Culinary Conundrums? Ask Our Chef

Raisingkids' chef Heather Robinson has been cooking up a storm since she was just 11 years old and became a chef in her parents' hotel when she was 17. She has also worked for Graham White (brother of Marco Pierre White). To ask her a question click the link at the bottom of the page.

How can we use up all our Easter eggs? Easter is over and our house is full to the brim with chocolate Easter eggs. It'll take us a year to eat all we have. What I want to know is can we use the chocolate eggs for cooking?

Our chef's answer:
I've got two great recipe ideas for you - both of which will use up some of your chocolate mountain!

Chocolate Pots (serves 4)

4 ramekin dishes
2oz butter
200g easter egg chocolate
2 egg yolks
2tbsp rum
2tbsp icing sugar

Melt the chocolate over a pan of boiling water (carefully). Add all the other ingredients and whisk gently. Finally, add the egg yolks once the chocolate has cooled. Whisk again, divide into the pots and set in the fridge. (NB: contains raw eggs)

Chocolate Fudge Cake

4oz self-raising flour
2oz cocoa powder
4oz caster sugar or light demerara
2-3oz butter or margarine
1 tbsp mayonnaise (don't worry, you cannot taste it, it just ensures a soft sponge. It's a trade secret!)
3 medium eggs
50g easter egg chocolate

Soften the fat, and use a wooden spoon to beat it and the mayonnaise in with the sugar. Add the eggs one by one, with a handful of the flour (sifted) and cocoa powder (sifted) until a smooth consistency is reached. Melt the chocolate and add when it has cooled slightly. The consistency should be smooth, but thick enough so as to not fall from the spoon. Divide this mixture between two greased or lined cake tins and cook at about 140-160°C (medium heat) for up to 40 minutes. It is ready when a skewer put through the centre comes out clean and the surface is springy. Leave to cool.

Fudge Icing

200g easter egg chocolate (preferably a mix of dark and milk)
4oz icing sugar
2oz butter

Simply melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan or over a pan of boiling water. You may need to add a few tbsp of water to thin a little when adding the icing sugar (sifted).

To finish, once cooled, sandwich the two cakes with the mixture, then coat the top with the icing.

Tip: For a lighter sponge, omit the butter and add an extra egg white. The butter simply seals in the richness to get a 'fudge brownie' type taste).

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