Monday, October 5, 2009

Chocolate & Mixed Berry Pancakes With Chocolate Sauce




Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
  • 1/4 cup (40g) plain flour
  • 1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder
  • 3 tbs brown sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups (560ml) milk
  • 80g butter, melted, cooled
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 300g frozen berries, thawed
  • Extra melted butter
  • Vanilla ice cream, to serve
Chocolate sauce
  • 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 1 cup (250ml) cream
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

  1. Sift flours, cocoa and sugar into a large bowl. Add milk, butter and egg. Whisk until well combined. Gently stir in berries.
  2. Brush two small nonstick frying pans with a little of the extra melted butter. Heat over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup of mixture to each pan. Cook for 2 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the surface. Carefully turn over and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Transfer pancakes to a plate and wrap loosely in a clean tea towel to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing pan between each batch. If you find the pan is getting too hot, reduce heat slightly.
  4. To make chocolate sauce, place chocolate, cream, sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until it reduces and thickens. Pour into a heatproof jug and set aside.
  5. To serve, divide pancakes between serving plates and pour over chocolate sauce. Serve with ice cream.



Chicken And Mushroom Crepes


Ingredients (serves 4)

  • olive oil cooking spray
  • 500g chicken breast fillets, trimmed, thinly sliced
  • 200g Swiss brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 150g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/2 cup light thickened cream
  • 1/2 cup Gravox chicken liquid stock mixed salad leaves, to serve
  • Crepes

  • 1 cup plain flour, sifted
  • 2 cups reduced-fat milk
  • 2 eggs

Method

  1. Spray a non-stick frying pan with oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Add mushroom to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to pan. Add onion, garlic, cream and stock. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  3. Make Crepes: Place flour in a bowl. Whisk milk and egg in a jug. Whisk milk mixture into flour. Spray a 20cm (base), non-stick frying pan with oil. Heat over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup mixture into pan. Swirl to cover base. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden. Turn. Cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining mixture to make 8 crepes.
  4. Fold 1 crepe in half. Top with chicken mixture. Fold in half. Repeat with remaining crepes and mixture. Serve with salad.