Angela Day has some decadent chocolate treats that will be perfect for spoiling your loved ones.

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CHOCOLATE ORANGE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

200g chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed

100g butter, melted

Orange filling

500g thick cream cheese, at room temperature

160ml castor sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Grated rind and juice of an orange

Chocolate filling

250g thick cream cheese, at room temperature

80ml castor sugar

1 egg

5ml vanilla

150g dark chocolate, melted

Combine the biscuits and butter and press the mixture into the base of a 20cm springform cake pan. Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling. Wrap the outside of the cake pan in a double layer of foil.

ORANGE FILLING: Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, orange juice and rind.

CHOCOLATE FILLING: Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Mix in the melted chocolate and beat until well blended.

Put alternate spoonfuls of white and chocolate mixture into the biscuit-lined pan. Use a knife to swirl the two mixtures.

Put the cake pan into a roasting pan and fill the roasting pan half way up the cake pan with boiling water. Bake at 160°C for 30-40 minutes until the cheesecake is just set, with a slight wobble in the middle. Switch off the oven and leave it to cool in the oven for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Remove the foil and put the cheesecake to chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight. Remove from the pan and place on a serving plate.

Decorate with chocolate curls and orange zest.

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ANNE HARVEY’S CHOCOLATE CAKE

In 2000 we held a competition for the best chocolate cake and this winning recipe by Anne Harvey has been much requested since.

300ml cake flour

250ml castor sugar

2.5ml salt

10ml baking powder

100ml cocoa powder

2 eggs, separated

250ml sunflower oil

300ml milk

5ml vanilla essence

Icing

1 000ml (4 cups) sifted icing sugar

125ml cocoa powder

160g softened butter

boiling water to mix

Sift the flour, castor sugar, salt, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Combine the egg yolks, oil, milk and vanilla and add to the dry ingredients. Mix well with a wire whisk. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture.

Pour mixture into a greased and base-lined 20cm-deep cake pan. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out.

When completely cold split the cake in half and sandwich the cake together with half the icing then put the remainder on top.

ICING: Put the icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add enough hot water to mix to a fluffy icing.

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WHITE CHOCOLATE AND LAVENDER CAKE

100g white chocolate discs

250ml milk

150g butter

375ml castor sugar

a handful of lavender leaves

500ml cake flour

7.5ml baking powder

2 eggs, beaten

5ml vanilla essence

15ml chopped lavender

Icing

200g white chocolate discs

125ml cream

30g butter

Put the chocolate, milk, butter and castor sugar into a saucepan over a low heat. Add the lavender and stir until the mixture has melted. Remove and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse. Remove the lavender leaves with a slotted spoon and discard.

Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the melted mixture together with the eggs, vanilla and chopped lavender. Mix until smooth.

Spoon mixture into a greased and base-lined 22cm- square cake pan. Bake at 160°C for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack. When cold, ice with white chocolate icing.

ICING: Combine the chocolate, cream and butter and microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes until melted and smooth.

Cool the mixture until it’s slightly thickened. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Spread over the cake and decorate with sprigs of lavender.

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CAPPUCCINO CUPCAKES

Makes 12

125g butter

180ml castor sugar

2 eggs

375ml flour

5ml baking powder

30ml cocoa powder

125ml milk

100g dark chocolate, melted

Icing

30ml coffee powder

60ml hot water

250ml castor sugar

3 egg whites

a pinch of cream of tartar

Cream the butter and castor sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa and add it alternately with the milk to the creamed mixture. Stir in the melted chocolate.

Spoon the mixture into 12 paper-lined muffin cups and bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean.

Remove and cool. Top with icing and decorate with coffee beans if desired.

ICING: Dissolve the coffee powder in the hot water. Put it into a small saucepan and add the sugar. Stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes.

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff.

Then, with the machine beating, add the boiling coffee mixture and keep beating until it forms a thick fluffy icing.

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SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TART

Pastry

500ml flour

125ml icing sugar

10ml ground cinnamon

150g butter

1 egg

ice water to mix

Caramel filling

385g can of condensed milk

250ml castor sugar

125g butter

80ml golden syrup

a good pinch of sea salt flakes

Chocolate filling

200g dark chocolate

100ml cream

raspberries to decorate

PASTRY: Put the flour, icing sugar, cinnamon and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and enough iced water to form a dough.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 22cm quiche pan. Prick the base with a fork.

Bake blind at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until pale golden brown. Remove paper and beans and return to the oven for about 10 minutes for the base to crisp up. Remove and cool.

CARAMEL FILLING: Combine the condensed milk, sugar, butter and syrup in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes until thick. Remove from the heat and add the salt. Pour this into the pastry case and set aside to cool.

CHOCOLATE FILLING: Combine the chocolate and cream in a bowl and place over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove and cool. Pour onto the caramel mixture and place in the fridge to set. Decorate with rasp-berries and sea salt flakes.

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