Warm Dark Chocolate Sauce with Raspberries Varm Chokladsås med Hallon

I don't know about you, but in our family, comfy pants date night is a thing. There's that magical moment when we've finally gotten the kids to bed, and we look at each other, take a deep breath, and relax for the first time all day. Then we put on comfy pants and have some fika.

Some nights I like to class things up a little and make something special, but still quick and easy. This warm chocolate sauce by Roy Fares, one of my favorite Swedish bakers, is perfect. Made with pureed raspberries and melted dark chocolate, it reminds me of my favorite fudge, but poured hot over fresh raspberries and mini marshmallows.

The best part? It's ready in 15 minutes.

This chocolate sauce would also make a great panna cotta, with one additional step. Just add two gelatin sheets (or a tablespoon of powdered gelatin) while it's still warm, and pour into small serving glasses. Let it set in the fridge for at least two hours before you dig in.

Fancy enough to serve to dinner guests, but easy enough to make before your favorite tv show comes on. It doesn't get better than that!

Ibland måste man få mysa till det litet extra på kvällen med den man älskar. Den här varma chokladsåsen är gjord på hallonpuré och mörk choklad och är härligt fyllig och len i smaken. Den serveras i portionsglas över färska hallon och minimarshmallows, enkelt men vackert! Ett tips är att göra pannacotta av chokladsåsen. Tillsätt ett gelantinblad i såsen och häll sedan upp i glas som får stå ett par timmar i kylen. Garnera med färska hallon.



Warm Chocolate Sauce with Raspberries
by Roy Fares
6 portions

400 g raspberries (fresh or frozen)
150 g dark chocolate, 70%
250 g heavy cream
200 g milk, 3%
80 g sugar

For garnishing:
fresh raspberries
mini marshmallows
lemon balm or fresh mint


Directions:

1. Put the raspberries in a blender and puree. Pour the puree through a strainer to get rid of the seeds. 
2. Chop the chocolate into smaller pieces and put aside in a bowl. In a saucepan, combine the raspberry puree, cream, milk and sugar, and let come to a boil. Pour the mixture over the chocolate and let melt. Use a hand mixer to create a smooth chocolate sauce.
3. Put some fresh raspberries, marshmallows and lemon balm (or mint) in glasses or small bowls for each serving. Pour the warm chocolate sauce into a carafe or other glass and serve.

French Macarons with Chocolate and Raspberries Franska Macarons med Choklad och Hallon

In my book, weekends call for something extra. Especially weekends that bring you sunshine and a high of 77 F (25°C)! These chocolate filled French Macarons made a perfect celebratory ending to a busy week. 

I've only made French macarons a couple of times before, but this time I tried a different recipe. I have to say, I love this one! The macarons have such a lovely texture with a crunchy, thin shell and soft inside. My little boys love munching on them just plain, without any filling. (Me too!)

The only thing I would change when making them next time, would be to use caster sugar instead of the regular kind. It has a much finer grind, and will make your macarons looking more smooth. If you need other tips on how to make macarons, please check out this post I made a while back.

The great thing about macarons, is that you can make them any size you want. Imagine a beautiful and light summer macaron cake with vanilla whipped cream and fresh berries. I can't wait to try it!

Can we agree that every weekend should start like this?

Vilket bättre sätt att fira början på en helg som väntas bjuda på solsken och svensk sommarvärme, än att avnjuta dessa franska macarons med choklad och hallon? Det här receptet ger fantastiska macarons med en tunn, krispig yta och en mjuk mitten. Om du aldrig har bakat dessa bakverk tidigare, läs gärna min bloggpost om hur man lyckas med macarons. Du hittar den här.

French Macarons

by Roy Fares

45 g caster sugar

100 g powdered sugar

135 g almond flour

135 g powdered sugar

100 g egg whites

(a few drops food coloring optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 295 degrees.
2. Draw circles (the size you want your macarons to be) on a parchment paper and put on a baking sheet. (I used a glass as a measurement for my circles.)
3. Mix caster sugar and 100 g powdered sugar in one bowl, and the almond flour and 135 g powdered sugar in a different bowl.
4. Whip the egg whites until it makes a stiff foam. Add the sugar mix and whip until it forms stiff meringue peaks. Add the food coloring and continue to mix until fully incorporated.
5. Gently fold in the almond flour mix and stir until thick and shiny, making circular movements with a spatula along the edges of the bowl.
6. Pour the mixture into a piping bag, and pipe inside the circles on the parchment paper.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.

Mini Double Chocolate Raspberry Cakes Minichokladtårtor med hallon

There's been this recipe by the Swedish master baker, Roy Fares, that I have been eyeing for the longest time. A chocolate cake with a hint of coffee, a to-die-for dark chocolate crémeux with raspberry puree, and a silky smooth milk chocolate meringue buttercream. 

Oh, and a chocolate glaze dripping down the sides. When it comes to cakes, there's no such thing as too much chocolate.

We had two good friends over for some late night fika this weekend. One of them, Charles, had just celebrated his birthday, and our friend Paul is moving back home to Los Angeles for a new job opportunity. This seemed like the perfect time to try out the recipe. Usually I would make one big cake, but I thought it would be fun to do something different and more personal.  (Besides, having a half leftover cake in the fridge when you're a stay at home mom is not the best idea...)

I'll be honest, mini cakes can be pretty time consuming, but they make for a beautiful presentation. Besides, doesn't it feel more special to get your own little cake?

Also, can we stop for a minute and talk about the chocolate crémeux? I'd never heard the term before, but learned that it means 'creamy' in French. I would describe it as a silky, smooth, and rich chocolate filling. It has a dark chocolate taste, almost bitter, but a sweet raspberry finish. I'm in love.

Big cake, little cake, doesn't matter. You'll love it!

Vi hade våra vänner Charles och Paul över på en fika i helgen för att fira en födelsedag och ett nytt jobb. Jag har länge velat baka Roy Fares berömda Double Chocolate Raspberrytårta, så det blev ett perfekt tillfälle! Istället för att baka en stor tårta, gjorde jag miniversioner som blev väldigt uppskattade. En fantastiskt god tårta som kommer att bakas igen. Receptet hittar du här nedan - du kommer att älska den!

Double Chocolate Raspberry Cake

by Roy Fares

Dark Chocolate Cremeux 

200g dark chocolate 64%

45g sugar (1/2 dl)

60g egg yolks (4st)

175g heavy cream (1 3/4 dl)

150g raspberry puree(1 1/2 dl)

(35g Cognac (2 msk) if you like)

1. Chop the chocolate and put in a bowl. 
2. Mix the egg yolks with sugar in a separate bowl. 
3. In a saucepan, boil the heavy cream and raspberry puree. Add it to the egg yolk mixture and stir. 
4. Pour it back into the saucepan, and on low heat, stir until the mixture thickens. Pour over the chocolate. (If using cognac, add to the chocolate mixture.)
5. Let stand for a few minutes and stir until a smooth creme.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Cake

330g flour (5 ½ dl)

510g sugar (6 dl)

120g cacao (3 dl)

15g baking soda (1 msk)

7g baking powder (1 ½ tsk)

10g salt (1 ½ tsk)

10g vanilla sugar (1 msk)

165g eggs, room temp (3)

350g milk, room temp (3 ½ dl)

180g vegetable oil (2 dl)

350g hot coffee(3 ½ dl)

1. Preheat oven to 310 degrees. Butter and flour four 8" cake pans, and cover the bottoms with parchment paper. 
2. Sift together all dry ingredients into a bowl. 
3. In a seperate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and oil. 
4. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and blend until a thick and smooth batter. Add the coffee and mix well. 
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans (about 410 grams in each) and bake on the center oven rack for about 40 minutes.
6. Check with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean and the cake is ready.
7. Let the pans cool.
8. If you can'r fit all of the pands in the oven at the same time, it is fine to let it sit until the first batch is done.
9. Let cool completely and remove from the pans. 

Milk chocolate meringue buttercream 

300g milk chocolate

450g unsalted butter, room temp 

10g vanilla sugar (1 msk)

150g egg whites (4–5)

220g sugar (2 ½ dl)

1 pinch salt

1. Chop the chocolate, and in a bowl, melt over a water bath. 
2. Set aside and let cool to room temp. 
3. Put egg whites, sugar and salt in a bowl, and heat over a water bath until the sugar crystals have melted. Whisk every now and then. Lägg äggvitor, socker och salt i en skål. 
4. Remove from heat, and with a whisk or kitchen aid, beat the meringue until it has cooled and stiff peaks form.
5. Add the butter while whisking, a little at a time, and then add the chocolate.

Chocolate Glaze

100 g unsalted butter

50 g water (1/2dl)

140 g dark choclate

1. Melt the butter and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the chocolate, and stir until the choclate is completely melted. 
3. Take off heat, set aside and let cool.