Ramsay's Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

100g (3.5oz) dark chocolate

300ml double cream

1 large egg white

50g (1/4c) caster sugar

Method

1.  Break the chocolate into small pieces and set aside. In small saucepan, heat half of the cream (150ml) until it begins to boil. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

2.  Pour the mixture into a bowl set over a large bowl of iced water and add the rest of the cream. Using a handheld electric whisk, beat the mixture to soft peaks. Remove the bowl from the iced water.

3.  Meanwhile, whisk the egg white with a handheld electric beater until stiff peak. Add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue whisking to a soft meringue. Carefully fold the meringue through the chocolate mixture, then spoon or pipe into chilled serving glasses.

Shelly's Note: Since I don't have a handheld mixer, I use my stand mixer but chill the chocolate/cream before mixing. Though it doesn't work as well, in a pinch you can use cocoa powder mixed with canola oil/shortening and sugar as a substitution for the chocolate. This is equal to 4 oz chocolate, or just over 100g. 

Substitution for baking chocolate:

4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

8 tsp canola oil/shortening

14 tsp sugar

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay's F-Word recipe "Four Minute Chocolate Mousse."

Chocolate-Frosted Ice Cream Roll

Ingredients

Cake

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract (we've always left this out)

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened (or use whatever flavor strikes your fancy)

Frosting

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 Tbsp milk

3 Tbsp cocoa

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Grease a 15- x 10- x 1-inch jellyroll pan. Line pan with paper; grease paper, and set pan aside.

Sift first 4 ingredients together; set mixture aside.

Beat egg whites (at room temperature) at high speed of an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored; stir in flavorings. Fold yolk mixture into egg white mixture; then gently fold in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes.

When cake is done, immediately loosen from sides of pan and turn out onto a damp towel. Peel off waxed paper. Starting at wide end, roll up cake and towel together; cool on wire rack, seam side down, 30 minutes.

Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread ice cream evenly over cake. Gently roll cake back up; carefully place on a large baking sheet, seam side down. Freeze until ice cream is firm.

While the cake is freezing, make the frosting. Combine all ingredients; beat until firm. Yield: enough frosting for one cake roll.

Frost cake with chocolate frosting; freeze until serving time. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Shelly's Note: This has been the traditional Tennant Family Birthday Cake Recipe since about the time the cookbook was written. The fact that you can personalize it with your favorite ice cream always made it that much more special! This is also one of the best frosting recipes I've ever tasted.

From Southern Living: 1984 Annual Recipes, p. 200

Ramsay's Molten Chocolate Cake (Hot Chocolate Fondant)

Ingredients

4 Tbsp (50g) unsalted butter, plus extra to grease

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa, to dust

2 oz (50g) good-quality bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1/3 cup (60g) superfine sugar

1/3 cup (50g) all-purpose flour

Method

Heat the oven to 325F (160C). Grease two large ramekins, about 3 inches (3.5cm) in diameter, then dust liberally with cocoa.

Slowly melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water, then take off the heat and stir until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Using an electric whisk, whisk the whole egg, egg yolk, and sugar together until pale and thick, then incorporate the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour over the mixture and gently fold in, using a large metal spoon. Divide between the ramekins and bake for 12 minutes. Turn the chocolate fondants out onto warmed plates and serve immediately.

Shelly's Note: While of course it's always best to follow his recipes exactly, I've used Baker's semisweet baking chocolate, regular sugar, and left out the unsweetened cocoa just out of necessity and/or ease and they've always turned out amazingly. Be very careful not to overcook them; once they become full cake they've lost their magic.

From Gordon Ramsay Makes it Easy.

Caramel Brownies

Ingredients

10 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

10 oz caramels

1/2 cup evaporated milk

Method

In a small pan combine the caramels and evaporated milk. Heat over medium heat and stir until all caramels are melted. In a pan over medium heat, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and mix for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and eggs and combine; stir in the flour and set aside.

Pour half of the batter into a greased pan and bake for 10 minutes at 350F. Remove from oven, pour the caramel mixture over the brownies. Top the caramel mixture with the chocolate chips and spoon the remaining brownie batter over it all. Finish baking for about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool for about 90 minutes before slicing in (This is probably best but I deem it optional).

Adapted from Gaby Dalkin's whatsgabycooking.com recipe "Caramel Brownies."

Blondies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or more if you're me)

Method

Mix the butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg with an electric mixer until fully combined. In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until fully combined. The batter may be a bit stiff but don't worry!

Add the chocolate chips and combine. Evenly distribute the batter into an 8x8 greased baking dish and tap on the counter to make sure all the bubbles are out. Bake at 350F for 20-22 minutes or until you stick a knife in and it comes out clean.

Adapted from Gaby Dalkin at whatsgabycooking.com recipe "Blondie Brownies with Butterscotch and Chocolate Chips."

Scottish Shortbread

Ingredients

10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

For the chocolate (optional):

6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 Tbsp shortening

Method

Mix first four ingredients with an electric mixer. Sift the flour over the mixture and mix in. If the dough is too dry to hold together, add in a few teaspoons of water at a time until it does. Knead until smooth.

Press the dough into an 8x8 pan or mold; pierce with fork in a decorative pattern. Bake at 300F for 45-50 minutes, until just golden around the edges. Let cool before cutting into bars.

For the chocolate:

Melt the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler. Dip the bottoms of the cooled shortbread and place on wax paper. Refrigerate until chocolate has hardened.

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking recipe "Scottish Shortbread."