Chocolate Mud Cakes with Strawberry Ganache

Makes 12, Prep and Cook 1 hour, 15 mins

200g dark cooking chocolate,

chopped

175g unsalted butter, chopped 1¼ cups firmly packed

brown sugar

1¼ cups plain flour

2 tblsps cocoa powder

½ tsp baking powder

2 eggs, lightly beaten

STRAWBERRY GANACHE 250g punnet strawberries,

hulled, chopped

²⁄³ cup icing sugar mixture 250g packet cream cheese, chopped, at room temperature

1 cup White Choc Melts

(150g), melted, cooled Pink food colouring, to tint

1 Grease two 6-hole silicone muffin trays (¹⁄³-cup capacity). Place on a large oven tray.

2 Combine chocolate, butter, sugar and ¾ cup water in a large saucepan. Stir over a low heat until smooth. Transfer to a large, heatproof bowl. Cool slightly. 3 Add combined flour, cocoa and baking powder to chocolate mixture. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in eggs until combined. Pour mixture evenly into prepared holes (about ¹⁄³ cup in each).

4 Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 30 minutes, or until just set and firm in the centre when lightly touched. Remove. Stand in trays for 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

5 To make ganache, process strawberries and 2 tblsps of the sugar in a food processor until smooth. Strain. Discard seeds. 6 Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add melted chocolate.

Beat until combined. Beat in 1 tblsp strawberry puree. Tint pale pink with colouring.

7 To serve, spoon ganache into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle. Pipe onto cakes. Top with remaining puree.