Cold milk ¼ cup

Sugar 1 tsp

Rum or brandy 1 tsp

Icing sugar ½ cup

Egg 1

Water ¼ cup

Bitter chocolate 80 gm

Chocolate 80 gm

Eggs 3

Gelatine 1 tbsp

Coffee powder 1½ tsp

Powdered sugar 3 tsp

Cream 1½ cup

Rum or brandy 2 tsp

Method: To prepare the cake sift flour and baking soda together twice. Mix 1 cup sugar, curd, cocoa powder in a large pan and keep aside. Powder 11/4 cup sugar and beat along with eggs till light and frothy. Add oil gradually. Add half of the beaten egg mixture and flour to the cocoa mixture. Beat and add the rest of the egg mixture and flour slowly till the batter is smooth.

Grease a round cake tin and pour the batter in it and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 1 hr or till done. Remove from tin and let it cool.

Mix 1/4 cup cold milk with sugar and rum or brandy. Cut the cake into two pieces horizontally and soak both pieces in this milk. Keep aside.

Melt the chocolate pieces in a double boiler. Add coffee power and mix well. Let it cool. Sprinkle gelatine on 1/4 cup cold water and let is soften. Put on flame and stir till it dissolves.

Separate the eggs. Add egg yolks and sugar to chocolate mixture and blend well. Add gelatine while stirring continuosly. Fold in the whipped cream and brandy in the chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites till soft peaks form and fold in the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate till set (Do not put in freezer).

Spoon out a layer of this filling on one piece of cake and cover with the second one.

For icing heat 1/4 cup water in a thick-bottomed pan and add chocolate pieces to it. Cook till it dissolves completely. Add butter and stir. Remove from fire and add icing sugar. Mix till it dissolves. Add beaten egg and stir vigourously. Heat on low fire till it becomes thick and has pouring consistency.

Pour it over the cake and chill. Decorate with silver balls and whipped cream.

Egg whites 2

Carrot (grated) 1/4 cup

Castor sugar 2/3 cup

Lemon juice 1 tsp

chocolate 100 gm

Method: Beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Add sugar and lemon juice slowly and continue beating till sugar dissolves completely. Finely chop grated carrot and squeeze out excess liquid. Stir carrot into egg whites.

Put the mixture in a piping bag with a star nozzle. Pipe rosettes about 4 cm apart onto foil-covered oven trays. Bake on low heat for 45 minutes or till firm. Let the meringues cool in oven.

Meanwhile melt the chocolate pieces over a pan of boiling water.

Dip half of each meringue into the melted chocolate and cool. Serve with other Christmas puddings or use as topping for desserts.

Eggs 4

Castor sugar ½ cup

Flour 1 cup

Egg yolks 5

Castor sugar ½ cup

Flour ½ cup

Essence 1 tsp

Milk 3 cups

Jam 5 tbsp

Walnuts ground 5 tbsp

Dark rum 1/4 cup

Plain chocolate 5 tbsp

Butter 3 tbsp

Cream 1 cup

Method: Prepare the sponge by whisking eggs and sugar till thick and smooth. Fold in the flour slowly till evenly mixed. Pre-heat oven and pour the batter in a greased cake tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 190°C. Let it cool. To prepare pastry cream beat half the sugar and the yolks till creamy. Fold in the flour. Put milk and rest of the sugar in a pan and bring to a boil while stirring continuously. Add this to the egg yolk mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Keep aside.

Mix walnut powder, jam and rum to get walnut paste.

Slice the sponge cake and spread walnut paste on each slice. Arrange half the sponge sticky side up in a dish. Pour pastry cream over it and cover with the remaining sponge sticky side down. Cover and refrigerate till set.

Make chocolate topping by melting chocolate and butter in a double boiler till smooth. Whip the cream till light and fluffy.

Cut the sponge into squares and put in serving dishes. Spoon whipped cream on top and pour melted chocolate over it.