150g sunflower marg, plus extra for greasing
150g dark muscovado sugar
3 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten
50g SR and 250g Plain organic flours
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
150ml milk
4 medium, ripe bananas, mashed
75g Hot Chocolates organic milk chocolate buttons, roughly chopped

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Lightly butter and line a 2 litre loaf tin. In a large bowl use an electric whisk to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating all the time. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt. Beat well, then gradually add the milk. Fold the bananas into the mixture with the chopped chocolate. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and level the top.
Once in the oven your cake should rise considerably but not flow over the sides. Bake for 30 mins at 160 reduce temperature to 155 for fifteen minutes then reduce again to 150 for another 15. After one hour check the cake by opening the door and pulling the tray out without removing completely from the oven. Test the cake with a skewer if it comes out clean it is ready otherwise return to the oven and raise the temp to 155 for another ten minutes and test again. Allow to cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack.

This recipe will use up the 6 egg yolks left over from the Berry Mess recipe. In this recipe I use 72.5% organic chocolate from the Hot Chocolates range. Once the mousse is made it looks more like a milk chocolate mousse so why the 72.5%? because it gives the mousse a much richer and less sugary flavour – you are tasting the cocoa bean not the added sugar you get in milk chocolate. So, what do you need?

6 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
280ml/1/2 pint double cream
100g Hot Chocolates organic dark chocolate

Method
The only pain with this recipe and it is very simple anyone can make it, is that you need a bowl to whip your cream, a bowl to melt your chocolate and a bowl to whip your sugar and eggs. Whip the cream until very soft peaks form. Whip the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy. Melt the chocolate in the microwave gently. Add chocolate to the egg mix and stir in thoroughly. Fold in the cream. Pour into ramekin dishes or whatever dessert dishes you have. You should get 6 generous ramekin dishes full. Put in the fridge to set for a couple of hours. Take out and enjoy!

This recipe serves a very generous four portions if you want more just proportionately increase the quantities. For this recipe I used 6 egg whites to make my meringues only a third of which you need for the Mess and the rest I stored in an airtight container and filled with whipped fresh cream and sliced strawberries for a quick fabulous treat. The meringues store very well in an airtight container for at least two weeks and I don’t care what anyone says, homemade is in a different league to shop bought. Don’t panic about what to do with your egg yolks my Hot Chocolates Chocolate Mousse will use them up for you. (more…)