Chocolate Cheesecake

A rich indulgence, this chocolate cheesecake is deeeelish. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

285g Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate
1.2kg cream cheese at room temerature
200g sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
4 eggs
175ml soured cream
1 tablespoon of Cadbury Cocoa powder

For the base:
200g chocolate biscuits, crushed
85g butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon


Instructions:

1.  Preheat a 180 C (gas mark 4) oven
2.  Grease the bottom and sides of a cake tin with a removable base
3.  For the base, mix the crushed biscuits with the butter and cinnamon, and press evenly onto the bottom of tin.
4.  Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over hot water; set this aside
5.  Beat the cream cheese until smooth, and then beat in the sugar and vanilla
6.  Add the eggs one at a time
7.  Stir the soured cream into the Cadbury Cocoa powder to form a paste, and add to the cream cheese mixture
8.  Stir this into the melted chocolate, and then pour into the crust.
9.  Bake for 1 hour.
10.Let cool in the tin; then remove the rim and refrigerate before serving

Well done Exmouth

Exmouth became the first Fairtrade town in East Devon earlier this month. Shops and cafes in Exmouth are selling more Fairtrade products than ever. We think it's great news. We look forward to seeing how the town celebrates its first Fairtrade Fortnight in March. For news of the announcement and their plans for Fairtrade Fortnight visit their site.

Ethical production and Fairtrade in India

We're hoping to see more and more articles about Fairtrade in the run up to Fairtrade Fortnight, like the one we read in the Observer Magazine this weekend.

In it, Erin O'Connor, fashion supermodel and vice chair of the British Fashion Council, tells of her incredible experiences with the women who despite bing 'highly skilled, they are on the bottom rung of the global, fast-fashion industry'. Typically, these women live hand-to-mouth because they're paid so poorly by the middle-men presiding over them. 

The article goes on to tell the story of SEWA, the All India Federation of Self-Employed Women's Associations who set out to change all of this. The founders wondered what would happen if informal work done by women at home was organised in a way that eliminated the middlemen. The organisation then set out to work with the retailer in the UK and US directly.

Did it work? Go to the article to find out.

Show Fairtrade Fortnight Your Support

Show your support for Fairtrade Fortnight by becoming a fan on Facebook. Follow the team over at Fairtrade on Twitter for all the latest news. They also have some great shots on their Flickr page.

A really delicious silky chocolate pie - the perfect weekend treat.

Preparation Time  1 hour
Cooking Time  35 mins +cooling
Serves  8-10.

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
100g Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate
125g (4oz) butter
225g (8oz) plain flour
1 tbs cold water

For the custard:
284ml (1/2 pt) double cream
75g (3oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
25g (1oz) cornflour
25g (1oz) butter
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence
50g Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate

For the chocolate mousse:
200g bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate
2 eggs, separated
284ml (1/2 pt) double cream
10ml (2 tsps) gelatine
2 tbs hot water

 

You will also need:
A 23cm (9 inch) fluted flan tin
A swivel vegetable peeler

Instructions:

For the Pastry:
1.  First melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of hot but not boiling water.
2.  Rub the butter into the flour, bind to a dough with the chocolate and the tablespoon of water.

3.  Carefully press into the fluted flan tin, ensuring that there are no thick corners in the base.

4.  Bake in a moderate oven (180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4) for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool, then carefully remove the pastry case from the tin.

 

For the custard:
1.  In a saucepan, blend together the cream, sugar, eggs and cornflour until smooth.
2.  Stir continuously over a very low heat until just starting to thicken. Do not allow to boil.

3.  Remove from the heat, stir in the margarine, vanilla essence and broken-up chocolate, then leave to cool. Place in the fridge and leave until very cold.

 

For the mousse:
1.  Using a swivel vegetable peeler make 50g of chocolate curls and keep on one side.
2.  Melt the remaining chocolate over a saucepan of hot water then stir in the egg yolks.
3.  Lightly whip the cream, fold some into the chocolate then fold this mixture into the remaining cream.

4.  Dissolve the gelatine in 40ml (2 tablespoons) hot water. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold the dissolved gelatine into the chocolate cream mixture with the egg whites.
5.  Pour the mixture into the pastry case and leave to set.
6.  Whisk the cold custard until really thick and swirl over the set mousse.

 

Decorate with the chocolate curls.

 

Oh brilliant. So all the chocolates we awarded to people at the end of 2009 have safely arrived at the winners' homes.

Over on Twitter people have been very pleased with their gifts. Have a look at what the winners had to say to us over here. 

Of course, a few of the winners have been in touch on this blog too.

We hope you enjoyed them!

Perhaps one of the best things about the Fairtrade Mark is that, as a movement, there is room and possiblity for people to get involved on a number of different levels. And that includes our children.

There are Fairtrade schools up and down the country who all:

• Use Fairtrade products as far as possible
• Learn about how global trade works and why Fairtrade is important
• Take action for Fairtrade in the school and the wider community

The scheme is run by The Fairtrade Foundation and works with other organisations including Fairtrade Towns, People & Planet and CAFOD.

To learn more or get involved go here.

For Fairtrade Fortnight this year, the Fairtrade Foundation are already planning BIG.

The fortnight will run from 22 February - 7 March. The Fairtrade Foundation is hoping that a million people will join in The Big Swap. They'll be asking the nation swap their usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff; wine, chocolate. Each swap will be proof that the UK wants developing world producers to get a better deal. Register here to get swapping.

Chocolate, pancakes and fruit what more could any pudding lover want?

 

Preparation Time  25 mins
Cooking Time  10 mins
Serves  8-10

 

For the pancake batter:
50g bar Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate
275ml (1/2) pint milk
2 eggs
125g (4oz) plain flour, sieved
40ml (2 tbs) Cadbury Bournville Cocoa powder, sieved

 

For the filling:
150g (5oz) carton Greek yogurt
284ml (1/2 pint) double cream
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
396g (14oz) can pear halves
20ml (1 tbs) cornflour
40ml (2 tbs) golden syrup
50g (2oz) butter
20ml (1 tbs) caster sugar
125ml (1/4 pint) milk
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla essence
100g Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate

 

You will also need:
A crepe or small frying pan

 

Instructions:

1.  Make the pancakes by gently heating the chocolate in the milk until melted.

2.  Pour the liquid into a blender or food processor, add the remaining batter ingredients then process until smooth; or the batter may be made in a bowl with a whisk but beat hard to ensure a light mixture.

3.  Heat the pan with a little oil. Pour in just enough batter to cover the base thinly, pouring off any excess.

4.  Cook the pancake until nicely browned then flip over and cook the other side.
5.  Repeat the process to make 8-10. These can be made up to a day in advance if required.

For the filling:

1.  Whisk together the yogurt, cream and cinnamon until thick.

2.  Drain the pears reserving the juice, chop the fruit then fold into the cream.
3.  In a pan, blend the cornflour with the fruit juice. Add the golden syrup, butter and sugar; heat slowly, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens.
4.  Stir in the milk and essence and continue stirring whilst heating again until just beginning to boil.
5.  Off the heat, stir in the chocolate until smooth.

 

Fold each pancake into four. Fill each one with the cream and pears. Serve with the warm chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Layer Pie

A really delicious silky chocolate pie - the perfect weekend treat.

Preparation Time  1 hour
Cooking Time  35 mins +cooling
Serves  8-10.

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
100g Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate
125g (4oz) butter
225g (8oz) plain flour
1 tbs cold water

For the custard:
284ml (1/2 pt) double cream
75g (3oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
25g (1oz) cornflour
25g (1oz) butter
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence
50g Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate

For the chocolate mousse:
200g bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate
2 eggs, separated
284ml (1/2 pt) double cream
10ml (2 tsps) gelatine
2 tbs hot water

 

You will also need:
A 23cm (9 inch) fluted flan tin
A swivel vegetable peeler

Instructions:

For the Pastry:
1.  First melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of hot but not boiling water.
2.  Rub the butter into the flour, bind to a dough with the chocolate and the tablespoon of water.

3.  Carefully press into the fluted flan tin, ensuring that there are no thick corners in the base.

4.  Bake in a moderate oven (180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4) for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool, then carefully remove the pastry case from the tin.

 

For the custard:
1.  In a saucepan, blend together the cream, sugar, eggs and cornflour until smooth.
2.  Stir continuously over a very low heat until just starting to thicken. Do not allow to boil.

3.  Remove from the heat, stir in the margarine, vanilla essence and broken-up chocolate, then leave to cool. Place in the fridge and leave until very cold.

 

For the mousse:
1.  Using a swivel vegetable peeler make 50g of chocolate curls and keep on one side.
2.  Melt the remaining chocolate over a saucepan of hot water then stir in the egg yolks.
3.  Lightly whip the cream, fold some into the chocolate then fold this mixture into the remaining cream.

4.  Dissolve the gelatine in 40ml (2 tablespoons) hot water. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold the dissolved gelatine into the chocolate cream mixture with the egg whites.
5.  Pour the mixture into the pastry case and leave to set.
6.  Whisk the cold custard until really thick and swirl over the set mousse.

 

Decorate with the chocolate curls.

Twitter Love - we like it!

 

Oh brilliant. So all the chocolates we awarded to people at the end of 2009 have safely arrived at the winners' homes.

Over on Twitter people have been very pleased with their gifts. Have a look at what the winners had to say to us over here. 

Of course, a few of the winners have been in touch on this blog too.

We hope you enjoyed them!

Fairtrade Schools

Perhaps one of the best things about the Fairtrade Mark is that, as a movement, there is room and possiblity for people to get involved on a number of different levels. And that includes our children.

There are Fairtrade schools up and down the country who all:

• Use Fairtrade products as far as possible
• Learn about how global trade works and why Fairtrade is important
• Take action for Fairtrade in the school and the wider community

The scheme is run by The Fairtrade Foundation and works with other organisations including Fairtrade Towns, People & Planet and CAFOD.

To learn more or get involved go here.

We're already looking forward to Fairtrade Fortnight

For Fairtrade Fortnight this year, the Fairtrade Foundation are already planning BIG.

The fortnight will run from 22 February - 7 March. The Fairtrade Foundation is hoping that a million people will join in The Big Swap. They'll be asking the nation swap their usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff; wine, chocolate. Each swap will be proof that the UK wants developing world producers to get a better deal. Register here to get swapping.

Recipe: Pancake Clouds

Chocolate, pancakes and fruit what more could any pudding lover want?

 

Preparation Time  25 mins
Cooking Time  10 mins
Serves  8-10

 

For the pancake batter:
50g bar Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate
275ml (1/2) pint milk
2 eggs
125g (4oz) plain flour, sieved
40ml (2 tbs) Cadbury Bournville Cocoa powder, sieved

 

For the filling:
150g (5oz) carton Greek yogurt
284ml (1/2 pint) double cream
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
396g (14oz) can pear halves
20ml (1 tbs) cornflour
40ml (2 tbs) golden syrup
50g (2oz) butter
20ml (1 tbs) caster sugar
125ml (1/4 pint) milk
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla essence
100g Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate

 

You will also need:
A crepe or small frying pan

 

Instructions:

1.  Make the pancakes by gently heating the chocolate in the milk until melted.

2.  Pour the liquid into a blender or food processor, add the remaining batter ingredients then process until smooth; or the batter may be made in a bowl with a whisk but beat hard to ensure a light mixture.

3.  Heat the pan with a little oil. Pour in just enough batter to cover the base thinly, pouring off any excess.

4.  Cook the pancake until nicely browned then flip over and cook the other side.
5.  Repeat the process to make 8-10. These can be made up to a day in advance if required.

For the filling:

1.  Whisk together the yogurt, cream and cinnamon until thick.

2.  Drain the pears reserving the juice, chop the fruit then fold into the cream.
3.  In a pan, blend the cornflour with the fruit juice. Add the golden syrup, butter and sugar; heat slowly, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens.
4.  Stir in the milk and essence and continue stirring whilst heating again until just beginning to boil.
5.  Off the heat, stir in the chocolate until smooth.

 

Fold each pancake into four. Fill each one with the cream and pears. Serve with the warm chocolate sauce.