Death by Chocolate V2.o

This is a spin on Michael Symon's Death by Chocolate.  What makes it truly my own is adding a salty sweet pretzel base and crushed pretzels in the layering.  Its a salty chocolately crunchy sweet jumble in my version...just not all chocolate like his.  Of course, I use my own cooked from scratch pudding in this.

I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder for the intense chocolate flavor it brings to the table.  Ditto valrhona 70% unsweetened chocolate.  Its about intense chocolate balanced with salty crunchy pretzels.

Also to turn up the flavors a notch, I add a generous dollop of creme fraiche to the whipped cream layer.  This bit of tart tames down the sweetness of the cream, again all working towards balance in the final dessert.  Sour cream would sorta work as a substitute, but really creme fraiche is in stores all over now so spring for it instead.

Also, instead of layering it in a giant trifle bowl, I do it in ramekins.  This way I  have portion control and make certain everyone gets a nice bit with each spoonful.

Death by Chocolate V2.0
Pudding Layer

• 2 c Heavy Cream
• 1/4 c Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder
• 3/4 c sugar
• 3 T corn starch
• 1 1/2 c whole milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t vanilla
• 8 oz unsweetened chocolate - finely chopped

Whipped Cream layer

• 2 c heavy whipping cream
• 1 c creme fraiche
• 1/2 c confectioners sugar
• 1 T pure vanilla

Pretzel layer

• 2 c crushed pretzels
• 3 T butter, melted
• 1 T sugar
• 
  
• 1 C Heath Toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350F
Place 8, 8 oz ramekins on a baking sheet
Reserve 1/2 c crushed pretzels for layering later.
Place 1 1/2 c crushed pretzels, sugar and melted butter in a mixing bowl an toss until combined and resembles wet sand.  Divide pretzel mixture between the ramekins and press in lightly with fingers.  Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.  Remove from oven and cool to room temperature

For the pudding layer, start by putting together the egg yolks and whole milk.  Whisk until smooth and set aside.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan whisk together salt,  sugar, cornstarch and Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa powder.  Add heavy cream and stir until ingredients are combined.  Stir and cook over medium until it comes to a boil and starts to froth.  It will coat the back of a wooden spoon.  Don't over cook.  Reduce heat. Slowly drizzle in 1 C of hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, taking care to whisk vigorously so the hot cream doesn't scramble the yolk mixture.  Slowly pour the tempered yolk mixture into the remaining hot cream, whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in finely chopped unsweetened chocolate until dissolved and smooth.  Whisk in vanilla.  Pour into heat proof bowl.  Place cling film over the hot pudding mixture to prevent skin from forming.  Chill several hours until set.

Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for about 30 minutes to ensure maximum fluffiness to the whipped cream layer.  Assemble mixer, pour in heavy cream and creme fraiche.  Whip on high until fluffy.  Sprinkle on confectioners sugar and vanilla.  Whip a minute or two longer until it forms soft peaks....be careful not to overbeat and turn it to butter.

Sprinkle 1/3 c toffee bits evenly between the 8 ramekins. 

Divide pudding in half, and split  half of it evenly between the ramekins.  Divide whipped cream in half, split half of it evenly between the ramekins.  Top with 1/4 c crushed pretzels divided between the ramekins.  Top with 1/3 c toffee bits split among the 8 ramekins.  Repeat layering order with remaining pudding, whipped cream, crushed pretzels and toffee bits.

Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream

Back in the day the Oreo ice cream came in two flavors, vanilla and the chocolate that I adored.  Soon it was only vanilla in the stores and I was lost.  Floating in foodie limbo waiting its return.  Then I slapped myself awake and remembered I could make my own version.

So I set out to do just that.  I'm a big fan of dark chocolate over milk.  I used Hershey's Dark cocoa powder instead of the usual unsweetened cocoa powder.  The results were out right awesome.  This recipe is a keeper...and will have to be made often as everyone loves it around here.

I also toss in some real unsweetened chocolate just to ad some oooomph to the already chocolately goodness going on here.  I used a Valrhona 77% dark baking chocolate for max flavor and texture in the final product but even a 65-70% would be fine....I used what I had on hand.

This recipe is based on the capacity of a Cuisinart ice cream maker.  Ditto the time.  Adjust as needed for your own ice cream making machine.

Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream

• 6 T Hersheys Special Dark cocoa powder
• 2 1/4 c heavy cream
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 sugar
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate - chopped
• 1 C whole milk
• 1 t vanilla
• 8 oreos coarse chopped

In a heavy sauce pan combine cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt and sugar.  Stir to combine over medium heat.  Slowly heat to boil.  Stir/whisk to prevent it from sticking to sides and bottom of pan.  Just as it comes to a boil it will foam.  Immediately turn off heat when it foams up.

Add chopped unsweetened chocolate.  Stir until melted into the ice cream base.  Stir in whole milk and vanilla.  Pour into large bowl, cover and chill several hours or over night.

Assemble ice cream maker per instructions.  Turn on machine and add the chilled  ice cream base.  Churn 25-30  minutes until it is the thick and nearly frozen.  Add chopped oreos and churn 1-2 minutes longer.  Serve immediately as a soft serve style, or scoop into a freezer container and freeze until firm.

I did it...Chocolate Souffle'

This was a trial and error.  First was a fail, total mess, never rose, soupy even though the top got a nice "crust".  Probem...narrowed it down to the chocolate chips.  Never use them even though they are easier to measure.

I caught on Food Network yesterday a chef extolling the virutes of using a 60% or better cocoa chocolate for the souffle as they have less fats that prevent a souffle from rising.  I tried it with a Valrhona Caribe which is 66% chocolate solids and it was heavenly success.  Seriously great chocolate taste, it rose just the right crust on the top and sides and full of ooey gooey deliciousness you expect in the center of a souffle.  Moral of the story is don't skimp on ingredients.  EVER.

Chocolate Souffle for 4

2/3 C butter 
1/2c sugar 
4 egg whites 
pinch cream of tartar 
 1 1/3 c 60%+ chocolate 
4 egg yolks 

Preheat oven to 375f 

Butter and sugar 4, 8oz ramekins. Set ramekins on baking sheet. 

Using a hand mixer, start whisking the egg whites in a copper bowl on low speed. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and the cream of tartar. Continue to whisk until medium peaks form. 

Melt chocolate and butter over double boiler. Stirring continuously until melted and smooth. Remove from double boiler and beat in egg yolks until smooth. Cool slightly. 

Fold a little egg white mixture into the chocolate, then fold that into the remaining whites until smooth. Divide among ramekins. Bake 15 minutes in hot oven. Serve immediately with a dusting of powdered sugar.

fresh from the oven and waiting a dusting of powdered sugar.

Orange Fudge

Plain and simple I love fudge, but given the calories involved I make it once a year and give most of it away as gifts.

Earlier this year I discovered at Surfas an interesting product, orange oil. Not an extract or "flavoring" but oil obtained by squeezing oranges. Its called Boyajian Orange Oil and can be found HERE. The stuff has a warning label "use sparingly" and that I did, as one taste obtained from the tip of my finger was extremely orangey.

Rather than re-invent the wheel I opted to start with my favorite fudge recipe, "Stupid Easy Fudge" and added flavor from there. I've known for some time that citrus and chocolate play together well in ones mouth (ever have a chocolate dipped orange slice?) so the idea to make an Orange Fudge wasn't completely out of the blue, but had as basis in real world flavors. I used zest as well as the oil so I would have texture, visual clues and of course a true orange taste.

It worked really, really well in my not so humble opinion.

Orange Fudge

• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used a Valrhona 66% cacao)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• zest of one orange divided
• 1/4 t orange oil

Chop the bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate and add to mixing bowl. Add 1/2 of the orange zest and the orange oil. Add sweetened condensed milk. Heat in microwave 1 minute and stir, if not enough to melt all of the chocolate zap again in 30 second increments.

When smooth transfer to a plastic wrap (cling film?) lined dish. Smooth over and sprinkle remaining zest over the top of the fudge. Carefully pull the plastic wrap over the top of the fudge and lightly press to seal the orange zest into the fudge. Chill overnight before cutting.

Molten Fudgy Coffee Brownies

From the side of a coffee can great ideas come forth.  This browney recipe got its inspiration from the side of the coffee can for some French Roast under the Pavillions house label.  Silly them, all I need is proportions and am good to go.

I used a really good coffee extract from Surfas, rather than deal with using real coffee grounds in the batter as their recipe called for.  Also rather than using some "unsweetened" generic chocolate I used 70% chocolate Guanaja feves from Valrhona.  Again its all in the name of flavor.  Even the vanilla extract is pure bourbon extract not that coal tar based artificial flavor crap.  Good stuff gets one great results.  

A little experimentation and I got a Brownie that has a soft set fudge center when warm that is awesome next to some ice cream.  Trust me on this, with the gooey fudgey center you won't need a hot fudge for the ice cream.

Molten Fudgey Coffee Brownie

• 1/2 c boiling water
  
• 1 t coffee extract
  
• 4 1/2 oz guanaja 70% chocolate
  
• 3/4 c unsalted butter (room temp)
  
• 1/4 t salt
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 1 t vanilla
  
• 1 c all purpose flour
  
• 1 c chopped nuts - optional
  

Line 8" square baking pan with foil.  Heat oven to 300F.

Put chocolate and butter in microwave safe bowl.  Add coffee extract, salt and boiling water.   All to sit a minute or two and stir until smooth and everything is melted.   Microwave 30 seconds at a time to melt it all if needed.  Allow to cool while beating eggs.

Put eggs and sugar in mixing bowl and beat until ribbons form (about 5 minutes) with the paddle attachment.  Beat in vanilla.  Add  1/3 flour and 1/3 chocolate mixture, beat well.  Alternate the remaining additions ending with chocolate.  Fold in optional nuts if you are using.

Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 55-60 minutes until tester comes out wet but not runny.  Cool in the pan 30-45 minutes.  When ready to serve lift the brownie out by grabbing the edges of the foil.  Serve warm and gooey with ice cream on the side.

Make sure your pan is well lined as this is an extremely runny batter.  It also is heavy enough if you don't use a sturdy pan you will have bendy problems.  I used a pyrex pan as the carry over heat will keep the brownie a bit warmer longer than a metal pan.

Cherry Fudge (stupid easy of course)

Its the holidays.  I have an excuse to bake and cook like a fiend for the fam and friends and give it all away as gifts.  Baking and Candy making is my favorite part of the Holidays.  Of course Fudge tops the list of my candy making.

Last year the basic fudge got names "Stupid Easy Fudge" by my friend Ruth666.  Yup, it really is that easy.

Today,s version used 82% Valrhona and semi-sweet chips in a 50/50 blend.  Keeps the final product the right texture for cutting and of course, how it feels as it melts in your mouth. 

Cherry Fudge

8 oz Valrhona 82% Cocoa chocolate - coarse chop

8 ox semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c coarse chopped dried cherry

1 T Cherry Brandy

Line an 8X8 baking dish with foil or cling film.

In microwave safe dish put in the chopped valrhona.  Cover with semi-sweet chips.  Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top.  Microwave 1 minute.  Test - if center still cool to touch microwave 30 seconds and test again.  Do not boil.  When center is just warm, add cherry brandy and stir until smooth.  Fold dried cherry in to the mix.  Pour into prepared pan, cover and cool.  

S'mores Parfaits

Although I may be a fruit pie/cobbler guy, I do enjoy my chocolate. Rich deep chocolate, not that wimpy milk chocolate stuff. We got invited to BBQ the other day and were left with the task of putting together a dessert for the host who dislikes fruit, especially if it is baked into something.

Chocolate to the rescue. Since it is summer and an outdoor BBQ the perfect thing would be something S'mores like. Since there wouldn't be a fire going I opted to go with duplicating the flavors and leave the fire part out.

The filling was inspired by the September 2008 Food & Wine "30 Best Fast Recipes Ever". I opted to go with the really dark chocolates and knew their recipe couldn't hold up to the intense Valrhona's I wanted to use. Therefore I swapped in half-and-half for the milk to compensate for the lower cocoa fats in an 85% cocoa solids bitter sweet chocolate. I increased the sugar as well as I was using a "Black Onyx" unsweetened baking chocolate from Surfas that is as the names suggests so rich in chocolate solids it looks almost black.

S’more Parfaits

• 6 graham crackers – crushed fine
• 2 T butter melted
• 1 T sugar
• 1 c miniature marshmallows

Double Chocolate Pudding Filling

• 2 ¼ c half and half
• 1 c sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 T corn starch
• 3 T unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 5 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 2 T unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 1 t vanilla extract

Fine crush the graham crackers in food processor. Reserve 6 teaspoons for later. Add 1T sugar and melted butter. Whiz until incorporated. Divide the mixture evenly in to 6, 8 oz ramekins. Bake in 350 Oven 5 minutes. Let it cool while making the pudding filling.

In a medium non-stick sauce pan mix 2 cups half-and-half and sugar. Stir until smooth over medium heat until it boils and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in salt.

Mix corn starch, cocoa powder and remaining half-and-half and whisk until smooth. Whisk into hot mixture until smooth. Return to moderate heat and whisk constantly until the pudding is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk eggs until smooth. Whisk in briskly and constantly 1 cup of hot cocoa mixture until smooth. Return pan to medium low heat. Whisk in the egg mixture and whisk constantly until the mixture just comes to a boil about 2 minutes. Do not boil.

Pour chocolate mixture through strainer into mixing bowl. With beater attachment on stir add chopped chocolate and cubed butter. Stir until just incorporated.

Divide pudding mixture into each ramekin. Top with Marshmallows and reserved graham cracker crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 1-2 hours.

The marshmallows can be “toasted” with a kitchen torch just prior to serving.

Use really good chocolate and cocoa

Whisk briskly to totally dissolve in the cocoa and corn starch mixture to avoid lumps
Lightly tap in the graham cracker bottom, don't press or it will be like a brick at the bottom you can't break loose to eat with the filling and stuff.
Slowly stir in butter and chopped chocolate until just smooth. Don't beat or you will have it full of bubbles and not have a smooth texture.
Divide the pudding filling and enjoy! Of course you can skip the entire parfait and just eat the pudding as it is an intensely rich and velvety chocolate pudding all by itself.