KIDS' COOKING: SKINNIER CHOCOLATELLA MINI-VOLCANO CAKES, Skinnier Indulgence

Older kids will love making these gorgeous treats...

Double Chocolate & Hazelnut Mini Volcano Cakes, Lower-Sugar, Kidult-friendly 
'...love the mousse' 'Not sickly & oversweet' 'Another, please!' Tasters 

These Double-Chocolatella Mini-Volcano Cakes stuffed with chocolate & hazelnut cream were intended for kids: both to make (lightly supervised) and to eat. 

Despite that, they are also a Skinnier indulgence, lower-fat/sugar/ preservative, and portions are kept deliberately small.

And when 3 adult males tested them, they thought the treats had been designed for them.

'These are thankfully not like kids' sickly sweets'; 'what a lovely contrast to buttercream cakes which I don't like'; and 'I wouldn't normally want a second but these I do' were some of the comments.

Which made 67 wonder if kids would actually like the mini-volcano cakes.  Would they be sweet enough for young palates? 

There wasn't a child around but 67 guessed the sensational choco-hazelnut mousse would make up for lower levels of sugar. Just in case though, the recipe allows for the addition of extra chocolate chips mixed into or sprinkled onto the mousse.  For kids.  

Even without extra chocolate, the mini-volcanoes are rich and deeply chocolatey.  To keep things healthier and proportionate, a mini-cupcake tin is recommended.  If using a normal cupcake tins, fill only half-full.

Cost: £3.25 (2022) 

Feeds: 12 small

Ingred:   

   20g/3/4oz white flour 
   65gm/2.3 oz self-raising wholemeal flour (add 1/2 tsp baking powder to plain flour)
    2 generous tablespoons cocoa (not drinking chocolate)

   1/2 generous tsp baking powder

   50gm/1.6 oz sugar

   15gm/1/2 oz ground almonds   
    75 ml sunflower or light veggie oil

    75 ml milk

    1 large egg

    1/2 tsp vanilla
    50gm/1.75 oz chocolate chips 

     extra chocolate chips for garnish (opt)

   Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse

1.  Whip 1/3 cup whipping cream until soft peaks form
2.  Add 1/4 cup home made lower-sugar Chocolate Hazelnut Spread or a good commercial brand; continue whipping till thick and blended   

        

 Method:

 Equipment:


mini cupcake tin, holes 3/4 inch/2cm deep
small cupcake liners

1. Preheat oven to 350f/180c/170f; line muffin tins with paper liners, pressing down into the cavity so they stand up like soldiers 
2. Put all ingred exc chocolate chips & choco-hazelnut mousse in a deep bowl
3. Beat with electric beaters, a stand-alone mixer, or a whisk until well-blended, 2-4 mins
4. Fill liners 2/3 full (67 used a 1.5 in/4cm ice cream scoop) 
5. Bake 17 mins; a toothpick in the centre will come out dry
6. Cool 5 mins in tin, then move to cooling rack until cold 
7. Not too long before serving, cut a deepish cone-shaped piece from the top of the cupcake, leaving a rim; set aside
   
8. Using two teaspoons, fill centre generously with Chocolate Hazelnut mousse; it might spill over the depression but not cover the top, which is fine
9. Cut off the tip of the cone (cook's reward); place cap on top of the mousse
10. Using a tea strainer, lightly dust the top of the cone with icing sugar

1. Kids who need a bit more sweetness can either mix chocolate chips into the mousse or sprinkle them over the mousse before replacing the top
2. These are best eaten on the day

Comments:

'I love the mousse; very nice' 'Not sickly & oversweet' 'Another, please!' Tasters 

Tips:

• for free of common wheat option, use spelt flour but increase milk slightly
• ground almonds can be replaced with an equal amount of sugar

                                          More healthy baking on Nav Bar: Recipes & How to...

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission