CHOCOLATE AND SAGE CAKES
CHOCOLATE AND SAGE CAKES
Recipe
If you're familiar with my recipes, you'll know I love incorporating herbs into my desserts, but creating this recipe is the first time I've really played with sage. Paired with rich dark chocolate, it's an unusual matrimony, but one I'm really fond of. I hope you are too.
MAKES 15 CUPCAKES
FOR THE CAKES
150g butter
150g 70 percent dark chocolate buttons
150g soft brown sugar
3 organic eggs
100g ground almonds
100g Dutch process cocoa powder
Pinch sea salt
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup whole milk
10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
FOR THE TOPPING
200ml crème fraîche
15 fresh sage leaves
- Preheat the oven to 180C fan bake. Place 12 cupcake papers in the holes of a cupcake tray.
- Gently melt the chocolate and butter together in a small pot. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Pour the cool chocolate butter mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer, and combine with the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the ground almonds, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Mix until just combined. Continue to add the milk. Stop your mixer when all the ingredients are combined, do not over mix. Finally, fold through the finely chopped sage leaves by hand.
- Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake holes.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, spoon the crème fraîche into a piping bag (or a plastic re-sealable bag and cut the tip/corner off). When the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe a little dollop of creme fraiche onto each one. Finish by placing a sage leaf on top. Serve at room temperature.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.