white chocolate Archives

Easy White Chocolate Cake

24|02|2023

I think everyone should have a recipe for an Easy White Chocolate cake in their arsenal. When looking for a good white chocolate cake, I often come across mud cakes that are delicious but too rich and dense. For a long time I’ve been experimenting to come up with a cake where the white chocolate shines through but the cake is also light and not cloyingly sweet. I guess, I found the one!

The best part about this Easy White Chocolate Cake is that it comes together in one bowl. No melting the chocolate in a separate saucepan and no elaborate techniques. Just simple mix and bake.

To complement the beautiful taste of white chocolate, I’ve used a vanilla cream cheese frosting that is equally simple to make. If you are familiar with cream cheese frosting, you know how creamy and lovely it is. If you haven’t tried it yet, please go for it. It will become your go to frosting in the future.

The little chocolate decorations are there to enhance the colour and add another layer of white chocolate for the white chocolate lovers. You can get the silicone mold here.

If you love white chocolate, check out this White Chocolate and Strawberry tart
For tartlets are your thing try this Chocolate and Rhubarb tart

Easy White Chocolate Cake
Makes a 7 inch round cake

2/3 cup (150 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (150 g) castor/granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
11/4 cup (156 g) self-rising flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
3.5 oz (100 g) white chocolate bar, finely chopped

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz (113 g) cream cheese (not low-fat), room temperature
¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cup (150 g) icing/powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
purple gel food colour (optional)

White Chocolate Decorations

3.5 oz (100 g) white chocolate, finely chopped + pink gel food colour
OR
Pink chocolate melts

Make the White chocolate cake : Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the base and sides of a 7-inch (18-cm) round pan with 3-inch (8-cm) height and line the base with baking paper.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar mixture until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.

Fold in the flour alternating with the milk and mix until well combined. Fold in the white chocolate.

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven. Leave it aside for 10 minutes, then gently run a blunt knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Carefully turn it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the cream cheese frosting : In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth, about 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that the mixture is evenly mixed. Beat in the icing/powdered sugar, a little at a time until well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and food colour, if using. Mix until combined and frosting is smooth.

Make the white chocolate decorations : Place the white chocolate pieces in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at low power for 20 seconds, remove and stir. Return to the microwave and repeat the process until all the chocolate has melted and has turned into a smooth liquid. Alternately, the chocolate can be melted by placing it in a heat proof bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the gel food colour and mix.

Spoon the chocolate carefully into chocolate bar shaped silicone mold that is placed on a small baking tray or plate for ease of movement into the fridge. Place the mold in the fridge to set, about 15 minutes. Gently unmould and store in an air tight container in the fridge until needed.

Assemble : Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, pipe cream cheese frosting swirls using a piping bag fitted with an open star tip. You could also spread the frosting with a spatula if you don’t want to pipe. Decorate with mini white chocolate bars. Slice and enjoy!

Matcha and White Chocolate tart

11|02|2018

If you are a lover of Matcha green tea, I have the perfect dessert for you. If you’re not or perhaps unfamilar with it, that is about to change! My husband loves drinking green tea but I have never shared the same love for this healthy superfood with amazing health benefits. However, what I immensely love are the desserts infused with matcha tea powder. Not only do they look fabulous in that stunning shade of green but they taste pretty unique as well. I cannot think of a better pairing than white chocolate because they just complement each other in the most delicious way.

I’ve used matcha tea powder in the tart shell as well in the filling. In fact, though the tart dough took on the beautiful green colour quite easily, I was a little bit skeptical if the tart shell would remain green upon baking or turn into a golden brown rendition of the same. I was pleasantly surprised that the colour intensified in both the shell and the filling. My favourite part were the cross section of the slices.

With Valentine’s day around the corner, I had to dress up the tart of course. Initially I thought of using candied rose petals but I’ve done that last year so I went with sugar roses this time. I love going to High teas which are quite popular in Australia and somehow this tart reminds me of a High tea treat for girls. I’m very tempted to try out smaller tartlet versions of this for my next get-together with girlfriends:-)

A few days ago I asked my followers on Instagram what kind of desserts would they love for Valentin’s day. Rich chocolate ones or pretty pink ones? I got a few responses stating pink chocolate desserts. Now there can be many possibilities like a Neapolitan dessert, a raspberry/pomegranate infused chocolate dessert or a pink colored white chocolate treat. You know which one I chose for this tart but if you had a preference, which one would it be?

Matcha and White Chocolate Tart
Makes a round 8 inch tart serving 6-8

For the pastry
1 cup 150 g plain flour
1 tbsp Matcha (green tea ) powder
1/4 cup, icing sugar mixture
100 g chilled butter, roughly chopped
1 egg yolk

For the filling
1 tbsp matcha powder
3 eggs
150 ml single cream/pouring cream
1/4 cup castor sugar

For the pink Ganache
150 ml heavy cream
250 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
1 drop pink food coloring

To make the pastry, process the flour, Matcha, icing sugar and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and process until mixture just comes together. Gently knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Shape into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.

Place tart pan onto a large baking tray/sheet (makes it easier to move the pan in and out of the fridge.). Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 3 mm-thick disc. Line a 19 cm fluted tart pan with a removable base with the pastry. Alternatively, press the dough with your fingers around the base and sides of the tart pan covering it entirely. Trim edges. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (180 degrees C fan-forced). Place the tart pan on an baking tray. Line with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or dried rice or beans. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is light golden. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 150 degrees C.

Meanwhile, make the filling . Take two tablespoons of the cream in a small bowl and add the matcha powder. Whisk together till well blended. Whisk the eggs, remaining cream, sugar, and matcha paste together in a large bowl. Strain through a fine sieve directly onto the tart shell. If you’re not comfortable doing this, strain first into a jug and then pour onto the baked tart shell.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until custard is almost set. Remove from oven. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool to room temperature. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Once set completely, pour over pink white chocolate ganache (recipe below). Place again in the fridge to set (about an hour). Decorate with sugar roses/edible flowers/grated white chocolate/sprinkles or anything you like. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

To make the white chocolate ganache, bring cream to the boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in the white chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Add food colouring and blend well. Allow to cool. Pour cooled white chocolate ganache over cooked tart base.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Jelly

23|12|2017

I thought I wouldn’t be able to get a post out of me before the start of the next year, but it’s Christmas and if this is not the time to indulge then there never will be one. In Australia, Christmas is synonymous with summer. So instead of spices, pies and puddings, it’s more about light, cold, make ahead desserts. I’m a big fan of Panna Cotta at this time because they are not only super easy and portioned for guests in any kind of fancy glass you can find but they’re very versatile and can be flavoured in a variety of ways.

Instead of pairing with fresh fruits, like I would normally do, I made a quick cranberry jelly using cranberry juice and topped them with Ferrero Rocher Chocolates. The tart cranberry jelly is just perfect with the white chocolate in the Panna Cotta. And because it’s Christmas, it doesn’t hurt to dress things up a little bit some bright red ribbons that look amazing around the serving glasses. Overall it’s an absolutely delightful treat to enjoy with friends and family.

Merry Christmas to you and your family. In case you’re not on Instagram, I’ve moved houses last week and am beyond excited to celebrate Christmas in my new home that we’ve build with a lot of love and patience for the last couple of years. Finally a space to call my own!

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Jelly
Serves 3

For the cranberry jelly
3/4 cup cranberry juice (store bought)
1/2 tsp powdered gelatine

For the White Chocolate Panna Cotta
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp milk
300 ml thickened cream
100 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tbsp castor sugar (or more if you like it sweeter)
11/2 tsp powdered gelatine
Ferrero Rocher chocolates, shaved dark chocolate or fresh berries, to serve

To make the jelly layer, place the juice and gelatine in a small saucepan. Leave aside for 5 mins for the gelatine to bloom. Warm gently on low heat till gelatine completely dissolves (do not boil). Keep stirring to check (approx 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and divide uniformly between serving glasses. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until set.

To make the Panna Cotta layer, place the 1/2 cup milk, cream, chocolate and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and cook till chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth (Do not boil.) Remove from heat.Place the 2 tbsp milk and gelatine together in a a small bowl and allow the gelatine to bloom (about 1-2 mins). Pour this gelatine mixture into the saucepan with the milk-cream mixture and mix till blended.

Cool to room temperature and pour on top of the jelly layer. Place in the refrigerator to set (about 4-5 hours). Serve with chocolates or fresh berries.

White Chocolate and Strawberry Tart

20|06|2017

Delicious White chocolate and Strawberry tart with a cookie crust and an orange infused white chocolate ganache filling. No baking and easy to put together.

Posting after a while now. How has everyone been? I had a lot going on these past few weeks, the first being a house move which I was totally unprepared for. We were renting this place for almost 3 years now when the owner just sold the property. The new owners wanted to move in quickly and we were asked to vacate. With a huge number of commitments and client work already scheduled for the beginning of June, I had no choice but to book the closest available house and move my entire setup into a new place. Since, I could only afford to take the weekend off from work, I figured out that there was no way I could bubble wrap all my stuff, box them and unwrap them later. So I made close to 30 trips back and forth loaded with props, backgrounds and a hundred other things so I could place them in shelves (in the new place) just the way they were before. By Monday, I couldn’t move. And then realizing the greatest fear of all, food photographers would relate to. Light!!! The angle and direction of light was entirely different and I spent a few frustrated days trying to figure out the best solution.Finally, things have settled down…well, sort of, and life is getting back to normal again.

In the middle of all this chaos, the oven in the new house gave me a bit of trouble as well so I just gave up temporarily and started creating no-bake recipes. Always think positive, right? When it comes to desserts, there are enough options, thankfully. Yay! This White Chocolate Tart has a cookie crust made with digestive cookies. I’ve experimented with a number of cookies before and digestive cookies were on my mind for some time, just to find out if they would be a lighter version of the rest. Oreos are generally the best bet when it comes to a no bake cookie crust but I didn’t want a chocolate crust for this tart. The filling is white chocolate ganache infused with freshly grated orange zest that balances out all the sweetness. The idea initially was to create an orange tart until I discovered on that day that our winter strawberries had hit the markets. We are so lucky to have two strawberry seasons in Australia. Look how big, juicy and red they are! The White Chocolate and Strawberry tart comes together quickly and needs no special skills to make. If you’ve always hesitated to make a tart the traditional way, give this a go for sure. There is hardly a thing that could go wrong here. Play around with seasonal fruits that are available near you or simply decorate with grated white or dark chocolate.

White Chocolate and Strawberry Tart
Makes a 14 x 5 inch rectangular tart or a 9 inch round tart.

250 g pack of digestive cookies
100 g unsalted butter, melted
250 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
130 ml heavy/thickened cream
40 g unsalted butter, roughly chopped
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
Fresh strawberries to top

Process cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add the melted butter and mix till well blended.

Press the cookie mixture into the bottom and edges of a rectangular tart pan (14 inch x 5 inch) with a removable base. Use the back of a spoon (and your fingers where necessary) to evenly spread out into a neat tart crust. Place the tart pan onto a plate (this makes it easier to move the tart in and out of the fridge.). Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until crust is firm.

While the crust is in the fridge, heat the cream in a medium saucepan over low heat until it just comes to a a boil (do not boil). Remove from heat and add the chopped white chocolate. Leave aside for 5-10 minutes until chocolate melts. Add the butter and the orange zest. Mix.

Cool the white chocolate mixture slightly and pour onto the prepared crust. Refrigerate until set (about 2 hours). Serve with fresh strawberries and fresh basil leaves.