For a taste of the Orient, we’ve invited Grand Imperial’s Head Dim Sum Chef, Chi Kin Cheung, to share his recipe for ‘Pumpkin Bundle’ dim sum plus there’s an Exclusive Cocktail Tea offer for every Club Chocolate reader. Meanwhile Diana Pinkett proves vegans can have their cake and eat it with a delicious dairy-free recipe for ‘Chocolate Torte’.
Chi Kin Cheung’s ‘Pumpkin Bundle’ Dim Sum
(Makes 15 dim sum)
Chi Kin Cheung’s ‘Pumpkin Bundle’ dim sum.
Ingredients:
Pumpkin Pastry
600g glutinous rice flour*
200g sugar
450ml pumpkin juice**
250g wheat starch*
200g lard
*Readily available at local Chinese supermarket or buy online here
**Simply cook, puree and strain your pumpkin. See instructions here
Chocolate filling
125g Divine Chocolate 75% cocoa
125g butter
37.5g flour
50g egg yolk
75g sugar
28oz condensed milk
Method:
To make the dim sum pastry, whisk flour, sugar and juice together. Next mix the glutinous rice flour with hot water to form a paste and add into the above mixture. Melt the lard into the hot mixture to form a workable pastry. Now for the chocolate filling. Melt the chocolate and mix in the remaining filling ingredients to form a stiff mixture. Layout on a flat tray, approx 10mm deep and leave in the fridge to set
To make the dumplings, take 20g of pumpkin pastry and roll out to shape. Fill with 10g of chocolate filling. Form into a round ball. Score the outside, decorate as desired. Deep fry in clean vegetable oil. Pat dry before serving.
Spotlight: Since opening its doors a year ago, Cantonese restaurant Grand Imperial London has picked up an impressive array of accolades: first, two coveted AA Rosettes and in November they were named Finalists in the 2011 Tsingtao award for Best UK Chinese restaurant. Chocolate Dim Sum is unique to Grand Imperial. Blending the art of crispy, delicate dim sum parcels with a warm, silky sauce made with 70% Divine chocolate, Head of Dim Sum Chef Chi Kin Cheung and his team have created something truly spectacular.
Exclusive Club-Chocolate Offer*: Two Complimentary Cocktail Teas
Why not celebrate Chinese New Year in style with Oriental Afternoon Tea at Grand Imperial? It’s served daily at £18 per tea set (enough for 2) and includes fresh black cod rolls wrapped in Kataifi pastry, Char Sui, Concubine Chicken Wrap, Shredded Duck Wrap, Chocolate Dim Sum or Green Tea Brulée and a pot of freshly brewed Oriental tea from the restaurant’s extensive selection.
Bring a print-out of your Club-Chocolate E-zine and you’ll receive two complimentary ‘Cocktail-Teas’ for every £18 Tea ordered.*
Grand Imperial London
101 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 0SJ
Opening times: 12pm–11pm, 7 days a week
Telephone number: 020 7821 8898
Email: reservations@grandimperiallondon.com
*Offer is subject to availability and deposit must be made on booking. Valid until 31 March 2012.
Vegan Peasant’s Chocolate Torte
Vegan Peasant’s Chocolate Torte.
(Dairy-free, no-bake recipe)
Ingredients:
300g 72% couverture chocolate
1 packet Mori-Nu firm silken tofu
120ml soy cream
60ml agave
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
300g Hobnobs or Oaties
100g Vitalite dairy-free vegetable margarine
Method:
To make the biscuit base, prepare a round cake pan (9” x 2”) with a removable bottom by lining it with either parchment paper or silicon paper. Using a food processor pulse the Hobnobs or Oaties into a fine crumb. In a small saucepan, melt the margarine. In a separate small bowl, combine and stir the margarine and Hobnobs. Press the mix into the bottom of the round cake pan to form an even layer. Chill for 30 minutes.
To melt the chocolate, fill the bottom of the double boiler with water and place on low heat. Break chocolate into small pieces, and place in top pan of double boiler over hot, but not boiling water. You may also use a glass or metal mixing bowl on top of a saucepan half-full of water. Do not cover. When most of the chocolate is shiny, stir until smooth. Remove top of boiler from heat.
For the filling, whiz the tofu, soy cream, agave and vanilla in a blender for about two minutes or until smooth and creamy. Transfer the mix to a medium bowl and quickly, but gently fold in the melted chocolate. Spoon the mixture on top of the chilled biscuit base, smoothing out with the back of the spoon. Chill the torte for at least two hours before serving.
Vegan Peasant’s Diana Pinkett.
Spotlight: Vegan Peasant Catering is a London-based event caterer offering 100% plant-based cuisine. Whenever possible, they source organic, fair trade, seasonal and local ingredients. The company was founded by Diana Pinkett who was born in Wolverhampton, raised in NYC and grew up in a Caribbean household with great food and a love of entertaining. Diana embraced the vegan lifestyle as a student at The University of Vermont 17 years ago and was one of the founders of the UVM Vegan Society. After graduation she had the opportunity to work at the Onion River Food Co-op, where she acquired the habit of purchasing fresh, health and tasty produce everyday.
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