Chocolate is Today's Theme

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

Yesterday, in a reply to my post about having themes for the day, someone requested a chocolate day. :D It will be a great hardship, but, today's theme is now chocolate. LOL

If anyone else would like to request a theme, please don't hesitate. And if anyone else has recipes that use chocolate that they would like to share, please do so!!

Oh, and sorry in advance for so many recipes in one day. hehe

Hot Chocolate

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

1 cup real semi-sweet chocolate
chips
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups milk
2 cups (1 pint) half and half
2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping Ingredients

sweetened whipped cream
grated chocolate if desired
freshly grated lemon peel if desired
freshly grated orange peel if desired
ground cinnamon if desired
ground nutmeg if desired

Melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, in a 3
quart saucepan. Stir in sugar, water and salt. Cook over medium
heat, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in milk and half and half.
Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until
heated through (12-15 minutes). DO NOT BOIL. Add vanilla. Beat
with wire whisk unto frothy. To serve, pour into mugs; top each
serving with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. If desired,
garnish with the following topping: grated chocolate, grated lemon
peel, grated orange peel, cinnamon or nutmeg.

Recipe from Land-0-Lakes

Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Glaze

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

THE CAKE
3 c Flour
1 tb Baking powder
2 ts Soda
2 ts Pumpkin pie spice
1 ts Salt
4 Eggs
1 c Sugar
1 c Light brown sugar; packed
16 oz Pumpkin; pureed, canned or fresh
1 c Oil

THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
1 tb Butter
1 oz Unsweetened chocolate
dash salt
1/2 ts Vanilla
1 1/4 c Confectioner's sugar
2 tb Milk; or as needed
MAKE THE CAKE: Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, pumpkin pie spice and
salt together; set aside. Beat the eggs until fluffy; add the sugars. Beat
until very thick. Stir in the pumpkin and oil, until smooth. Blend flour
mixture thoroughly into the creamed mixture. Pour into a greased and floured
10" tube pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about one hour or until
cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes
before removing from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Drizzle the
glaze over the cake.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Melt the butter and chocolate, in a small saucepan
over low heat; stir in salt and vanilla. Add the confectioners' sugar with
enough milk to make the glaze thin enough to drizzle over the cake. Note:
This cake will keep well for several months in the freezer. Source: Vera
Stevens

White Hot Chocolate Serves about 5

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

6 ounces white chocolate, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 quart milk
1/4 cup amaretto or, for children, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Coarsely grate 1/2 ounce of white chocolate, for garnish. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. Chop remaining chocolate into chunks. In a medium saucepan, chocolate and milk. Over medium heat, stir constantly until chocolate is thoroughly melted. Remove from heat and stir in amaretto or almond extract. Pour into 5 mugs and top with a dollop of whipped cream garnished with grated white chocolate.

http://www.seasonalrecipes.com/rec/recipe90.whitehotchocolate.html

Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

Tasty little peanut butter chocolate confections rolled in crushed peanuts.

Cooking Technique: No Cook
Prep Time: 30
Cooking Time: up to 10 minutes
Yield: 60 servings of 1 truffle each

Ingredients

2/3 cup hot water
1 container (10 ounces) Hot Cocoa Mix (10 packets)
1 18 oz. jar of peanut butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1 12 oz. pkg crushed vanilla wafers
8 oz dry roasted peanuts, crushed

Directions

1. Whisk together water and cocoa mix in large bowl until smooth. Stir in peanut butter and corn syrup. Add sugar, blend well. Stir in crushed vanilla wafers.

2. Place crushed peanuts in shallow dish. Using teaspoon, form chocolate mixture into small balls and roll in peanuts.

3. Chill 1 hour before serving. Store refrigerated in airtight container.

Pears with Chocolate and Pepper

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

<http://info.randomhouse.com/cgi-bin21/DM/y/hqSu0JjfzY0BaN0sLv0E6>
Women For All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano

Zest of 1 orange
2/3 cup sugar
4 Bosc pears
2/3 cup heavy cream
4 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
Freshly ground pepper

Serves 4
The pear is one of nature's most remarkable inventions; its versatility
is second to none. What other fruit could wed so perfectly with
chocolate one minute, blue cheese the next?
1. Bring 1 quart water, the orange zest, and the sugar to a boil. Peel
and core the pears, keeping them whole by cutting the core out from the
bottom, and put them in the boiling syrup over low heat for 20 minutes.
Place each pear on a dessert dish and let cool.
2. Bring the cream to a boil, then pour in the chocolate and stir to
melt it. Whisk in the butter piece by piece. Pour the sauce over the
pears and season with pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
N.B. Pepper is surprising with dessert. It enhances the flavor of fresh
fruit. In my first book, I included a pineapple dessert. You can also
use pepper with strawberries.

Cold Chocolate Christmas Pudding

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

Serves 6

You need to make this at least one day before you serve it and finish it
off just before serving. It would be far better, though, to make it well
in advance.

350ml/11 fl oz milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 stick cinnamon
4 egg yolks
95g/3-1/4oz soft brown sugar
200ml/6-1/2 fl oz chilled cream
2 tbsp brandy (optional)
105g/3-1/2oz fruit cake, broken into 1 or 2 inch chunks
45g/1-1/2oz chopped marron glacé
45g/1-1/2oz chopped glacé cherries
45g/1-1/2oz amaretti biscuits (cookies), broken into large pieces

Topping
185g/6oz good quality plain (semi-sweet) chocolate
30ml/1 fl oz oil (not olive oil)
50g/1-3/4oz white chocolate

1. Put the milk, vanilla essence and cinnamon stick into a saucepan and
bring slowly to the boil, then remove from heat.

2. In a bowl, cream the egg yolks and sugar together until thick, then,
after removing the cinnamon stick, add the hot milk and mix until all
ingredients are well combined.

3. Put the mixture into a fresh saucepan and very slowly, over a low
heat, stir it continuously until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Do
not allow it to boil.

4. Using a sieve (strainer), strain it into a clean bowl and put aside
to cool completely.

5. When it is completely cold, add the cream and brandy. Stir them in
then put them in a container and freeze until just firm to the touch,
about 3 hours.

6. Take the mixture out of the freezer, put into a bowl and beat until
the it is thick and creamy.

7. Repeat the freezing and beating twice more but on the final one, add
the marron glacé, fruitcake, glacé cherries and amaretti biscuits
(cookies) and put in a 2 pint or 1 litre pudding basin to produce the
traditional Christmas pudding shape. Cover with clingfilm (Saran wrap)
and return to freezer. Check after 30 minutes and stir if the cake,
biscuits and fruit have sunk to the bottom. Cover again, and freeze overnight.

8. Remove from freezer and then turn it out onto a plate. Flash the
basin in and out of very hot water to loosen the ice cream, if necessary.

9. To make the topping, melt the plain (semi-sweet) chocolate (see
techniques). When it is melted, add the oil, stirring it in well and
until chocolate is cool but still melted.

10. Take the pudding out of the freezer and put in on a wire rack. Now
pour the chocolate smoothly and evenly over the pudding so, except for
the bottom, is completely covered. Put it back in the freezer for about
2 hours.

11. Melt the white chocolate (see techniques). Take the pudding out of
the freezer and put on a serving plate. Pour the white chocolate over
the top of the pudding. This time it should not be completely covered.
The white chocolate is supposed to resemble cream poured over a pudding.
Decorate with a sprig of artificial holly.

12. If you finish this off just before serving, put in the refrigerator
for about 30 minutes to set the white chocolate. It would be much better
to make it in advance, wrap it well in clingfilm and keep it in the
freezer. Take it out about 30 minutes before serving.

http://chocolate.allinfo-about.com

Double Tree Hotel Chocolate Chip Cookies

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

1 1/2 C. butter -- softened
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
3/4 C. firmly packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 C. old-fashioned oatmeal -- uncooked
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
3 C. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips -- Ghirardelli
1 1/2 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place
the butter in a large bowl and cream lightly with an electric mixer. Add the
sugars and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and
mix well. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, oatmeal, baking soda,
salt and cinnamon. Add to the creamed butter mixture and stir well to blend.
Add chocolate chips and walnuts and stir to combine. Using a 1/4 cup measure
or a 2-oz ice cream scoop, drop the batter on the parchment-lined pans,
leaving 2 -3 inches between each cookie. Bake for 13 - 15 minutes or until
lightly browned around the edges. Remove from parchment and cool on wire
racks.

Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffins

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

1 Tbsp butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 Tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 Tbsp boiling water
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 6-muffin pan. In large bowl, beat on medium
speed: butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla,
dissolved coffee granules, and coffee liquor (optional) until blended.
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to
butter mixture alternately with milk, beating just until combined. Fold in
chocolate chips. Divide batter among muffin pan cups.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until centers spring back when lightly pressed. Serve
warm

Easy Chocolate Fudge

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

You will need:

12 oz. milk chocolate chips.
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 TBS. butter
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
chocolate chips, chopped nuts, sprinkles --optional topping variations

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, heat up the sweetened condensed milk (do not boil!). Stir this as it's warming so it doesn't scald. When it's hot (but not boiling), add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth.

When all the chocolate chips are melted, turn off the heat and add the vanilla. Add the butter and stir quickly until it melts. Add the nuts (if you're adding any) and mix well.

Spread evenly into a wax (or parchment) paper lined 8-inch square pan.
Chill 2 to 3 hours (or better, overnight) until firm.

When you're ready to cut...turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off paper and cut into squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature. This can be stored in the fridge for a week or so, just take it out an hour or two before you want to eat it.

If you want a topping (nuts, chocolate chips, sprinkles), you can add them on top before putting the fudge in to the regrigerator to cool. When you're ready to cut the fudge, instead of turning the pan over, use the wax (or parchment) paper to pull the fudge out of the pan, and cut then cut it into squares.

Adding the topping to the pan before adding the fudge sometimes leads to it being mixed in and when you turn the pan over later, the topping ends up uneven; adding it on top just before refrigerating, you can press it lightly onto the top of the fudge and it will stay in place better when cutting.

This is a soft fudge that tastes very much like the chips you use, so you'll want to use a kind you like. Milk chocolate works better than the semisweet variety in this recipe.

SNICKERS FUDGE

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

Bottom Layer
1 C milk chocolate chips
1/4 C butterscotch chips
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
Filing
1/4 c butter
1 c sugar
1/4 c evaporated milk
1-1/2 c marshmallow creme
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 c chopped salted walnuts
Carmel layer
1 (14oz) pkg individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/4 c heavy cream
Top layer
1 c milk chocolate chips
1/4 c butterscotch chips
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
lightly grease a 9+13 pan

 

For the bottom layer combine 1 c milk chocolate chips,1/4 c butterscotch chips and 1/4 c creamy peanut butter, in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Cook and stir until melted and smooth.  Spread evenly in prepared pan .Refrigerate until set.

 

For the Filling

 

In heavy sauce pan over med-high heat melt butter, stir in the sugar and evaporated milk. 

 

Bring to a boil and let boil 5 min.  Remove from heat and stir in marshmallow creme,1/4 c peanut butter and vanilla, fold in peanuts.  Spread over bottom layer and return to fridge until set.

 

Carmel layer
Combine caramels and cream in medium saucepan over low heat.  Cook and stir until melted and smooth.  Spread over filling.  Chill until set.

Top layer
In small saucepan over low heat combine 1 c milk chocolate chips,1/4 c butterscotch chips and 1/4 c peanut butter.  Cook and stir until melted and smooth.  Spread over caramel layer.  Chill 1 hr before cutting into 1in squares

Yogurt Chocolate Tiramisu

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

http://recipes.stonyfield.com/recipes.cfm?action=details:recipeID=1347
This simplified tiramisu is super creamy and delicious.

Ingredients
1 32oz cup Stonyfield Farm fat free plain yogurt (to yield 1 cup yogurt
cheese*)
1 cup mascarpone cheese, 8 ounces container
1-6oz Stonyfield Farm fat free Chocolate Underground yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons of sugar (optional or sweeten to taste)
1 cup strong coffee
2 tablespoons Kahlua or dark rum (optional)
12 ladyfingers
1 teaspoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder
Garnish with dark chocolate shavings and small chocolate truffles

Directions
*For Yogurt Cheese:
Using a yogurt cheese maker or layered cheese cloth, strain the whey
from 1 quart of yogurt for 3 -6 hours to yield 1 cup of yogurt cheese at
a sour cream consistency.

For the filling:
In a medium bowl combine mascarpone, yogurt cheese, Chocolate
Underground yogurt, and vanilla extract. Blend ingredients well with a
spatula or whisk until smooth. Sample the mixture before adding 2
tablespoons of sugar (optional) to taste.

For the coffee syrup:
In a separate bowl combine strong coffee and Kahlua or rum (optional).
If you are using Kahlua, sample the coffee syrup before adding 2
tablespoons of sugar (optional) to taste.

Assembling the tiramisu:
Using a 3 to 4 cups serving dish, place ladyfingers on the bottom, one
next to another covering the entire surface area. Carefully spoon half
of the coffee syrup over each ladyfinger. Next, spoon half of the
filling over the wet ladyfingers. Continue with the next layer by
pressing the ladyfingers on top of the filling. Spoon the remaining
coffee syrup over the ladyfingers and then proceed by covering with the
remaining filling. Smooth the surface and sprinkle with cocoa powder.
Garnish with dark chocolate shavings and small chocolate truffles for a
more festive decoration.

Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours before serving.

Yields
4 servings

Nutrition Facts
Calories 490; Calories from Fat 210; Total Fat 23g; Saturated Fat 14g;
Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 185mg; Sodium 320mg; Total Carbohydrate 58g;
Dietary Fiber 1g; Sugars 41g; Protein 16g; Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 4%;
Calcium 40%; Iron 10%

Chocolate Covered Cranberry Cookies

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
6 oz (1 1/3 cup) sweetened dried cranberries
1 Cup Chocolate chips.

Mix together all ingredients but the Chocolate chips. Mix until dough
is throughly mixed.. Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheet, ( can
be shaped into small balls and placed on cookie sheet). Bake 8-10
minutes at 350 degrees F, or until lightly browned. Mean while melt the
chocolate chips in a double boiler. After removing from the cookie
sheet, and while still warm drizzle echolocation on the cookie.

themes

[beedjay.livejournal.com]

i think it's a fantastic idea to have themes...and it would encourage people to post their fav. recipes too.

but they need to be more than one day to give people time to get into it...like a week.

how about a garlic week? and see how many people come up with kewl/original garlic recipes. also, people could post their theme ideas and they could be scheduled on a calender-i would find it fun and challenging to think of recipes in my own repetoire with chosen main ingredients. (kinda like the iron chef thing) i know i have a quite a few garlic ones up my sleeve, but i happen to be FASTING right now, so it would be tough to address this till after april 1st which is my last day.(10 day goal)

bj

Brazilian Chocolate balls

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

INGREDIENTS:
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon of shortening without salt
7 tablespoons of cocoa powder
Granulated chocolate
How to make it:

In a deep pan mix the sweetened condensed milk with shortening and cocoa powder. Cook in medium heat and keep mixing it with a woodspoon, without stopping. Cook until it it starts to show the deep of the pan. Let it cool, grease your hands with shortening and make small balls. Roll them over the granulated sugar.
You can also skip the making balls process and use it to cover or fill a cake. It's delicious! It's usually served at parties, with other finger snacks.

More on Themes

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

Ok, it has been suggested that I make the themes last a week instead of a day to encourage people to post recipes they have at home. And, to give people more time to find and get their recipes posted. I really like that idea. So, I'm changing my mind. LOL

This WEEK'S theme is Chocolate anything. New themes will start on Monday. So, this will give everyone all week long to find their recipes and all weekend long to post them, if time is an issue. :D

I will post a list of themes on the info page. The next two are already chosen. Next week is Dips, week after that is Garlic.

Chocolate Angel food cake

[myfanwy-65.livejournal.com]

10 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened powdered cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
preheat oven to 350. set out an ungreased tube pan.
Beat egg whites with salt until frothy. add cream of tartar and beat
until stiff but not dry. fold in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. sift
flour and cocoa together and add 1 tablespoon at a time. fold vanilla
into the batter. pour into the tube pan and bake until firm to the
touch, about 1 hour. remove the pan from the oven and turn upside down
on a wire rack to cool. when completely cool, take the cake gently out
of the pan
The Country Mother's Cookbook

deer chocolate stew

[beedjay.livejournal.com]

2lbs cubed deer (or elk )
4 med carrots
4 med celery stalks
4 med. yukon gold potatoes (or any other but these ones are rich and creamy)
10 small onions quartered
2 heads garlic
rich red wine or port (about a half cup for deglazing pan)
flour
olive oil
thyme
sage
rosemary
900g bar of unsweetened chocolate


put quartered onions and garlic heads with top sliced off into a small baking dish, or foil pie plate. pour olive oil over and cover (with lid or tin foil) place into oven on 300 for 1-2 hours till brown but not black. basting with more olive oil may be necessary if they look dried up.

chop roughly: carrots, celery and potatoes.

cube meat in 1/2-2inch cubes. roll in flour quickly. brown in bottom of searing hot soup pot...stir with wooden utensil till everything is brown but not black. pour in red wine or port and scrape bottom of pot. add 8 cups water (or beef stock if prefered-i use water). add potatoes,celery and carrots and thyme (about 2tbsps each if dried or a handful clump if fresh -less sage than a handful) and bring to boil. add roasted onions and using a butter knife, scoop out mushy brown cloves of garlic to add as well. (mmmm). simmer for at least an hour but the longer the better. when liquid is reduced to almost half, add 900g bar of unsweetened chocolate, chopped. simmer until you have a rich dark sauce. serve over rice.

Black Forest Cookies

[kanamidori.livejournal.com]

This is a Black Forest cookie recipe that I've made several times now. I got the recipe from this website:

http://www.herald-journal.com/recipes/barscc/blkfr.html

I've included the frosting recipe though I have found that the cookies are just fine without it. If you enjoy chocolate and cherries I really recommend this one. ^_^

The directions aren't entirely clear about whether you should roll out the dough or just make them like drop cookies. What I have done is just take a spoonful of the dough and flatten it a little on the cookie sheet before baking to give it the right shape. Enjoy!

2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained (reserve 2 T. juice for frosting), then chopped 1 1/2 cups
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.
Melt butter and 1 cup chocolate chips in sauce pan over low heat, stir often. Cool.
Whisk in sugar, then eggs and vanilla until blended. Add flour mixture mixing until smooth. Stir in cherries and 1/2 cup chips.

Bake 350° for 10 to 12 minutes on ungreased baking sheets. Cool completely on rack, then frost with following.

Frosting

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup marshmallow creme
2 cups powdered sugar
2 T. reserved cherry juice.

Beat ingredients and then add reserved chopped cherries. Allow frosted cookies to set for about 1-2 hours. Refrigerate in a rigid container with wax paper between layers.