This quirky recipe is perfect for the Christmas party season, giving you an unusual alternative to that oh so familiar slice of pumpkin pie! This is a recipe for party food, a perfect ‘bring along’ that’s sure to get people talking. The recipe takes inspiration from Mexican food, and combines mini bites of rich chocolate cake with the fiery tang of chillis.
The taste is a rollercoaster – it looks like a rich gooey cake and at first it is; a moist and rich chocolate cake, with a little crusty top. Then comes the heat, a miniature heat wave leaving your palate tingling – never too hot, but a delightful contrast from the rich chocolate to the fiery fizz of the chilli. Throw a Mexican-themed pre-Christmas party with margaritas and all your favourites and these sumptuous bites will go down a storm.
For the recipe you’ll need:
200g/7oz butter
200g/7oz Hotel Chocolat 70% Dark Chocolate Drops
250g (1 ¼ cup) sugar
5 eggs a rounded tablespoon flour
1 1/2 tsp ground chilli pepper
a good pinch of salt
This will make about 72 mini bites.
Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
Melt the chocolates with the butter in a bowl in the microwave or in a small saucepan. If using a microwave, take care to do it slowly and blend as you go to avoid burning the chocolate.
Switch to a mixing bowl, add in the sugar, and mix with a wooden spoon then let it cool for a while. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well with the spoon as you do. Add a rounded tablespoon of flour, the ground chilli and salt, and mix well.
Pour the dough into petit four moulds or similar-sized bake trays, and put into the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes. When they’re ready the top will look set, beginning to dry – but the inside should still be soft.
Allow the bites to cool enough before unmolding them, and transfer to a rack to cool completely while you cook the other batches. It’s best to store in a plastic container in the fridge, before taking them out about an hour prior to serving.
