Spuntino

You know that feeling when you love a place before you have even been there? That's the sort of feeling I had with Spuntino. Eating there was a bit like meeting your best friend from school's best friend from uni. You always know you are going to love her before you even set eyes on her. After all you have so much in common, like Spuntino's sister restaurants from the restaurant genius that is Russell Norman, Polpo and Polpetto. If you love them, you have to love Spuntino, which is very much the younger sibling. Spuntino is just a little bit newer, a little bit cooler and a little bit smaller than its sister restaurants.

Our waiter Ahmed - a legend. He requested a photo of himself after spotting me trying to snap the food.

Upon renovating the space in Rupert street Soho, the owners discovered the beautiful tiling from an old butchers shop. Along with the pressed tin roof (a Polpo and Polpetto signature) the tiling helps give the feel that Spuntino has been there for years, just living in the shadow of the rest of its family and waiting to be discovered.

Popcorn witb paprika which arrives as a complimentary touch as soon as you sit down - good stuff

I dined at Spuntino with the lovely Rob who writes the blog London Stuff. The only seats were in a u-shape around the bar which meant service was attentive but sharp elbows from the hungry people queuing for a spot behind those eating could lead to a bit of a pressured dining experience. It's a shame because Spuntino's menu was one to be enjoyed in slow increments with plates of sharing foods supplemented by tumblers of wine. To start the egg and soldiers (£3.50) was a little like a scotch egg without the sausage covering. Witty and comforting it was just my type of food. To add a little greenery to the meal, a salad of beets, salted ricotta and pistachio (£5.50) was a winner although the pistachio was a bit overwhelmed by the strong competing flavours.

Egg and soldiers

From the "Sliders" section of the menu the mini burger filled with beef and ground marrow (£5) was hearty and just the sort of food you crave after a few glasses of wine. However the pick of the sliders was the lamb and pickled cucumbers (£5) which tasted almost like moussaka in a bun. Fragrant but filling it was truly delicious.

Slider with beef and ground marrow - otherwise known as an oh-so-cute mini burger

The dishes getting the most air time so far are the mac and cheese (£8) and truffled egg toast (£5.50). Both are deserving of their excessive praise. The mac and cheese was a sterling example of the classic dish, all creamy, cheesy, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth pasta topped with a crisp bread crumbed topping. The truffled egg toast (£5.50)was incredibly intense. I defy you to eat a serving single handedly as the combination of the egg, cheese and truffles is super rich. Thank god I had Rob to help me out.

Truffled egg toast

To finish off we had the Nutella pizzetta (£5.50) which was a bit of a guilty pleasure but still delivered in terms of a crisp, billowing pizza base topped with the moreish chocolate and nut sauce.

Beet salad

Just like Polpo and Polpetto wines came served in small, medium and large carafes which allowed us to sample the Rosato Bardolino Monte (£17), a delicate rosé, along with two small carafes of the house red, the extremely drinkable Polpo merlot (£11). We were guided in our selection by the, so cool it hurt, waiting staff with their seemingly compulsory armfuls of tattoos. They may have been unfailingly trendy but they were also charming and knew exactly what they were doing. A special mention to Ahmed who looked after us and was personality and charm personified.

Inside Spuntino - see it is tiny! Play spot the food blogger if you can....

As long as you get there early or late in the evening, are prepared to wait, and preferably arrive in a group of two or less, you will love Spuntino. Don't expect refined cooking but do expect hearty bar snacks and small plates that hit the spot. For my money, I prefer Polpo and Polpetto for a more leisurely experience, but for a quick bite or a fun boozy night, Spuntino is a winner.

PS - I am seconding Greedy Diva's call for handbag hooks under the bar at Spuntino. I actually felt around for ages trying to see if there were any and probably accidentally groped the person next to me in the process. I ended up spending the evening with my handbag hooked around my ankle. I am not usually so paranoid but I was sitting next to the door, which was open, on a bar stool. Please help Russell. I am considering a petition! [Ahem - correction - apparently there are hooks at Spuntino just both Greedy Diva and I seemed to have great difficulty finding them. I am blaming the carafes of wine for that]

Essentials

Details: Spuntino, 61 Rupert Street, Soho, W1D 7PW (There is no telephone and Spuntino does not take reservations).

Damage: Pricey. Our bill came to over £55 each.

8/10

Links

If you like reading this you might be interested in my reviews of Russell Norman's other ventures Polpo and Polpetto.

How to make a Pimm's

Finally it is officially English summer time! Admittedly the temperatures don't feel too summery yet in London, but that did not stop Pimm's hosting a Pimm's Summer Garden Party on the weekend. You have to love the optimism of the English.

Original recipe Pimm's

There was Pimm's of every variety on offer at the party with Pimm's and ginger ale (quite a winning combination), Pimm's and pomengranate and even Pimm's Royale champagne cocktails to toast the official winding forward of the clocks to summer time. I enjoyed my first barbecue of the year, hosted in typically freezing conditions in the garden outside, and drew even greater pleasure from the cart of desserts. Four poofs and a piano entertained the crowd and Henry Holland did a DJ set. Sartorially challenged MTV boyfriend had to be convinced that Henry Holland was actually a famous fashion designer.

Pimm's staff at the party

The weather may not have come to the party, but sipping on a Pimm's I did feel that summer was well on its way. Pimm's is my drink of choice (after champagne of course) in summer time. I can remember ordering a Pimm's in Australia a few years ago and being very disappointed with the resulting drink which was filled with ice and a single desultory slice of orange. Since I have been living in London I have learnt that Pimm's is all about the accompaniments. It is not a Pimm's without half a cucumber, a punnet of strawberries and an entire bunch of mint adorning the drink as well.

Profiteroles on the dessert cart

With this in mind here is my recipe for a summer Pimm's. I make it stronger than the recommended Pimm's to lemonade ratio as at only 25 per cent alcohol you can afford to be a little heavy handed with the Pimm's. I would also recommend always mixing Pimm's up in jugs rather than in individual glasses as it tends to disappear quite quickly so you don't want to spend your whole day mixing drinks.

Red velvet cup cakes on the dessert cart

Ingredients

Ice

1 bottle of Pimm's

1 bottle of lemonade

2 cucumbers cut into strips

1 punnet of strawberries halved

1 orange halved and sliced thinly

1 bunch of fresh mint leaves

No need to buy pre mixed Pimm's when they are so easy to make yourself!

1. Fill a jug with ice then add one third Pimm's to two thirds lemonade

2. Mix in the fruit and mint leaves and serve.

Gourmet Chick was a guest of Pimm's at the Pimm's Summer Party.

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in recipes for some good picnic foods to accompany your Pimm's drinking like roasted pumpkin, bacon and fetta frittata or courgette fritters with mint and yoghurt sauce.

Boipeba (Gourmet Chick in Brazil)

“Welcome to paradise” said Charles, the owner of Santa Clara pousada. We had just arrived at the tiny island of Boipeba on Brazil’s east coast, 45 minutes flight from Salvador in the tiniest plane I have ever been on. The plane lands on a bumpy air strip complete with goats grazing on it on the nearby main land and then it is a short boat ride to Boipeba. Charles was right when he described it as paradise, the island ticks all the boxes with lush jungle and palm trees lining white sandy beaches. Boipeba hasn’t fallen prey to any mass tourist development yet and the only infrastructure is a handful of pousadas, shops and restaurants. With no cars or roads on the island the pace of life is decidedly laid back and it is not uncommon to see supplies being carted by wheelbarrow or donkey.

Typical beach on Boipeba - your only concern in life is being hit by a falling coconut

Paraiso

The obvious thing to eat on an island paradise is seafood while lunching at Paraiso an outdoor restaurant on Morere beach. Our fish came served in a sizzling clay pot topped with a rich tomato based sauce, sliced onions and peppers (R$40). As is typical on the island, all dishes were more than enough to feed two especially with the standard accompaniments of rice, beans and hot sauce.

Details: Paraiso, Morere beach, Boipeba, Bahia, Brazil.

Damage: Reasonable

6/10

Fish at Paraiso

Guido’s

Little more than a shack on the end of Cueira beach beach, Guido, or perhaps Guido’s successor stands under a palm tree and expertly grills fresh lobsters over a coal fire. R$60 buys you about six small lobsters, halved so it is easier to scoop out the meat and served simply with wedges of lime.

Lobster being cooked at Guido's

Eaten while sitting in plastic chairs with the sand between your feet and a chilled beer in your hand, Guido’s beats Michelin star dining any day.

Details: Guido's, Cueira beach, Boipeba, Bahia, Brazil.

Damage: Pricey (actually for lobster - probably reasonable!)

8/10

Finished lobster at Guido's

Panela de Barro

A tip from the lovely @GisaneC on Twitter led me to charming Panela de Barro in Boipeba’s village. The restaurant is a decidedly no frills operation with vinyl tablecloths and a tv blaring in the back corner but the food is tasty and cheap. A starter of tiny grilled octopus mixed with salsa and served with toasted bread (R$18) was fresh and vibrant. The crab moqueca (R$30) had a great mix of flavours with the sweetness of the crab meat complimenting the salty sauce.

Details: Panela de Barro, Boipeba village, Boipeba, Brazil.

Damage: Such a bargain my mother would approve

7/10

Grilled octopus at Panela de Barro

Santa Clara

We stayed at Pousada Santa Clara which conveniently also contains what is easily the best restaurant on the island. The head chef Mark used to run a cafe in Vermont and he knows his stuff. MTV boyfriend and I ate dinner here twice and were wowed by Mark’s food which is a fusion of European and Bahian recipes which makes the most of the island’s fruits and seafood. To start, crisp, fried lobster served on a bed of wilted spinach and laced with a tangy orange sauce (B$18). A main of chicken in a red wine sauce was teamed with wedges of baked polenta. To finish there is a selection of home made ice-creams served with a hot, gooey brownie. The ice-creams feature local fruits but admittedly our favourite was the white chocolate ice-cream.

Details: Pousada Santa Clara, At the end of the sandy path, Boipeba, Bahia, Brazil (Ph +55 (75) 3653 6085 )

Damage: Pricey

7/10

Chocolate brownie and home made ice-cream at Pousada Santa Clara

Gourmet Travel Tips

• Pousada Santa Clara was run by the amazing Charles who really goes beyond the call of duty in looking after his guests. He even booked our plane tickets to get to the island. The pousada is made up of a collection of small buildings connected by mosaic covered paths in a lush tropical garden. Our room, number 11, was clean and simple with a sparkling new all white bathroom. There is no air conditioning but you can sleep with the windows open at night thanks to mosquito nets on every bed. Breakfast was a real highlight at Pousada Santa Clara and included fresh fruit, freshly squeezed juice, tea, coffee, bread and different specialties every day such as tiny pancakes, warm rice pudding, potato cakes or frittata. Details: Pousada Santa Clara, At the end of the sandy path, Boipeba, Bahia, Brazil (Ph +55 (75) 3653 6085 ). £70 a night including breakfast.

Our room at Pousada Santa Clara

• We flew with Addey airlines from Salvador to Boipea and tickets cost about $B350 one way. The cheaper but slower way to get to Boipeba is by bus or boat. We left on a speed boat which took one hour to get to Valenca and cost $B35 a ticket. From Valenca, there are plenty of bus connections North or South through Bahia.

• On the island besides lying on the beach we enjoyed the two hour walk through the jungle, a coconut farm and various beaches to reach Morere beach.

• I also highly recommend watching the sunset with a caprihini in hand.

Sipping a caprihini and watching the sun set

Links

If you liked reading this you might be be interested in my post on Salvador, Bahia's capital for an island holiday closer to Europe (and a lot noisier!) try Ibiza.

Phoenix Palace

It seems fitting that when you feast on dim sum you do so in palatial surroundings. I have dumplinged it up at Dragon Palace, slummed it at Royal China, and now I have made it to the next ritzily titled restaurant on my dim sum hit list, Phoenix Palace. I see a theme developing here where the quality of the dim sum rises with the opulence of the restaurant name. The location of Phoenix Palace may be a nondescript through road next to Baker street tube but the the interior does its best to live up to the restaurants moniker. The decoration hails from the school of Chinese bling with huge gold dragons arching their backs menacingly next to red carved wooden chairs and heavy lacquered screens. Just my type of place.

Har gau

The lanterns and dragons all added a sense of occasion to the important ceremony of Sunday dim sum (or yum cha if you want to be technically correct in these things). A big group of us gathered at Dragon Palace for my friend Alina's birthday allowing us to be complete gluttons in ordering. Which is of course completely the point of dim sum and totally in keeping with the decadence of eating in not just a dim sum restaurant, but a dim sum PALACE.

Special of chicken and ginger dumplings - hand modeling courtesy of BJ

Our selection of tasty morsels started with the har gao prawn dumplings (£3.20) whose pliant, thin skin was stretched over plump, juicy prawns. The Shanghai pork dumplings (£2.80) erred on the stodgy side but off the specials list, the chicken and ginger dumpling (£3.20) was a revelation. Subtly flavoured with a delicate, translucent skin the dumplings were adorned with two peas making the them look a little like the dim sum version of ET.

Turnip cake (there were actually six servings on the plate but I was a bit late with my camera)

Turnip cake was just on the sticky edge of crispness and nice pieces of sausage flecked through while cheung fun with scallops (£4.80) were satisfyingly squidgy and slippery

Char siu bao

Delicately steamed char siu bao barbecued pork buns (£2.80) were a joy, filled with sweet and moreish pork while barbecued pork puff pastries (£2.80) continued in the porky barbecue theme. Another must pick was the spicy baby octopus (£3.80) which featured pliant octopus with a gentle chilli burn.

Mini onion pancakes

Mini onion pancakes (£2.80) were actually not pancakes at all but did not suffer from this confusion. The crisp, pastry balls were stuffed with tasty diced spring onion.

Suckling pig

Barbecue suckling pig (£12) revealed tender moist pork beneath the crunchy skin.

The only misfire was the crispy duck (£20) which erred on the dry side which no amount of addictive plum sauce, scallions and pancakes could compensate for.

The palatial feeling ended with the service which was stretched at times and could at best be described as brusquely efficient. Still, I think there is much to love about Phoenix Palace and I would rate it up there with my favourite dim sum experiences in London. Perhaps I am onto something with my theory about the extravagance of the name being in correlation to the quality of the dim sum.

Essentials

Details: Phoenix Palace, 5 Glentworth Street, Marylebone NW1 5PG (Ph 020 7486 3515) Tube: Baker Street

Damage: Reasonable. Our bill came to £25 a head but we ordered a ridiculous amount of food.

8/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my review of dim sum at Dragon Palace or at Yauatcha.

The Churchill Arms

The Churchill Arms could win a Britain in Bloom competition single handedly. In fact, I think it actually has. In summer, the outside of the 200 year old pub is festooned with so many hanging baskets of flowers that the brickwork of the pub is barely visible. At Christmas time the baskets are replaced with dozens of Christmas trees in a cheery festive display. The over the top decoration continues inside the pub where every spare centimetre of ceiling and wall space is covered with prints of the Queen mother, hurling memorabilia, a collection of chamber pots or a stuffed owl. It certainly makes for a slightly kooky but cosy atmosphere.

The Churchill Arms - bedecked with hanging baskets

At the back of the pub in an indoor conservatory area which resembles a mini hanging gardens of Babylon, lies the pub’s Thai restaurant. Thai restaurants are commonplace in London pubs now but The Churchill Arms take on the concept is a cut above the general offering because the Thai food on offer is genuinely spicy rather than being watered down for English palates. In a nod to the mounted butterflies on the walls and general tropical ambience of the conservatory, the exact heat of each dish is indicated on the menu by a series of butterflies ranging from one butterfly for spicy, two for hot and three for very hot. Even a one butterfly dish is enough to make you gulp down your accompanying beer, a shrewd move by the publican. I was just excited to find a Thai restaurant where very hot actually means, very hot.

Spring rolls

Another major plus is that the prices at The Churchill Arms are bargain basement. All the mains are uniformly priced at £7.50 which makes the process of budgeting and any splitting of the bill thankfully simple. The food is admittedly missing some of the subtleties of really good Thai cooking but the authentic heat and low prices make the pub worth a visit.

Dining in the conservatory area is like eating in a mini version of the hanging gardens of Babylon

Spring rolls (£4.50) were obviously bought in rather than made on the premises as they lacked a bit of bite and crunch but they were at least well fried to a crisp, golden brown finish. However, the kaeng kiew waan (£7.50), a so-hot-it-will-make-you-sweat green coconut curry featuring bamboo shoots, fresh Thai basil, peppers and some rather random green peas was really excellent. It was served with a generous helping of fluffy rice which was included in the price.

Green curry

From the less spicy end of the spectrum, the khao pad (£7.50) reminded me more of a Chinese fried rice dish with the slightly crunchy rice dotted with slivers of chicken, fried egg and spring onions and doused in soya sauce. It was not in the same league as the curry, but good enough for pub Thai food.

Khao pad

I have been to The Churchill Arms several times over the years and the quirky atmosphere always amuses me while the spice in the food feeds my chilli addiction. Admittedly, it is just another pub doing Thai food, but it does it better than most.

Essentials

Details: The Churchill Arms, 119 Kensington Church Street, Kensington W8 7LN (Ph 020 7727 4242) Tube: Notting Hill Gate.

Damage: Such a bargain my mother would approve.

6/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my review of 101 Thai Kitchen or of Garden Grill for more on my search for good Thai food in London.

Copacabana Palace (Gourmet Chick in Brazil)

The grand old dame of Rio, the Copacabana Palace, is one of the iconic hotels of the world. It is a must visit in Rio just to sip a caprihini in the bar but I was lucky enough to be invited to stay for a night at the hotel. Situated right on Copacabana beach the hotel was built in 1931 and retains the elegance and sophistication of another era. Walking in to the cool, dark foyer it is easy to imagine the time the hotel was built, a time of cocktail gowns and cigarette holders when Marlene Dietrich and Orson Welles were guests. Despite this hallowed history the Copa Palace is thoroughly modern with free wifi, ipod docks in rooms and a sense of a carefully polished past rather than any sense of faded glory.

The stucco white exterior of the Copacabana Palace

More than 80 years on the Copa Palace is still the place to stay in Rio. Madonna hired the penthouse suite and the Gisele calls the hotel home when she is in town. After my nights stay I can see what all the fuss is about as the hotel offers unparallelled luxury and the best service I have ever experienced at a hotel.

The living room of our suite at the Copacabana Palace

The Copa Palace is the sort of hotel that anticipates what you want before you think of it yourself. It is the little details that set the it apart with his and hers Havianas in the rooms, a pillow menu, bottles of water and chocolate ready by the bed side at night and loungers lined with pool towels which magically appear as you walk to the pool.

The bedroom at the Copacabana Palace

We stayed in room 750 which was so big it actually needed a its own door bell. With a separate lounge and kitchen area and closet space to make Carrie Bradshaw jealous, the rooms at the Copa Palace are the last word in luxury. Did I mention that there is also a dedicated spa, acres of ballrooms and a seriously swish pool area?

Private balcony overlooking Copacabana beach from room 750

The food at the Copa Palace meets the high standards of the rest of the hotel. Brunch or lunch at the Pergula restaurant with the hotel pool on one side and the white sands of the Copacabana beach on the other is a great way to experience some of the magic of the hotel. There is a buffet option but the a la carte menu is too good to miss. The food is light and summery and while the menu does include standard hotel options such as club sandwiches there are also lots of seafood choices and Brazillian specialties.

Ceviche of sea bass

Ceviche of sea bass with okra and rocket ($R45) was lifted by its cure of zesty lime while a trio of bruschetta offered traditional tomato and basil, diced shrimp and rich goats cheese.

Trio of bruschetta

From the mains on offer the poached crusted sole ($R74) had a buttery finish and was served with light rolls of pesto pasta and crisp, toasted pine nuts.

Poached crusted sole

However, the dish guaranteed to inspire jealousy with fellow diners was the jumbo shrimps ($R94). These were the most amazing crustaceans I have ever seen, incredibly juicy and meaty. They were expertly deveined and served, finger bowl and all, with a very Brazillian accompaniment of broccoli flecked rice.

The jumbo shrimp

The end of the meal was just as strong with home made sorbets providing a refreshing finish and a seasonal fruit tart demonstrating superior skills by the Copa Palace’s pastry chef.

Sorbets

Once again service was impeccable with helpful ordering suggestions, constantly refilled water glasses and friendly banter from the waiters. Perhaps the ultimate hospitality was the invitation to the hotel’s guests that night to attend the Copa Palace’s pre Carnaval cocktail party in the swanky Bar do Copa. Under the twinkling lights of the bar’s roof which replicate the stars of the Southern Hemisphere we drank complimentary champagne and caprihinis while magnificently beplumed and bejewelled samba dancers swayed amongst us.

Dancer at the Copacabana Palace's pre Carnaval cocktail party

Essentials

Details: Copacabana Palace, Avenida Atlântica 1702, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22021 001, Brazil

(Ph +55 21 2548 7070)

Damage: Budget breaking. A bed and breakfast package at the Copacabana Palace starts from US $495 for one night but I did not pay on this occasion. Prices at the Pergula restaurant were also high, but fairly typical for top end dining in Rio.

10/10

Gourmet Chick was a guest of the Copacabana Palace hotel.

Footage of inside our suite at the Copacabana Palace

Gourmet Travel Tips

• We flew to Rio from London with British Airways, prices start from around £650 return.
• In Rio you can catch the electric train to the top of Christ the Redeemer statue (sit on the right hand side) or a cable car to the top of the Sugarloaf for more spectacular views.
• We also hired bikes for a day from the lake area and cycled along Copacabana and Ipanema beach.

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in my tips for Salvador in Brazil or my review of La Suite boutique hotel which is also in Rio.

How to make a quadruple chocolate layer cake

As soon as I got this month's copy of Olive magazine I decided I had to try to recreate the amazing "Best-ever chocolate layer cake" on the cover. It was my friend Donia's birthday and I thought this sort of totally over the top and decadent cake would be just up her alley. I am a subscriber to Olive so I often use their recipes and having been lucky enough to spend some time as an intern there when I was studying journalism I know just how thoroughly tested their recipes are. Olive has a test kitchen which is shared with BBC Good Food magazine and every recipe that goes in the magazine is triple tested at least in the kitchen. That's not even taking into account the recipes that the Olive girls love and so try out for themselves at home as well. After all if I was going to make a recipe that called for 600g of quality chocolate and 500ml of double cream I wanted to know these expensive ingredients would not be wasted.

Finished cake - delicious!

My only gripe with Olive is its description of the recipes, this cake is described as easy which I think is a bit misleading. I agree it does not use too much tricky technique and is straight forward enough but in my view pancakes are easy, an omelette is easy, a quadruple layer cake - surely that qualifies as "a little effort"? Anyway, descriptions aside Olive came through with the goods as this cake is a real show stopper. The only things I needed to adjust about the recipe were the amount of milk used and I also omitted the espresso powder as I preferred the cake as a pure chocolate treat rather than a chocolate/coffee treat.

Combining the cream and melted chocolate for the frosting

Ingredients

175g self raising flour, sifted

3 tsp cocoa powder

175g butter softened, plus extra for lining tin

175g golden caster sugar

1 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

4 tsp milk

100g 70% dark chocolate, melted and cooled

Frosting

500ml double cream

500g milk chocolate, chopped

Folding the melted chocolate into the cake mixture for step three

1. Make the frosting first as it takes a while to cool and thicken. Put the milk chocolate into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan, and heat until simmering. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Cool and then chill in the fridge until it is really thick and spreadable.

2. Heat the oven to 180c and grease and base-line 2x 18cm sandwich tins with baking paper. Take 3 tsp flour from the full amount and put them back in the flour bag - the cocoa powder will make up the difference.

3. Put all the cake ingredients except the chocolate in a large bowl. Beat them together with an electic whisk until you have a creamy mixture, then fold in the melted chocolate. Add extra milk if the mixture is too stiff - it should fall easily off a spoon.

The cakes ready to go into the oven

4. Divide the mixture between the 2 tins and level. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 mins or until the sponge springs back when cooked and a skewer comes out clean.

5. Cool for 5 mins and then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the paper and cool completely. Cut each half in half horizontally so you have four layers altogether.

Slicing the cakes in half

6. Sandwich the layers together with the frosting (be generous as there is a lot of frosting) and then spread the rest on top thickly.

Serves 10. Although the cake is super rich so we easily served about 15 with it, with smaller slices.

Recipe adapted from Olive magazine, April 2011 issue.

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in this recipe for double Belgian chocolate ice-cream (without an ice-cream maker) or this one for cheat's chocolate mousse.