Category Archives: The Chocolate Moment

Time for a sweet treat

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If you were listening to the show earlier today, you’ll have heard Sue Jackson – now known as Sue The Cook – sharing the recipe for this sweet and simple dessert with June…

What’s not to like about Chocolate Mousse, especially one with just five ingredients that takes only a few minutes to prepare, even though you’ll need the patience of a saint to wait for it to chill in the fridge?!

Whether it’s a sweet treat for the family or the perfect finishing touch to a meal with friends, here’s the recipe for you all to enjoy your own Chocolate Moment…

Easy Chocolate Mousse

  • Servings: Makes 6 servings
  • Difficulty: easy
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Based on a recipe by James Martin

Ingredients

  • 200g dark chocolate broken into pieces
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 120ml water
  • Cream to serve (if required)

Directions

  1. Place the chocolate and water in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water in the pan doesn’t touch the bowl. Stir as the chocolate melts to combine the ingredients.
  2. When the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the pan and leave to cool slightly,
  3. Place the egg whites in a CLEAN large bowl with the sugar and whip until you have reached stiff peak stage.
  4. Stir the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate – you will see it thicken slightly.
  5. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg white gently with a metal spoon.
  6. Pour into serving dishes and leave to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  7. Serve with lightly whipped cream, your favourite soft fruit or anything else you fancy!

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The sweet spot

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If you’ve been listening to Girls Around Town since the early days, you may remember one particular feature that used to be on the show quite regularly…

Well, next weekend it’s back, courtesy of former GAT presenter Sue Jackson, now known as Sue The Cook, who’ll be joining June to share the recipe for one of her favourite desserts.

Make sure you’re listening in from 11.20am when The Chocolate Moment makes a welcome return!

Unfortunately Sue will only be at the other end of the phone, ringing in to the studio, so she won’t be treating June to a taste of this one.

But with just five ingredients and barely any prep time, what’s to stop June rushing home after the show to whip up her own Chocolate Mousse?

Based on a recipe by celebrity chef James Martin. the hardest part about it will be leaving it in the fridge for at least two hours before tucking in.

You know what they say though – good things come to those who wait!

And if you want to try it for yourself, you won’t even need to make a note of the ingredients and method while you’re listening in. Just check back here or on Facebook after the show and the recipe will be waiting for you…

Tune in to 107.8FM or listen online between 10am and 12 noon next Sunday for all the usual good music, chat and more that makes Girls Around Town the sweet spot of the week on Radio Newark!

The icing on the cake

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If you were listening to last Sunday‘s show, you’ll have heard Lyndsay Sadler sharing her recipe for a traditional English fruitcake with June and Rosalyn.

Did what she said inspire you to get into the kitchen and make your own Christmas cake this year? If it did, there’s still time – and here’s the full recipe to help you do so.

It’s a great family activity so remember to get the kids involved too and don’t forget that all-important step as you’re stirring the mixture before putting it in the tin…

Close your eyes and make a wish!

Coco's Kitchen's Traditional English Fruitcake

  • Servings: Makes a 20cm cake
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Ingredients

  • 570g mixed dried fruit
  • 75g glacé cherries, halved
  • 100ml brandy or sherry*
  • 200g butter or margarine
  • 200g soft dark brown sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 200g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2tsp grated nutmeg
  • Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
  • 50g ground almonds*

*Replace the brandy or sherry with cold tea or orange juice for an alcohol-free version – for a nut-free version, replace the ground almonds with a further 50g of flour

Method

  1. The day before you want to make your cake, put all the dried fruit in a bowl, add the brandy or sherry, cover and leave overnight.
  2. Line the inside of a 20cm tin with baking paper and use brown paper or newspaper to wrap around the outside, securing this with string, to protect the edges from the heat of the oven during the two-hour cooking time.
  3. Preheat the oven to 130 degrees.
  4. Beat the butter and sugar together until they look creamy and the butter is slightly lighter in colour. Add the eggs one at a time.
  5. Sift the flour and spices into a separate bowl then tip and slowly fold it into the butter mixture using a metal spoon.
  6. Add the orange and lemon zest and the almonds to the soaked fruits then tip it all into the cake mixture and slowly stir in. Remember to make that wish as you stir!
  7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and gently smooth the surface. Put some baking paper on the top of the mixture so that it doesn’t brown too much in the oven. Place the cake in the centre of the preheated oven and bake. Remove the paper from the top about 15 minutes before it’s due to be done.
  8. Lightly prod the top of the cake – if it feels very soft and you can still hear a lot of bubbling, it’s not quite cooked. If it looks done and feels firm to the touch and is silent, insert a skewer or sharp knife. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. If it doesn’t, give it another 15 minutes in the oven and then test it again.
  9. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before turning out and then you can start feeding it! Prick the surface with a skewer and add a bit more brandy or sherry to it – do this a couple of times a week until you’re ready to add the finishing touches, topping it with marzipan, icing and your choice of Christmas-y decorations.