Eat Your Heart Out Chocolate Cake Recipe #evenbetterbaking

Chocolate cake is one of life's little pleasures.  There is not many things to rival a piece of rich, moist, chocolate cake topped with an indulgent frosting.  So when Dr.Oetker challenged me to try a new chocolatey bake, I decided to make a heart shaped chocolate cake, perfect to share with my lovely husband (and the kiddies too of course!)  We missed our Valentine's celebrations this year as Freddy was very poorly, so by making a gloriously romantic chocolate heart cake, Ian and I will get to have a belated celebration.  Chocolate always tastes better if it's shared with the one you love!

The recipe I chose, Eat Your Heart Out Chocolate Cake, is from the Dr.Oetker's website, where you can find lots of baking inspiration for chocolate cakes and bakes.

I received a parcel of Dr.Oetker's delicious cooking chocolate and edible decorations to use in my bake.  The range makes cooking with chocolate so easy, and with a variety of different products from white chocolate to 90% extra dark chocolate, there is something for all tastes.  The chocolate melts so well whether you chose to use a microwave or to melt it in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Eat Your Heart Out Chocolate Cake Recipe

Cake Ingredients

50g Dr.Oetker Fine Cooks' 72% Extra Dark Chocolate

115g butter

225g dark brown sugar

2 eggs

150ml set yogurt

200g SR flour

25g Dr.Oetker cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients

85g Dr.Oetker Fine Cooks' 72% Extra Dark Chocolate

115g butter

175g icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Decorations

Dr.Oetker milk and white Chocolate Hearts

Dr.Oetker Silver Pearls

a dusting of cocoa powder

Method

Preheat oven to gas mark 4 / 180 degrees C

Melt the Fine Cooks' Chocolate (I used the microwave on a medium setting but you could melt it in a bowl over simmering water).

Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar.

Mix eggs and yogurt together and add to mixture along with other ingredients including melted chocolate.

Beat for 2 minutes.

Place into a 10 inch heart shaped prepared tin (I used a silicone mould with Cake Release).

Cook for 40 - 45 minutes until cake is risen and springs back to touch.

Leave to cool for 15 minutes then turn onto cake rack.

To make frosting melt the chocolate.

Beat together the icing sugar and butter.

Add vanilla extract and melted chocolate and beat until smooth.

Spread over cake and around edges.

Dust lightly with sieved cocoa powder.

Decorate using Dr.Oetker's milk and white Chocolate Hearts and Silver Pearls.

Throughout March, Dr.Oetker wants to celebrate all things chocolatey and is running a competition on Twitter to encourage everyone to have a go at baking their own yummy chocolate cakes and bakes.

To enter, simply Tweet @DrOetkerbakes a photo of a chocolate bake you've made and tell them who you will be sharing it with using the hashtag #evenbetterbaking. You could win a deluxe hamper of Dr.Oetker chocolate products!  

You could try the Eat Your Heart Out Chocolate recipe that I made or one of the other delicious chocolate recipes at www.oetker.co.uk.

Dr Oetker Ristorante Pizza and Sides

Dr. Oetker has launched a fantastic, exclusive in-depth guide to help customers match their favourite Ristorante pizzas to different side dishes.

The brand new guide, Pizza and Sides, includes recipes created exclusively for Dr. Oetker which are perfect for family meals, date nights,  festive parties and other special occasions. It’s just the thing for anyone who is looking for something tasty to enjoy with their favourite pizza. The sides are designed to enhance the flavours of the pizza and bring variety to mealtimes.

In addition to this, Dr. Oetker Ristorante has added a new limited edition pizza to its range - Limited Edition Pollo Arrabiata. The thin and crispy base of Ristorante is topped with a combination of mozzarella and Edam cheeses, chicken breast, red pepper, red onion and a fiery yet sweet Roquito® pepper sauce for the ideal balance of spice.  This new variety adds a spicy hit and extends the range of flavours offered by Ristorante.

Dr. Oetker Ristorante has also introduced a classic Margherita pizza to its extensive menu of flavours, offering a high quality version of the original classic pizza.  Perfect for  the whole family, the delightfully thin and crispy base is richly topped with creamy mozzarella, succulent marinated tomatoes, and finished with a basil garnish.

The Dr Oetker Ristorante Margherita is perfectly teamed with a side of deliciously simple, fluffy, herby potato wedges to complement the fresh flavours of the pizza. 

The classic Dr Oetker Ristorante Mozarella tastes wonderful teamed with a Sweet Potato, Spring Onion and Feta Salad.  This recipe is absolutely lovely with the contrast of roasted sweet potatoes, salty Feta and the tangy dressing.  The slight crunch of toasted pine nuts and spring onion adds an interesting texture and bite. Delicious.

Other sides include tasty flat breads, citrus salads, warm salads and bruschetta.  My favourite recipe is for a Herby Chickpea Salad combining bulgar wheat, chickpeas, red onion and fresh herbs.  It is the perfect pairing to Dr Oetker Ristorante Speciale.

You can make a wonderful Italian themed feasts using a selection of Dr Oetker Ristorante pizzas and some of the amazing side dishes.  Perfect for  festive celebration with the family.  We thoroughly enjoyed our vegetarian feast of Pizza and Sides while watching a Christmas movie.  It makes a great family night in, and is much cheaper than a takeaway.

Dr. Oetker Ristorante pizzas are made using only the highest quality ingredients on a luxurious thin and crispy base, allowing pizza lovers to sit back and relax as the pizza cooks to perfection  in the oven.

Dr Oetker Ristorante pizzas, including the two new flavours, can be found in the freezer aisles of stores nationwide, with a MMRP of £2.99.

For more information check out the Dr Oetker Facebook page or visit the website www.oetker.co.uk.

Find the free Pizza and Sides downloadable recipe booklet here!

Posted in collaboration with Dr Oetker.

NEW PANEBELLO PIZZA FROM DR. OETKER

Dr.Oetker has a brand new pizza about to hit the supermarket freezer aisles.  Panebello is a deep, bakery crust pizza with a thick base that is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. I've been given the chance to sample a Pomodoro Mozzarella Panebello pizza with my pizza loving kids before it goes on sale in selected stores next week (available nationwide from April)!

I've always been a thin based pizza fan, but my children prefer the deep pan bases, so this was definitely one for them to enjoy.  I was impressed with the amount and the evenness of the topping on the frozen pizza, which went right to the edges.  As a precaution when cooking it, I placed a baking sheet below the shelf that the pizza was cooked on, but surprisingly there was no overspill.  The pizza cooked well following the instructions and came out looking golden and tasty.

The Mozarella cheese had the essential stretchiness that makes eating pizza so much fun.  The tomato sauce and tomato pieces were tangy and flavoursome. The basil added the authentic Italian flavour that Dr Oetker does so well. The base is very light and airy, rather than doughy, with a crisp outside.  The balance between base and topping was just about right for a deep pan pizza.  My children enjoyed it, which is always a good sign!  

Panebello is a good tasting, good looking pizza for fans of a deep pan base which is easy and convenient to cook straight from the freezer. 

 The MRRP is £2.99, much less than ordering a takeaway pizza.

Halloween at Aldi

It's that time of year again, when the shops stock up with all their Halloween goodies.  If you want quality and value, Aldi offers a great range of Halloween themed Special Buys available in store.

They sent me the Dr Oetker Halloween cupcake kit to try.  For just £1.59 you can make 12 monstrously good cupcakes (just add some butter and eggs).  I will be making these with the kids for our celebrations!

I also received a pack of window stickers which are available for just £1.59 a pack.  With sixteen designs to choose from you will find a pack that is perfect for your house!  They are 42 x 30cm and will look super spooky!

Aldi also stock a great range of dressing up sets and accessories, tableware, decorations, partyware, food, drink and bakeware for Halloween.  Find them in your local Aldi while stocks last.

Dr Oetker's Ristorante Pizza

How Good Is Dr Oetkers Best Selling Pizza?

Dr Oetker claims that you don't have to go to Naples to find the best pizzeria taste.  Using authentic thin, crispy bases and only the best quality ingredients, Ristorante pizzas are advertised as being as delicious in taste as pizzas made in Italian pizzerias! With six different flavours on the menu, two of which are suitable for vegetarians, Dr Oetker Ristorante Pizza promises to tantalize your tastebuds.  As they cook from frozen in just 10 minutes, you don't have to wait long to find out!

We are putting the Funghi and Mozzarella Ristorante pizzas to the test.  

We have been given the chance to try out the pizza for ourselves to see what we think!

The Funghi Pizza is generously topped with fruity tomatoes seasoned with garlic, hearty mushrooms, Edam and Mozzarella cheeses.  

The Mozzarella version includes creamy Mozarella, juicy tomatoes, Edam, basil and a fusion of herbs.

We had the Mozzarella pizza for tea last night.  It was much 'posher' than the other frozen pizzas we buy and looked exactly like the picture on the packaging and cooked  up really well.

The topping was very generous, although this did mean we experienced a bit of topping 'slide' when we cut the pizza.  But I did cut it straight from the oven, allowing it to cool slightly would have reduced this...but we just couldn't wait!

I loved the juicy tomatoes and the delicious herby sauce.  The Mozarella was really creamy and delightfully stringy.  The pizza tasted really fresh and was genuinely very tasty.  I like the thin base which made the pizza very light.

The kids enjoyed the Ristorante pizza too.  Just look at Freddy tucking into a slice with his tomato sauce moustache!

Whether or not there is a pizzeria in Naples serving up better pizza, I don't know!  But this is definitely one of the best frozen pizzas available in my local supermarket.  

Take a look at the website at www.pizzaristorante.co.uk for more information including an exclusive wine guide by Jilly Golden.  There are also details on a money back guarantee so you can try Dr.Oetker Ristorante Pizza for yourself!

Casa di Mama Pizza

Dr Oetker has introduced an authentic thin crust pizzeria style pizza that rises around the edges. A great solution for making a quick and easy family meal straight from the freezer that everyone will love.

The frozen fresh dough base is topped with a rich tomato sauce and four cheeses.

The dough cooks for the first time and rises in the oven giving delicious soft, fluffy crusts that are delicious right to the very edge.  It has a fabulous fresh baked taste and aroma.

The traditional, full flavoured taste gives a perfect pizza experience down to the last slice!  We all thought it was very, very good and it tasted fresh and authentic.  Perfect with potato wedges and coleslaw.

Find Casa di Mama in the freezer aisle of your local supermarket  RRP: £2.79.