Chocolate Fudge Slice
Very low in refined sugar, moist and delicious who would ever think these chocolate fudge bars contain apples ! I store apples over the winter but by February they are starting to look a bit tired yet they are perfect for baking and cooking because the storage has intensified their sweetness so by adding apple pulp I am able to use less refined sugar, provide a moistness to my baking and make excellent use of my apples. Alternatively in the summer make use of windfall dessert apples. If you have no stored apple then any dessert apples will be fine and even better those apples from the fruit bowl that you would otherwise probably throw away.
Makes 12-16 slices
Ingredients
You will need an 8 inch square cake (20cm) tin lined.
For the cake
250g Apple puree (cooled)
100g Soft margarine or butter
30g-100g Caster sugar (depending on the sweetness of the apples being used. You will need 100g if using slightly under ripe windfalls)
2 eggs
35g cocoa powder and 175ml milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon or 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice
250g Self raising flour
For the fudge topping
100g Double cream
100g Dark chocolate
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Preparation
Start by preparing the apples. Peel then slice off the flesh into a non-metallic bowl until you have about 280g. I use the microwave to cook mine in 1 minute bursts – stirring between each session. My apples took about 3 minutes to cook. The riper the apples the quicker they will cook. Keep mashing with a fork until you have a smooth thick pulp then leave to go completely cold.
Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl then gradually add a little milk and mix to a smooth paste then add the remainder of the milk and the vanilla then set aside.
In a roomy mixing bowl and I use an electric hand whisk cream together the margarine (or butter) and sugar then add the eggs one at a time then fold in the sifted flour and spice. Add the chocolate milk and apple puree and stir everything together until well combined.
Transfer to the prepared tin and bake at 180°C (Gas Mark 4, 350°F) for 25-30 minutes until the cake is springy to the touch and slightly risen in the middle. The cake may crack but don’t worry. Whilst the cake is still warm I like to press on it gently with the loose base from another same sized tin just so that the top is completely flat. Leave to cool in the tin.
To prepare the fudge topping – place the double cream into a small saucepan and bring almost to the boil then pour over the chocolate which has been broken up and placed in a heatproof bowl. Stir continuously until the chocolate has dissolved and the mixture is smooth and shiny.
When the cake has cooled pour over the ganache topping and smooth all over the top. When the chocolate has completely set cut into even sized fingers, squares or triangles. As a simple decoration idea – after smoothing over the ganache lay over a piece of bubble plastic wrap the same size as the tin. Press down into the chocolate then leave to set in the fridge for an hour or so or until the plastic peels off easily.
Cut into slices.
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