Lindt Chocolate & Strawberry Layer Cake...and a giveaway!!!

Well helloooooo my friends,

I have been lazy.

In the garden.

In the sun. 

No "British" weather complaints coming out of my mouth I can tell you.

Whilst I was enjoying what was left of my maternity leave, I got a very exciting email from the chaps at Lindt asking if I'd like to try some of their new chocolates and host a giveaway for my lovely readers. 

"YES" I say.

Gimme, gimme, gimme

Mmmmmmmm...Lindt (she says with a mouthful)

I had my choice of goodies so I picked the 70% cooking chocolate and the Strawberry Intense. 

When it's hot outside there's nothing better than a light, sweet dessert to finish a meal. 

So I make a stonking great Chocolate and Strawberry Layer Cake! 

YOU ARE WELCOME!!

Here's how you can make you beloved's cry with joy...

Recipe

250g sugar

250g butter

200g self raising flour

50g Cocoa

2 eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp baking powder

Dash of strong (cooled) coffee... I used about 15 ml

• Preheat oven to 170/150 fan/GM4 and grease and line 3x 18cm cake tins.
• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Add the vanilla.
• Add eggs one at a time making sure each is fully mixed before adding the next.
• Add the golden syrup.
• Fold in half the dry mixture.
• Fold in the rest of the dry mix.
• Add the coffee.

Divide the mixture equally between the tins and bake for 30 minutes. Leave to cool in the tins then wrap each cake and chill for a least 2 hours.

Icing

250g unsalted butter

460g icing sugar

3 tbsp strawberry jam (no bits)

30ml milk 

• Cream the butter.
• Add the icing sugar a few spoons at a time.
• Add the jam and mix well.
• Mix in the milk until you get an easy, smooth cake covering consistency.

Place one sponge on top of your turntable/plate and frost with a small bit of icing. Place another on top and do the same again. Then do the crumb coat (thin layer of icing all over the cake to catch the crumbs) chill for 1 hour. When the icing on the cake has hardened off you can frost the cake as normal.

Chocolate drizzle

100g Lindt 70% cooking chocolate

100ml double cream.

• Place cream and choc on a double boiler until melted and smooth.
• Leave to cool for a bit then pour over your chilled cake...letting it drip down the sides. 

ET VOILA

If you'd like to win a bar of cooking chocolate and two packs of Strawberry Intense then all you need to do is leave a comment to say what you'd do with them. One comment will be randomly selected next Saturday and the winner will get these...

This is my first giveaway and I'm really excited about it! I can't wait to see all the wonderful things you'll do with this amazing chocolate!

Until next week...

xx Kat xx

Love-ly Strawberry Cake Truffles

This is my entry for January's We Should Cocoa Challenge it's a bit late in the day but if you want to squeeze your entry in check out Chele's post on her blog Chocolate Teapot - This month is healthy treats (whatever that means to you)

For me it's little cake truffles = smaller portions = healthy!! Right? I think so ;-) 

As Valentines day (*coughs* my birthday) is next month I thought I'd love things up a bit. 

So.... what's the flavour? 

Strawberries and chocolate... oh yes, that old chestnut!

This is what I did.

I used a hand mixer, no need to pull out the big boy! 

• Make your sponge mix, packet or home-made (tutorial coming soon for best ever sponge recipe). 
• Bake as required and leave to cool completely.
• Mix 50g unsalted butter until light and creamy.
• Add 200g icing sugar 50g at a time.
• Add 5 tbsp strawberry jam and mix until fully combined.
• Break your cooled sponge into crumbs.
• Mix in a little of the icing a spoon at a time until you get a dough consistency.
• Roll into balls, poke a toothpick in each ball, place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper on and refrigerate for 2hrs to harden.
• Melt 150g dark and 150g milk chocolate (cake covering is best) 
• Dip Balls into chocolate DO NOT STIR.
• The chocolate will harden on the balls quickly. Once hard, take out the toothpick, blob a little melted choc over the hole a pop a little heart on top.

YOU ARE WELCOME!! 

I have to say these were my first attempt at strawberry anything and I don't think the sponge pick up the taste very well. Perhaps I'll use strawberry sponge as well as the strawberry frosting next time. 

Best eaten straight from the fridge.

And super healthy too, as it's only one bite per truffle (willpower required) ha!

Hope you had a great Monday

xx Kat xx

I'm entering this beautiful dessert to February 2013 Calendar Cakes as hosted by Dolly Bakes and Laura Loves Cakes it's all about love. Head on over to this months host Dolly Bakes and check it out.