Rachel Allen - Easy Meals Text Only

* Using an electric food mixer or hand-held electric beater, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and lemon and orange zest and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, before stirring in the ground almonds.

* Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 55–60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a plate or cake stand.

* While the cake is cooling, make the syrup. Pour the orange and lemon juice into a saucepan, add the sugar and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has thickened to a syrupy consistency.

* Make 10–15 skewer incisions in the top of the cooled cake, then gradually pour the boiling syrup over the cake so that it absorbs the syrup evenly and becomes deliciously moist. Cut into slices to serve.

Gluten-free chocolate and orange polenta cake

This cake has no flour (hence no gluten), making it light and moist. The polenta gives it a slight crunch. I like to have a slice of this cake with tea – if I can stick to just one slice, that is …

Serves 6–8 (v)

PREPARATION TIME

20 minutes

COOKING TIME

35 minutes

200g (7oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces, or dark chocolate drops

100g (3½oz) butter

5 eggs, separated

225g (8oz) caster sugar

75g (3oz) fine polenta

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

Icing sugar, for dusting

25cm (10in) diameter spring-form/loose-bottomed cake tin

* Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Line the base of the cake tin with a disc of baking parchment and grease the sides with butter.

* Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

* Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add 150g (5oz) of the caster sugar and whisk in the mixer or using a hand-held electric beater for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Tip into the chocolate mixture and carefully fold in.

* Wash and dry the bowl and the whisk attachments of the mixer or hand-held beater, then whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and continue to whisk meringue mixture for another 5 minutes or until stiff and white.

* Carefully fold the polenta, orange zest and the whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then spoon into the prepared cake tin. Smooth over the top and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to stand and cool slightly in the tin. Then remove the cake from the tin and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to a serving plate and dusting with icing sugar.

Chocolate mousse

If you want a truly chocolatey and delicious dessert, then nothing beats this classic dish. Some recipes need no improving – they’re classics for a reason!

Serves 8 (v)

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

5 minutes, plus chilling

125ml (4½fl oz) double or regular cream

125g (4½oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped, or dark chocolate drops

1 tbsp brandy (optional)

2 eggs, separated

To decorate

Raspberries (optional)

Icing sugar (optional)

4–6 little bowls, glasses or cups

* Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir just until it melts. Add the brandy (if using) and whisk in the egg yolks.

* In a spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until just forming stiff peaks. Spoon a small amount of whisked egg whites into the chocolate and cream mixture, then carefully fold in the rest of the egg whites, just until combined.

* Spoon into the bowls, glasses or cups and chill in the fridge for 1–2 hours or until set. Decorate with raspberries (if using) and a hint of icing sugar.

Oreo chocolate fudge sundae

Ice cream with chocolate sauce is a combination made in heaven and the chunks of Oreo biscuit just add to the divine wickedness of it all! This great chocolate fudge sauce recipe is one I was kindly given by the indefatigable American cook, Charita Jones. It makes quite a lot, but, in a household of chocoholics, that is never a problem! Stored in a jar in the fridge, it will keep for months – simply reheat to serve.

Serves 1 (v)

Charita’s chocolate fudge sauce: makes 1 litre (1¾ pints) (v)

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

5 minutes

For Charita’s chocolate fudge sauce

350g (12oz) caster sugar

100g (3½oz) soft light or dark brown sugar

85g (3oz) cocoa powder

25g (1oz) plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 x 400ml tin of evaporated milk

50g (2oz) butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

For each sundae

2 Oreo biscuits, broken into chunks

2 scoops of coffee, vanilla or even banana ice cream

One sundae glass or bowl per person

* To make the chocolate fudge sauce, place all the ingredients apart from the vanilla extract in a saucepan with 225ml (8fl oz) water and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Boil for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, using a whisk at first to break up any lumps of flour. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

* To make each sundae, place half the biscuit pieces in the bottom of the glass or bowl, add a scoop of ice cream, then add most of the remaining biscuit pieces, followed by the remaining scoop of ice cream. Pour over the hot chocolate fudge sauce and crumble over the rest of the biscuit pieces.

Toffee peanut sundae

Sundaes are a huge favourite of my children’s, but anyone with a sweet tooth is susceptible to an ice cream sundae. It’s great to have a few sauces and ingredients on hand so people can get creative. The toffee sauce used in this recipe takes minutes to make and is so useful to have for pouring over ice cream, meringues or even baked fruit, such as peaches, pears or bananas. Once made, it keeps for months, so I always have a jar of it nestled somewhere in the back of the fridge. Simply reheat to serve.

Serves 1 (v)

Toffee sauce: enough for 4 sundaes (v)

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

5 minutes

For the toffee sauce

100ml (3½fl oz) golden syrup

50g (2oz) soft light brown sugar

50g (2oz) caster sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

100ml (3½fl oz) double or regular cream

For each sundae

2 scoops of chocolate or vanilla ice cream

2 tbsp salted peanuts

One sundae glass or bowl per person

* To make the toffee sauce, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly to help dissolve the sugar. Boil for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened, then remove from the heat.

* To make each sundae, place one scoop of ice cream in the bottom of the glass or bowl, add half the peanuts, then add another scoop of ice cream, followed by the rest of the peanuts, and finally drizzle with the hot toffee sauce.

Chocolate marshmallow biscuit cake

My children would survive solely on this given half a chance. You can use whatever biscuits or chocolate bars you like, although ginger biscuits add a great spicy crunch.

Makes about 16 bars (v)

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes, plus chilling

COOKING TIME

10 minutes

450g (1lb) milk chocolate, broken into pieces, or milk chocolate drops

150g (5oz) ginger nut biscuits, broken into 1cm (½in) chunks

100g (3½oz) mini marshmallows

2 x 60g Snickers bars, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes

2 x 40g Crunchie bars, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes