Tuesday 25 August 2020

Choc-Orange Chocolate Ripple Cakes

Strangely, some people don't like the jaffa combo of chocolate and orange.  Who are these people?:-)  Frankly my dears, I love it!  Recently friends came over for a quick arvo tea (they were soon off gallivanting somewhere else), so I decided to make some jaffa crème (yep, sorry, I know it's a wanky word), and sandwich up some choc ripple biscuits.  As I still had heaps of the crème afterwards, I then thought of the old-fashioned choc ripple fridge cakes of our younger days.  You know where you throw mounds of whipped cream over the biscuits, and turn them into a delicious log?    

    By sheer chance, I had bought a food magazine (not a trendy, expensive one) that weekend, and came across a recipe for espresso martini ripple cakes.  Neither of our friends are coffee drinkers, so that was a no-go, but jaffa?  Yep, we were all in.  So off I went to buy more choc ripple biscuits, and make this extravaganza of chocolate and orange (and a wee dram or three of whiskey).  


the hands of Ms. P holding her dessert


    Best started the day before serving, but make it at least 6-8 hours ahead.  Make the jaffa crème a day ahead, and even the chocolate syrup if you wish.  I used Nigella Lawson's recipe for the syrup, and splashed some Irish whiskey in for good measure!


Original recipe by Sherry M:


Serves 6:


ingredients:


Jaffa crème:


1 tub (250g./8 oz) soft Philly cheese 

1 tub (250g./8 oz) mascarpone cheese

50-60g. (5-6 hefty tbs) soft icing mixture/sugar

zest and juice of 1 large orange (I ended up with 150 mL/5 fl oz)

100g. (3½ oz) dark chocolate, melted and cooled - I used Lindt 70%


Chocolate syrup:


1 tsp cocoa powder

125 mL (4.2 fl oz) water 

100g. (3½ oz) caster sugar 

3 tbs whiskey (optional)


For the ripple cakes:


1 packet (250g./8 oz) Chocolate Ripple biscuits

Jaffa crème

chocolate syrup

some crème fraîche (or mascarpone) to dollop on top (optional) 

1 Flake bar - or grate some chocolate from a block


Method:


Jaffa crème:


Tip the 2 cheeses into a large mixing bowl, and beat together well - you want this to be light and airy

Add the icing mixture or sugar into the bowl, and beat some more

Now you add the zest, juice and melted chocolate, and beat till well combined

Spoon the mixture into a container and place in the fridge till you make the cakes (give it a few hours to firm up)


The choc syrup:


Place the cocoa, water and sugar into a small saucepan

Stir to combine, bring to the boil, then turn down and let simmer for just a few minutes - you don't actually want a sticky syrup here, as it is just to moisten the biscuits

Cool for a few minutes, stir in the whiskey, and pour into a jar or bottle.  Keep in the fridge for when you make the cakes later


The Cakes:


Grab a serving plate, and line with a piece of baking paper

Lay out 6 biscuits along the plate (however they fit), then dip each one of their chocolatey bottoms into the syrup briefly

Place them back on the plate in a single layer, and brush the biscuits generously with the syrup

Top each biscuit with a generous tablespoonful of the crème 

See where this is going?  You are building up 6 gorgeous stacks of biscuit and crème!

Dip another biscuity bottom, and place it on one of the stacks.  Brush with syrup, and smother in crème; then a third biscuit dipped in the syrup, then brushed with more syrup, and topped with more crème; then a fourth dipped biscuit brushed with more syrup - so now you have 6 pretty cakes all ready for the final crème layer 

Now smother each cake with crème, and smooth it out over the top and sides with a palette knife/spatula - don't worry too much here if it's a bit clumpy (mine was!)

Dollop on the crème fraîche if using

Break up the Flake bar (or grate the chocolate) and sprinkle over each cake

Place in the fridge for 6-8 hours, or overnight


Notes:


Chocolate ripple are plain chocolate biscuits/cookies; use whatever brand you have available

If you don't have an organic or unwaxed orange, do what I did - scrub it under warm tap water with a wee brush, then pat dry

The average orange holds about 75 mL/2.5 fl oz apparently; I used the whole amount that came out of my huge orange - 150 mL/5 fl oz!

My well-rounded tablespoonful of icing sugar mixture was about 10g., so 5 tbs = 50g./1.7 oz roughly

You will have leftover syrup and crème; so put the syrup in your coffee, and slather a biscuit with the crème



first, scrub your orange


beat the 2 cheeses with the orange and chocolate


simmer the syrup for 2-3 minutes


start making your stacks of  biscuit, syrup and crème


creamy stacks nearly done

on goes the final layer of jaffa crème


ready for eating


reflections of cake

These final photos were taken on my first go at making these cakes.  A dollop of mascarpone went on top.  I took this one over to our 90 year-old neighbour, who was a definite fan.  As our Tassie mate (who was staying the night before flying back to freezing cold Hobart) Ms. P said: "I'm so full, but the tastes are so good, I just can't stop..."



a smiley shot of the charming Ms. P with the salsa she chopped for dinner



           orangey artwork © Sherry's Pickings

40 comments:

  1. I have no idea what Jaffa is but it looks and sounds delicious. I could get into a lot of trouble with this recipe!

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    Replies
    1. thanks jeanie. you have jaffa lollies where you are?:) you know those orange choc-coated balls that children used to throw down the cinema aisle to make a huge noise?

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  2. Anything involves chocolate and mascarpone has got to be DIVINE! That cream looks so dangerously addictive LOL I would probably eat half of portion when I prepared it...

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  3. Very tempting! I even like the Jaffa Cakes from England that are pretty ordinary grocery-store baked goods. So this must be marvelous. For sure I am a fan of chocolate and orange.


    be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. you're right Mae. those bought jaffa cakes are a bit stodgy tho i still like them:)

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  4. This looks terrific. Love gooey sweet things like this. And I'm always a sucker for orange and chocolate -- such a lovely combo. Thanks!

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  5. Only one word - YUM! Great idea and I think the crème would have heaps of other uses. Delicious combination!

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    Replies
    1. thank you marcellina. it is useful in other guises i'm sure:)

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  6. I'd be more than happy to help you eat this!

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  7. A splash or three of whiskey is always a good idea! (And I hope the baker got an extra splash in there, too. Haha.) This sounds like a delicious combination, and I can see why it was such a huge hit!

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    Replies
    1. thanks david. the whiskey was a last-minute idea and it went down well:)

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  8. OMG Sherry, this is one decadent dessert, so everyone gets four biscuits plus the creme? What a clever use of chocolate ripple biscuits and of course I love jaffa flavour. I think this might be a recipe for when the kids come home. Well done and thanks for sharing.

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  9. I love the combination of chocolate and orange, chocolate and mint, whatever with chocolate!

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  10. I love orange and chocolate together, and with ginger even better. I have never tried anything like this :)

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  11. Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving your comment.
    I'm a food blog

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  12. wow this looks like a pimped up choc ripple cake - if you excuse the expression. I like the sound of your jaffa creme and love the riff on an Aussie classic. I also have the cute little chef silicone brush - he always cheers me up.

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    Replies
    1. hi johanna
      yes definitely a pimped-up version:) yes those brushes are so cute even if not the most practical...

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  13. I am drooling as I am writing this comment. That jaffa cream with mascrapone and orange, with chocolate ripple biscuits and then more chocolate in the form of syrup makes it so heavenly. Yum!

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  14. Sherry
    I love Jaffa Cakes, there is something about this great combo and I guess it takes a while for the flavour shift from chocolate to orange if one loves both chocolate and orange and when you offer both in combination, you cant justify a single one and end up hating or loving it absolutely. I loved your idea of turning them into ripple cakes. Perfectly mine.

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    Replies
    1. yes jaffa cakes are fab. that lovely squishy filling...

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  15. I am a chocoholic myself Sherry. A recipe like this just means you can eat more chocolate with minimum effort..

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  16. I wasn't super keen on chocolate orange until I tried it with honey. Then I loved it! These look so interesting Sherry!

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    Replies
    1. i've always loved jaffas so the choc-orange combo is a fave of mine.

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  17. Chocolate and orange are a match made in heaven.
    Amalia
    xo

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  18. This sounds phenomenal! I never knew that "jaffa" was a thing. (Dumb American, eh?) I love chocolate and orange together. Was just playing with an icebox cake using chocolate wafers and orange cream... so we are on the same wavelength. I might have to name the recipe after you!

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    Replies
    1. thanks david. it is a pretty delish combo. i always thought Jaffa balls were an american invention:-) Ooh lovely - a cake named after me...

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  19. I am one of those who does not like Jaffa combo but only on certain things specially the chocolate bars with orange on it. As for other dishes I had tried it on cakes and even beer which I do love, this one on the other hand is OTT Amazing! Look at that creamy filling, I just want to lick them like Oreos :)

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  20. These certainly look fun as well as quite tasty. Love all of the different goody flavors. YUM!

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    Replies
    1. hi MJ
      these made for a nice dessert. can't beat choc-orange.

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