Individual Chocolate Mud Cakes

All Images © Katie Quinn Davies

The Julia Child Perfect Chocolate Mousse I mentioned I was planning to make today, didn't happen as I never got my (lazy ass) bum to the supermarket last night to buy the ingredients.. *~* I will definitely make them, as they are totally outstanding, when I get myself sorted on the grocery shopping front.

Instead today it's; Individual Chocolate Fudge/Mud Cakes with Chocolate Ganache. The recipe is from a recent Donna Hay magazine - actually it was the 50th special edition one, in which she included an incredible feature on all things chocolate cakes/desserts - the pics were to-die-for. I'll type out the recipe a little later on and add to this post ~ kitchen is currently a total bombsite and must super duper quickly clean before husband comes home in literally 30 minutes as the cakes are supposed to be a surprise *eeek*.

Until then, some photos... :)

*Updated*

The ingredients for the cake are:

*taken from Donna Hay Magazine, '50th Issue Birthday' edition*

400g butter, chopped

400g dark chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup (15g) instant coffee powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup (60ml) water

6 eggs

2 cups (440g) caster (superfine) sugar

1 1/2 (225g) self-raising flour, sifted

1/2 cup (25g) cocoa, sifted

for the ganache:

1 cup (250ml) single pouring cream

300g dark chocolate, chopped

1. Heat the oven to 160˚C (325˚F)

2. Place butter, chocolate, coffee, vanilla and water into a saucepan and warm over a low heat, stirring until melted.

3. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

4. Place eggs and sugar into a bowl and whisk - using an electric beater until pale and thick in consistency.

5. Add the chocolate mixture and beat until combined.

6. Fold through the sifted flour and cocoa.

7. Pour into a lightly greased, lined 24cm round cake tin. (I used individual springform tins rather than one large one)

8. Bake for 1 hour and 30 mins, or again with individual ones - I found give them about an hour and they were cooked. Test with a skewer - it should come out fairly dry. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the ganache...

I'm not going to post the recipe instruction from the magazine as I used my standard ganache and I have found - like with my previous Masterchef Black Forest Gateau (bad) experience - it's best to stick to the sure-fire method you know... (The quantities for the ganache as the same as per the recipe/ingredient list above). And that is; I warm the cream to almost boiling or a slow simmer (I tend to let it boil just a teeny bit then take it straight off the heat) then pour onto the cold chopped up chocolate. Then the key bit; leave it standing for about a minute or two before stirring. I have made ganache so many times and failed miserably on many an occasion - wasting some very expensive chocolate in the process..., I have found this method I now always use, produces a smooth, split-free consistency.

Pour ganache over cooled cake/s. Serve with vanilla ice cream or cream if preferred. I think it's pretty good slightly warmed in the microwave too.