and cocoa and set aside until required.

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter, brown and white sugar at high speed for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium low, add the egg and mix until combined.

Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture until the dough clumps together and is well combined.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge until firm.

Once dough is firm remove from fridge and roll out on a workbench dusted with a little plain (all purpose) flour. You may need to knead the dough a little to make it pliable.

Cut out shapes and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Place trays of unbaked cookies into fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 160C (320F)

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes (depending on cookie size) remove from oven and allow to cool on trays for 5 minutes. Remove from trays carefully and place onto wire racks to cool completely. 

Greengate Summer White - It's what I'll be using for my Australian Christmas Setting

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! . Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores. 

This post is not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned and I purchased all the products myself however I am related to the owner of Simply Sweet Home

Amazon affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.

One bowl easy mix Raspberry Cinnmon Banana muffins

I do a lot of baking for the kids school treats. No big reveal there I guess. It's generally healthier, I know what it contains and our school is a nut free zone so I am always sure that those muffins or cookies I make myself are ok.

These muffins are one bowl easy mix which I love 'cause less washing and cleaning is always a big tick for me. Plus I know the kids will eat them and the won't come home crushed and all smushed which is an extra big tick in my books.

I can whip up these muffins in a few minutes pop them in the oven and have them ready for a school snack, after school treat or ready to go picnic pack in no time.

Which is pretty much what we did with this batch in the photo's. A tray of muffins, a bottle of pink lemonade a throw and some cushions and we had a picture perfect picnic in under 30 minutes including baking time at our local park.

Quilt and cushions all Greengate purchased at Mollegaarden

This muffin recipe is based on the Bitty Banana Cakes on page 60 of Sweets on a Stick.

Raspberry Cinnamon Banana Muffins makes 12 regular muffins
Replace the raspberries with blueberries or chocolate chips for a delicious variation.

3 very ripe bananas
1 egg
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
1 cup raspberry (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 160C (325F) and line a 12 hole muffin tin with baking papers.

In a large bowl mash the bananas well.

Add all remaining ingredients except the raspberries and mix until just combined.

Gently fold in the raspberries and spoon mixture evenly between the 12 paper cases.

Bake until the top is golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean (around 20 minutes).

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Lemon cream curd and raspberry tartlettes

These lemon cream tartlettes are the perfect little treat for a sweet afternoon tea.

Not too tart, the addition of cream to lighten the curd makes the filling sweet and tangy with a smooth velvety cloud-like quality.

I've used the microwave to make the lemon curd in just a couple of minutes, it's so simple. Click on the picture below to see the quick video tutorial (written instruction and ingredients are included below):


The lemon cream curd can also be used as a frosting for cupcakes, filling for whoopie pies or as a topping for pancakes or scones (biscuits).

Lemon cream and raspberry tartlettes makes 10

Sweet pastry cases (CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE)
Lemon cream (recipe below)
Punnet raspberries

To assemble tarts spoon or pipe lemon cream into pastry cases and top with raspberries.

Microwave Lemon Curd Cream
This recipe can be doubled, you will just need to increase the amount of time you microwave for, bursts can be increased to 30 seconds and continue until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (see video for demonstration).

50g (1 3/4 oz) lemon juice
2 large eggs
75 g caster(2 5/8oz) (superfine*) sugar
50g (1 3/4oz) unsalted butter (room temp)
1 1/2 sheets gelatine (gold leaf) #available at good food stores or see below for link to gelatine at Amazon
1/2 cup cream
*use regular white sugar if you can't locate superfine


Place lemon juice, eggs, sugar and butter into a microwave safe dish and whisk.

Heat in microwave at high for 20 seconds, remove from microwave and whisk well. Return to microwave and heat at high for another 20 second burst and then whisk again. Repeat process another 2 times. The mixture should be thick enough to cover the back of a spoon.

Meanwhile tear the gelatine into smaller pieces and pop into a dish of cold water for around a minute until soft. Remove as much excess water as possible and discard the water keeping the softened gelatine sheets.

Whisk the softened gelatine sheets into the lemon curd mixture.

Cover the lemon curd with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap down onto the surface or the curd to prevent a skin from forming and pop into the fridge to chill until set.

Once the curd is chilled. Place the 1/2 cup of cream in a bowl and whip to firm peaks using an electric mixer (I used a hand mixer). Then using an electric mixer (I used the same hand mixer) whip the curd until smooth. Spoon the cream into the whipped curd and mix at high speed until well combined and the mixture is smooth.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Homemade sweet pastry shell recipe

When I was younger I was always a bit scared of pastry cases. I suspect I must have had a bad experience with crumbly or too sticky pastry not rolling out and I gave up. Or maybe it was rubbing or cutting in the butter - I'm the first to admit that's not my strongest baking talent.

But I worked out if you have a blender it is so simple to make delicious sweet pasty shells that taste way better than the ones you can buy at the shop ready to fill.

I've done up this quick video tutorial to show how easy it is to make them yourself (or the written instructions and ingredients are below):


So these pastry cases have only 4 ingredients and you just whip them up in the blender, knead them a little, chill and roll out.

Pretty much if you can make roll out sugar cookies you can totally make these tarts.

Once you have mastered whipping these tarts up the options are endless, you can fill them with chocolate, cream and fruit, curd, custard. OK you get the picture pretty much anything.

I'll be having a series of posts in the near future with yummy fillings for you to try (some pictures included underneath recipe below).

Sweet Pastry Shell recipe

225g (8oz) plain (all purpose) flour
45g (1 1/2oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
125g (4 3/8oz) cold butter cut into cubes
1 egg yolk

Place flour and sugar into the bowl of a blender. Add the butter distributing it evenly over the top of the flour/sugar mixture.

Blend until the butter has been distributed and there are no large pieces left. The mixture will look like yellow sand.

Add the egg yolk and blend for another 30 seconds or until the mixture starts to clump together.

Tip the mixture onto your workbench and knead together. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

When ready to cut out, dust workbench and rolling pin lightly with plain (all purpose) flour and roll out the pastry, lifting and turning as you roll. Lifting and turning stops the pastry from sticking and contributes to the finished pastry being even.

Cut the pastry to shape and gently press into pan or dish cutting off any excess. For larger sizes you may like to use a fork to pierce the bottom of the uncooked pastry shell.

Place uncooked shells into the freezer for 30 minutes (or refrigerate until firm).

Preheat oven to 180C (350 F).

Place the uncooked shells onto a tray and cut pieces of baking paper (parchment paper) out a little large than each shell. Using baking weights, beans or rice (or I used a glass) weigh down the center of the paper.

Bake the shells for 10 minutes or until they just start to turn golden, remove the weights and paper and then continue to bake for another 5 minutes.

Allow to cool and fill as desired.

Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature until required for 5 days.

Caramel Macadamia tart (recipe coming soon)

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Lemon Cream tart (CLICK HERE for recipe)

Bubble and Sweet in my home - Pink scales

Pretty pink scales from Mollegaarden

I've decided to start posting about some of the items I love in my home and kitchen on a regular basis, but don't worry I am keeping up my regular recipe posts.

I get quite a few emails and messages asking me where I get stuff, almost as many as the comments and questions about decorating cakes and cookies.

So I'm starting off with this swoonworthy pink set of scales I picked up earlier in the year from one of my current favourite shops Mollegaarden.

They are made by a company called Bloomingville and also come in aqua, white, silver plus stacks of other colors. Yup I totally wish I could have an aqua and white one as well.

The basket pops off for easy cleaning and pouring your stuff into wherever it needs to go. When it arrives in it's box you need to screw the holder on the top before you start using it. It has an adjuster to set the weight under the weighing basket an it goes up to 5kg.

So a little problem if your from the US yup it's in metric, well that's not a problem if your making recipes from this blog 'cause I use metric and imperial. But to try and help you out I did find these ones on Amazon in the US just no pink ones:



Anyhoo I think you could totally get over the whole metric thing just for the looks, seriously set it up next to your KitchenAid and everyone will think your a baking pro.

Sigh, I kinda wish I had a pink KitchenAid to go with it but my KitchenAid is actually so old (and still working) that they only came in 3 colours when I bought it.

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies - RECIPE CLICK HERE

Yup you can see what I'm talking about in the photo's above, just sitting in the background looking all pretty and functional.

Happy baking, make sure to let me know if you've seen anything in my posts you would like to know about.

* Note the little scoop did not come with the scales.

This post was not sponsored.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Cakes with Chocolate French Butter Cream and it's Gluten Free

Many years ago back when I worked in an office I used to pop into a little boutique store that made a delicious hazelnut chocolate cake on the premises. I used to walk half way across the city some lunchtimes in the hope that it would be on the menu.

Oh how exciting it would be if I opened the door and the delicious smell of just baked chocolate cake greeted me.

Funnily enough my work moved offices to just around the corner of the store at about the same time the store changed owners and sadly the hazelnut chocolate cake was removed from the menu.

That was a long time ago now and I have tried a few chocolate hazelnut cake recipes over the years and found them sadly lacking, mostly over moist and bordering on gluggy.

So I decided to come up with my own recipe. It's definitely not the same cake but it is delicious with a chewy just moist enough texture and lovely robust hazelnut flavor. Also it is gluten free which I know is a big plus for many of you.

and y'all know I just love to make my cakes mini at any opportunity. I received this fabulous Baker's Secret Loose Base Dessert Pan from Kitchenware Direct which I have been coveting for a while and with the ingenious pop out bottoms it was perfect for making these mini cakes. Plus dishwasher safe. I can't ever love that enough.

I paired the cakes with a french chocolate butter cream because, well, it is pretty delicious plus I always despair of the amount of egg yolks I waste and this was a perfect opportunity to use up a couple.

Then I played around with a few decorative toppings......... macarons,

raspberries......

then macarons plus raspberries.

They were all equally delicious :)

I had the gold mini macaron shells left over from a party we had on the weekend and I filled them with a little of the excess butter cream. If you don't  happen to have a batch of mini macarons just lying about you can use something else - I thought a lindt ball or ferrero rocher might look good. Otherwise if your looking for a recipe for macarons CLICK HERE.

If your don't feel like whipping up a batch of butter cream the cakes are actually quite nice on their own, served with a little cream or with a warm chocolate ganache.

The ones in the pictures are about 4cm high and they look lovely, but I recommend for sensible eating you should probably make them about half the size. If the smaller sized cakes are not quite enough you can always have another serve.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cakes (Gluten Free)
makes 12 cakes 2cm (0.8") high or 6 cakes 4cm (1.6") high (the ones in the pictures are 4cm high). I used large eggs.

4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups hazelnut meal (ground hazelnuts)
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened) sifted

Preheat oven to 140 C (280 F).

Lightly spray loose base dessert pan with cooking spray or oil.

In a large clean bowl whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Scrape down the sides as required and continue adding sugar approximately 1/4 cup at a time until the sugar is all added and dissolved. The mixture will appear stiff, white and smooth.

Add the hazelnut meal and the cocoa and fold in until just combined.

Divide the mixture between the 12 cups in the tray filling them just under 1/2 full and smooth the tops as much as possible with the back of a spoon.

Ooops that's a bit messy - this is what the mixture will look like before baking. 

Fill the individual cups a bit less than shown to make 12 cakes from the mixture.

Bake for 35 minutes, the tops of the cakes should be hard when gently tapped.

*If you choose to make 6 high cakes instead divide the mixture between 6 of the cups and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and using a thin blade knife gently run the knife around each cake to release from the side of the loose base dessert pan. The cake is a bit sticky so do not worry if they do not release cleanly. Be very careful with the knife so you do not scratch the baking pan.

Carefully pop each of the cakes out of the tray by putting your fingers underneath the tray and pushing the loose bottom up.

Loose Base Dessert Pan from Kitchenware Direct

The tray will still be hot at this stage so be very careful and use a tea towel or other protection to hold it.

Pop the cake onto a plate and using the thin blade knife slide the cake off the loose base, it should release easily.

Allow to cool to room temperature and decorate with swirls or dots of chocolate french butter cream (recipe below) and decoration of choice.

Undecorated cakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Cakes decorated with butter cream can be stored in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container, remove from fridge at least 10 minutes before serving. Cakes decorated with fruit are best served immediately.

Chocolate French Butter Cream makes enough to generously top 12 cakes. Recipe can be halved.


Heating the sugar syrup to 118C (245 F) apparently heats the eggs sufficiently to kill any potential salmonella bacteria. The butter cream recipe will still work if you just warm the water and sugar to make a syrup but you can not be assured that the eggs will have been sufficiently heated to reduce the possible health risk.

4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
250 grams (8 7/8 oz) unsalted butter cut into small cubes
150 grams (5 1/4 oz)dark chocolate melted and cooled slightly

Place water and sugar in a saucepan and heat until the syrup reaches 118C (245 F), brush down the sides of the pan as necessary with a brush to stop crystallization.

Just before the syrup reaches the required temperature Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer and using whisk attachment beat until slightly bubbly and frothy.

 
If you have a shield for your mixer ensure it is in place. Continue to whip the egg yolks at high speed while you carefully pour in the hot sugar syrup in a slow stream.

Keep whipping the egg yolk and sugar syrup until the mixture becomes very light and fluffy has increased in volume and cooled down. The outside of the bowl should feel comfortable to touch, around room temperature. (If the mixture is too hot you will melt the butter at the next step).

With the mixer still on high speed add the butter a few cubes at a time until it has all been incorporated. 

Add the cooled chocolate and mix until well combined.

Items decorated with french butter cream should be kept refrigerated and removed from fridge 10 - 15 minutes prior to serving. consume within 3 days.

disclosure I received the Baker's Secret pan from Kitchenware direct. No financial compensation was provided and the words and ideas used in this post are my own.