INGREDIENTS
Flourless chocolate easter cakes
150 g dark chocolate, chopped
150 g soft unsalted butter
6 eggs
250 g caster sugar
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 orange, juiced (approximately 100 ml)
20 g Valrhona cocoa powder
50 g coconut flour
60 g ground almonds
3 tsp mixed spice
60 g currants
60 g sultanas
Icing
1 egg white
2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
METHOD
Flourless chocolate easter cakes
- Preheat the oven on Moisture Plus with Fan Plus at 175°C with 1 manual burst of steam.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan on low heat, induction setting 2, stir until fully combined.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a freestanding mixer with a whisk attachment until pale in colour and tripled in volume.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the orange zest, orange juice, cocoa powder, chocolate and butter.
- Fold this mixture, along with the coconut four, into the eggs and sugar.
- Add the ground almonds, mixed spice and sultanas into the mixture.
- Pour the mixture into ½ cup silicon moulds.
- Place the buns into the oven on shelf level 2 and release the burst of steam immediately. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. The buns should be slightly undercooked in the centre.
- Remove from the oven and stand for 1 minute before draping a clean dry tea towel over the top to stop the buns forming a crust. Although a cracked and cratered surface is to be expected; this process avoids the buns becoming crunchy.
- To finish, place the mini buns on a baking paper lined tray in a round formation.
Icing
- Mix the egg whites and sugar to create the icing. Add lemon juice to taste.
- Decorate the buns with the icing in a long sweeping motion to achieve the beloved ‘hot cross bun’ look we all know and love.
- Serve with butter if desired.
HINTS AND TIPS
- Gluten free flour can be used as a substitute, if coconut flour is unavailable.
APPLIANCE / FUNCTION
Shannon Bennett
In 2011, acclaimed Australian chef Shannon Bennett undertook the greatest challenge of his life – moving his award winning Vue de monde restaurant to the dramatic new location on the 55th floor of Melbourne’s iconic Rialto building. From the beginning, Shannon’s goal has been to make Vue de monde Australia’s most sustainable restaurant. More than 50 cutting-edge technologies are being utilised, from an E-water system to ‘cold kitchen technology’ (no exposed flames or gas)
