Recipes: Dr.Oetker
Stöllen loaf cake (pictured above)
Preparation time: 120 minutesMakes: 10 portions
Loaf cake
125g (4 ½ oz) Unsalted butter, softened
125g (4 ½ oz) Caster sugar
3 Medium eggs, beaten
190g (6 ½ oz) Plain flour
7.5g (1 ½ tsp) Dr. Oetker Baking Powder
5ml (1 tsp) Ground mixed spice
5ml (1 tsp) Dr. Oetker Natural Sicilian Lemon Extract
150g (5oz) Dr. Oetker Marzipan, cut into small pieces
200g (7oz) Mixed dried fruit such as sultanas, cranberries and chopped apricots
To decorate
300g (10oz) Dr. Oetker Marzipan
Icing sugar to dust
10ml (2 tsp) Clear honey
225g (8oz) Dr. Oetker Regal Ice
Pomegranate seeds
Rosemary sprigs
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan oven 160˚C, 350˚F, gas 4). Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with a loaf tin liner or baking parchment.
In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs. Sift the flour, Baking Powder and mixed spice on top, then add the Lemon Extract, chopped Marzipan and dried fruit. Gently fold and mix all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Smooth the top and bake in the oven for about 1 hour until slightly risen, firm to the touch – a skewer inserted into the centre will come out clean when the cake is cooked. Cool for 15 minutes in the tin then turn on to a wire rack to cool completely.
To decorate, knead the Marzipan gently for a few seconds to soften and make pliable. Cut off 75g (3oz) and set aside and cover to prevent it drying out. Lightly dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll out the remaining marzipan to the same size as the top of the loaf cake.
Brush the top of the cake with honey and carefully transfer the rolled out Marzipan to the top. Gently press the marzipan into place and press and mould to fit right to the edge of the cake.
Roll out the Regal Ice in the same way. Brush the Marzipan layer with a little water and transfer the Regal Ice on top. Dust your fingertips with icing sugar and gently rub and smooth the icing to fit the top of the cake. If necessary, trim the edges of the Marzipan and Regal Ice with a sharp knife to neaten.
Roll out the reserved Marzipan to a thickness of ½ cm (1/4 inch) and cut out 8 holly leaves using a 5cm (2 inch) cutter, rerolling as necessary. Place on a baking tray and scorch the tops using a cook's blow torch. Alternatively, put the Marzipan leaves on a tray lined with baking parchment and pop under a hot grill for a few seconds to toast the tops. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tray.
To serve, arrange the toasted Marzipan leaves on top of the iced loaf cake, securing in place with a little water, and decorate with pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprigs. Your cake is now ready to serve and enjoy!
Indulgent Dark Chocolate Mud Cake
Preparation time: 90 minutesCooking time: 65 minuts
Serves: 16 portions
Cake
200g (7oz) Dr. Oetker 72% Extra Dark Fine Cooks' Chocolate
225g (8oz) Unsalted butter, cut into pieces
400g (14oz) Dark brown Muscovado sugar, free of lumps
2 sachets/ 50g (2oz) Dr. Oetker Fine Dark Cocoa Powder
300ml (1/2 pt) Strong hot black coffee
300g (10oz) Plain flour
1 sachet/5g (1 tsp) Dr. Oetker Baking Powder
1 sachet/7g (1 tsp) Dr. Oetker Bicarbonate of Soda
3 Large eggs, beaten
10ml (2 tsp) Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Paste
To decorate
2 x 150g bars Dr. Oetker 72% Extra Dark Fine Cooks' Chocolate
350ml (12 fl.oz) Double cream, at room temperature
50g (2oz) Unsalted butter
100g (3 ½ oz) Dark chocolate curls and shavings – see below
Preparation
Prehet the oven to 170˚C (150˚C fan oven, 325˚F, gas 3). Grease and line 2 x 7cm (3inch) deep, 18cm (7 inch) diameter round cake tins.
Break the Extra Dark Chocolate into pieces and place in a large saucepan and add the butter, sugar and Cocoa Powder. Place over a very gentle heat, and leave to melt, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the hot coffee. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Sift the flour, Baking Powder and Bicarbonate of Soda into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Whisk the eggs and Vanilla into the chocolate mixture, then gradually pour into the centre of the dry ingredients, mixing all the ingredients together until everything is well blended together and there are no pockets of flour.
Divide the mixture equally between the prepared tins. Put the tins on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 50 minutes until risen and lightly crusted on top – a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes should come out with a few crumbs sticking to it. Note: slightly undercooking the cake gives a dense "mud-like" texture to your cake, and it will sink slightly as it cools; if you prefer a spongier texture, cook for 1 hour until risen and just firm to the touch. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tins and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, upside down. Carefully slice through the middle of each cake to create 4 equal cake slices.
To decorate, break up 200g (7oz) Extra Dark Chocolate into a large heatproof bowl. Put the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and leave to melt. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and leave to cool for about 10 minutes until warm but not hot.
Whilst whisking the chocolate, gradually pour in the cream, whisking until thick and glossy. Sandwich the 4 layers of cake together using the chocolate cream, leaving the top uncovered. Leave in a cool place whilst preparing the topping. If the room temperature is warm, pop the cake in the fridge for up to 20 minutes.
Break up the remaining Extra Dark Chocolate and place in a saucepan with the butter and 20ml (4 tsp) water. Heat very gently, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside for about 15 minutes to cool and thicken.
Once thickened, spoon the melted mixture over the top of the cake and smooth the mixture right to the edge of the cake using a palette knife, allowing it to drip over the edge. Leave to stand in a cool place for several minutes to allow the chocolate to set. If the room temperature is warm, pop the cake in the fridge for up to 20 minutes.
Winter Forest Chocolate Cake
Preparation time: 120 minutesCooking time: 65 minutes
Serves: 12-16
For the cake
200g (7oz) Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks' 72% Extra Dark Chocolate
200g (7oz) Unsalted butter, cut into pieces
150g (5oz) Dark brown Muscovado sugar, free of lumps
50g (2oz) Treacle
5 Large eggs, separated
75g (3oz) Plain flour
1 sachet/5ml (1tsp) Dr. Oetker Baking Powder
150g (5oz) Ground almonds
To decorate
175g (6oz) Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks' 72% Extra Dark Chocolate
225ml (8fl.oz) Double cream, at room temperature
150g bar Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks' White Chocolate
100g (3 ½ oz) Unsalted butter, softened
175g (6oz) Icing sugar + extra to dust
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 170˚C (fan oven 150˚C, 325˚F, gas 3). Grease and line 2 x 7cm (3inch) deep, 18cm (7 inch) diameter round cake tins.
Break the Extra Dark Chocolate into pieces and place in a large heatproof bowl with the butter pieces. Put the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and leave to melt. Remove from the water and mix in the sugar and treacle. Leave aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl until stiff and set aside.
Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour and Baking Powder on top and add the ground almonds. Pile the egg whites on top and then carefully fold and mix all the ingredients together until well combined, taking care to retain as much of the airy texture as possible.
Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and smooth the tops. Put the tins on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until firm and slightly risen – a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes should come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tins before turning on to a wire rack to cool completely.
To decorate, slice each cake through the middle to make 4 equal layers. Break the Extra Dark Chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Put the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and leave to melt. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and leave aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Whilst whisking the chocolate, gradually pour in the cream, whisking until thick and glossy. Use 1/3 of the chocolate cream to sandwhich the 4 layers together. Then spreading the remaining chocolate cream to cover the sides of the cake using a palette knife, then transfer to a serving plate. Leave in a cool place whilst preparing the topping. If the room temperature is warm, pop the cake in the fridge for up to 20 minutes.
Break up the White Chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt as above. Leave aside to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put the butter in a bowl and beat until smooth and glossy. Gradually sieve and mix in the icing sugar to make a firm icing, then mix in the melted white chocolate.
Pile the White Chocolate icing on top and spread thickly to generously cover the top, allowing the icing to spill over the edge of the cake. Carefully push the chocolate trees in the top and dust with icing sugar to resemble snow. Your cake is now ready to serve and enjoy!
Note
Once chilled, the chocolate cream and icing will set firm. Prolonged chilling of this cake will dry out the texture.
For the Extra Dark Chocolate Christmas Trees
Break up a 150g bar Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks' 72% Extra Dark Chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Put the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and leave to melt. Remove from the water and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Line a large board with baking parchment. Using a silicone or plastic spatula, scrape the melted chocolate into the centre of the parchment and spread the melted chocolate thinly over the parchment to make a rectangle approx. 25 x 38cm (10 x 15inch). Leave in a cool place for about 20 minutes or until set. If your kitchen is warm, pop the chocolate in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to set.
Fill a shallow dish with hot water. Using an approx. 11.5cm (4 ½ inch), 8.5cm (3 ¼ inch) and a 4.5cm (1 ¾ inch) Christmas tree cutter, dip the cutters in the hot water, wipe dry and press through the chocolate firmly to make tree shapes. If you place the cutters close together, you should be able to cut out 4 large, 8 medium and 10 small trees.
Note
Dip the cutters in hot water and dry each time to enable you to cut through the chocolate.
Using a palette knife, carefully slide the blade under the trees to help you peel them away from the paper, and gently snap the shapes from the rest of the chocolate sheet. Keep all the chocolate trimmings.
Using a sharp knife, dip the blade in the hot water, dry and carefully slice down the middle of half the of tree shapes to make the sides of the trees.
Melt the chocolate trimmings as above. Remove from the water and cool for 10 minutes. Spoon a little chocolate into a small uncut piping bag. Place the remaining chocolate over hot water to keep it melted.
Working on one tree at a time, snip a thin piece from the top of the piping bag using scissors and pipe 2 thin strips of chocolate down the centre of one of the uncut trees. Carefully place one of the tree sides on the melted chocolate and hold it in place until the chocolate begins to set – you may need to pipe a little more chocolate along the join to fill in any gaps; this will also help give a more secure structure. Once the side of chocolate is free standing, place on a board in a cool place and continue to secure a side on each of the remaining trees.
Suspend a wire rack or an oven shelf so that is at least 5cm (2 inch) above the work surface – we used 4 upturned ramekins. Lay the trees carefully through the wires so that the flat side is uppermost. Again working on one tree at a time, refill the piping bag with more melted chocolate if necessary and pipe 2 thin strips down the centre of a tree. Carefully place a chocolate side on top and hold in place until the chocolate begins to set. Fill in any gaps as above, then once the chocolate has set completely, carefully remove the tree and place back on the board on its side whilst you finish the remaining trees.
Once all the trees are set, you can use them to decorate your cake.
Christmas Jumper Cookies
Preparation time: 120 minutesMakes: 9
Cookies
• 150 g Unsalted Butter (5oz, very soft)
• 150 g Caster Sugar (5oz)
• 10 ml Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract (2 tsp)
• 250 g Plain Flour (9oz)
• 12 ½ ml Ground Ginger (2 1/2 tsp)
• 12 ½ g Mixed Spice (2 1/2 tsp, ground mixed spice)
• Dr. Oetker Bicarbonate of Soda Sachets (1 3/4 tsp)
To decorate
• 10 g Icing Sugar (To dust)
• Dr. Oetker Coloured Ready to Roll Regal-Ice (100g Green, Blue and Red)
• 20 ml Honey (4 tsp, clear runny honey)
• 40 g Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks' Milk Chocolate (1 ½ oz)
• 15 g Dr. Oetker Ready Rolled Marzipan (1/2 oz)
• Dr. Oetker White Designer Icing
• Dr. Oetker Bright Writing Icing
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan oven, 350˚F, Gas 4). Line 2 large baking trays with baking parchment. Put the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat until well blended and creamy. Stir in the Vanilla Extract.
Sieve the flour, Bicarbonate of Soda and spices on top. Carefully combine to make a mixture that resembles a crumble topping and using your hands, bring the mixture together to form a firm dough. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth and pliable.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of ½ cm (¼ inch). Using an approx. 10cm (4inch) wide jumper shaped cookie cutter, cut out 9 shapes, re-rolling the dough as necessary. Arrange on the trays and prick with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.
Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes until firm and lightly golden round the edges. Cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To decorate, dust the work surface lightly with icing sugar and knead each Regal Ice colour in turn until smooth and pliable. Roll out each coloured icing thinly. Using the same cutter, cut out 3 jumpers from each colour, re-rolling as necessary. Reserve the red icing trimmings.
Gently roll each icing jumper a little more to make it slightly larger to better fit the top of the cookies. Brush the cookie tops with honey and stick the icing jumpers on top. Set aside - if your cookies are for a gift, see note at end of recipe.
Put the Milk Chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and place on top of a saucepan of barely simmering water. Leave to melt, then remove from the water and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Spoon all but a teaspoonful of the chocolate into a small uncut piping bag. Keep the remaining chocolate over hot water to keep it melted.
Working on one jumper at a time, snip a thin piece from the point of the piping bag using scissors and pipe a reindeer head-shaped pool of chocolate in the middle of each cookie. Leave in a cool place to set for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the Marzipan into 9 equal small portions. Roll each into a thin sausage approx. 4cm (1 ¾ inch) long. Cut off 2 tiny portions from each to make eyes and then cut the marzipan lengths in half. Cut small slashes in each of the lengths using a small sharp knife, opening out the slashes to make spikey antlers.
Once the chocolate heads have set, secure the marzipan antlers on the cookies using a little water. Secure the reserved marzipan "eyes" in the same way. Form the reserved red Ready to Roll icing into 9 small noses and secure in place as above. Use the remaining melted chocolate to paint or pipe the eye detail on the icing.
Using the star nozzle on the Designer Icing tube, pipe the jumper trim on the neck, cuffs and hem, and pipe small stars to resemble snowflakes. Use the Writing Icing colours to add a contrasting coloured trim to the jumpers.
As a finishing touch, pipe small dots using the plain nozzle on the Designer Icing tube to give a snowy effect. Leave your cookies for a few minutes to dry, and then your cookies will be ready to serve and enjoy.
For gifting
Once you have iced your cookies with the coloured Ready to Roll icing, leave them on a wire rack, lightly covered with greaseproof paper overnight, in a cool, dry place, so that the icing dries out a little. After decorating, leave them in the same way for at least 2 hours to dry the icing decoration before you pack them. Best packed between layers of clean tissue paper or baking parchment to save damage.
Mini Chocolate Gingerbread Loaves
Preparation time: 35 minutesCooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6 portions
For the mini loaves
• 100g (3 ½ oz) Dr. Oetker 72% Extra Dark Fine Cooks’ Chocolate
• 75g (3oz) Unsalted butter
• 100g (3 ½ oz) Dark brown sugar
• 75g (3oz) Golden syrup
• 75g (3oz) Treacle
• 100ml (3 ½ fl.oz) Whole milk
• 225g (8oz) Plain flour
• 2 sachets Dr. Oetker Baking Powder
• 10g (10ml or 2 tsp) Ground ginger
• Dr. Oetker Rich Chocolate Surprise Inside Cupcake Centre
To decorate
• 150g bar Dr. Oetker White Fine Cooks’ Chocolate
• Extra Dark Chocolate holly leaves – see Tip
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan oven, 325°F, gas 3). Grease and line 6 mini loaf tins. Break up the Extra Dark Chocolate and put in a saucepan with the butter, sugar, syrup and treacle and place over a very low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Sift the flour, Baking Powder and ginger into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Gradually pour in the melted mixture, carefully mixing together to make a smooth, thick batter.
Divide the mixture between the tins and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes until slightly risen and just firm to the touch – a skewer inserted into the centre will come out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then inject each loaf cake with a generous amount of Cupcake Centre as directed on the sachet. Leave to cool completely in the tins, then remove from the tins. Wrap and store for 24 hours to allow the flavour and sticky texture to develop.
To decorate, break up the White Chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Leave to melt then remove from the water; stir the chocolate well and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Carefully spread half the chocolate over the top of each loaf, then put in a cool place to set. Keep the remaining melted chocolate in the bowl over some hot water to keep it melted.
Once the first layer of chocolate has set, spoon over the remaining chocolate allowing it to drip down the sides. Leave to set as before and then decorate with chocolate holly leaves. Your cakes are now ready to serve and enjoy! If you want to cut the cakes in half, warm the blade of a sharp knife in hot water, wipe dry and the knife should slice through the chocolate top with ease.
TIPS
For the chocolate holly leaves, melt 25g (1oz) Dr Oetker 72% Extra Dark Fine Cooks’ Chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmer water. Remove from the water and cool for 10 minutes. Line a board or tray with baking parchment. Spoon the melted chocolate into a small uncut piping bag, snip off the end and pipe different sized holly leaves on the lined board – you may prefer to trace holly shapes using a pastry cutter as a template for your piping. Leave in a cool place to set, then carefully peel away from the parchment and use to decorate your loaf cakes.
Spiced Lemon Cookie Wreath
Preparation time: 90 minutesCooking time: 2o-25 minutes
Serves: 1 cookie ring+ 33 cookies of various sizes
For the cookies
• 300g (10oz) Plain flour
• 1 sachet Dr. Oetker Bicarbonate of Soda
• 15ml(1 tbsp) Ground cinnamon
• Dr. Oetker Vanilla Grinder
• 115g (4oz) Unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 150g (5oz) Soft light brown sugar
• 75g (3oz) Golden syrup
• 5ml (1 tsp) Dr. Oetker Sicilian Lemon Extract
• 1 Medium egg, beaten To decorate:
• 100g (3 ½ oz) Icing sugar plus extra to dust
• 454g pack Dr. Oetker Ready to Roll Marzipan
• 30ml (2 tbsp) Clear honey
• 454g (1lb) Dr. Oetker Regal Ice Ready to Roll
Preparation
Line 4 baking trays with baking parchment. Sift the flour, Bicarbonate of Soda and cinnamon into a bowl. Add a generous amount of ground Vanilla and the butter, then gently rub the butter into the spiced flour using your fingertips, until well blended and the mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
Make a well in the centre and add the syrup, Lemon Extract and the egg. Mix the ingredients together until roughly blended then bring together using your hands to make a firm dough. Turn on to a lightly floured work surface and knead gently until smooth.
Divide the mixture in half, and roll out one half to a thickness of 1/2cm (1/4inch) to form a rough circle. Cut out a neat 22cm (9inch) (using a baking tray or plate as a template) round and transfer to one of the baking tins. Cut out an 18cm (7inch) inner circle from the middle to form a ring, prick the ring with a fork and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Gather up the trimmings and mix into the remaining half of the cookie mixture. Using 3 x 8cm (3inch) festive shaped cutters – we used a heart, Christmas tree and a 6 point star - stamp out 5 of each shape. Place spaced apart on the prepared baking trays.
For the top layer of the wreath, you’ll need another 6 cookies – we used an 8cm (3inch) holly leaf cutter and a 6cm (2 ¾ inch) bell shaped cutter. Re-roll the trimmings to make more cookies – we made 6 x 8cm (3inch) birds and 6 x 8cm (3inch) candy canes. You should be able to make approx. 33 cookies of assorted shape and size. Prick the cookies with a fork and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan assisted oven, 375°F, gas mark 5). Bake the ring and a tray of cookies for about 10 minutes until firm to the touch and lightly golden round the edges. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cook the remaining 2 trays of cookies as above.
To decorate, sift the icing sugar into a small bowl and mix in approx. 20ml (4 tsp) warm water to make a smooth, spreadable glacé icing. Cover the surface with a layer of cling film and leave to one side.
Gently knead the Marzipan to soften it and make pliable. Lightly dust the work surface with icing sugar, roll out the Marzipan thinly and cut out sufficient shapes using the same set of cutters, to cover all the cookies you have made, re-rolling as necessary. Brush the cookie tops with a little honey and stick the Marzipan shapes on top.
Roll out and cut out the Regal Ice in the same way, but cut out the centre of 15 cookies using a smaller approx. 4cm (1 ¾ inch) cutter of the same shape – we cut out the centre from the hearts, trees and stars. Secure the Regal Ice shapes on to the cookies as above using a little water. Score patterns using a small bladed knife on top of some of the cookies to add detail. Leave in a dry place for about an hour to allow the Regal Ice to dry a little before assembling the wreath.
To assemble, place the baked cookie ring on a flat plate or serving board and spread lightly with glacé icing. Gently press 9 cookies, alternating in design, on the ring, fitting them snugly together – we used 3 hearts, 3 trees and 3 stars.
For the next layer we used the remaining 2 hearts, 2 trees and 2 stars – spread the backs with a little more glacé icing and press on top of the first cookie layer.
For the top layer, we stuck 3 holly shaped cookies and 3 bell shaped cookies on top in the same way. Cover the top loosely with a sheet of baking parchment and leave for about an hour to dry completely.
Your cookie wreath and remaining cookies are now ready to serve and enjoy!
TIP
Store the cookie wreath in between layers of baking parchment, in an airtight container for 4-5 days. For longer storage, bake the cookies, leave them to cool and then place in a freezer container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Once thawed, marzipan and ice as above.
For alternative colour iced cookies
Use a 100g pack Dr. Oetker green Ready to Roll icing to ice approx. 8 x 8 cm (3 inch) holly leaf shaped cookies. For striped candy cane cookies, divide a 100g pack Dr. Oetker Red Ready to Roll icing into 6 equal portions, and do the same with 100g (3 ½ oz) Dr Oetker Regal Ice. Roll each portion of icing into 8cm (3 inch) long, thin sausage shapes. Carefully twist a red piece of icing with a Regal Ice strip to form a candy striped twist. Press down gently but evenly on a lightly dusted work surface then roll each twist of icing thinly to enable you to cut out a candy cane shape from each twist using a cookie cutter. This method should enable you to cover 6 x 8cm (3 inch) candy cane cookies.