Monday, October 31, 2011

Boston: Yeah, I Went There Again

As noted in Friday’s review of the Hotel Chocolat Salted Caramel Puddles, I was going to be running right over to their shop this weekend. But…have they set up shop in DC? No. THAT would be far too convenient. But I did manage to get myself to the one city in the U.S. where they do have such a shop: Boston.

I love this place. Even though I usually spend a lot of my time there in Cambridge, which is where I met up with the lovely Carla for some hot chocolate and delightful conversation at L.A. Burdick.

She was kind enough to then take me over to Cardullo’s, a little deli/grocer in Harvard Square with a massive chocolate collection.

Chuao! Finally, I found you.

Now don’t fret, I didn’t forget about Hotel Chocolat. I braved the cold sleet to find some lovely treats on Newbury St.

And did I mention the sleet? Which later turned into disgusting, heavy, wet snow? I feared that this would stop my fellow swimming alumni from coming out to dinner after our little meet on Saturday. I mean, just look at it.

Fortunately, one of my good friends has an in at Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake Bar and made sure it was worth everybody’s trip. With flourless chocolate cake at the end.

That’s a teaser. I’m reviewing that stuff later.

Flourless chocolate cake: worth venturing out in a Boston sleet-fest, or not?

Pets and Halloween Treats

Topper has his own Treats for Tricks
Here's an important post on Pets and Halloween Candy. It's a Q &A between Neenda Pellegrini and Dr. Sheppard Thorpe, an emergency veterinarian at Puget Sound Veterinary Referral Center in Tacoma about Halloween and Pets that appeared in the Seattle TimesDark chocolate is always dangerous to pets, and candy in various forms is, too. Read the entire article HERE.

Question: This is that scary time of year again, full of ghosts, witches, pumpkins -- and sugary bags of trick-or-treat candy. A fun time for kids and adults can be a disastrous time for pets who share those bags of treats, landing them at the vet's office or emergency clinic. What kind of health emergencies do see most often during the Halloween holiday?

Answer: Around the trick-or-treating time, we see many dogs that eat chocolate and other Halloween candy.

Pet ingestion of Halloween treats can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, pancreatitis, heart arrhythmias, seizures, liver disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal obstruction and even death.

Dangerous or even fatal chocolate toxicity is rare because knowledgeable owners usually get their chocolate-eating pets into the clinic within a few hours of ingestion. Once the pet arrives, we do what is called "decontamination" -- vomiting is induced and then activated charcoal is administered.

We also see pets with general vomiting and diarrhea from gastrointestinal upset after they've eaten candy, wrappers and holiday decorations. This can be very serious if the pet develops pancreatitis or if the pet becomes very dehydrated.

A quick and timely response makes the treatment much easier on your pet and your wallet.

Question: Why is chocolate dangerous? Is some chocolate -- dark or bittersweet chocolate -- worse than others, such as milk or white chocolate?

Answer: Chocolate contains an active ingredient called theobromine, which is toxic to pets. Theobromine is a stimulant that pets are more sensitive to than people and can cause hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, twitching and tremoring, vomiting and diarrhea and, worst of all, seizures.

Dark chocolate is more potent, having a higher concentration of theobromine, and, therefore, is more toxic. All chocolate (cakes or brownies, milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate syrup, cocoa powder) is considered "rich." Although not as serious as theobromine toxicity, foods with high sugar and fat contents can cause serious stomach and bowel problems. Decontamination and quick treatment is key.

Question: What harm can one little candy bar do?

Answer: It depends on the size of your pet, the presence of any underlying conditions and the amount of chocolate your pet has ingested.

A Hershey's Kiss is safe for a 70-pound Labrador retriever to eat but harmful to a 3-pound Chihuahua.

Another problem with "just one little treat" is that dogs can develop a liking to chocolate and soon may be climbing on the table to help themselves to that whole bowl of Halloween candy.

The power of the dog nose can also help them find that wrapped box of chocolates under the Christmas tree or hidden away for Valentine's Day. I know one Beagle who learned to open the pantry, and he loved to eat the brownie mix.

Question: What should I do if my pet accidentally eats chocolate? What symptoms should I watch for?

Answer: Call your regular veterinarian or local emergency/referral veterinary hospital for recommendations.

It helps to have the candy wrapper with the list of ingredients and percentage of cacao or cocoa in the product.

Monitor your pet for hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, vomiting/diarrhea, tremors, twitches and seizures although preventive treatment long before any of these symptoms is the best approach.

If you have access to the Internet, check out www.veterinarypartner.com and look up chocolate toxicity. The website has an excellent chart comparing the number of ounces of chocolate a pet would need to ingest for toxicity.

Consider calling the National Animal Poison Control Center (1-800-548-2423; $65/call) or the Pet Poison Helpline (1-800-213-6680; $50/call) to speak directly with a veterinary poison specialist.

READ MORE HERE.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Chocolate Candy Corn Cocktails: National Candy Corn Day

Nothing says Halloween like candy corn!  Shaped like real pieces of corn, candy corn is as fun as it is tasty.  In addition to the original candy corn or yellow, orange and white, there are different varieties, including Indian candy corn which is brown where the original candy corn is yellow, adding a hint of chocolate  (it's only a hint and a bit waxy, and it's not real chocolate, but I don't care at Halloween).

The National Confectioners Association estimates that 20 million pounds (9,000 tons) of candy corn are sold annually. The top branded retailer of candy corn, Brach's, sells enough candy corn each year to circle the earth 4.25 times if the kernels were laid end to end. Too much information? 

For more history on Candy Corn, go to last year's post (also a recipe for Chocolate Candy Corn Truffles.

So today, why not Drink Your Candy Corn? Following are three very different cocktail recipes for Chocolate Candy Corn Cocktails.

Chocolate Candy Corn Cocktail
From Camarena Tequila:

1 oz Familia Camarena Reposado Tequila
1/2 oz butterscotch schnapps
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao
2 oz fresh orange juice
1 tsp dark cocoa
4 pieces candy corn

Rim martini glass with orange juice then cocoa powder
In a shaker, add tequila, butterscotch schnapps, crème de cocoa and orange juice
Add ice and shake well
Strain into prepared martini glass
Garnish with toothpick of candy corn


The Chocolate Candy Corn Cocktail
From the Hawthorne Hotel, Salem, MA

Chocolate liqueur
Cinnamon schnapps
Bailey's Irish Cream
Shake and pour over ice
Photo: Hawthorne Hotel


White Chocolate Candy Corn Martini
from A Little Bite of Life Blog

Candy Corn Vodka Mix
1/4 cup M & M's White Chocolate Candy Corn candies
1 cup Vanilla Vodka

For individual cocktail:
3 oz. Candy Corn Vodka Mix
1/2 Jigger (1 oz) Banana Schnapps
2 Jiggers (4 oz) Butterscotch Schnapps
About 4 oz. Crushed Ice
About 1 Tbsp Whipping Cream

Place the M & M's and Vodka in a small mason jar. Cover and shake well, and then let sit overnight.
To make the cocktail, strain 3 oz. of the vodka mix into a cocktail shaker. (You need to strain out any remaining pieces of M & M).
Add the banana and butternut schnapps. Add the crushed ice and shake well, using another cocktail shaker to shake.
Strain into a martini glass, and carefully float the cream on the top.
Photo: A LittleBiteofLife

 Celebrate Candy Corn Day!

Chocolate King Cake

9 oz (250 g) butter
7 oz (200 g) sugar
7 oz (200 g) flour
5 oz (150 g) hazelnuts
3.5 oz (100 g) chocolate
4 eggs
2 tablespoon cognac
vanilla sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix butter, sugar, vanilla sugar, eggs and brandy. Then add flour and baking powder. Finally stir in ground nuts and melted chocolate. Bake the dough in buttered and floured mold for an hour at 430° F (220° C).

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Pumpkin S'mores for Halloween

Summer may be over, but it's never over for S'mores. Just a small adaptation, and you'll have fabulous Fall Pumpkin S'mores. Toast special Pumpkin Spice Mallows for Pumpkin S'mores around the Halloween Bonfire!

Easy Pumpkin S'mores

Ingredients
Hershey's Chocolate Bars (or Dark Chocolate Bars or Pieces)
Pumpkin Spice Mallows
Graham Crackers

Directions
Toast Pumpkin Spice Mallows
Place Toasted Pumpkin Spice Mallows & Chocolate between two Graham Crackers
Microwave for 2 seconds or wrap in foil and place on grill for 2-3 minutes

Halloween Chocolate: Teuscher Beverly Hills

Guest Post from Teuscher Chocolates Beverly Hills: 

Teuscher Chocolates is truly an all Swiss import-business.We fly our finished product confections in each week from our kitchens in Switzerland. Our boxes are completely made in our workshop in Zurich.  Our eighty year old family recipes are all natural using the finest ingredients. Our Champagne Truffle is our house specialty. The teuscher champagne truffle was the first of its kind in the world, dreamed up almost 70 years ago by Mr. Dolf Teuscher, Sr. It was featured on Oprah as one of her favorite things, and remains a favorite amongst celebrities and locals alike.

For Halloween:
It’s that time of year! Autumn is in the air and the holiday season is just around the corner. This year make it a sweet one with the gift of Teuscher Chocolates. Fresh as a crisp fall day, and imported directly from Switzerland, our award winning confections are a perennial Halloween favorite. From whimsical witches to friendly ghosts, our festive handcrafted boxes are ready to be filled with your choice of teuscher treats! Choose from our classic truffles and pralines or a variety of limited specialty chocolates just in for the season. Here at Teuscher Beverly Hills, Halloween is no tricks, all treats!

Chocolate cake with cream

6 eggs
5.5 oz (160 g) sugar
6.5 oz (180 g) ground walnuts
teaspoon of ground coffee
tablespoon cocoa
1 package of vanilla sugar
1 package of baking powder
butter for mold

Mix egg yolk with sugar. Then add nuts, coffee, vanilla sugar, cocoa and continue mixing. From egg whites make firm snow and add in it baking powder. Combine two mixtures and stir lightly few times. Bake the cake in deep buttered mold at 350° F (180° C) about 35 minutes. When cake has cooled, cut into three pieces and fill with cream. At the end sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Friday, October 28, 2011

National Chocolate Day: Part II

In honor of National Chocolate Day, I thought I'd post this wonderful Vintage Chocolate Advertisement. Celebrate! Be sure and scroll back on the Blog for yummy chocolate recipes, reviews and news!

National Chocolate Day

Today is National Chocolate Day! Every day is Chocolate Day on DyingforChocolate.com

Chocolate is the world’s number one flavor. Chocolate as a food has a history going back  3,000 years. While its origins can be traced to Mexico, Central and South America, it has fans all around the world.

The process used to turn cacao into an edible delectable has several components. The first part including the harvest, drying and fermentation has remained more or less the same. The rest of the process has been modified through conching, blending and tempering to create a seemingly endless variety of chocolate that is used for truffles, cakes, ice cream, cookies, bars and much more. Chocolate has found its way into fashion and cosmetics. And yet in some places in the world it can still be used as a form of money, as it was in the past.

Whether on its own or blended as a subtle flavor,  Chocolate is used in countless food and drink worldwide. The demand for chocolate has reached a point where nutritional evidence is proffered to show that chocolate is needed by many and not just as a fleeting fancy of one’s taste buds.

Long ago, in Central America, chocolate was viewed as an aphrodisiac and the legend has grown. Special “holidays” such as Valentine’s Day, have been used to promote giving and sharing chocolate as a sign of love. Many countries have their own chocolate celebrations. In the country of Ghana, for instance, which is a major producer and exporter of chocolate, the government decreed that February 14 would henceforth become National Chocolate Day. The thinking behind this was that the associated Valentine’s Day celebrations were corrupting the youth of the country and that a focus on chocolate for that day would reduce the “wanton immorality” on the part of young people on that day. Personally, I’m not so sure that was a good idea. After all, chocolate has been considered an aphrodisiac for centuries. The Ghanaian government may have more to deal with than they bargained for.

If you've been reading this blog--or the news-- you know that chocolate comes with a surprising array of health benefits, various studies have shown that the chemicals in chocolate can boost your mood, lower your blood pressure and improve your cardiovascular health. The latest study says it may be able to prevent or slow Alzheimer's, but that's still in the study phase. Technically, chocolate is a vegetable, it comes from the cacao tree found in Central America and Western Africa. Of course, we all know how important it is to eat our vegetables, right?

Despite all this, Chocolate does have its detractors (clearly these people are no fun at all). The two main criticisms are that it contributes to obesity and to the development of acne. The fact of the matter is that any food eaten in excess will cause obesity, not just chocolate. It’s a matter of maintaining moderation; everything in your diet has its place, including chocolate. Chocolate has been shown to improve skin clarity, and there are several chocolate scrubs and creams. Many spas have specific chocolate treatments.

Personally, I think the most important benefit of chocolate is that it tastes good. Don’t we all deserve to enjoy a break once in a while with the world’s greatest taste? Even if chocolate were completely unhealthy, I’d argue the taste and psychological benefits would make it all worthwhile.

So remember, on October 28, feel free to celebrate National Chocolate Day without guilt and in whatever manner you see fit: Chocolate mousse, chocolate sauce, dark chocolate, white chocolate, the possibilities are endless!

Need a recipe? Skim back over the past 1066 (Yikes!) posts and make something chocolate today. No time? Buy a Truffle or Chocolate Croissant or grab a Chocolate Bar!  Happy Chocolate Day!

Hotel Chocolat: Salted Caramel Puddles

You know how I’m like never at home in DC? And how my job sends me off to every corner of the country?

Well, today I’m running away from DC again. But it’s not for work. Shocker. This time, it’s a trip to Boston for the annual MIT Alumni Swim Meet, which is literally one of the most fun events I attend all year.

I lead an exciting life, don’t I?

Well, here’s the other exciting thing: I’ll get to go to Newbury St. and visit Hotel Chocolat, where I can pick up delicious goodies like these Salted Caramel Puddles.

Yes. Puddles. Puddles of milk chocolate with bits of salt and caramel mixed in.

See?

The Hotel Chocolate puddles are all thin wafers that are easy to nibble on, and that are a perfect thickness to slowly melt on your tongue. The salted caramel puddles in particular offer a very thick melt that brings out a toffee flavor immediately.

Caramel and vanilla flavors follow that initial hit of toffee, along with a bit of cream. There is only a hint of salt, and perhaps a bit more to cut through the sweet milk chocolate and caramel pieces would be helpful. The caramel bits themselves are like pieces of coarse, caramelized sugar, and detract a bit from the smooth texture of the milk chocolate, but accent the caramel flavor. I’m a bit torn on the approach, as I like the resulting flavor but not the resulting texture.

Hopefully there are more puddles of a different character awaiting me tonight.

What was the last place you visited for fun? Did you buy any chocolate there?

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Chocolate horn with rum

Dough:
9 oz (250 g) of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 yolk
1 tablespoon rum
3 oz (80 g) sugar
4.5 oz (125 g) of butter

Stuffing:
4 egg whites
6 oz (170 g) of sugar
6 oz (170 g) hazelnuts
2 tablespoons of cocoa

Mix flour, baking powder, yolk, rum, sugar and butter, knead the dough and let it stand a bit. During this time, prepare the stuffing: in firm egg whites snow stir the sugar, then mix ground hazelnuts and cocoa. Roll out the dough and make slices approximately diameter of 3 inches (8 cm), place a little stuffing on each, roll and smear with egg white. Bake on high temperature.

Bewitching Perfectly Poisonous Parfaits for Halloween

One of my favorite sites for Party Planning.. and other reasons.. is Frog Prince Paperie. If you haven't visited this site, you're in for a treat. Paula's mission at Frog Prince Paperie is "to bring inspiration for spectacular parties, DIY party projects and interesting party finds." Oh yes.

Here's a special Halloween post for Bewitching Perfectly Poisonous Parfaits (reprinted with permission). Be sure and visit HERE for some fabulous Halloween party ideas. Her Frog Prince Paperie etsy store can be found HERE.  Happy Halloween!

BEWITCHING PERFECTLY POISONOUS PARFAITS

Ingredients
Vanilla Pudding
Non-pareils (in orange)
Crushed up Oreos
Tall shot glasses

Vanilla pudding can be made from scratch (time consuming) or  you buy the premade little snack pack cups (easy and no clean-up)

Drop a few tiny spoonfuls of pudding into the glass. Drop in some orange non-pareils. More pudding, then some crushed up oreo–then repeat till your glass is full! For those keeping track, she used 2 pudding snack packs to make three parfaits in these shot glasses.

That fun veined look comes from the non-pareils soaking into the pudding, so make them a bit ahead of time…that is, at least an hour! Put in a demitasse spoon and you’ll be ready to serve these perfectly poisonous little parfaits to your unsuspecting guests.

Want to make the Witch Hat Toppers? Here's a link to the Tutorial.

Photos: Frogprincepaperie.com

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Chocolate & Pumpkin Recipe Round-up: National Pumpkin Day

I've posted many Pumpkin and Chocolate recipes, but since today is National Pumpkin Day, I thought I'd do a round-up. So many wonderful recipes out there.

Have any other favorites? Be sure to add a link.

Cleo Coyle's Chocolate Fudge Pumpkin Cookies 

Double Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Chocolate Pumpkin Bark

Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
  
Pattie Tierney's Pumpkin Pie Cocoa  

Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate Pumpkin Cocktails

 ****
And a few other Chocolate and Pumpkin Recipes from terrific food blogs: 


Full Moon Pumpkin Cheesecake from Months of Edible Celebrations! (photo)

Pumpkin Chocolate Spiderweb Tart from Handle the Heat.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffles from Pimp My Menu

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Biscotti from Home Beccanomics.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies  from Two Peas and a Pod.

Any other Pumpkin Chocolate recipes you love? Leave a comment.

Photo #1: Cleo Coyle
Photo #2: Months of Edible Celebrations

Bake Together: Gluten-Free Sour Cream "Coffee Cake" with Chocolate Streusel

Alternative titles for this post:

  • Apologies to Abby Dodge, whose recipes should never be mistreated like this
  • I just wanted to be one of the cool kids and play in #BakeTogether but I screwed up
  • Trying? Pft. Trying is the first step towards failure

You see, for the Bake Together event that Abby Dodge is hosting from up in Connecticut, we were charged with making a sour cream coffee cake with streusel. Oh, streusel, how beautiful you are atop any delicious breakfast treat.

Or, you know, unbaked in a bowl. Your choice.

In any case, I knew I needed to join in this month. And then, during a very, very long run last weekend*, I thought to myself…what if I tried a gluten free version? Yes, what if…what if indeed. What if I replaced the flour with almond flour?

That way, you have even more fat. And how can that be a bad thing? Surely the resulting batter will be tasty.

Oh, and it was. It’s just that the final product wasn’t exactly cake like. It was absolutely delicious, completely gluten free, and a delightful breakfast treat. But coffee cake? Not so sure about that. In any case, perhaps you have a friend who maintains a gluten-free diet and you’d like to have them over for brunch. Well then, do I have the recipe for you.

Gluten-Free Sour Cream "Coffee Cake" with Chocolate Steusel

For the streusel:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup almond flour*

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

For the cake:

1 cup almond flour*

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon table salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup sour cream

*Almond flour can be expensive, but can be made by simply running blanched almonds through a food processor.

To make the streusel:

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, almond flour and cinnamon. Mix with melted butter and chocolate.

To make the cake:

Combine the almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until well blended; add the egg. Add about half of the almond flour mixture and mix on low speed just until blended. Add the sour cream, then fold in the remaining almond flour mixture.

Scrape half of the batter into a greased 8”x4” loaf pan and spread evenly. Evenly scatter half of the streusel mixture over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the streusel and spread evenly. Scatter the remaining streusel evenly over the top.

Bake at 350° F for about 50 minutes. Cool before slicing (ha. right).

So it doesn’t look very pretty or cake-like. And the streusel didn’t separate well. But it was delicious. Dense, gooey, and dressed up with a touch of chocolate.

And really, maybe I screwed up Abby’s recipe. For that, I am sorry. But I will not apologize for combining butter, almonds, sugar, and chocolate and calling it breakfast food.

Have you ever tried to make gluten-free cake? Did it look better than this?

*This alone should caution you against running 21 miles straight, because it will result in many things seeming like good ideas when they, in fact, are not. Such as attempting gluten-free coffee cake on the fly. Or deciding to go ahead and tack on an extra 5.2 miles three weeks later.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Chocolate Mousse

1 cup (2 dl) cream
5 oz (150 g) chocolate
2 oz (50 g) butter
3 eggs
1 egg white

Melt chocolate with butter on lower temperature. As soon as it melts, remove from heat and put the egg yolks one at a time. Stir strong that egg doesn't cook. Add a little salt in egg whites and beat to snow. First stir a little snow in the chocolate, then pour the mixture into snow and all carefully stir with spoon. Let it stand on cool place for several hours. Before serving decorate with whipped cream.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Pumpkin Pie Cocoa: Pattie Tierney

My friend Pattie Tierney has several fabulous websites that encompass my own passions: Food and Mystery. I've asked her to guest blog before, and she's always posted something wonderful. So, this past month I saw her recipe and post for Pumpkin Pie Cocoa, and I knew readers of dyingforchocolate.com would love this. So here's a repost of this fun and easy delicious recipe. Perfect for the Fall and Halloween. Thanks, Pattie!

Pattie Tierney is a blogger, reader, traveler, diner, jewelry-maker, and lover of all things chocolate and mysterious. Visit Pattie's Etsy store for really cool and crafty mystery jewelry, and check out her mouth-watering blog: Olla-Podrida. Follow her on Twitter @pattietierney

PATTIE TIERNEY: PUMPKIN PIE COCOA

I spent a good bit of time the past couple of days "whipping up" (and yes, I did use the term facetiously here) the meal we enjoyed for dinner tonight, and that graces the cover of the October 2011 issue of Bon Appetit. It is a good one (stay tuned later in the week for the results and step-by-step tutorial), but it took up so much time that I thought I deserved a break.

So I decided to enjoy the beautiful day, put my feet up, and peruse the latest issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray (I do seem to have a one-track mind, don't I?). Craving something pumpkin (as I tend to do this time of the year), this recipe leapt off the page at me, and sent me right back into the kitchen. Pumpkin and chocolate (for those of you know don't know) is an excellent combination. It was nearly a year ago when I first acquainted you with this combo in the recipe for Harvest Pumpkin Loaf. Now here I am again acquainting you with yet another and, people, this one is DECADENT! I groaned when I took my first sip, that's how good it is. Since I only wanted to make one cup I cut the recipe in half. I used Williams-Sonoma's Sweet Ground Chocolate instead of hot cocoa mix (pricey but well worth it), and added a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to the whipped cream.

Try it. Go ahead. I'm sure you deserve it.

Pumpkin Pie Cocoa

2 1/4 cups low-fat milk
1/2 cup hot cocoa mix
3 tbsp. canned pure pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup whipped cream

In a saucepan, whisk milk, cocoa mix, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice; heat until steaming. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream.

Originally posted at Olla-Podrida. Reprinted with permission.
Photo: Pattie Tierney

Chocolate Topping

3 cups (7 dl) milk
5 oz (150 g) powdered sugar
3.5 oz (100 g) chocolate
3 eggs
6 yolk
some vanilla
some butter

Melt chocolate with 1/2 cup (1 dl) of water and then pour in the milk and stir until boil. After milk with chocolate boils, remove it from the stove and add piece of vanilla. Cover bowl and vanilla ande leave it in the hot milk for about quarter of an hour. In another bowl, mix the eggs (3 whole eggs and 6 egg yolks), add milk with sugar and chocolate. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cloth, and then pour into buttered mold. Mold with topping put on steam, do not fully cover so steam could come out. The water temperature should be constantly around 200° F (95° C)! After one hour remove it from steam, cool it and put in refrigerator.

Biagio/Cocova Sample Day: Who Needs Pictures?

Though I’ve made mention of the upcoming name change at Biagio, I have yet to see a fully-Cocova-branded chocolate tasting. I thought this month might be the one, but it appears that they’re still working through their stockpile of “Biagio” branded stickers.

What is that old saying? A rose by any other name blah blah blah…anyway, they still have a ton of outstanding chocolate, helpful staff, and free tastings. What else do you need?

I’d happily show you some photos of the tasting itself, but I went with somebody who doesn’t know about this blog who might think I was strange if I decided I needed to take pictures in a chocolate shop in a basement off 18th St.

Whatever.

Anyway, no pictures, but let’s talk about a few of the stellar bars up for sample.

  • The Amedei Toscano Blond 63% Cacao with Peaches and Apricots – the name pretty much says it all. The perfectly-dried fruits accent the chocolate beautifully.
  • The Grenada Chocolate Company 60% cacao bar, which was very smooth and a bit fruity.
  • The Palus Indonesie 75% cacao bar, with a strong flavor that ends with a pleasing earthy note.

Next time there is a tasting, I’m pretty sure that the bags will read “Cocova” and the name change will be all set.

Next time, I’ll also have a camera. I promise.

Have you ever left a camera at home because you would feel weird taking pictures?

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Chocolate Pumpkin Cocktails

I didn't realize that there are so many pumpkin liqueurs on the market at this time of year.  Check out DrinkoftheWeek.com for a review of pumpkin liquors.  Of course, pumpkin needs chocolate, so I put together three recipes for Chocolate Pumpkin Cocktail recipes for Halloween. These can be served all through the Fall. But you knew that, right? The first two recipes call for Pumpkin Liqueur, but the last one uses other liqueurs and some pumpkin spice.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN COCKTAIL

3 oz Pumpkin Liqueur
Chocolate (melted)

Shake the pumpkin liqueur with ice in a cocktail shaker.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Slowly add melted chocolate to the glass.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN MARTINI

Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
2 oz Vanilla Vodka
1/2 oz Pumpkin Liqueur
1 tsp whipped cream

Pour white chocolate liqueur, vodka, and pumpkin liqueur into shaker filled with ice.
Shake, Pour into martini glass. Optional: Add whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN MARTINI

3/4 ounce Vanilla Vodka
1/2 ounce Bailey's
1/2 ounce Kahlua
1/2 ounce Crème de Cacao
1/4 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pinch cayenne pepper
Ice cubes

In cocktail shaker, combine Vanilla Vodka, Bailey's, Kahlua & Crème de Cacao, Pumpkin Pie Spice, and cayenne pepper. Add ice; cover and shake until very cold. Strain into chilled martini glass.


Photo: DrinkoftheWeek.com

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Halloween Vintage Candy Ads

Today I thought I'd post a round-up of Vintage Halloween Candy Ads. Happy Halloween! Remember any of these?






Friday, October 21, 2011

Hotel Chocolat: Lemon Cheesecake Bar

Before I get down to business with today’s delightful chocolate creation, I am going to deliver some earth-shattering news that will affect your day in ways you can’t imagine.

Ready?

I’m going to start posting Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, as opposed to every day, for the foreseeable future. This probably makes you very sad. That’s OK! Embrace your feelings. It’s healthy. And in case you miss my daily dose of sarcasm and chocolate talk come Tuesdays, Thursdays, and the weekends…just find me on twitter. Or meet me for a swim. Or perhaps a bike ride. Plenty of snarky conversation will ensue, I promise.

Alright now. Administrative update complete. Time for chocolate. Today, we’ve got a bar that reminds me a bit of summer, which seem entirely out of place with the fall weather and slowly-changing leaf colors here in DC.

Whatever. It’s chocolate. Specifically, it’s Hotel Chocolat’s Lemon Cheesecake bar, a lemon white chocolate base with milk chocolate and pieces of cocoa cookies.


This beautifully-constructed bar has a clear lemon aroma with a hint of cream. That lemon flavor emerges immediately, but doesn’t have any sour bite to it, and seems to draw its flavor from lemon oil.


The lemon flavor is complemented by a tang reminiscent of cheesecake; the smooth melt and sweetness of the white chocolate make these delicious flavors even more enjoyable. The milk chocolate, while sparse, adds a hint of caramel when you hit it, similar to a thin caramel topping on a cheesecake. The overall blend of all these flavors is just like a lemon cheesecake with a bit of light caramel sauce.

Captured in cocoa butter.

In other words, I love this bar. Love.

What dessert would you like to see captured in cocoa butter?