Halloween Bark (it's better when you bite!)

Ingredients:

8 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, chopped

8 ounces very good bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup whole roasted almonds, coarsly chopped
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Place both chocolates in a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water until melted. Line a 9X9 pan with parchment paper - make sure to have parchment hang over to sides of pan, creasing paper into bottom corner/edge . Pour the melted chocolate into pan and spread to even. Sprinkle the almonds, apricots and cranberries over the chocolate. Set aside for 2 hours until firm. Cut the bark in 1 by 3-inch pieces and serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Blackout Cake

Making a cake from scrath requires a little more effort than one from a box.  I would guess for most people it is about having the ingredients on hand that is the problem as opposed to the effort.  For this recipe, the ingredients that are not common in a lot of kitchens are buttermilk and cake flour, maybe cocoa powder.  For this cake I topped it with a simple ganache which is 8 ounces choppped bittersweet chocolate melted in 8 ounces heavy cream.  I heat the cream in a liquid measuring cup and add the chopped chocolate to it, then stir it until the chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth.  I then let it sit for a half hour to cool, so when I pour it over the top it is thick enough to laquer the top. 

On a side note, ganache is what you use to make truffles.  Check out the truffles article under the Chocolate link for more details.

Chocolate Blackout Cake

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

OR 1 cup butter-flavored shortening

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups cake flour

1 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees.  In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on low cream butter and sugar together.  Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and almond.  Turn mixer off and scrape the bottom of the bowl, then slowly pour in buttermilk and turn mixer back on until mixture is combined.  Turn mixer off and add cake flour, cocoa powder and salt.  Turn mixer back on low and run until well combined, scraping bottom of bowl to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.

I prep the pan I am going to use by spraying it with Bak-Klene, here I placed the cake in a 9" round cake pan.  Start checking them with a toothpick inserted into the center until it comes out clean after 20 minutes for cupcakes, 35-40 minutes for cakes.  The point here is to know how your oven works and adjust that time to accomodate your cake.

When the toothpick comes out clean, remove cake from oven and set on cooling rack for 5 minutes to slighly cool, then remove from pan and allow to come to room temperature on cooling rack.  Frost as desired.

Made From Scratch S'mores

So here is a great way to entertain and amaze your guests at your next gathering.  Home-made S'mores - they only look intimidating.  I guess I should admit that the graham crackers are slightly time consuming, but they are not hard to make.  In fact, you could make the graham cracker dough on day - roll it out and stick in the freezer on day one, then cut, prep and bake the next day. 

My Vanilla-Bean Marshmallows are a breeze to make - the only requirement is a good mixer since they need to whip for 15 minutes - this needs a tough motor.  The alteration to this recipe is that you pour the marshmallow into a 1/2 sheet pan to create a thinner marshmallow.  If you put them in a regular 9X13, it would get too thick.  The marshmallow needs to rest for at least four hours before you cut them.

Lastly, to assemble you will need to prepare your chocolate:

16 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp. canola oil

In a double boiler, melt chocolate and oil together until smooth. Remove from heat, take bowl off of bain maire and let rest on counter for 15 minutes. Take a regular teaspoon and puddle 1-2 spoons onto the bottom of each graham cracker.  Let those rest for 15 minutes to set up so the chocolate cools enough and then it will not flood out when you assemble. 

Place a marshmallow on top of one chocolate-prepped graham cracker, then top it with another chocolate-prepped graham craker.  Let rest for at least four hours to set.

Chocolate Mudpie Cookies

3 cups walnut halves, toasted & cooled
4 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325F and position racks in the top and bottom third. Line your sheet pans with silpats. Or you can bake in batches with fewer pans.

Make sure your walnuts have cooled a bit, then chop coarsely and set aside. Sift together the confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, and sea salt. Stir in the walnuts, then add the egg whites and vanilla. Stir until well combined.

Spoon the batter onto the prepared sheets in mounds of about 2 tablespoons each, allowing for plenty of room between cookies. Don't try to get more than 6 cookies on each sheet, and try to avoid placing the batter too close to the edge of the pan.

Bake until they puff up. The tops should get glossy, and then crack a bit - about 12 -15 minutes. Slide the cookies still on silpat onto a cooling rack, and let them cool completely. They will keep in an airtight for a couple days.

Remy XO Valentine's Day Cake for Two with Piper Heidsieck Champagne Truffles

Many desserts make a large amount and Valentine's Day calls for something smaller, more special. I decided to make a tiny cake adorned with truffles. The cake is moist chocolate cake that has been infused with Remy XO in the recipe. I baked it in two 6" cake pans. I also infused jam mixed with Remy XO and spread it between the two layers. I then covered the entire cake with a rich layer of chocolate ganache. For the truffles, I used four different brands/types of cocoa powder to obtain the various exteriors - the truffles are infused with Piper Heidsieck Champage. After the chocolate ganache had set for a half hour, adorned the top of the mini-cake with the truffles.  Here is the recipe:

Cake

Chocolate 101

Cooking with chocolate can cause a lot of confusion. There are so many different types of chocolate available today that it can often be a overwhelming to know which type of chocolate to use in which situation. Let's break it down so you can have an easy reference guide.

The Basics:
Chocolate first comes from yellow pods that hang from the cocoa tree. When the time is right and the pods are ripe, they are gathered and opened to reveal about 40 cocoa beans within each pod. These cocoa beans are then dried in the sun and allowed to ferment. This helps to develop the rich flavour of chocolate. After that, they are washed again, dried, cured, roasted, and eventually crushed to remove the shells of the bean. This is what gives you the chocolate nibs, which are further roasted and crushed to obtain a thick liquidy paste known as chocolate liquor or cocoa mass. This is the essence from which all chocolate is made.
Cocoa mass is generally made up of 53% cocoa butter and 47% cocoa solids. The cocoa mass may be further processed to extract these two components for the making of chocolate. The different types of chocolate all vary based on the amount of cocoa butter, cocoa mass, sugar and milk solids present.

Unsweetened Chocolate:
Unsweetened chocolate is also known as baking chocolate because it is very often used in baking. This is chocolate in the purest form of solid cocoa mass. No sugar or milk solids have been added to it at all, and it is very bitter in taste. It is actually not suitable for eating by itself, and is used together with sugar for baking pastries such as cakes or brownies.

Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate generally refers to chocolate made with cocoa mass and added sugar, cocoa butter, and sometimes emulsifiers such as lecithin. This chocolate does not have any added milk solids. It includes varieties such as the bittersweet chocolate and the semisweet chocolate. Dark chocolate in Europe more commonly refers to the bittersweet variety, while in America it is usually meant to refer to the semisweet variety. At least 35% of cocoa mass is present in the chocolate.

Semisweet chocolate:

Semisweet chocolate has lower cacao content and is sweeter than bittersweet chocolate. However, there are no official guidelines about what can be called bittersweet and what can be called semisweet. The only FDA requirement is that something called dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate contain at least 35 percent cacao and less than 12 percent milk solids (more milk solids, and it’s required to say it’s milk chocolate). Beyond that, labeling is entirely up to the manufacturer.

Sweet Chocolate:
Sweet chocolate is required to have at least 15% of cocoa mass, and is sweeter than semisweet chocolate. It contains also additional amounts of sugar, milk solids, and sometimes emulsifiers as well.

Milk chocolate:
Milk chocolate differs from dark chocolate in that it contains milk solids. It has a lighter colour and milder, sweeter taste. The milk solids present in the chocolate make it less suitable for baking and it should not be substituted for dark chocolate in baked pastries, as the milk solids have a tendency for burning. Compared to dark chocolate, it is also slightly more difficult to temper.

White chocolate:
White chocolate contains no cocoa mass or cocoa solids. The ingredients mainly present are sugar and cocoa butter. However, sometimes the cocoa butter is replaced with vegetable oil, giving a lower quality chocolate. It is sweeter than the milk and dark chocolates, and also much more difficult to temper.

Couverture:
Couverture refers to chocolate that contains at least 32% of cocoa butter, thus making it a very fluidly smooth chocolate with a glossy texture. The high amount of cocoa butter also gives a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth experience. Couverture is much more preferred among chefs and chocolatiers.

Gianduja:
Gianduja is a European style of chocolate that is made by combining ground roasted almonds and milk chocolate. It is used for a variety of purposes and is a very soft chocolate.

Coating Chocolate or Imitation Chocolate:
Coating chocolate or imitation chocolate is chocolate with the cocoa butter replaced by vegetable oil. In general, its quality is not as good as real chocolate, but requires no tempering and is good for coating candy. It does not melt easily and so is useful for many purposes.

Chocolate Chips:
Chocolate chips are small, tiny drop-shaped chocolate piece that are popularly used for making cookies and muffins. They can be bought in a variety of flavours and make great toppings.

Chocolate Melting Wafers:
Chocolate melting wafers, such as pistoles, buttons, ribbons, and calets, are round or oval discs of chocolate that are very conveniently used for melting. The advantage of using them is that you don't have to take the trouble of chopping up the chocolate for melting.

Cocoa Powder Deconstructed

If you bake with cocoa you have probably noticed recipes that call for either Dutch-processed or natural (non-Dutch-processed) cocoa powder. Both types of cocoa powder are unsweetened and therefore bitter when tasted alone.

Dutch-Process Cocoa or Alkalized Unsweetened Cocoa Powder has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its natural acidity. Because it is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it must be used in recipes calling for baking powder, unless there are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used. It has a reddish-brown color, mild flavor, and is easy to dissolve in liquids.

Unsweetened Cocoa has a complex chocolate flavor while the Dutch-process is darker and more mellow. Its intense flavor makes it well suited for use in brownies, cookies and some chocolate cakes. When natural cocoa (an acid) is used in recipes calling for baking soda (an alkali), it creates a leavening action that causes the batter to rise when placed in the oven.

It is important to use the type of cocoa specified in a recipe because it may affect the recipe's balance of acid. If you must substitute, use the following formula:

Mulled Hot Chocolate

The idea of mulling hot chocolate intrigued me so I decided to give it a try. Mulling things to infuse them with a spice blend can be applied to a wide variety of recipes. I found this gave an added depth to the chocolate and provoked an unexpected nuance to my guests.

Recipe:

8 c milk or half & half

6 whole cardamon pods

1 tbsp. whole cloves

1 tbsp. whole allspice

1/2 an orange peel

8 whole cinnamon sticks

16 oz of chopped bittersweet chocolate

Put spices into a large tea ball or wrap in cheesecloth and tie with twine. Place milk and spices into a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Remove spice mixture and add chopped chocolate. Whisk mixture until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Top with whipped cream if desired and a cinnamon stick

Balsamic Truffles

I am teaching a class dedicated to Balsamic Vinegar this Sunday and I get so many questions from people regarding what they can do with Balsamic outside of vinaigrette. Here is a simple, easy idea to incorporate Balsamic into a dessert - truffles!

1 cups heavy whipping cream

16 ounces quality dark chocolate (sweetened) - chopped

2 tbsp quality balsamic vinegar

cocoa powder for garnish

Heat cream in a microwave safe bowl on high for 5 minutes, or until very hot. Remove from microwave and add chopped chocolate. Stir with small whisk or fork until chocolate is melted and smooth. Add balsamic vinegar and pour into a bowl or dish - place in the refrigerator for two hours to set.

Remove from refrigerator and using a spoon, melon baller or small scoop - roughly 1 tbsp worth of truffle mixture, roll in between the palms of your hands to form a ball and drop in cocoa powder to coat. Truffles can be kept at room temperature, but do keep them in an airtight container to keep them from drying out - or they can be kept in the refrigerator. Enjoy

Brownie Pops

Portable brownies on a stick, it's almost like State Fair food. Rich, chocolately gooey brownies enrobed in chocolate ganache that you can carry around while you are... jogging perhaps? Who cares, go ahead and eat your feelings today - you are worth it! Email me for the recipe - ross@kontent.com

Sugar-Crusted Brownies

(Makes two dozen)

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for muffin tins
1 cup sugar, plus extra for muffin tins
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Brush the inside of the cups of a standard muffin tin with melted butter. Spoon about 1 tbsp of sugar into each of the greased cups and shake and tap around to cover the bottom and sides of the cups completely with a thick coat of sugar. Tap out any excess sugar.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the butter, semisweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate together in a small pan and heat until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until combined. Stir in the chocolate mixture and then slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt until combined.

Spoon about ¼ cup of the batter into each of the muffin cups. If you run out of batter, make sure to wipe out the empty cups or you will have a mess.

Bake until the tops are firm and toothpick comes out clean from the center 20-25 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool enough to handle. Run a think, sharp knife around the edge of each brownie and then carefully tip it out and catch it in your hand. Place the brownies on a wire rack to cool slightly. Enjoy!