FLOWER POT KITCHEN: CHOCOLATE MISSIPPI MUD PIE CAKE WITH A RICH GANACHE TOPPED WITH THICK WHIPPED CREAM AND CHOCOLATE

19 Sept 2012

CHOCOLATE MISSIPPI MUD PIE CAKE WITH A RICH GANACHE TOPPED WITH THICK WHIPPED CREAM AND CHOCOLATE

RICH CHOCOLATE PASTRY FILLED WITH A MOIST CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPED OFF WITH THICK WHIPPED CREAM AND CHOCOLATE

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PASTRY
225g plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
140g butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp cold water

Mix the cocoa powder with the flour, rub in the butter, stir in the sugar and the mixture will start to come together as a ball of pastry, if it is a little dry add the water and form in to a ball. wrap in clingfilm and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.

On a slightly dusted surface roll out the pastry and line your tin approx 8". Place some baking paper on top of the pastry and fill with baking beans and blind bake at 190 degrees for 15 minutes, then take out the baking beans and reduce the oven to 160 degrees and cook the pastry for another 5 minutes.

FOR THE GANACHE FILLING
175g butter
350g soft dark brown sugar
4 eggs
4 tbsp cocoa powder
150g 70%+ chocolate
300ml double cream

FOR THE TOPPING
600ml double cream, whipped stiff
50g grated chocolate

Cream the butter and sugar together and then gradually beat in one egg at a time, then add the cocoa powder. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a double boiler, leave to cool for 5 minutes, then add with the cream to the mixture. Pour into the pastry case and place in the oven for 45 minutes until just wobbly set. Leave to cool and then top with the whipped cream and grated chocolate or crushed flakes.

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LIFE MY PASSION

Welcome to my daily life of cooking, one winters day many years ago my family and I were all inspired by a back to back rainy day of River Cottage this got us to stop talking about and start actually doing, suddenly three weeks later eight vegetable beds were dug, greenhouse erected and our first vegetables were propagating, this was the start to raising and growing our own food, our fabulous son Oscar changed our path in life which lead us to sell our small thriving restaurant of 10 yrs and to start our new life (Terrifying!) a life of the self sufficient in touch with nature and seasons, taking a step back and looking forward to a slower change of pace and making the most of every moment.

My passion for cooking was stronger than ever and having time at home with Oscar I found I had a new direction and I was no longer striving for perfection, I was suddenly very passionate for the enjoyment of the other side of food, something I had not realised, being the Chef/Cook and every other duty of your own small restaurant made me see that I never actually took time to cook what I wanted!

So there I was muddy boots and hands digging deep in more than one sense and I found myself transported back in time to where everyone grew some of their own food, it is a wonderful world with a real sense of achievement and loss, Slugs Snails and Caterpillars! But thats another story! Childhood memories of summers when I lived with my grand parents reminded me of so much that I had learnt about the make do and mend generation that I had forgotten.

Now as a family we love our free wild food days where we gather what nature has provided, have gone from being mini mini garden urban small holders, who did raised pigs at home because we could not wait to find land and supporting ourselves from our garden to now owning a very small farm that allows us to grow more vegetables for the whole of our family and neighbours, raise our own gorgeous Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, (Sausages!) and pets! Dorset Down sheep, chickens for eggs and pet goats! Suddenly having large quantities of produce started to wake up the Cook in me!

The Cook was awake that part of me that wants to cook for the masses and I found myself setting up Flowerpot Kitchen, a Farmers Market Stall, I wanted to use our honest raised meats and make old fashioned pork pies, rabbit pies and game pies from the local game keeper along with old fashioned techniques and the best hot water crust pastry. This in turn grew to a small cottage industry from home weekly supplying three farm shops and a deli along with also attending three farmers markets A few years later there came a time when my son Oscar's health changed and it was an easy decision to stop.

I still hold the occasional pop up 40 seater restaurant or gourmet lunch which we do for local charities for the love of sharing food and to remind that Cook in me why I love our go slower self sufficient life!

So here I am sitting amoung the vegetables watching the chickens loving that every season nature teaches me something new and that nature is in charge! She has taught me to just go with it and grow. Give it a try from a tray of salad on your windowsill to a few tomato plants it all counts.