Big Fair Bake

Madz is off school ill today.  Nothing too serious, but enough to make her tearful and miserable.  So I took the excuse I've been waiting for to get my cooking helper into the kitchen to make Chocolate Cake!.  Afterall, when you're feeling low, nothing is better than cake, especially when it's chocolate.  As if I needed another incentive, there is this rather great challenge on Tots 100 and Foodie 100 to bake using fair trade ingredients.  I always try to use Fair Trade when I can so here is our favourite chocolate cake receipe as my attempt at their competition.

Ingredients:
225g plain FAIRTRADE  chocolate
175g unsalted butter (softened)
225g caster sugar  - FAIRTRADE
4tbsp plain flour
6 eggs separated
for the topping
225g plain fairtrade chocolate - I use the spices and orange oil co-op chocolate for this just to add that touch of something special.
225g double cream

pre-heat oven to 180 c/ gas mark 4

melt the chocolate (microwave or good old pyrex over a saucepan of boiling water)
mix in the butter and stir until melted
lightly beat the egg yolks and add these together with the flour and sugar to your chocolate mixture
whisk the egg whites until stiff and gently fold them into the mixture slowly
cook for 35 minutes.

If you insert a skewer and cake feels a bit moist inside still don't worry.  This is one of those cakes that firms up as it cools.

When you are ready to top, mix the chocolate and cream together. Using a pyrex bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, until the cream and chocolate are all mixed.  Allow it to cool slightly before spreading generously over the cake. 
Pop in the fridge to finish cooling off and then enjoy.

If you manage to have any of this left on day two, then 30 seconds in the microwave, gives you a second go at a really moist hot chocolate sponge... delicious with custard or cream.

As you can see the baking did the trick, no tears anymore just smiles..

 

If you want to find out more about fair trade then all the information you need is here . If you want to find  Tots 100 and Foodies 100 then click on their  names..  It's always inspiring to read their sites for new ideas and information.