Death by Chocolate Platter, Featuring “Spiced” Death by Chocolate Brownies By Chef Mel, aka “The Happy Chef”, author of Culinary Quickies Cookbook
Whether it’s a big family Easter celebration this year, a small one with friends or just you and a loved one, the holiday would not be complete without an indulgent and memorable chocolate treat. Or two. Or three….
South African born Chef Mel, popularly known as “The Happy Chef” given her passion and infectious upbeat attitude in the kitchen – and everyone else – has got you covered! Her Death by Chocolate Platter with Spiced Brownies is a decadent dessert that will have you jumping for joy and hopping for more!
She shares this recipe from her award-winning cookbook, Culinary Quickies
INGREDIENTS
- 250 g unsalted butter
- 200g dark chocolate
- 4 large eggs
- 360g castor sugar
- 65g plain flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- 5g Ras el Hanout or vanilla paste
- 80g cocoa powder
- 100g chocolate chips/roasted nuts
METHOD
Melt butter and dark chocolate together. You will need to break the chocolate into pieces of course to help it melt easier. Once melted stir through until smooth and allow to cool slightly. Beat eggs and castor sugar together until pale and fluffy. Sift plain flour, baking powder, Ras el Hanout and cocoa powder together. Mix all of these together to make a smooth batter and also add chocolate chips or roasted nuts of your choice. Spoon into a greased baking sheet and then bake in a moderate oven of 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until fi rm on the outside but still very gooey on the inside…do not be tempted to overcook these, they are best when extremely gooey!
HOW TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TILES
Melt 200g chocolate buttons in a microwave bowl for 1 minute. Stir still smooth with a spatula. Grease a baking tray, some greaseproof paper, or a silicone mat. Pour the chocolate onto the prepared surface and ‘paint’ out to a standard letter size sheet of paper (A4 or 8 ½” x 11”) using your spatula or spoon. Keep it nice and even and neat and then grate pistachios or bling on top before it sets. Allow to set in fridge or freezer and then cut into chocolate tiles. They are now ready to be place on the brownie which has been topped with a sexy scoop of ice cream! You’ll be sure to get a round of applause from this creation!
Chef Mel first made a name for herself in Australia with her popular Vanilla Zulu Culinary Adventures cooking school — which teaches students how to make daily meals fun and sexy. More recently, she stole the hearts of chefs worldwide when her first cookbook, the playfully named Culinary Quickies won the prestigious International Book Award, catapulting her to international fame. Chef Mel believes cooking should be fun, creative and rewarding, with a dash of sexy and a pinch of “culinary bling” to elevate any dish.
Want to level up your “chef-fy” skills in the kitchen and create restaurant quality meals? Check out Chef Mel’s Chef Skills Online Course, helping take home, amateur and aspiring cooks to the next level with a series of amazing tricks, tips, shortcuts and hacks you can use in the kitchen.
About Chef Mel
Chef Mel, aka The Happy Chef, is a South African born Australia-based chef who works to teach new and seasoned chefs how to be happy in their kitchens again by cooking with passion and love. Her cookbook, Culinary Quickies, won the International Book Award and was a top finalist in the United States. Chef Mel also hosts the popular Chef Mel TV on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/MelAlafaciVanillaZulu. To learn more about Chef Mel, please visit www.chefmel.me