Action Aid to help spread the word on their Sponsor A Child Christmas campaign by cooking a recipe inspired by one of the countries they work in. I started working on this peanut butter mousse pie (peanuts being one of the ingredients commonly used in Malawi) on Monday but then my four year old son got sick with a terrible cold. He had to stay home with me for three days – during which time he was very poorly but spoiled rotten. In a way, this only highlighted the need for charities like Action Aid – not all children have access to doctors, medicine, education or even enough food. A few weeks ago I was contacted byto help spread the word on theirby cooking a recipe inspired by one of the countries they work in. I started working on this(peanuts being one of the ingredients commonly used in Malawi) on Monday but then my four year old son got sick with a terrible cold. He had to stay home with me for three days – during which time he was very poorly but spoiled rotten. In a way, this only highlighted the need for charities like Action Aid – not all children have access to doctors, medicine, education or even enough food.

Action Aid is urgently appealing for sponsors to help over 2,700 children in countries like Afghanistan, the Democratic of Congo and Myanmar who are suffering from the effects of conflict, hunger and lack of access to education and healthcare. For 50p a day, a UK sponsor can support a child (and their community) and in return receive letters and progress reports to see how the sponsorship transforms their lives. Click gift a sponsorship this Christmas. There also is urgently appealing for sponsors to help over 2,700 children in countries like Afghanistan, the Democratic of Congo and Myanmar who are suffering from the effects of conflict, hunger and lack of access to education and healthcare. For 50p a day, a UK sponsor can support a child (and their community) and in return receive letters and progress reports to see how the sponsorship transforms their lives. Click here more information on how to become a sponsor or perhapsthis Christmas. There also several other ways to get involved and make a difference.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

and lunch today. What can I say about this? I wanted to make something chocolate + peanut buttery (check out the peanut butter millionaire’s shortbread ) for a long time and it surpassed my expectations. It is rich, it is incredibly indulgent and I may (or may not) have had it for breakfastlunch today.



Notes: You will need whipped cream for both the chocolate and peanut butter mousse. Best whip the full quantity of cream (500ml / 2 cups) and store in the fridge until needed.

• The chocolate mousse needs a little time to set in the fridge before you top with the peanut butter mousse.

• You will have a little leftover mousse (both chocolate & peanut butter) – pour into glasses and serve with some caramel sauce!

Chocolate dough

200g | 7oz plain flour, plus more for rolling

100g | 3.5oz light brown sugar

85g | 3oz | 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed

4 tbsp cocoa

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1-2 tbsp cold double cream

Method

Put the flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in a large bowl and mix together with a fork. Make sure there are no lumps of sugar lurking in there. Add the cubed butter and rub everything between your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Avoid overworking the dough or the butter will start melting. Add the egg and 1 tbsp cream and mix together to form a dough. If it’s too crumbly add a second tablespoon of cream. Form dough into a disk, wrap in cling film, and put in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Place a large, flat baking tray on the middle shelf. Dust your worktop and rolling pin with a little flour and roll the dough out to a thickness of about 6mm (1/2 inch). Drape over the rolling pin and carefully transfer to cover a 21cm (8in) loose bottomed tart tin. Gently fit to the tart tin but leave any excess dough hanging over the edges, folding over if too long. This prevents too much shrinkage and ensures trim edges. Chill for an hour. Place baking paper over the tin and fill with baking beans (or dried pulses – I used lentils). Bake for 12 minutes. Take out of the oven, remove the baking beans and paper and lightly score with a fork – without pushing all the way through to the bottom. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes. Trim the edges and cool completely before using or store in the fridge, still in the pan, covered with cling film for up to two days.

For the chocolate mousse

200g | 7oz milk chocolate, finely chopped 120ml | 1/2 cup whole milk 250ml | 1 cup double cream, whipped to soft peaks 1 1/2 tsp gelatine powder 2 tbsp very hot water 2 tbsp store-bought caramel sauce

––– 4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter fill tart

Method

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put in a large bowl. Put two tbsp of hot water in a glass and sprinkle with the gelatine. Mix together thoroughly until gelatine dissolves. Heat the milk in a saucepan until small bubbles appear around the edges. Pour over the chocolate and leave for a couple of minutes. Add the gelatine water and then stir together with a whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Gradually add the whipped cream, stirring with the whisk as you do, until smooth. Heat the crunchy peanut butter in the microwave in short bursts until warm enough to easily spread over the prepared tart. Pour the mousse over it (fill halfway up) and chill for 1-2 hours. For the peanut butter mousse 200g | 7oz full-fat cream cheese 4 heaped tbsp smooth peanut butter (or more, to taste) 85g | 3oz icing (powdered) sugar 1 1/2 tsp gelatine powder 2 tbsp very hot water 1 tsp vanilla paste

3 tbsp honey roasted peanuts, crushed, to serve

store-bought caramel sauce, to serve 250ml | 1 cup double cream, whipped to soft peaks3 tbsp honey roasted peanuts, crushed, to servestore-bought caramel sauce, to serve Method