Chocolate Raspberry And Vanilla Cake

Chocolate sponge
170 g slightly salted butter
120 g icing sugar
7 egg yolks
7 egg whites
120 g unrefined castor sugar
170 g dark chocolate (El Ray, Mijano 61%)
150 g Golden Jewel flour

Vanilla cream
125 g plain Greek yogurt
50 g icing sugar
3 sheets of bronze gelatine
125 ml double cream, lightly whipped
Lemon, to taste
1/2 scraped vanilla pod
Fresh raspberries

Chocolate sponge
Cream together the softened butter and icing sugar. Mix in the egg yolks one at a time. Meanwhile, beat together the egg whites and granulated sugar to soft peaks. Mix the lukewarm chocolate and flour into the butter mixture. Gently fold in the egg whites. Spread the batter thinly in a baking sheet and bake in a 180° C (350° F) oven (160° C / 325° F convection oven) for about 15 minutes.
Vanilla cream
In a bowl, combine the yogurt, icing sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Soak the gelatine in cold water; squeeze out well and dissolve in 50 ml (3 tbsp.) hot cream; stir into the yogurt mixture (1). Finally, whip the remaining cream and gently fold into the mixture. Cut the cake into 5 x 10 cm (2 x 4") pieces. Using a piping bag, pipe a line of vanilla cream onto each rectangle (see photo). Place a row of raspberries on the side. Decorate with Florentine biscuits and soft raspberry jellies.

The picture above is of a dessert called "The Charter" traced by Jane Grigson (1984) to a Norwich recipe from the 1820's. An aromatic baked custard with brandy macerated apricots and a short bread style biscuit.


The Charter Baked Custard

9 large free-range egg yolks
75g caster sugar
250ml whipping cream
250ml double cream
½ freshly grated nutmeg
Zest of 1 lemon

Heat zest & double cream to 60 C & infuse for 1 hour then whisk in all the other ingredients together & leave to stand at ambient temp for 1 hour. Pass through damp muslin into evenly buttered dariole moulds.

Bake at 130 C fan assisted/ gas mark ½ to 1 depending on oven, in a bain marie for about 15-20 mins until the custard appears set but not too firm. It is a good idea to bring the bain marie to a light simmer whilst containing the filled dariole moulds before placing in the oven, this kind of seals the custard and makes for easier removal later.

Serve at ambient temperature with short bread biscuit and warm brandied apricots. I made some candied rose petals and roughly ground them as a garnish for this dish.


Guerrilla Chef

Gateau Breton Aux Pommes Et Parfait La Vanille

450g Cox's orange pippin braeburn or Egremont apples, peeled, cored and chopped
30g butter
1 1/2 tbsp soaked Australian golden sultanas
20 ml Calvados or eau de vie
200g caster sugar
6 medium or 4 large egg yolks
200g butter, softened
200g sifted flour
butter for greasing tin
for the glaze whisk 1 egg with 25g melted butter


Melt the butter in a saucepan then stir in the prepared apples, sultanas & Calvados. Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft. Meanwhile, pour the sugar into a large bowl, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until the mixture is smooth 7 forms ribbons.Work in the butter & Calvados, then fold in the flour a little at a time until well mixed. Butter a deep, round loose-bottomed 20 cm cake tin. Pour in half the cake mixture, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Cover with the softened apples. Top with the rest of the cake mixture & smooth with spatula. Combine the glaze mix & brush lightly over the cake. Bake for about 45 mins in a reheated oven, until cooked through & golden.

Allow to cool slightly, remove from the tin & serve warm.


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Vanilla Parfait

50g vanilla sugar
2 egg yolks
2 scraped vanilla pods
150ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks

Whisk the vanilla sugar and egg yolks to a ribbon over a bain-marie. Add two scraped vanilla pods. Allow to cool and fold in whipped cream. Pour into mould and Freeze.


Guerrilla Chef

Farl (Irish Soda Bread)


350g Wholemeal Flour
350g Plain White Flour
500ml Buttermilk or whole milk
200g Mashed potato
75g Lightly toasted large rolled oats
1 tsp Caraway seeds
100g Of raisins soaked overnight in white grape or apple juice
50g Lard
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt

Mix the flours baking powder and salt together rub in the lard until well incorporated. Pour in the buttermilk, toasted oats, raisins, caraway and mash, work lightly with hands into a dough. Gently shape into a ball and place on a warmed greased baking tray, flatten into a disk 2.5 - 3cm (1 - 1¼ inch) thick. Cut the disk into quarters and pull then apart so that there is 5 - 15cm (¼ - ½ inch) between them, dust lightly with wholemeal flour. Bake immediately for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 230°C: 450°F: Gas 8.


Guerrilla Chef

Congelado Dulce De Boniato
(Sweet potato ice cream)

450g sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons Pedro Ximénez
4 egg yolks
425ml double cream
110g Demerara sugar

Bake sweet potatoes in the oven until totally soft.
Make a crème anglaise with the rest of the ingredients.
Scrape out the potato flesh & blend with the custard to form a smooth paste.
Freeze & FRIX-AIR or PACO JET to order or churn in gelato before service.

Serve with Tarta De Santiago or generally something with toasted almonds.

If you can get them, try Okinawan (uala) potatoes from Hawaii. The results will be a radiant lavender flower colour.


Guerrilla Chef