chocolate orange and aniseed dough for base layer
chocolate dough used for base layer, adapted from a house recipe in Sainsburys magazine https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/cakes/chocolate-christmas-house
Ingredients
- 50 g dark chocolate i used 63% solids
- 200 g unsalted butter softened
- 150 g caster sugar
- 50 g golden syrup
- 350 g plain flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- zest from one orange
- 3/4 tsp ground aniseed
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- orange and yellow boiled sweets for moon ect crushed finely
- 1 egg - lightly beaten
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water or in a microwave then set aside to cool down slightly
- In a large bowl mix the orange zest and sugar together in a bowl and rub together to infuse
- Add butter to the sugar and cream until pale and creamy then add the chocolate and golden syrup and mix
- Add the egg and mix again, being sure to scrape the bowl with a spatula
- sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and add the spices then mix in cohesive dough. Chill for 45 minutes.
- dust some flour on a piece of baking paper and roll out large enough for the base template, place on the tray then cut it out while on the tray, cut out the holes for the stars and moon and house windows. place in fridge for 20 minutes on the tray while you preheat the oven to 180c 350f
- Bake for 12 minutes, turning tray half way through then add some crushed boiled sweets into the holes you cut out and bake for 3 more minutes until they have melted.