Chocolate University Online Blog
I’ve said it a thousand times. Chocolate cakes are precious all their own, but they get all the more interesting when you add something into the recipe. In this one, we’ll be throwing in some pineapples.
Pineapple’s natural tang and sweetness catch the fancy of many. Aside from the pleasure it gives to the palate, it is known to be the one of healthiest fruits. The perks you get from eating pineapples include lowering your chances of getting hypertension, maintaining your good eye health, and boosting your immune system.
Pineapples are also very efficient in dealing with your constipation plus it aids in weight loss and gives you beautiful skin as well! Try whipping up this delectable chocolate cake with the yumminess of pineapple to have a different kind of eating pleasure.
Pineapple Chocolate Cake
• 2 1/3 cups cake flour, sifted
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon soda
• 2/3 cup butter or shortening
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 egg, unbeaten
• 2 egg yolks, unbeaten
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup boiling water
Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder salt and soda, and sift together three times. Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolks, one at a time beating well after each. Add chocolate and blend. Add flour alternately with milk, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla, then add boiling water, beating quickly and thoroughly. Bake in two greased deep 9-inch layer pans in 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until done.Spread Pineapple Fluff Frosting (see recipe below) between layers and on top and sides of cake.
Pineapple Fluff Frosting
• 2/3 cup pineapple, crushed, drained
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup pineapple, crushed, drained and dried thoroughly between paper towels
Mix together the 2/3 cup pineapple, sugar, egg whites, and corn syrup in top of double boiler. Beat using thoroughly with beaters until well mixed. Put over boiling water, continue to beat constantly. Cook 7 minutes, or until frosting will stand in peaks. Remove from boiling water and continue beating until thick enough to spread (about 4 minutes). Fold in the 1/2 cup pineapple. Makes enough frosting to cover tops and sides of two 9-inch layers. |
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate cake, chocolate dessert, nutritional benefits
I wanted to make a soufflé recipe given that yesterday, February 28, was National Chocolate Soufflé Day, but I remembered I have already given you an easy soufflé recipe before. To refresh your mind, a soufflé is a baked cake with a light and airy texture which is basically composed of egg yolks and whipped egg whites along with other basic ingredients.
I’ll give you a crepe recipe instead. A crêpe or crepe refers to a thin kind of pancake which is basically composed of wheat flour. Its name is derived from a French word which means “curled”. It may have originated in Brittany but it is widely popular in France.
Crepes can be eaten for lunch or dinner when they contain ham, eggs, cheese, and other meat products. When they are served sweet, just like this chocolaty recipe, it can be part of your breakfast. It’s best for dessert though!
Today is February 29 and this day happens only once in every 4 years, so make it as special as you can. You can make this recipe and add it to your leap day happenings!
Chocolate Crepes
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Dash salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons melted butter
Stir together dry ingredients. Blend in milk. Add almond extract, egg, and melted butter. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate batter 3 or more hours. Lightly coat the bottom of a small frying pan with oil. When the pan is hot, pour a couple tablespoons of batter into the pan, tilting to coat the bottom. Flip over once. Remove from pan and let cool. (Crepes can be frozen by layering individually between sheets of waxed paper.) |
Enjoy and have a happy leap day!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate crepes, chocolate dessert
Cookies can be many things to many people. They can be a daily treat or an occasional guilty pleasure. They can be a midnight snack staple just before you hit the sheets. They can be your go-to food during unannounced visits from friends. They can be practically anything you want them to be. It gets all the better when you throw nutritious stuff into the picture.
A banana can be a delectable dessert all its own since it is sweet by nature. Aside from being delicious, bananas are known for their substantial health benefits. They contain high levels of potassium, fiber, and essential vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin A.
On the other hand, oatmeal makes a wise choice too when you’re rooting for nutritional content. It’s particularly good for the heart. It’s also proven to lower cholesterol and stabilize sugar in the blood, and also, it can basically boost the immune system.
Mix everything with chocolate, which also has significant health advantages to boot aside from the immense pleasure it brings, then you end up with a mouth-watering cookie!
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies
• 3/4 cup margarine
• 1 egg
• 1 cup bananas, mashed
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cup quick oatmeal
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 cups nuts
Mix all the ingredients together. Then drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 400° F. |
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: banana, chocolate chips, chocolate cookies, chocolate dessert, health benefits, oatmeal, oats, vitamins
Yogurt is widely used across the globe nowadays, and we know all too well that it’s a renowned health food. It derived its name from the Turkish word “yogurur”, meaning “long life”.
Research has it that a cup of plain yogurt, which is around 240 mg, purportedly contains 140 calories. Not so bad for a tasty treat, eh?
More to these, regular consumption of yogurt is said to have several health benefits, and among those is that it aids in better absorption of the nutrients you get from other food.
It is a highly nutritious food on its own, containing numerous health benefits that include protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.
If you have your own food processor or blender at home, try whipping up a chocolate yogurt smoothie to instantly freshen you up. It’s mouth-watering and healthy at the same time so you actually get the best of both worlds!
Chocolate Yogurt Ice
• 3 cups crushed ice
• 8 ounces plain nonfat yogurt
• 2 ounces baking chocolate, melted
• 3 tablespoons sugar substitute
• 4 tablespoons nondairy whipped topping
Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Whip until thoroughly blended but not melted. Pour into 4 tall glasses. Place in freezer until mixture is slightly frozen. Stir, top with 1 tablespoon nondairy whipped topping and serve. |
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate drinks, health benefits, healthy chocolate, protein, vitamins, yogurt
If you’re expecting some friends or family members to come over to your house, and you happen to be clueless about what to serve for dessert, fret not. Snickers Pie can come to your rescue.
It consists of Snickers candy bars which, apparently, were invented by Frank Mars in 1930. He allegedly put in some chocolate to an already existing snack, and then named it after one of his family’s favorite horses. This candy bar is basically composed of roasted peanuts and caramel mixture on top of a bar of nougat, all covered in milk chocolate. Just a bit of trivia; each Snickers bar is said to contain approximately 16 peanuts.
On the other hand, peanut butter, which is another ingredient in this recipe, is known to be a highly caloric yet healthy food. Less refined peanut butter is generally more nutritious than refined, because more nutritional properties found in the peanut skin are retained. Peanut butter is a great source of fiber, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, folate, and contains high levels of protein. Did you know that peanut butter and chocolate share something in common? Yes, both were discovered by Aztecs some centuries back.
Snickers Pie
• 5 Snicker bars, king size
• 1 1/2 tablespoons half & half
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 4 cups whipped topping
• 1 graham cracker crust (deep-dish or chocolate)
In double boiler, melt together snicker bars, peanut butter and half & half. Fold in 4 cups whipped topping. Pour into crust and freeze 4-5 hours before serving. Top with whipped topping and chocolate syrup. |
Eat your heart out!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate pie, peanut butter, pie, protein, Snickers, vitamins
Plain chocolate cake is downright delicious, but at times, it can become such a bore. (Did I really say that?) And what better way to give it more oomph than putting in additional ingredients. Case in point: carrots.
One of the most sought-after nutritional benefits you can get from carrots is the beta-carotene that gets converted into vitamin A, helpful for eyesight. But aside from that, carrots have been proven to lower the levels of cholesterol in the system and also aid in combating heart attacks and cancer.
However, there are people who just aren’t big fans of carrots, or vegetables, for that matter. If you’re one of them, fret not because the carrot-y taste is not gonna outstand the chocolaty taste. Instead, the carrot will just enhance the overall flavor of the chocolate cake.
You can serve this cake to your kids who hate vegetables with passion, and they will never even know it has carrots while getting all the nutrients carrot offers!
Chocolate Carrot Cake
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Pre-heat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine carrots, sugar and oil. Pour water over the mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Add to the carrot mixture and mix well.
Pour into a non-stick or lightly oiled 8-inch square pan. Bake for 35
minutes. |
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: carrot cake, carrots, chocolate cake, vitamin A
Truffles are the bomb. They never fail to give us the little pleasure we root for when it comes to chocolates. Below is a recipe for a strawberry truffle which is quite a variation to the conventional chocolate truffle.
Even at first sight, the heart-shaped silhouette of strawberry would give you a hint that it is good for you. They pack a lot of nutritional benefits like vitamin C, fiber, manganese, potassium, and also contain a great deal of antioxidant properties called polyphenols. Strawberries are free of sodium, fat, cholesterol, and are considered a low-calorie food.
Did you know that strawberry is a member of the rose family? Truth be told, it is not actually a real fruit or berry, but the enlarged receptacle of the flower. Interesting, eh?
Try this recipe if you plan on throwing a party, inviting people to come over to your house, or just because!
Strawberry Truffles
• 5 ounces white chocolate
• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
• 18 medium fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup finely minced crystallized ginger (get it in a gourmet food
store or well-stocked supermarket)
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
Melt white chocolate in the top of a double boiler, let cool.
Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and ginger root until smooth. Add melted white chocolate and mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour or until easy to handle.
Use a small melon baller (or small spoon) to scoop out the center of each strawberry, half way down each fruit. Pat strawberry dry. Put a little crystallized ginger into each strawberry. Shape the cheese/chocolate mixture around the fruit. Coat one end in the toasted coconut, the other in the pistachio nuts. Place truffles in candy cups and chill until serving time. |
Bon appetit!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate covered fruit, confectionery, nutritional benefits, strawberries, strawberry, super fruits, truffles, white chocolate
Everyone knows about lollipops. These kiddie treats are especially popular with the, er, kids. This lip-smacking type of confectionery, also called lolly, pop, sucker, or sticky-pop comes in different shapes, sizes, and flavors. They are known for being mounted on top of a stick.
The origins of lollipop are somewhat a blur. Many people claim that it has been around since the 18th century. The Roman word “lolly” apparently means tongue and “pop” means slap.
These sweet delights have always had a special place in our hearts since most of us grew up loving them. These days, various companies are producing delectable and entertaining lollipops but most of these treats come in fruit flavors. Just for fun, let’s make some delicious alteration and come up with chocolate-chip lollipops!
Chocolate Chip Lollipops
• 1 chocolate chip cookie mix
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons water
• 24 flat ice cream sticks
• Assorted edible decorations
Preheat oven to 375°. Combine cookie mix, buttery flavor packet from mix, egg and water in large bowl. Stir until thoroughly blended. Shape dough into 24 (1″) balls. Place balls 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Push ice cream stick into center of each ball. Flatten each ball with hand to form round lollipop. Decorate by pressing decorations onto dough.
Bake at 375° for 8-9 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets. Remove to cooling racks. Cool completely. Store in airtight container. |
Eat your heart out!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate candy, chocolate chips, confectionery
Coffee is a staple in our daily routine. It never fails to jumpstart our day. Sometimes we long for the kick it gives as we get up in the morning. Other times we might want a pick-me-up. And in another moment we might be eager for the enticing flavor and aroma.
Aside from the little pleasures we get from drinking coffee–just like chocolate–it actually offers several health benefits such as fighting free radicals that can cause cancer. This is because coffee is known to contain a significant amount of antioxidants, even more than green tea does.
Almond extract doesn’t offer a lot of nutritional values, but let me shine some light about almonds anyway. Almonds pack a lot of nutritional benefits. Not only do they taste good, but almonds are considered as one of the healthiest nuts. It is a good source of protein and essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E and calcium and magnesium. Plus, almonds are loaded with compounds called phytochemicals that protect against cardiovascular diseases and even cancer. No wonder a lot of people go nuts with almonds! (pun intended)
Combine the flavors of coffee, almond, and chocolate in one drink and you’re in for a treat!
Chocolate Almond Coffee
• 1/3 cup ground coffee
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped
Blend together the nutmeg and coffee. Add extracts. Blend 10 seconds longer. Place in bowl and stir in almonds. Store in refrigerator or use right away.
To brew: Place mix in filter of an automatic drip coffee maker. Add 6 cups water and brew. |
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: almonds, chocolate and coffee, chocolate recipe, coffee
Everything good in life is either illegal, immoral, or fattening, or so they say. Butterfinger Cake can be cold hard (and yummy!) proof to that, but so be it. After all, it’s not so bad to indulge once in a while in something that you know can’t do your figure any good.
Butterfinger® is a candy bar made by Nestlé which has a crumbling and orange-colored center that can be compared to crisp caramel and peanut butter and it is covered in chocolatey coating. It has been around for decades and is a darling to many.
This cake recipe is such a guilty pleasure most especially to those who love Butterfinger candy bar per se.
Butterfinger Cake
• 1 box German chocolate cake mix
• 8 ounces butterscotch topping for ice cream
• 2 large Butterfinger® candy bars
• 1 large carton whipped topping
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
Mix cake according to package directions, and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. While cake is still hot, pour butterscotch topping over cake, poking small holes in cake so that topping can soak in. Cool completely. Crush Butterfinger bars. Reserve 1/2 of one bar and mix the rest into a large carton of whipped topping along with the pecans. Spread over cooled cake, and top with reserved Butterfinger. Refrigerate until ready to serve. |
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: butterfinger, candy bars, chocolate bars, chocolate cake, chocolate candy, peanut butter
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