Chocolate University Online Blog
 Back in 1909 Walter Baker & Co., Ltd. published a little book called Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes By Miss Parloa and Home Made Candy Recipes By Mrs. Janet McKenzie Hill.
The staff here at Chocolate University Online have created a special 100th anniversary edition of this book and released it in a PDF download format.
In addition to the original text and 138 recipes, the book contains an all new introduction by CUO staff. We also took each of the pictures and moved them to the same page as their corresponding recipes. It’s much more convenient to see the picture right there rather than looking at various photo pages to get an idea of the finished product.
Furthermore, we added a great new alphabetical index. Now if you know the name of the recipe you’ll be able to find it quickly. That makes the book much friendlier than the original which, quite uselessly, listed all recipes in page number order.
The new version is for sale and immediate download at our Chocolate Store page. Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes, fun chocolate facts, shameless self promotion
Tags: chocolate cake, chocolate candy, chocolate dessert, chocolate history, hot chocolate, nostalgia
I recently took a cruise to the eastern Caribbean with Royal Caribbean International. Although I loved the sun, fun, and sea, what I really enjoyed were some of the most memorable desserts I have ever been eaten.
 One those desserts that will forever stand out for me was the Molten Chocolate Cake.
Wow…
Yum…
Sorry for the pause. I might have lost consciousness just now thinking about it.
Molten chocolate cake is a popular and luxurious dessert. It is a combination of flourless chocolate and soufflé.
Sometimes it is called Chocolate Lava Cake (or even Molten Chocolate Lava Cake).
There is some dispute as to the inventor of the molten chocolate cake. On the one hand, a U.S chef takes credit by exclaiming that he accidentally took a chocolate sponge cake out of the oven before it was done. On the other, a French chef argues that such a dessert already existed in France.
In my opinion, it does not matter who invented it. The most important thing is that it was invented!
Butter, eggs, sugar, and chocolate are the four main ingredients of a molten chocolate cake. Typically, the eggs are whisked together with sugar to form a dense, thick paste while the butter and chocolate are melted together. There is a lighter version that separates the egg whites so they can be whipped into a foam to create more lift when baked.
Have you ever heard the saying: “A little too much chocolate is just about right?” After eating a Molten Chocolate Cake, you’ll know what that means.
I should have purchased the recipe book from Royal Caribbean so that I could make their actual version. But, alas, I did not. Here’s another version that I hope you enjoy…
Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
6 oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate
6 oz. Butter, sliced (at room temperature)
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Flour
Melt the chocolate over a double-boiler or slowly in a microwave oven. Stir in the butter until melted. Beat the eggs with the sugar until fully mixed and the color lightens. Stir the melted chocolate mix into the egg mix. Stir in the flour.
Preheat the over to 350°F. Pour the batter into 4 buttered ramekins. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove ramekins from ovre and tip upside down onto dessert plates. Serve while still warm. |
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate cake, chocolate dessert
A few days ago Bryn mentioned a cheesecake and Pinot Grigio pairing.
 What she failed to mention is that it was I who suggested the Pinot Grigio as a potential pairing with the cheesecake.
Having tasted several of the wines earlier in the evening, I knew upon the first taste of the cheesecake that we would have a winning combination. Since the last of the Pinot was already in my glass I had to take it over to Bryn and tell her to taste the combination.
Somehow that experience developed into a crazy article about cheesecake and the Olympics. Hmm. Maybe the holiday stress is started to get to her. 
Anyway, I thought this might be a good opportunity to share the recipe for the cheesecake. After all, I am the cheesecake master in our house!
Chocolate Marble Cheesecake
1 package of basic brownie mix (8 or 10 ounces)
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
Lightly grease the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Prepare the brownie mix as recommended on the package. Then spread the batter into the springform pan. Bake for only 15 minutes at 350°F even if the package says you need more time.
While the brownie bottom is baking, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Then add one egg at a time, blending well after each. Pour the cheese batter over the baked brownie layer.
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring often until smooth. Using a spoon glop the the chocolate into 5 or 6 areas on the surface of the cream cheese layer. Now use a knife to cut through the batter to obtain a swirled effect.
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until center is firm but still jiggles. Immediately loosen the cheesecake from the rim of the pan. Cool before completely removing rim.
Cut a slice for yourself and enjoy! |
And, if you want to try something great, open a bottle of Pinot Grigio and sip along while you eat.
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: cheesecake, chocolate dessert, wine
The 2010 Winter Olympic Games begin February 12, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. But what, you may ask, does this have to do with cheesecake?
Well, thanks for asking. Cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece and was served to the athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 B.C.
In 1872, America dairyman William Lawrence, is credited with inventing modern day cream cheese. He accidentally created it when he tried to reproduce a French cheese called Neufchatel.
 William Lawrence started selling his new invention and called it PHILADELPHIA Brand Cream Cheese. Today, cream cheese is by far the most popular cheese used to make cheesecakes.
I recently enjoyed eating one of my favorite cheesecakes; brownie marble cheesecake. During this most enjoyable experience, I “accidentally” stumbled upon something spectacular. I had a sip of a Pinot Grigio as I took a bite of my cheesecake slice and Bam! The cheesecake/Pinot Grigio pairing was amazingly delicious.
I recommend you celebrate the Winter Olympics with a cheesecake and a Pinot Grigio. Raise a toast to ancient Greece and accidental inventions!
Categories: chocolate pairings
Tags: cheese, chocolate dessert, tasting, wine
As a child, my favorite cake was Devil’s Food. I asked my mom, many times, to make this cake for my birthday.
Why is the cake called Devil’s Food?
Folk lore says that a group of Pilgrims that lived next door to a Chocolate House in Amsterdam in the late 1600’s, witnessed chocolate house patrons cavorting and making merry while they consumed chocolate. The Pilgrims were convinced that chocolate was made from the devil. They named chocolate “Devil’s Food.” Later on, when dark chocolate cake gained in popularity, it was named Devil’s Food Cake for its sinfully delicious nature.
Devil’s food cake is moist, airy, and rich. It is multi-layered and covered in lots of thick chocolate frosting. Yum!
There are different variations of Devil’s Food cake such as Red Velvet, Red Devil, Waldorf Astoria Cake, and $100 Dollar Cake.
Red velvet cake has a more pronounced red color because the high concentration of baking soda caused a reddening of the cocoa powder when baked. Today, red food coloring is sometimes used.
Feeling a craving for Devil’s Food cake? Here is a good recipe:
Devil’s Food Cake
Cake Mixture
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 pound butter, softened
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
Cream sugars and butter. Add melted chocolate. Set aside. Beat egg yolks together, and then blend in water and vanilla extract. Gradually add yolk mixture to the chocolate mixture and beat until fluffy. Mix together flour, salt and baking soda. Add flour mixture and milk to the main batter. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.
Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350°F about 30-35 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched lightly. Turn out onto cooling rack. When completely cooled, frost.
Frosting
10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup water or cream
¾ cup butter
To frost the cake, spread a good-sized layer of the frosting over the top of one layer. Top with the second cake layer. Then spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting. |
By the way, there is a National Devil’s Food Cake Day! It is May 19.
If you enjoy baking cakes here’s a chocolate cake recipe book that might interest you. It is published by Frances Moore of Painless Cooking.
By the way, the Devil’s Food Cake recipe above is not from this book.
For access to Frances time-proven recipes visit the Chocolate Cakes Recipes page.
Categories: chocolate recipes, fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate cake, chocolate dessert, folk lore
Low fat chocolate ice cream has come a long way. Maybe I’m dating myself, but I remember when lowfat and fat free icecream was first introduced into the marketplace.
 The chocolate ice cream had little chocolate flavor and tons of sweetness which was not worth eating as far as I was concerned. Over the years things have changed (thank goodness!!!!) and now I can enjoy a great tasting light icecream.
For example, after a couple BLT’s (with turkey bacon for less fat) and a glass of Pinot Grigio, I was in the mood for a chocolate dessert (what else?). Dean’s makes a Country Churn Light Chocolate Ice Cream that is delicious and is a reduced fat version.
The cocoa used in this ice cream is processed with alkali (dutched) which is what I would expect in an ice cream. Dutched cocoa is used to produce a deep brown color and reduces the acidity so that the cream (milk protein) in the ice cream doesn’t clump.
Although dutching reduces the overall chocolate impact it does impart a less bitter chocolate flavor which is quite compatible with the sweet creaminess of ice cream.
So, my impression of this ice cream is quite favorable. I really enjoyed the formulation, but more importantly I did not have to sacrifice flavor to reduce my intake of fat. As far as I am concerned no reduction in fat is ever worth loss of chocolate flavor, but when I can have flavor with less fat I am a happy woman!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: chocolate dessert, grocery product, ice cream
Bryn brought home a box of Fit & Active brand chocolate fudge low-fat ice cream bars. This is a product that you can buy at Aldi grocery stores.
 First off I’ll point out that there is a sticker on the front of the box that we have that says, “Compare to Weight Watchers.” That might normally be a warning to me, saying something like, “stay away, the flavor has been compromised.” But, I’m not here to bash the product. Actually quite the opposite.
These bars are each 100 calories, 1 gram of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of sugar. Total protein is 4 grams. Total carbohydrates are 24 grams. There are even 150 mg of calcium. OK, enough of the technical specifications.
The first thing I noticed when I took a bite was the good chocolate impact. Bryn commented that they probably used good cocoa. There are no artificial flavors listed so the cocoa is standing on its own. Next I noticed the texture. It’s really creamy and smooth. No grittiness or icy feeling like you get from some frozen fudge bars.
The portion size is good too. That made the overall experience quite satisfying. I didn’t feel like I was getting ripped off by choosing a low calorie count.
Each package contains 6 bars at 4 fluid ounces each. So if you’re looking for a nice cool dessert on a hot summer day, this might be just what you’re looking for.
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: chocolate dessert, grocery product
Here’s one of my favorite chocolate dessert recipes. Bryn is making it today for the independence day party.
Semi-Sweet Ganache Torte
15 chocolate graham crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter (not margarine), melted
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup fat-free half & half
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pint your favorite berries (raspberries wonderful, frozen are OK)
Blend graham crackers and sugar in a blender. Pulse for 2 minutes. Blend in 1/4 cup of the melted butter. Press mixture into tart pan. Freeze for 20 minutes. Then turn out crust onto a plate.
In a separate bowl combine chips and the remaining 1/4 cup butter. In a saucepan, add the cinnamon to the half & half. Bring to a boil. Then pour the half & half over the chips and butter. Let stand 1 minute then stir. Pour onto the graham cracker crust.
Cover with berries. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Enjoy!
This recipe comes from the forthcoming Chocolate University Online recipe book. Sign up for the free ebook in the form to the right and we’ll let you know when the recipe book is available.
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate dessert
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