Great Ways to Use Cocoa Nibs: Tuesday Tips

I try to give a tip every Tuesday on this blog, and one part of the cocoa bean that I haven't addressed as far as tips go is the Cocoa Nib. I've posted recipes, of course, but today my Tuesday Tip is on What to Do with Cocoa Nibs. 

Cocoa Nibs are bits of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cacao beans. Cocoa nibs are not chocolate pieces. They are roasted beans separated from their husks.  But, it's just chocolate in a different form--not sweet--since sugar isn't added. Nevertheless, they have a very unique chocolate taste. There are both raw and roasted cocoa nibs. They have different tastes, and I prefer roasted cocoa nibs. If you're going to buy cocoa nibs, go for organic, and definitely choose a chocolatier you like.

I use cocoa nibs in lots of ways, but my best advice is to use them sparingly until you get the hang of them. They're a bit bitter, and you won't want to overwhelm your dish. You'll soon figure out how many to put into your favorite foods. That being said, I use cocoa nibs in both savory and sweet dishes.

SAVORY

Add them to salads for some special crunch.

For an hors d'oeuvre, roll a log of goat cheese in crushed cacoa nibs.

Use as a crust on chicken.

Add them to chili.

Grind them up and use in your barbecue rub.

Add them to mole.

SWEET

Roll chocolate ganache truffles in chopped nibs in place of cocoa or nuts.

Add them to pancake batter.

Add them to granola or bake them into granola bars.

Mix into Greek yogurt (I add a little honey, too)

Throw them on your oatmeal.

Add them to smoothies.

Use them as sprinkles on cupcakes

Use them as sprinkles on ice cream.

Add them to brittle instead of nuts.

Use them instead of nuts or chocolate chips in Chocolate Chip Cookies. (see recipe below)

Add them instead of nuts in brownies.

Candy them with a caramel glaze.

Dip them in chocolate for another great snack.

OTHER

Add some to your coffee grinder for a special blend.

Eat some plain.

And here's a surprising use: Chew some as a Breath Freshener.

And, if all else fails, have some around and just smell them. The aroma is quite heady!

Chocolate Chip Cocoa Nib Cookies  
a variation on the traditional Toll House Cookie recipe

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sweet butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate chunks)
3/4 cup chopped cocoa nibs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and cocoa nibs. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Dying for Chocolate Cupcakes: Krista Davis

Photo: Krista Davis

My mystery and chocolate worlds collide again. Today I welcome Krista Davis, author of the Domestic Diva Mystery series (Berkley Prime Crime).

Krista Davis's The Diva Runs Out of Thyme and The Diva Haunts the House were nominated for Agatha awards. Her most recent book, The Diva Digs Up the Dirt, joined The Diva Haunts the House in the honor of making the extended New York Times Bestseller List. The Diva Frosts a Cupcake will be released in June. Visit Krista at http://KristaDavis.com and at her blogs, MysteryLoversKitchen h and Killer Characters. Her novels include recipes and entertaining tips, as well as being fun mysteries! Thanks, Krista, for this fabulous recipe and mouth-watering photos!

KRISTA DAVIS: DYING FOR CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

My name is Krista, and I am a chocoholic. When Janet so very kindly asked me if I would provide a recipe for Dying for Chocolate -- I flipped. Just the excuse I needed to play with chocolate. I immediately thought of a triple chocolate mousse cake that I used to indulge in. Those who live near Arlington, Virginia might know of Pastries by Randolph. His cakes are heavenly and the triple chocolate mousse cake has long been my favorite.

So I tried a recipe for a torte with a layer of white chocolate mousse, another of milk chocolate mousse and one of dark chocolate mousse. It wasn’t worthy of Randolph but it came out fairly well. Or so I thought.

Two out of four tasters had complaints. One, a die-hard chocolate lover, even said she could do with just the white chocolate mousse! Clearly, I need to do some tweaking on that recipe, but without a house full of company to eat such a cake, well, I’m sure you see the problem.

So I turned my focus to cupcakes. My next Domestic Diva Mystery will be THE DIVA FROSTS A CUPCAKE, with loads of cupcake recipes. Have you noticed that cupcakes have gotten super fancy? It’s not enough to bake them and add frosting. Now they have to have fillings, too! Plus, I knew the Dying for Chocolate audience would be special. You’re chocoholics, like me. So I embarked on Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Filling and Raspberry Tinged Chocolate Frosting. Any recipe with a name that long deserves a special name, and since they were developed just for Dying for Chocolate, I’m calling them Dying for Chocolate Cupcakes.

If you’re not game for lots of steps, skip the raspberry cream. I decorated some with a raspberry (easy!), left some plain (easiest), and dotted some with Callebaut’s Dark Crispearls. If you haven’t tried the Crispearls yet, look for them. They’re terrific!

There’s good news and bad news about this recipe. The good news is that it freezes very well. Just slide the cooled cupcakes into a zip type freezer bag. I usually slide a sheet of waxed paper inside over top of them so they won’t stick to the bag. To thaw, simply remove from freezer to room temperature for 45 minutes or so. The bad news is that they’re actually pretty good frozen should you happen to have a middle-of-the-night chocolate crisis. I would recommend filling and frosting them after they have thawed. I did freeze some filled ones for about a week and the filling, while not as good as when fresh, wasn’t the soggy mess I expected.

Dying for Chocolate Cupcakes

Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes (makes 18 cupcakes)

16 hazelnuts
1 cup flour
1/4 cup high quality unsweetened powdered chocolate like Pensey’s
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate (1 square)
1/2 cup milk (I used nonfat)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
 2 eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400.

Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan.

Toast hazelnuts on a pan for about 4-5 minutes until fragrant. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate. When you take the hazelnuts out of the oven, reduce the heat to 350. Let the hazelnuts cool enough to handle, then rub off the skin. It’s okay if a little skin remains. Grind the hazelnuts fine.

Combine flour, hazelnuts, powdered chocolate, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and blend well with a small whisk or a fork.

Cream butter with sugar. Add each egg and beat well. Add the flour mixture in small amounts, alternating with the milk. Beat in the melted chocolate and then the vanilla. Beat to combine.

Divide between cupcake papers, filling each about 1/2 full. Bake 15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cream Filling

1/4 cup sweetened whipped cream
3 tablespoons defrosted frozen raspberries* (set aside the liquid for the frosting)

Mix the whipped cream with the raspberries. Cut a small divot out of the middle of each cupcake. Fill. Replace divot and frost.

Frosting

2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
liquid from raspberries plus enough water to equal 1/4 cup
3 1/2 to 4 cups powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate with the butter. I do this in short bursts in the microwave. Add enough water to the reserved raspberry liquid to make 1/4 cup and heat. Mix the chocolate with the raspberry liquid. Beat in powdered sugar until the consistency is thick but not stiff, (about 3 ½ cups of the powdered sugar). Refrigerate about 15 minutes until it’s easier to handle and will keep its shape. Frost the cupcakes.

Photos: All photos c. Krista Davis

Retro Pudding Cupcakes in Chocolate Crusts

This Retro Ad from June 15, 1962 for No Bake Pudding "Cupcakes' in a Candy Crust was the spring board for a really delicious pudding cupcake. The Chocolate Crust recipe is simple and elegant, and to fill the cupcake shells, you can use your own recipe for Chocolate Pudding.  Or you can fill these Chocolate Cupcake Crusts with chocolate mousse or something else!

Chocolate Cupcake Crusts 
Makes 6-8 cupcakes

Melt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate in small saucepan over low heat.
Spoon chocolate around sides and bottom of 6-8 paper baking cups.
Chill about 1/2 hour.
Peel paper cups from candy crusts before filling

National S'mores Day: S'mores Recipe Round-Up

S'mores Pops

Today is National S'mores Day, and there's a lot to celebrate! S'mores are made by sandwiching a toasted marshmallow and a piece of chocolate in between two graham crackers and heating the whole 'sandwich' over the campfire or grill.

The name S'mores (alternatively Smores) comes from the two words "some more," because everyone always want s'more. This American treat was developed by the Girl Scouts in the early part of the 20th century, making use of the newly mass-produced marshmallow. Marshmallows were easy to transport, as were candy bars and graham crackers, and the marshmallows could be toasted over a fire to make a fabulous campfire treat in a situation where other types of sweets would have been difficult to come by. Of course, the quality of the chocolate and marshmallow, and even the graham crackers (if you make your own) will vary, but S'mores aren't about haute cuisine, at least not in my house.

The true origin of the snack is unknown, as camping recipes were passed from family to family - often over the campfire itself. The  first printed record of the recipe was in 1927 in a girl scout manual "Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts".  Read more HERE.

The Original 1927 Girl Scout Recipe for S'mores

Some More:
8 sticks (for toasting the marshmallows)
16 graham crackers
8 bars plain chocolate (any of the good plain brands, broken in two)
16 marshmallows

Toast two marshmallows over the coals to a crisp gooey state and then put them inside a graham cracker and chocolate bar sandwich. The heat of the marshmallow between the halves of chocolate bar will melt the chocolate a bit. Though it tastes like "some more" one is really enough.

I have a Round-Up of S'mores Recipes at the end of this post, but I wanted to post another fun recipe. Maybe you've already tried this on your own. Let's face it, S'mores are pretty versatile!

One of the newest ballpark foods at AT&T Park (Go, Giants!) is the S'mores Sandwich. This ooey-gooey delight is an excellent way to eat your s'mores. Marshmallows and Ghirardelli chocolate are sandwiched between two pieces of fresh buttered bread and grilled. Yum! The closest I've been able to come up with a recipe to match this treat. I love using my Panini Press! Depending on the bread, chocolate and marshmallows, you'll have a lot of variety in this easy recipe! 

S'mores Panini 

Ingredients

Sweet butter, room temperature
4 slices sourdough (or buttermilk bread)
8  large marshmallows (or 1/2 cup marshmallow creme)
2 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips or 3 ounces dark chocolate, broken

Directions

Butter one side of the bread.
Place 2 slices on a plate, buttered side down.
Put 4 marshmallows on each piece of bread--(or divide marshmallow creme among bread slices, spreading evenly and leaving a 1-inch border).
Sprinkle chocolate chips or broken chocolate pieces over marshmallows, dividing equally (leave an inch margin if you can).
Cover with remaining bread, buttered side up, pressing slightly.
Preheat panini press to 375 degrees.
Put sandwiches on press; close press.
Cook sandwiches until golden brown and heated through, about 3 minutes.
Transfer to a work surface. Cool for 1 minute.
Cut in half and serve.

And in celebration of National S'mores Day, here's a Round-up of Recipes for S'mores that I've shared here on DyingforChocolate.com over the years. 

Traditional S'mores on the Grill

S'mores Brownies using a Brownie Mix

Brownie S'mores from Scratch

S'mores Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookie S'mores (2 recipes)

Chewy S'mores Bar Cookies

S'mores Pie 

S'mores Ice Cream Sandwich

S'mores Ice Cream Pie

S'mores in the Microwave

Wacky Candy Bar S'Mores 

Peanut Butter S'mores  

S'mores on a Stick (S'mores Pops)

Want to drink your S'mores? 

Make a S'mores Martini! Two recipes

Novelty S'mores Recipe: 

S'mores Keyboard 

Girl Scout S'mores Merit Badges

Howard Johnson's Retro Ad

I remember long summertime car trips on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. We'd always stop at Howard Johnon's for ice cream.  This advertisement is from July 2, 1951. With 28 flavors, I find it fun that the cone in the ad is chocolate!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today is National Zucchini Day. Zucchini is such an abundant summer crop. Plant a single plant, and you'll be picking zucchini all summer long.

So what to do with it? Add Chocolate!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread with Pistachios
Geeky Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
White Chocolate Walnut Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Zucchini Cake

The other day was National Chocolate Chip Day. I did a Round-up of Chocolate Chip recipes last year, but alas, no Zucchini Chocolate Chip recipe! What an oversight. So here in honor of the Zucchini Day holiday, is my go-to recipe for Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies!

This recipe is from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (2007) by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. I've added walnuts, because I like a little crunch.  This book should be a staple on your shelf. It's part memoir, part journalistic investigation. It tells the story of how the family was changed by one year of deliberately eating food produced in the place where they live. Barbara Kingsolver wrote the central narrative; Steven Hopp's sidebars explore various aspects of food-production science and industry; Camille Kingsolver's brief essays offer a nineteen-year-old's perspective on the local-food project, plus nutritional information, meal plans and most importantly for this blog, the recipes. Being that it's mid-summer: there's a Zucchini Season Meal Plan in the book. The recipes are all fabulous, and here is the recipe for Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies. As I mentioned, I added walnuts for extra crunch.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sweet butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Combine in large bowl.

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Combine in a separate, small bowl and blend into liquid mixture.

1 cup finely shredded zucchini
12 oz chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Stir these into other ingredients, mix well. Drop by spoonful onto greased baking
sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350F degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.

How easy is this? And delicious...

Tuesday Tips: Natural vs Dutch Process Cocoa

How often have you wondered if you should use Natural or Dutch cocoa in a recipe? And what exactly is the difference? Will it affect your baking?

Cocoa powder is made when chocolate liquor is pressed to remove 3/4 of its cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa solids are processed to make fine unsweetened cocoa powder. There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: Natural and Dutch-processed.

Actually, there's nothing very Dutch about Dutch Processed Cocoa. It's only called a Dutching process because the person who invented it, Coenraad J. van Houten, was a 19th century Dutchman who pioneered the use of the hydraulic press to defat chocolate liquor. Van Houten's solution lay in simple chemistry. Cocoa in its natural state is slightly acidic, as indicated by its pH value of around 5.4. By soaking the cocoa nibs in a basic (or alkaline) solution, he found he could raise the pH to 7 (neutral) or even higher. The higher the pH, the darker the color. And, the acids present in natural cocoa were neutralized, reducing its harshness.

To learn more about the differences between Dutch-processed cocoa and natural cocoa, read this article in Cook's Illustrated.

Planning to bake with cocoa? Here's advice from David Lebowitz, the King of Chocolate.

Because natural cocoa powder hasn’t had its acidity tempered, it’s generally paired with baking soda (which is alkali) in recipes. Dutch-process cocoa is frequently used in recipes with baking powder, as it doesn’t react to baking soda like natural cocoa does.

Many classic American recipes, like Devil’s Food Cake, use natural cocoa powder. There is also a reaction between natural cocoa powder and baking soda that occurs in recipes, which creates a reddish crumb, like Devil’s Food Cake.

There are exceptions to each, of course. And according to Fine Cooking magazine, “You can substitute natural cocoa powder for Dutch-process in most recipes (though not vice versa). Flavor and texture can be affected, but generally only in recipes calling for 3/4 cup or more.” However when a batter-based recipe calls for natural cocoa powder, do not use Dutch-process cocoa powder. But I always advise folks to follow what the recipe says. For sauces and ice creams, they can be swapped out. For cakes and cookies, I don’t recommend it, as your results may not be the same if you make substitutions.

If a recipe calls for either, the main different is that Dutch-process cocoa will give a darker color and a more complex flavor whereas natural cocoa powder tends to be fruitier tasting and lighter in color.

Here are a few cocoas I like that are great in brownies, devil's food cake and other chocolate baked goods: King Arthur Flour Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa,  Callebaut, Guittard, Valrhona, Ghirardelli, and Trader Joe's.

When used alone in cakes, cocoa powder gives a full rich chocolate flavor and dark color. Cocoa powder can also be used in recipes with other chocolate (unsweetened or dark) and this combination produces a cake with a more intense chocolate flavor than if the cocoa wasn't present.

Most recipes call for sifting the cocoa powder with the flour but to bring out its full flavor, combine the cocoa powder with a small amount of boiling water. (If you want to try this in a recipe, substitute some of the liquid in the recipe for the boiling water.)

As I mentioned above there are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: Natural and Dutch-processed. When in doubt, use the type specified in the recipe. Some prefer using Dutch-processed cocoa as a slight bitterness may be tasted in cakes using natural cocoa and baking soda.

Another Tip: Don't confuse unsweetened natural and Dutch-processed cocoa powder with sweetened cocoa drink mixes. They are not the same thing. 

O.K. all the above is basic baking cocoa information. For me, though, the reality is that natural and Dutch processed cocoa powder are pretty much interchangeable. There are very few recipes that are thrown off by the presence or absence of the acidity of cocoa powder. In fact, many of the ingredients you regularly use in baking are slightly acidic, so even recipes that seem to rely on the acidity of cocoa powder to produce leavening are getting their acidity from milk, butter, egg yolks, honey (sugar is neutral), etc, and the recipe should turn out just fine whichever cocoa you use-- Dutch process or natural cocoa powder.

Judy Greber's Chocolate Sour Cream Fudge Cake

A reasonable facsmile of Bob's Birthday Cake! It was devoured!

Today I welcome author Judy Greber aka Gillian Roberts. Besides being the author of two mystery series, mainstream fiction and non-fiction, Judy is a fabulous cook with a wonderfully appointed kitchen with a spectacular view. Who couldn't create a great chocolate cake in that kitchen? This recipe for Bob's Birthday cake aka Chocolate Sour Cream Fudge Cake is a keeper.

JUDY GREBER/Gillian Roberts:

In our family, when it’s your birthday, you get to choose the menu, and the rest of us prepare it for you. Whatever you like. Whatever you love. For dessert, we’ve got butterscotch pudding lovers, ice-cream cake lovers, chocolate mousse lovers, lemon anything lovers, but for “the patriarch”, a.k.a. my husband, it’s this chocolate cake.

He is a chocoholic, and I confess that I’m an enabler, keeping him hooked, so for many years on birthdays and off (how could you wait 364 days for another stab at an ultimate chocolate dessert?) I tried out recipes. This one evolved from a time, long ago, when I was researching a (non-mystery) novel titled Mendocino, which happily took me to that charming town in Northern California, I ate at a delightful restaurant called Cafe Beaujolais. It still exists, but it has a new owner/chef. Back then, it was owned by Margaret Fox. I didn’t have the chocolate cake, but I loved her cooking so much, I bought her Cafe Beaujolais cookbook and in thumbing through it, found this cake.

Over time, I’ve tweaked the recipe and I use a different icing than she suggested, but here’s what ultimately became known hereabouts as “Bob’s Birthday Cake.” The search is over...

Chocolate Sour Cream Fudge Cake 

Ingredients: 
2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups light or dark brown sugar
4 ounces bitter chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 cup strong hot coffee

Directions: 
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
Beat butter, sugar and eggs for 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer, until very light and fluffy.
Beat in chocolate and vanilla.
Stir in about 1/3 of the dry ingredients, half the sour cream, another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the rest of the sour cream, and finally, the remainder of the dry ingredients. Stir just until mixed.
Stir in hot coffee
Pour into 2 9" square pans ( 8" rounds work, too) greased and lined with waxed paper.
Strike each pan on the edge of the counter to release air bubbles.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Cool pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, turn out, and cool completely. Frost with:

Fudge Frosting 

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 sticks
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup half and half
4 teaspoons instant coffee powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Combine butter, 3/4 cup sugar, half and half and coffee powder in large saucepan.
Stir over medium heat until sugar and coffee powder dissolves and mixture simmers. Remove from heat.
Add both chocolates; whisk until smooth.
Whisk in vanilla.
Pour chocolate mixture into large bowl.
Sift in powdered sugar; whisk to blend.
Press plastic wrap onto surface of frosting.
Chill just until firm enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours.

--there is no need to wait for a birthday to enjoy this!

Cartoon of the Day: Chocolate Cake

10 Ways to Dress up a Plain Cupcake!

Photo:Au Pair

Sophie Leake at AuPairCare.net sent me a link to a post she did on the blog for 10 Ways to Dress up a a Plain Cupcake for Your Child. She gave me permission to reprint her post here on DyingforChocolate.com. I think her ideas are great, and they go beyond cupcakes for children. Let's face it, adults like cupcakes, too, and there are some really cool ideas here in her post. Maybe these should be on Tuesday Tips?

Thanks, Sophie.

SOPHIE LEAKE: 10 Ways to Dress up a Plain Cupcake

While gourmet cupcake bakeries are on the rise, there’s no need to pay top dollar at a bakery for super cute and tasty birthday cupcakes when you can make them for much cheaper on your own.  Check out these 10 ways to dress up a plain cupcake for your child’s next birthday.

1. Flavored frosting with fruit makes an elegant cupcake decoration.  Bake up your favorite vanilla or yellow cupcake and then add a few tablespoons of a fruit puree to the mix.  Take the same fruit puree and add a tablespoon full to your favorite buttercream recipe.  Now take some fresh fruit and top your frosted cupcake with it.  This method works well with raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries.
2. Plain frosting with sprinkles let you know it’s a party.  Instead of adding vanilla to your buttercream frosting add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cotton candy flavoring.  Frost your cupcakes like normal and sprinkle with jimmies.  Sprinkles are always a fun and festive treat.
3. Frost the cupcakes and then dip them in melted chocolate for a special treat. These special treats are called hi-hats.  Instead of making a normal buttercream frosting, make a meringue type frosting.  In a metal bowl beat 1 ¾ C sugar, ¼ C water, 3 large egg whites, and ¼ t of cream of tartar on high until it becomes frothy.  Now place it over a pan of simmering water and continue to beat on high speed until you get stiff peaks. (They will hold their shape when you lift the beater.)  This step takes 10 to 12 minutes.  Stir in 1 t of vanilla extract and then put the meringue into a pastry bag and pipe the tops of the cupcakes.  Now melt a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 3 T. of shortening in the microwave.  Put the melted chocolate in a tall narrow container for dipping.  Next, dip the cupcakes into the chocolate as if they were chocolate dipped ice cream cones and then allow them to cool.
4. Use a cookie as a cupcake topper.  If your child likes the combination of chocolate and peanut butter there’s a fun way to make a cupcake for him that combines both of his loves.  Make your favorite chocolate cupcakes and allow them to cool.  In the meantime, make some buttercream frosting and add in ¼ C. of peanut butter.  Frost the cupcakes with the peanut butter frosting and top with a peanut butter sandwich cookie.
5. Create small decorations out of fondant.  Fondant is made of shortening and sugar.  It rolls out like dough and you can buy it at most craft or baking stores.  Using gel colors you can color your fondant any color you’d like.  Dust the counter with powdered sugar and roll out the fondant so that it’s about ¼” thick.  Using tiny cookie cutters cut out shapes that will coordinate with the theme of your party.  You can lay the fondant on top of the frosted cupcake or let the fondant dry and then stand the shape up in the frosting.
6. Give your cupcakes the airbrushed look.  No need to buy an expensive airbrush to get the airbrushed look.  The same coloring comes in an aerosol can now and can be used on cupcakes.  Frost your cupcakes like normal and allow the frosting to crust (dry to the touch).  Place the cupcakes on a newspaper covered surface.  Using long strokes spray the top of the frosted cupcake.  Make sure to start and stop off of the cupcake.  If you’d like you can make them half and half by blocking half of the cupcake with a piece of cardboard while you are spraying.
7. Make S’mores cupcakes using a kitchen torch.  Instead of using frosting to frost your cupcake, use marshmallow cream.  Have some mini chocolate bars or broken pieces of chocolate ready to stick into the marshmallow cream.  Crush some graham crackers and keep them beside you in a bowl.  Take a kitchen torch and toast the marshmallow cream, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs, and stick a piece of chocolate into the marshmallow. 
8. Dress up cookie dough cupcakes with mini chips and mini cookies.  To make cookie dough cupcakes, take some store bought chocolate chip cookie dough and roll it into 1 inch balls.  Make your chocolate or vanilla cupcake batter as usual, but before baking add the cold cookie dough to the center of the cupcake.  Make the cookie dough chunks big enough so they are not fully submerged in batter.  Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Frost with vanilla buttercream, sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, and top with a mini chocolate chip cookie.
9. Edible sugared flowers will add a touch of whimsy to your cupcakes.  Edible flowers are available at specialty grocery stores.  Buy a mixture of edible flowers and lay them out on some waxed paper.  Beat up an egg white and pour it into a shallow bowl.  Pour some superfine sugar into another shallow bowl.  Take your flowers, one at a time, and dip them first into the egg white and then into the sugar.  Place the coated flowers back on the waxed paper to dry.  Frost your cupcakes like normal and top right away with a sugared flower.
10. Add chocolate cut-out flowers for a springtime birthday.  Melt a cup of candy melts with 1 T of shortening.  Spread it onto a piece of waxed paper about 1/8” thick.  Place onto the bottom side of a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.  Once the chocolate is set remove from the refrigerator.  Take a small metal cookie cutter in the shape of a flower and dip it into a small bowl of hot water.  Dry it off and quickly use the warm cookie cutter to cut out flowers from the chocolate.  Frost the cupcakes with green frosting and apply the chocolate flowers to the cupcakes.  Using a little frosting you can apply M&M’s to the centers of the flowers.  Do one flower or a whole bouquet on each cupcake.

Black Bottom Raspberry Cream Pie

Today is National Raspberry Cream Pie Day, but what's a raspberry cream pie without chocolate?

One of my favorite recipes is from Bon Appetit (July 2004) aka Epicurious for Black Bottom Raspberry Cream Pie. The "black bottom" is a layer of chocolate pudding.. and as a bonus there's a chocolate cookie crust. Be sure and chill the pie overnight before adding the topping.

As far as berries go, any great organic raspberry works. I love Driscoll's berries because they're always good. This is raspberry season, so pick up a few pints today and make this incredible pie to celebrate. No time to make this delicious pie? Dance the Black Bottom! See video below.

FYI: This recipe is also a great black bottom 'anything' recipe: bananas and other fruit go very well with it, too.

Black Bottom Raspberry Cream Pie 

Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 3/4 cups crushed chocolate wafer cookies (about 30 cookies from one 9-ounce package)
1/2 cup sweet butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sweet butter

Topping
3 1/2-pint containers raspberries
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For crust:
Spray 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish with nonstick spray. 

Blend cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar in medium bowl. 

Press mixture evenly over bottom and up sides (not on rim) of prepared dish.

Chill crust 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until set, about 10 minutes, then cool.

For filling:
Combine sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan; whisk to blend well. 

Gradually add 1/4 cup milk, whisking until cornstarch dissolves. 

Whisk in remaining 2 1/4 cups milk, then egg yolks and egg. 

Stir over medium-high heat until pudding thickens and boils, about 8 minutes. 

Remove from heat. 

Add chocolate and butter; whisk until melted and smooth. 

Spread pudding in prepared crust. Press plastic wrap onto pudding to cover and chill pie overnight.

For topping:
Peel plastic wrap off pie. 

Cover chocolate layer with raspberries, pointed side up, pressing lightly into chocolate to adhere (some berries will be left over). 

Beat cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl until peaks form; spread over berries on pie. 

Arrange remaining berries atop cream. 

Chill pie at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

And, the dance sensation that started it all: The Black Bottom.  In this video, the Varsity Drag title is in error. The Black Bottom replaced "The Charleston" as the next most popular dance of the 1920's. Released June 28, 1926. Written by Buddy De Sylva, Lew Brown and Ray Henderson.  Black bottom dancing was for the young and energetic. This song and style of dancing were popular in the1920's.

Tuesday Tips: How to Store Chocolate

Welcome to Tuesday Tips. Today's Tip is on How to Store Chocolate. First off, why are you storing chocolate? If you have truffles or bonbons, eat them as soon as possible.

The most important thing about storing chocolate is to keep it in a cool, dry place. If you have chocolate bars or chocolate for baking, wrap the chocolate in plastic wrap,  ziploc bag or plastic storage containers and put it in a dark cupboard or pantry. The ideal temperature is between 60-75 degrees. I usually just stack the bars in the pantry, but my pantry stays cool.

Stored improperly, chocolate can develop bloom (a whitish tint on the chocolate). Bloom appears when chocolate becomes too warm, causing the cocoa butter to separate out, or because condensation has taken place, melting sugar in the chocolate's surface. Don't fear, though. If bloom appears, the chocolate will be ok for baking, although it might not have the same mouth-feel for eating.

How to Store different types of chocolate.  First off, I have to say that high end artisan chocolate is different from baking chocolate or commercial chocolate. I personally NEVER store any chocolate in the refrigerator or freezer. I remember giving a good friend 10 fabulous artisan chocolate bars as a gift, only to see her toss them in the freezer for later consumption. No bag, no plastic wrap. I fear that by the time she got to them, they weren't very tasty at all. But a gift is a gift, and I knew the recipient would not take my advice on how to store.

So if you intend to store chocolate, here are more tips and info:

Since Chocolate keeps best between 65 and 75°F, away from direct sunlight, and protected from moisture, storing in a dark pantry or shelves is best. Then consume the chocolate as quickly as possible.

If you do decide to refrigerate or freeze chocolate, make sure to seal the chocolate in an airtight container (Ziploc baggies are great). Make sure to take out as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn--and don't leave the chocolate in the fridge/freezer too long. Tip: Always thaw frozen chocolate in the refrigerator. If it goes straight from the freezer to room temperature, condensation will form and alter the appearance and texture.

A wine refrigerator is perfect. You can reset the temperature and keep bloom off the chocolate. Still, keep your chocolate wrapped up.

Going to use it from the regular refrigerator? Allow chilled chocolate to come to room temperature before eating or baking with it. Tip: You might want to wrap it in a dishcloth after taking from the fridge .. in order to let it reach room temperature a bit slower.

Truffles (or bonbons): OK, I NEVER store truffles in the refrigerator or freezer. I suggest you consume them as quickly as possible. Lots of artisan truffles and bonbons will have a use-by-date. There's a reason for this. Although, some ganache centers are ok if frozen; most cream and caramel centers will become grainy when stored in the refrigerator or freezer. If you must put them there, make sure they're wrapped up tightly, and defrost slowly (in refrigerator as above) before eating. 

If you have a lot of chocolate, here are some Ultra-Cool  (and efficient) Ways to Store Chocolate from  the Candy Blog. I think you'll love the ideas here. Ice packs and thermoses and more!

What questions or tips do you have about chocolate storage?

Morroco Chocolate Cake: Retro Ad & Recipe

Not sure what makes this Morocco Chocolate Cake Moroccan.. maybe the Raisin Nut Frosting? This Baker's Retro Ad and Recipe from November 11, 1940 is really delicious and unique. It's a really moist chocolate cake, and, of course, you can always substitute with your favorite dark chocolate (and cut down on the sugar a bit). And, if you're wondering the Bob Hope/Bing Crosby movie Road to Morroco wasn't released until 1942.

Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies: National Milk Chocolate Day

Photo: Martha Stewart Living-not mine :-()

Today is National Milk Chocolate Day. If you read this blog, you know I'm a bigger fan of dark chocolate, but in the past week, I've used milk chocolate in several recipes. I was going to post a recipe for Milk Chocolate Truffles, but I always seem to have trouble making the ganache work and not turn out too soupy. O.K. I could work hard, but since I prefer dark chocolate, I don't seem to want to take the time.

But with National Milk Chocolate Day, I thought of the perfect recipe. Chocolate Chip Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chips. How easy is that? I've posted lots of chocolate chip cookie recipes, but the following recipe is from Jacques Torres, the King of Chocolate. It's a no brainer. You can't go wrong with this recipe and the resulting delicious cookies. I did substitute milk chocolate chunks, but otherwise, the recipe is the same. It's real name is Jacques Torres' Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies. The secret I think is in the mix of flours. Of course, you can add dark chocolate chunks or chips.

MILK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet butter
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pastry flour
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 pounds milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.
2. In bowl of ith the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until well combined.
3. Using a 4-ounce scoop for larger cookies or a 1-ounce scoop for smaller cookies, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 20 minutes for larger cookies and about 15 minutes for smaller cookies. Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Photo: Martha Stewart website for Jaques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies

Creme Brulee Truffles: National Creme Brulee Day

J Truffles-Creme Brulee

Today is National Creme Brulee Day. I love Creme Brulee, and I love Truffles. So instead of a recipe today, I thought I'd do a mini-review of some of my favorite Creme Brulee Truffles.

One of my favorite Creme Brulee truffles is made by JTruffles (Seattle Truffles). Not just is it fabulous with a rich vanilla custard ganache made with pure vanilla, 40% cream and a layer of carmelized sugar, but it's cover in a dark chocolate shell in a classic decor pyramid shape. I love J Truffles, if I haven't mentioned it before. I was lucky to meet the creator at the Napa Chocolate Salon a few years ago. Definitely a treat into the whole candy making and design philosophy. 


Kee's Chocolates in New York also makes a great Creme Brule Truffle. It's a dark chocolate bonbon filled with creme brulee. This beauty needs to be eaten within two days. Very fresh and yummy!

Chocolatier Blue makes a mean Creme Brule Truffle. Haven't had this specific truffle in awhile, but I'm always amazed at the truffles from Chocolatier Blue! Chris Blue makes the most amazing tasting and looking truffles. Love all the truffles! Unique flavors made with fabulous organic products.

Want a unique twist on a Creme Brulee Truffle?  Moonstruck Chocolate Company makes a wicked Creme Brulee Werewolf Truffle. It's a seasonal treat composed of a milk chocolate ganache, heavy cream and carmelized sugar inside a milk chocolate werewolf shaped shell.

Godiva makes a fabulous Creme Brulee Truffle. Their Creme Brulee Truffles have a shell of white chocolate, filled with dark chocolate and vanilla ganache and an outside coating of candied sugar.

Luba Lesychyn: Confessions of a Chocolativore & Giveaway

Today I welcome author Luba Lesychyn. Theft By Chocolate is Luba Lesychyn’s (le-si-shin) debut novel, though she has been amusing people with her writing since the age of eight. Her love of chocolate precedes this age and she has been in and out of chocolate rehab for most of her adult life. When not writing or looking for her next chocolate fix, Luba can be found in dance classes, trekking to remote waterfalls in the mountain rain forest in Puerto Rico, running through the streets of Paris or doing any other number of calorie-burning activities that help offset the calories consumed in her chocolate intake.  

$150 Gift Certificate Giveaway: Gift certificate to a delectable chocolate online retailer. Winner chooses from one of three sites: http://www.chocosphere.com/, http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/ , or http://www.dlea.com.au/ . To be eligible for the Grand Prize, enter the Rafflecopter. Remember to sign up for Luba’s email announcements (worth five entries). On occasion she’ll send out exclusive announcements for special events, blog posts, giveaways and free swag! On July 31st, the winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

LUBA LESYCHYN: Confessions of a Real Life Chocolativore

When I first developed the concept for my book Theft By Chocolate, I knew there was no shortage of chocolate addicts on this planet that might identify with lead character Kalena Boyko, a high functioning chocolate addict. But what I was less certain about was whether readers would be interested in a sassy museum mystery about a woman of a certain age looking for chocolate, love and an international art thief in all the wrong places. But, as it turns out, taking inspiration from my own embarrassing chocolate addiction and drawing from my more than twenty years of working in Canada’s largest museum has resulted in a story hitting a cord with readers.

As a writer, you expose a part of your psyche to the world that often leaves you vulnerable. But this is amplified a hundred-fold when characteristics of your protagonist are based so closely on your own life – particularly on one’s flaws. But I thought it worth the risk – surely, I was not the only person who had eaten an inappropriate number of pieces in a box of chocolates gifted to the office (“who ate all the chocolates?”). And certainly there were other people who have shuffled around papers in their workplace recycling bin so all the candy bar wrappers don’t remain visible at the top of the refuse pile. Over the years, I learned to laugh at my own sneaky antics, and it was time to invite the world to laugh along with me.

But my amusing chocolate escapades weren’t the only experiences in my life giving me the giggles. It seemed as if every time I turned a corner in Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum, I encountered some hilarious new situation. Whether it was working with a world-renowned expert in their field who wore their clothing inside-out or watching a live crab being flung twenty feet in the air after a child stuck their hand in a crab tank during a public presentation, working in a museum was never dull.

But, so often museums are portrayed in books and film with a weighty sense of gravity and are the setting for murderous events and high tech heists. There’s no doubt that stakes are high in places that safeguard the world’s most valued treasures. But they can also be places of hijinks and hilarity, and that was the portrait I chose to paint in Theft By Chocolate. It was my intention to unlatch a very particular door, one that has rarely been opened, into what is normally perceived as a rarified world. To me, this side of museum life was so utterly endearing that it kept me in one spot for more than twenty years, and that in a society in which people change places of employment more frequently than they change their socks.

Theft By Chocolate is my first book and I can’t express the delight I experienced crafting the story about two of my personal obsessions, chocolate and museums. But I have also always adored a page-turning mystery or a clever museum heist tale. So it was with even greater pleasure that I was able to interweave a plot line based on a real-life and never-solved theft that took place at the Royal Ontario Museum in the 1980s. What was particularly surprising was that this theft was perpetrated with such ingenuity and simplicity that it shocked the security industry around the world and led to global changes in corporate and cultural security technology.

So just how was this heist carried out? Well, that’s where I am going to leave the blog readers hanging. You’ll have to pick up a copy of Theft By Chocolate to learn about the intriguing and ingenious circumstances. Although chocolate may not have been involved in the true-to-life theft, that didn’t prevent me from entwining the delectable substance into my own fictional rendering!

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHEESECAKE

One of my favorite combinations is chocolate and orange. Mix these two ingredients into a cheesecake and you have perfection. The secret to the creamiest cheesecake ever is to use organics. They make the biggest difference in this kind of textured dessert.

Chocolate Crust
1 1/3 cups crushed chocolate wafers
1/3 cup melted butter
(or look for a pre-made chocolate crust in places like Whole Foods - you may end up with left-over filling if using a pre-made one)

Filling
1 pound softened cream cheese (try using a lower fat organic option)
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp orange juice concentrate
2 tbsp orange liqueur
6 oz semisweet chocolate
1 oz bitter chocolate
2 large eggs

Topping
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
(the recipe calls for 2 tbsp icing sugar, but I omit it)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare crust, combine crushed wafers and melted butter and press into a 9-inch spring-form pan.
3. Bake five minutes and cool.
4. To make filling, combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, orange juice concentrate and orange liqueur in a bowl and beat until smooth.
5. Melt semi-sweet and bitter chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over hot water. Add to cheese mixture, beating until smooth.
6. Add eggs and beat five minutes.
7. Pour mixture into crust and bake 35 to 40 minutes.
8. Allow cake to cool to room temperature, then chill about two hours.
9. To make topping, beat whipping cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe over chilled cake.
10. Chill one hour before serving.
Serves 10  to 12 (or in my case 1!)

 ***
Theft By Chocolate:
Chocolate addict Kalena Boyko wasn’t prepared for this. Heading to work at Canada’s largest museum as an administrator, she hopes for quiet and uninterrupted access to her secret chocolate stash. Instead she’s assigned to manage the high-profile Treasures of the Maya exhibition with her loathed former boss, Richard Pritchard.

 With no warning, her life is capsized and propelled into warp speed as she stumbles across an insider plot that could jeopardize the exhibit and the reputation of the museum.

 After hearing about a recent botched theft at the museum and an unsolved jewel heist in the past from security guard and amateur sleuth Marco Zeffirelli, Kalena becomes suspicious of Richard and is convinced he’s planning to sabotage the Treasures of the Maya exhibition. 

Her suspicions, and the appearance of the mysterious but charming Geoffrey Ogden from the London office, don’t help her concentration. The Treasures of the Maya seems cursed as problem after problem arises, including the disappearance of the world’s oldest piece of chocolate, the signature object in the exhibit.

 Theft By Chocolate is inspired by a real-life and never-solved heist at a Canadian museum in the 1980s.

Hot Fudge Sundae Sauce and Cake Recipes

Today is National Hot Fudge Sundae Day, and given that most of the U.S. is scorching, it's the perfect treat!

The classic Hot Fudge Sundae is a creation of vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate sauce ("hot fudge"), whipped cream, nuts, and a single maraschino cherry on top. A Hot Fudge Sundae can be made with any flavor of ice cream, but vanilla is preferred!

There are lots of theories about the origins of the Hot Fudge Sundae. According to Wikipedia, a frequent theme is that the dish arose in contravention to so-called blue laws against Sunday consumption of either ice cream or ice cream soda (the latter invented by Robert M. Green in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1874). The religious laws are said to have led druggists to produce a substitute for these popular treats for consumption on Sunday. According to this theory of the name's origin, the spelling was changed to sundae to avoid offending religious conventions. Since I grew up in Philadelphia, I remember the Blue Laws, although at that time they pertained to alcohol and not ice cream.

In support of this idea, Peter Bird wrote in The First Food Empire: A History of J. Lyons and Co. (2000) that the name 'sundae' was adopted as a result of Illinois state's early prohibition of ice cream consumption on Sundays, because ice cream with a topping that obscured the main product was not deemed to be ice cream. However, according to documentation published by the Evanston, Illinois Public Library, it was the drinking of soda, not the eating of ice cream, that was outlawed on Sundays in Illinois.

There are lots of fabulous Fudge Sauces out there from great chocolatiers, but if you want to make your own, here's a delicious recipe for Hot Fudge Sauce! As in most recipes, it's the quality of the ingredients that makes all the difference!

HOT FUDGE SAUCE 

Ingredients
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
 6 oz dark chocolate (65-75% cacao), chopped
2 Tbsp sweet butter  (room temperature)
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla

Directions
Bring cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa, salt, and half of chocolate to a boil in saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted.
Reduce heat and cook at low boil, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
Add butter, vanilla, and remaining chocolate and stir until smooth.
Cool sauce to warm before serving.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake is a great variation on this traditional treat, and it can be made in a pan in the oven or in a Slow Cooker. See recipe HERE.

Check out the recipe adapted from Betty Crocker for Hot Fudge Sundae Cake in a pan. It's an easy one bowl/pan recipe. What's especially delicious about this cake is that as the cake bakes it separates into a chocolate cake and a dark fudgy sauce. Now that's what Hot Fudge Sundaes are all about! Add the ice cream and you're all set.

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons DARK unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
1 3/4 cups very hot water

Vanilla Ice cream

Directions
1 Set oven to 350ºF.
2 Mix flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder and salt in ungreased square pan, 9 x 9 x 2 inches. Mix in milk, oil and vanilla with fork until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread in pan.
3 Sprinkle brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa over batter. Pour water over batter.
4 Bake about 40 minutes or until top is dry.
5 Spoon warm cake into dessert dishes. Top with ice cream. Spoon sauce from pan onto each serving.

Rather have Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcakes? Check out Joy the Baker's recipe and photos.

Want Hot Fudge Sundae Macarons? Barbara Bakes has the perfect recipe

Tuesday Tips: How to Melt Chocolate

I've posted many times on how to melt chocolate, but usually within recipe posts, so today's Tuesday Tip is on how to melt chocolate. You decide how you'd like to use that melted chocolate :-)

Today's Tuesday Tip: How to Melt Chocolate

If truth be told, I always melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler--well, a saucepan over another saucepan. Not sure why I prefer this. Maybe it's because I can see the chocolate and monitor its progression? However, lots of people swear by the microwave method. As always, do what works best for you!

First, chop the chocolate into chunks. This will help with even melting. Chop finely if you are melting milk or white chocolate since they are more likely to scorch than dark chocolate. You can chop dark chocolate into bigger pieces.

Double Boiler Method:

Put chocolate in the top of a double boiler (or a saucepan over a saucepan). Since chocolate should be melted over low heat,  make sure the water in the bottom of your double boiler is just simmering. 

Stir the chocolate slowly as it melts to keep it smooth.

Never cover the chocolate (moisture!)

Chocolate's biggest enemy is water! Never allow water to come in contact with melting chocolate. This includes even a drop of water or steam from the bottom of the double boiler. Water can cause chocolate to seize up and become stiff and grainy or lumpy. Also make sure to use dry utensils (rubber spatula is great) to prevent chocolate from seizing.

O.K. Let's say you followed these directions, but your chocolate seizes anyway. Add a bit of vegetable oil (NOT butter or margarine) to smooth out the chocolate. It really works. There's a formula for this, but I just add a bit and stir. Formula: 1 tsp for every 6 ounces chocolate.

Have a lot of chocolate to melt? Start with a smaller amount. Melt and then add the next portion. Stir frequently to distribute heat.

Microwave Method:

Chop chocolate and put in microwave safe bowl and heat on 50% power for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolate is melted and smooth when stirred.

Melting With Other Liquids Method: 

Chop chocolate into small even pieces.

Chocolate can be melted with a small amount of liquid, (milk, cream, butter, or alcohol) if they are placed in the pan or bowl together at the same time.

Chocolate should never be melted with very small amounts of liquid. The amount of liquid added should be at least 25% of the chocolate.

For chocolate with 55-60% cacao, use 1 Tbsp liquid for every 2 ounces chocolate.

For chocolate with 60-75% cacao, use more liquid, 1-1/2 Tbsp for every 2 ounces chocolate.

Cold liquids should never be added to melted chocolate. They can cause chocolate to seize. Be sure liquids are warm (but not boiling) when you add them to chocolate.

S'mores Pops: S'mores on a Stick

I was invited to a Garden Party this past weekend, and although I wasn't asked, I wanted to bring something chocolate. It was a hot day, and not being sure if a grill would be involved with the meal planning, I opted for S'mores Pops! Less mess, no grilling, and oh so tasty.  Perfect way to end the meal.

S'MORES POPS

Ingredients:
Marshmallows (didn't have time to make my own)
Chocolate ( I used several squares of Guittard Milk Chocolate 38%. Fab!)
Graham Cracker (again, not home-made) crumbs  (Crumb the graham crackers by putting them in a plastic bag and using a rolling pin.)
Lollipop sticks (I use blunt sticks. Safer than skewers)

Directions:
Melt the chocolate in the top of a double-boiler. (I added a tiny bit of oil to keep it the right consistency. Also since I made a lot of pops, I had to reheat and re-whip.)
Put marshmallow on a stick and dip (swirl) in the chocolate, coating almost all of the marshmallow.
Put graham cracker crumbs in bowl and spoon crumbs over the chocolate covered marshmallow. (I found that easier than dipping.)
Place S'mores Pop on cookie tray covered with wax paper.
Repeat.
Put S'mores Pops in refrigerator for a few hours to harden.

Since I wasn't sure exactly how many people were coming to the garden party, I made a few dozen. I placed them in several low clear jars, tied a ribbon, and they were good to go. And, since it was a very hot day, I put them in the hosts' winecellar to keep until the end of the day. I live in California, so that wasn't a problem. If it's hot where you are, stick them back in the refrigerator until ready to serve. But you will want to bring them to room temperature, if possible.

Extra: You can always brush any exposed marshmallow with a flame for more 'authenticity'. I didn't do that fearing the milk chocolate would melt.

These are also fabulous with dark chocolate. Experiment.

Elsie at the County Fair: Magic Chocolate Ice Cream II

A few weeks ago I posted a fun Borden's Elsie the Cow Ad from July 1941. Here's another of the Retro 'Story' Advertisements from the same summer (August 1941). This time Elsie's Magic Chocolate Ice Cream wins at the County Fair--judged the Smoothest and Creamiest Home-made Ice Cream.

Happy Ice Cream Month!

Fralinger's Molasses Paddle Pops

Today is National Lollipop Day, and I just want to mention a Pop that I adore: Fralinger's Molasses Paddle Pop! 

I grew up in Philadelphia. Every summer we went down the Shore to Atlantic City, Margate or Ventnor. Names you'll recognize if you've ever played Monopoly. One of the big attractions for me as a kid was salt water taffy. I loved it, and I remember thinking that my friend Margie had the best and most glamorous job selling salt water taffy at Fralinger's on the Boardwalk. In retrospect, it probably was not an easy job, but all I could think of was all that candy!

My favorite candy at Fralinger's was the Molasses Chocolate Covered Paddle Ppop.  Essentially it is Fralinger's fabulous molasses salt water taffy covered in delicious dark chocolate and shaped into a Paddle Pop! These Paddle Pops now come in other flavors, but Molasses was the original. I hadn't thought of this 'retro' treat in a long time, but I saw these Fralinger's Molasses Paddle Pops at the Fancy Food Show this year. Not going down the Shore this summer? These candy treats are available online. Yum!

One caveat: Hold on to your teeth.. this is like a hard taffy pull... the chocolate is easy.. the taffy is challenging, but it's worth the effort. Of course you could lick it. It is a pop, after all, but then you wouldn't enjoy the chocolate with the molasses. Technique is up to you!

I couldn't find a recipe that replicated this Molasses Paddle Pop. Let me know if you have one. Maybe sometimes, you just can't make it at home.

A little history from the Fralinger's website:

While the origins of Salt Water Taffy remain a mystery, one thing is for certain. No one did more to promote this popular confection than Joseph Fralinger.

A former glassblower and fish merchant, Joseph returned from Philadelphia to his Atlantic City roots in the mid 1880s. After taking a job with a bricklayer, he earned enough money to open a small concession on the Atlantic City Boardwalk from which he sold fruit, soda, and the latest summer sensation, "lemonade."

By 1884, Joseph was approached to take over a taffy stand on Applegate Pier. He agreed and began to perfect his own recipe for Salt Water Taffy, introducing his first batch of molasses taffy in 1885. Throughout the years he developed a number of new flavors, eventually offering Atlantic City's largest selection with 25.

As Fralinger's grew to six locations, he decided that Salt Water Taffy should return home with resort visitors. Using experiences from his fish merchant days, he packed one pound oyster boxes with Salt Water Taffy, making it the first "Atlantic City Souvenir." The one-pound box still remains the most popular souvenir over 125 years later. And by 1899 Salt Water Taffy had become a household word across America!