chocolate recipes
Halloween Bark!
October 20, 2010
Almond Bark or candy bark is a thin confectionery coating usually made with nuts and added flavors (like peppermint or vanilla) and/or added colors. The “bark” can be sold in blocks or discs for home candy making and dipping. This is not “real” chocolate, but a confection commonly used in place of real chocolate because it hardens without having to temper it first.
The term bark is typically associated with confectionery coating, but I have seen chocolate bark being sold, especially around holidays. I think that regardless of which type of coating the bark is made from, the common factor is that the final product resembles bark on a tree; thin and bumpy.
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Chocolate Applesauce Cake
October 16, 2010
Here's a tasty chocolate applesauce cake with chocolate chip topping...
I can even say with certainty that my kids like this cake: I caught them eating it for breakfast one morning! The applesauce makes it very moist and the chocolate, well, it's chocolate!
This recipe can be successfully made with egg replacer as well so it's a good option for those with egg allergies.
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Chocolate Panna Cotta
October 13, 2010
Panna cotta is an Italian gelatin dessert made by heating together cream and sugar and then mixing in unflavored gelatin. Panna Cotta is usually allowed to cool and solidify in custard cups, then using a knife to loosen the edges, inverted onto a plate and topped with fresh berries, caramel or chocolate sauce.
I made this recipe for my son’s birthday dinner. After a night of eating heavy food, this is a remarkably light dessert that just fills in the cracks perfectly!
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Caramel Apples Rolled in Chocolate and Nuts
October 9, 2010
Sure, apples are delicious all by themselves, but dip them in caramel and cover them with chocolate, nuts (and anything else you can think of), and they become extraordinary!
This recipe uses chocolate chips and pistachios for an exciting taste sensation.
| Caramel Apples Rolled in Chocolate and Nuts • 6 apples (works best with cold apples) • 6 ice cream sticks • 1 package (14 ounces) creamy caramels • 2 tablespoons water • 3/4 cup pistachios, chopped • 12 ounces semi-sweet mini chocolate chips Read more |
Chocolate Crepes with Chocolate Filling
October 6, 2010
When you are thinking about chocolate and you find yourself in the mood for Paris, make something they are famous for – crepes!
| 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 Read more |
Pumpkin and Chocolate Truffles
September 29, 2010
It's that pumpkin time of year. Did you know that pumpkins have been used as food for centuries?
Native Americans ate dried pumpkin. Early American colonists made pumpkin into side dishes, soups, desserts, and they even made beer from it.
Pumpkin blossoms can be batter-dipped and deep-fried like squash blossoms.
Here's a different way to eat pumpkin, as a rich chocolate truffle.
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Strawberry (or Raspberry!) Chocolate Shortcake
September 22, 2010
Instead of the usual birthday cake, I made something different this year for my husband’s birthday treat. The only thing I did was change out the strawberry topping for raspberry – his preferred fruit.
Turned out to be a big hit. Maybe I started a new tradition???
Enjoy this awesome recipe!
| Strawberry (or Raspberry!) Chocolate Shortcake • 1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced or 1/2 pint raspberries, rinsed • 1 cup sugar (reserve ¼ cup for fruit topping) • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits and chilled • 1/2 cup milk • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 cup heavy cream or whipped cream • Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish • Bottled hot fudge sauce (optional) Read more |
Chocolate Jimmy Cake
September 15, 2010
What on earth are jimmies?
Jimmies are small confectionery candies used mainly as decorations on top of cakes, cup cakes, doughnuts, and ice cream. Some popular alternative names are sprinkles, hundreds and thousands, or ants.
I grew up understanding that “sprinkles” are a multi-colored version of the candy, while “jimmies” specifically meant chocolate sprinkles.
Chocolate sprinkles were invented by a Dutch company in 1936. Many Dutch children will put chocolate sprinkles on top of buttered bread for a tasty after school snack.
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Chocolate Almond Biscotti
September 8, 2010
The Italian word “biscotto” means biscuit or cookie. If you take the word apart, “bis” means twice and “cotto” means baked. This delicious treat literally means twice baked but for me, it should really translate to “twice the work!”
The roots of biscotti can be traced back to Roman times, although modern biscotti are associated with the Tuscan region of Italy. The original purpose for baking the dough a second time was to dry out the cookie in order to make it last during long-distance travel.
The longest distance my biscotti travel is from my oven to my mouth. So, why do I bother putting up with all this work? It is so worth it! Make a batch and find out for yourself.
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Chocolate Martini – A Liquid Chocolate Bar
September 4, 2010
In 1888, the word Martini first appeared in the "New and Improved Illustrated Bartending Manual."
The Chocolate Martini is a recent new comer, and there are many different recipes to choose from. I like this simple recipe.
| Chocolate Martini • 2 oz vodka • 1/2 oz creme de cacao (I used Amsterdam Chocolate Liqueur By Van Gogh) Read more |