Chocolate:
some like it hot

Chocolate Sauce 1
This great pouring sauce is ideal with poached pears, cake or meringues.

Serves 4

300ml whipping cream
250g plain chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tbsp espresso coffee, brandy or orange liqueur, or water, depending on the flavour you want

Bring the cream to the boil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Put the chocolate pieces into the container of a blender or a food processor. Pour in the cream and blitz till melted. Add the liquid and pour into a jug.

Chocolate Sauce 2
This chocolate sauce is pretty luscious, particularly in a layered ice cream sundae. It doesn’t begin to harden the moment you take it off the stove.

Serves 4

175g good plain chocolate, broken into pieces, or chocolate buttons
50g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
200ml milk

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water with the butter. Then add the sugar and syrup, stirring until dissolved. Pour in the milk and stir gently until the mixture thickens.

Chocolate Sauce 3
For the fastest chocolate sauce, with a surprise bite of nougat and nuts, slowly melt, without stirring more than the minimum, 200g Toblerone triangles in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering hot water. When soft, stir in 30g butter till melted, followed by 100ml whipping cream. Use at once. Serves 4.

Hot Chocolate
The best possible hot chocolate drink – for cold nights by a roaring fire or tucked up under a duvet with a good novel – is made with real chocolate.

Serves 4

600ml milk
100g plain or bitter chocolate
sugar, to taste
¼ pint whipping cream (optional)
chocolate shavings (optional)

1. Bring the milk to simmering point with the chocolate in a heavy-bottomed pan, stirring all the while with a wooden spoon or whisk, for not less than 3 minutes. Add sugar to taste.

2. Pour into mugs and spoon lightly whipped cream on top, then grate over a few curls of chocolate.

Black and White Chocolate
Pudding Cake
This is a miraculous confection that divides during the cooking process into a gummy sponge topping with a gooey rich chocolate sauce beneath. It is quick and easy to make and contains no eggs.

Serves 4

butter, for greasing
115g unsifted plain flour
300g granulated sugar
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp instant espresso (or strong) coffee granules
¼ tsp salt
115ml milk
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g white chocolate, coarsely chopped (optional)

1. Grease a 20.5cm square x 5cm deep baking pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Position rack in the centre of the oven.
3. Place the flour, half the sugar, 4 tbsp cocoa, the baking powder, cinnamon, espresso coffee and salt in a mixing bowl and blend well.
4. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and chopped white chocolate and beat well with a wooden spoon.
5. Spoon the mixture into the pan.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 150g sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa powder then spread evenly over the top of the mixture.
7. Pour 225ml boiling water over the cake. Do not stir.
8. Bake for 35 minutes or until the top looks crisp and a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm straight from the pan, with cream or crème fraîche.