Chocolate Icing and Filling

You can fill and ice almost any cake with chocolate – and why not? From a glossy glaze to a spreadable buttercream, every type of icing can be adapted to include chocolate. Chocoholics will love our icing and filling recipes... (All recipes make enough to fill and ice a standard 9" two-layer cake.)

Chocolate Ganache

Ganache is suitable for biscuits, pastries and cakes. It’s made with butter and cream, so it’s a sweet icing that isn’t too cocoa-heavy.

You need:

• 280g good-quality chocolate (dark, milk or white all work)
• 140ml double cream
• 40g butter, softened

In a saucepan, bring the cream gently to boiling point. Break up the chocolate and put it into a clean mixing bowl, then pour over the hot cream, stirring lightly to combine. Now start adding the butter, a little at a time, until it’s all incorporated. Don’t beat the icing too much. Set aside to thicken slightly before spreading onto your cake or biscuits.

Chocolate Mousseline

‘Mousseline’ refers to anything that has been lightened with egg whites. It’s a good treatment for a classic chocolate buttercream, because the egg whites give the icing a light, silky mouthfeel. This is a very indulgent choice for keen cake-bakers!

You will need:

• 350g dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids)
• 5 large egg whites
• 325g caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 600g butter, at room temperature, and beaten until creamy
• 3tsp real vanilla extract

Put a saucepan of water on the hob and bring it to simmering point. Break the chocolate into a clean bowl, and rest the bowl on top of the pan until the chocolate has melted. Stir once and set the chocolate aside. In a clean bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set the bowl over the saucepan and leave it there, whisking occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are warm to the touch.

At this point, take the bowl off the heat and use an electric whisk to beat the egg whites for 5 minutes, until they cool and thicken. When the mixture forms stiff peaks (and the bowl can be turned upside-down without drips), add the butter piece by piece, whisking to incorporate it. Finally stir in the chocolate and vanilla, and cool slightly before using the mousseline to fill and ice your cake.

Glossy, Boozy Chocolate Glaze

For grown-ups, a boozy glaze is a delicious way to finish a special cake. It’s very easy to make and use.

You will need:

• 120g dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids)
• 100g unsalted butter (or cream, for a sweeter result)
• 30ml of rum, coffee liqueur, Baileys or whisky

Break the chocolate and cut up the butter into a clean, heatproof bowl. Put a pan of water on the hob and bring to a gentle simmer, then rest the bowl on top, ensuring the sides are high enough to keep water out of the glaze.

Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted, then stir in the spirit of your choice. Cool for five minutes to thicken before pouring the glaze over your cake or biscuits.

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