Try baking for goodness' sake (+recipe)

Try baking for the the big fair bake

The big Fair Bake is back. Running from August 1 to 17, the event is a collaboration between Fairtrade and Trade Aid with the aim of improving lives of disadvantaged farmers and workers simply by encouraging Kiwis to choose fair when it comes to baking ingredients.

Aspiring bakers need to select at least two fair trade ingredients - an ingredient carrying the Fairtrade mark and an ingredient from Trade Aid - and use these to create or adapt an inspiring recipe. You then need to photograph and share your recipe on bigfairbake.org.nz.

There are lots of delicious ingredients to choose from, most of which are found in the supermarket aisle or in Trade Aid stores and online. These include everything from chocolate and bananas to cocoa and dates.

Top prizes are up from grabs for the winning recipes including a KitchenAid, a master class with award-winning restaurant Logan Brown's pastry chef, and plenty of Fair Trade and Milly's baking hampers. Judging the competition this year are chefs Steve Logan, Kim Evans and Julie Le Clerc.

Le Clerc shares one of her Fair Trade recipes.

Fair trade dark chocolate truffle torte

Ingredients

• 150g Fairtrade chocolate, coarsely chopped eg Whittaker's Dark Ghana 72 per cent or Green & Black's 70 per cent
• 100ml strong brew fair trade coffee
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 75g caster sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs, separated
• 1 tsp Fairtrade pure vanilla extract
• 150g Trade Aid ground almonds or toasted hazelnuts
• 12 toasted hazelnuts, reserved for decoration
• 50g Whittaker's Dark Ghana 72 per cent Fairtrade chocolate, grated, to decorate

Chocolate mousse

• 150g Whittaker's Dark Ghana 72 per cent Fairtrade chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 30g unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 large free-range eggs, separated

Method

1. For the cake, preheat oven to 170C. Grease a 22cm spring form cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.

2. Place the chocolate and coffee in a bowl set over a saucepan one-quarter full of simmering water to melt. Or microwave in short bursts. Stir until smooth then set aside.

3. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add vanilla and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the chocolate mixture and then stir in the ground hazelnuts.

4. In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Use a large metal spoon to fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in two additions. Pour mixture into prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Remove, cool in the tin.

5. For the mousse, place chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan one-quarter full of simmering water to melt. Or microwave in short bursts. Stir until smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, stirring to combine.

6. In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture in two additions. The mixture may appear to split but keep folding and it will come together.

7. To assemble, pour the mousse onto the cooled cake while it is still in the tin. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

8. To serve, release the spring. Use a small knife to help ease the paper away from the cake. Peel off the paper and discard. Use a hot knife to cut the torte into wedges. Decorate with reserved hazelnuts and grated chocolate.