Annette Syms Mud Cake Recipes

MUD CAKE

Steps:

• Coat a 6-in. springform pan with cooking spray and dust with flour; set aside. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended. Stir in pecans. , Transfer to prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. , For frosting, in a small saucepan, combine the butter, milk and cocoa; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. , Place springform pan on a wire rack. Immediately spread marshmallow creme over hot cake. Drop 2 tablespoons of frosting over creme; cut through with a knife to swirl. Cool completely. , Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with pecans.

ANNETTE SYM'S MUD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• To make cake: Mix chocolate, margarine, sugar, coffee and water in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on MED-HI for about 2 minutes or until all ingredients are dissolved. Stir every minute.
• Stir together applesauce and baking soda. Add to the melted chocolate along with egg whites. Mix well.
• Sift the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold in until combined.
• Pour into a 19 cm pan greased with cooking spray.
• Bake 45-50 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Ice when cool.
• Icing: Mix all ingredients together until smooth.Spread over cake then refrigerate.

THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE MUD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F (fan/convection) or 160°C / 320°F (standard). Grease and line a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin. The cake rises very high when baking, so make sure that the baking paper rises at least 6 cm (2 inches) above the top of the tin.
• Place chopped butter and chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl. Microwave for 1 minute on high power. Stir well. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir until the chocolate is completely smooth and melted. Microwave in further 10 second bursts, if needed, to completely melt the chocolate.
• Add sugars and instant coffee granules. Stir well. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
• Sift over flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir until the batter is well combined.
• Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 80-90 minutes (1 hr 20 mins - 1 hr 30 mins) or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Avoid opening the oven door during cooking as much as possible or the cake will sink in the middle.
• Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Stir together milk and cream in a small heat-proof jug. Microwave for 1 minute on high power or until it just begins to bubble (but is not boiling over).
• Place the finely chopped chocolate in a separate small bowl. Pour the hot cream and milk over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir together until smooth and well combined. If the chocolate doesn't melt completely, microwave the ganache in 10 seconds bursts until smooth.
• Using a large serrated bread knife, level out the top of the cake so it is completely flat. Pour the ganache over the top of the cooled cake, using the back of a spoon to spread it evenly over the sides of the cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until ganache is firm and matte. The ganache can also set at room temperature (if your house is reasonably cool), but it may take longer.
• Slice up and enjoy! I find that this cake tastes even fudgier on the second day.

ANNETTE SYM'S CREAMY TUNA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven 180ºC fan forced.
• Cook pasta as instructed on packet, leave to one side.
• Thoroughly drain tuna, roughly break up and leave to one side.
• Coat a large non-stick pan with cooking spray, sauté garlic and mushrooms for 2 minutes.
• Add tuna, shallots or onion, corn kernels, cream corn and stock powder and combine.
• In a small bowl combine 4 cheese sauce with boiling water until blended.
• Fold cheese sauce into the mixture in the pan, taking care that the cheese sauce and the other ingredients are well-combined.
• Add pasta and stir well.
• Transfer the tuna pasta mixture to a lightly greased casserole dish.
• Sprinkle cheese over top and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted and browned on top.