| The Perfect Pair...Wine and Chocolate, Sweet and Savory, Chocolate infusions... |
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1. Take a sip of the wine.
2. Take a small bite of the chocolate. Let it melt in your mouth slowly and let it blend with the wine.
3. Take another sip of the wine.
4. Repeat the above steps and enjoy the depth of flavors that will awaken your senses.
A French chocolate truffle, dusted with cocoa, pairs nicely with Chaddsford's Cabernet Sauvignon. The bittersweet changes the taste of the cabernet and makes it a smoother finish. Strong and complex.
A milk chocolate with pralines could be paired with a Chaddsford Later Harvest Dessert Riesling in two ways. To sip after dinner or create a fun dessert recipe. Delicious and simple.If you want to do something more elegant to end your dinner, because the Riesling has a thick, harvested style flavor with an essence of honey, you can take a French vanilla ice cream and chop up the milk chocolate with praline to top it, then complete the preparation with a drizzle of the Riesling.
Chaddsford Wine Shop, Peddler's Village, Lahaska, PA Danielle Welsh A ginger pear bon-bon by Cheri Lee pairs perfectly with Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Gewurztraminer Columbia Valley. It has spicy notes and is similar to a Riesling so it compliments the blend of the warm rich flavor of the truffle.
The Chocolate Box in Lambertville, N.J. and Cheri Pie sweet treats, PA
Pumpkin Bread dusted with red cocoa (recipe listed below) pairs with Sand Castle Winery Claret for a fruity contrast to the warm spice of the cocoa, clove and cinnamon blend. Peter Ricci said that you could also use the Late Harvest Joannisburg Riesling or Alpine Spice with it. I thought that the Apline Spice would go better if you wanted to turn the pumpkin bread into something that had been soaked with flavor and topped with whipped cream or creme fraiche.
Chocolate covered cocoa nibs paired with Zinfandel (red) The dark chocolate covered nibs that I found were fun to finish a meal and with the tones of the Zinfandel, a good pair.
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1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure madagascar vanilla extract (mexican vanilla is ok too)
1 1/4 all purpose flour (or pastry flour for a little lighter cookie)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3oz dark chocolate chunks(you can make your own by chopping up your fav chocolate bar into chunks)
3oz semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup coarsely chooped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Use parchment on the cookie sheet and lightly butter the parchment. Cream the butter and sugars together on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and scrape it down after each addition to make sure its well mixed and smooth.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and blend in the flour into the butter mixture just until blended. Stir in the chocolate chunks and chips and the nuts if desired. Using a large ice cream scoop measure level scoop fulls for each cookie and separate about 2 inches apart. These will make mega cookies that you can put into a bowl of frozen yogurt, sorbet or turn into an ice cream sandwich. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the edge is browned and somewhat crispy looking and the center is cooked. Don't overbake because the cookie will continue to bake a little longer just being on the hot cookie sheet. Cool on wire racks and transfer into an airtight container for one or two days. To wake them up like fresh out of the oven, just warm in the toaster or microwave for a short time and that heavenly chocolate melt will be waiting for you.
Friends all over love when I bake these. I'd say they're considered a favorite and now I'm happy to share it with some new friends I've made at the Stockton Market. Ymm.
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A Naked Smoothie \The perfect way to start every day!
6-8 oz Naked brand all natural fruit + boost blended juice (Blueberry or Mango)
2 tsp raw cacao powder
1/4 cup crushed ice
Just blend this together and let the cacoa wake up the fruit. Packed with nutrients and energy, this is a great way to create a healthy and delicious smoothy. Naked fruit juices pack in assorted fruits that they list along the side-including Rainforest Alliance certified bananas. The raw cacoa has its antioxidants, iron and magnesium. Enjoy!
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Impish Chocolate Cupcakes
1 3/4 c pastry flour
3/4 c plus 3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
1 1 /4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 c unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
2/3 c sugar
2/3 c packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla
1 1/2 c buttermilk
adapted from Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax
Preheat oven to 350 and put cupcake liners in the tins. Using a strainer, sift together the flour, cocoa baking soda and salt onto parchment
Mix on medium hi the butter, sugars until light. Add the eggs one at a time scraping down along the way. When light and fluffy add the vanilla.
Lower the speed to slow and add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk. Add the dry first and ending with the dry. (Go slow or it will puff up everywhere) Mix until just blended and using an ice cream scoop put one scoop per muffin cup.
Bake about 9 minutes and if there's any left to frost, you can be creative and use this amazing gananche.
I've made these with a variety of brands of cocoa and each one has a quality of its own. The recipe itself is full with the body of the cocoa and moist, so that it doesn't crumble in your hands.
Ganache
10 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
1 2/3 c heavy cream (optional) with a piece of sliced and scraped vanilla bean
2 Tbs unsalted really soft butter
(optional) 2 tsp Chambourg liquor
(optional)2-3 tsp blackcurrent balsalmic
adapted from CIA Baking at Home
Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat just until it looks like it's going to boil. Pour over the chocolate and add the butter. Let it sit for about 2-3 minutes and then stir until well blended. Let it come to room temp then cover and refrig at least 8 hours and up to 2 weeks. If you cover it to early there will be condensation on your cover-be careful.
Beat the ganache on low speed until it softens and then using a higher speed and a wisk, beat until light and fluffy for your frosting. I added the Chambourg and black current balsalmic to infuse it with flavor, yet you could add espresso or your fav. Either pipe it or spread it, enjoy it for sure.
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Vegan Dark Mocha Cupcakes or Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour (I haven't tried making a gluten free version-tapioca flour might work as a substitute)
13/4 cup sugar
6Tbsp (heaping versus level)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 T oil
2 T vinegar
2 T vanilla
1 3/4 c water or coffee for mocha
recipe from Desserts That Heal by Heather MacLean Walters
Blend dry ingredients. Make 3 indentations in the dry ingredients with your fork. In the first, pour 6 T vegetable oil, in the second 2 T vinegar, in the third pour 2 tsp vanilla. Then over all the ingredients pour cold water or coffee. Blend and bake in 2 9" x9" pans or for perfectly symetrical cupcakes-these are great. You can frost, consider squirting your favorite raspberry or apricot preserve into the middle too. You can just take a zip lock bag and fill it with your preference-snip off the end and poke into the middle of the cupcake to squeeze it in. Then you can frost over it.
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Flourless Torte
8oz high quality chocolate coursely chopped so that it melts quickly and easily
1/2 c unsalted butter (1 stick) cut into pieces so it's soft
6 large eggs: 2 whole, 4 separated
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp coffee, cognac or your fav
Topping can be ganache, whipped cream with rasberries lacing the edges of each slice
Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Line the bottom a 8 inch springform pan with a round of wax paper. do not butter pan. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in abowl set over hot water. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs and the 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar just until blended. Whisk in the warm chocolate mixture. Whisk in the optional cognac or coffee option.
In another bowl whip the egg whites until foamy, gradually adding the remaining 1/2 c sugar. Be careful not to make them dry, just until they hold their shape and are a marsmallowy form with soft mounds. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it and gently add the rest-making a figure eight motion to fold it in without deflating your egg whites. Pour into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake until the top of the cake is puffed and cracked and separates from the top rim a little. This will be about 35-40 minutes on the middle rack. It will test mostly clean with a toothpick, Cool the cake in the pan, If you want to make an even top, let it deflate and flip in over so that you can press your bottom down to gently even out the top. Flip over again and remove the ring. You can glaze with ganache or whipped cream and dust with cocao.
This is a recipe from Classic Home Desserts, Richard Sax and is definitely one to sing about. It's light and rich and everyone who has had it looks like they're in a state of bliss with every mouthful.I substitute 1T vanilla and 1T strong coffee for the cognac.
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Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Crunch Cookies
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in pieces
1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup finely crushed red and white striped hard peppermint candies
6 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (about 3oz) semisweet chocolate chips
Coarsely crushed peppermints
powdered sugar
Combine first three ingredients in a heavy large saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolates melt and mixture is smooth. Remove pan from heat. Mix in finely crushed mints and 6 1/2 tablespoons sugar.
Cool mixture to lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Whisk eggs into chocolate mixture. 1 at a time, then whisk in vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl to blend. Whisk flour mixture, then chocolate chips into chocolate mixture. Cover batter and chill until firm enough to shape, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 generous tablespoonful for each cookie, roll dough between moistened palms into1 1/4 in diameter balls, then arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and cracked on top but still soft to touch in center, about 11 minutes.Let stand on sheets 5 minutes, Press coarsely crushed mints onto tops of cookies or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Transfer to racks:cool separately. These can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper in refrigerator.
Bon Appetit December 2002
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Phillips Winery would recommend a California style Pinot Noir since it's lighter and the ginger is stronger than the chocolate flavor, it allows the chocolate to come through.
GingerBread with milk chocolate chunks
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 c light unsulfured molasses
1/4 c honey
1 egg
1/2 c very finely minced peeled ginger
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
4 oz milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces
whipped cream or creme fraiche
Little mini loaf pans (4) or 9 inch square pan lined with parchment -greased and floured might work yet the chocolate settles a little and sticks
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and soda. Set aside
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, molasses, and honey. Whisk the egg and ginger. In a saucepan heat the butter and 1/2 cup water until the butter is melted. Whisk the hot mixture into the honey mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Stir in the chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, except for the melted chocolate, 25 to 30 minutes for a square cake, a little longer for the round. Cool the cake on a rack. Invert the cake, remove the pan, and peel off the paper liner. Serve right side up, warm or at room temperature, plain or with a dap of whipped cream or creme fraiche.. From A year in Chocolate ~Alice Medrich
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A kiss that's a little crispy and nutty
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup crushed rice crispies cereal (almost two cups when done crushing)
about 24-30 chocolate kisses or your own favorite chocolate bar, made into chunks so you can wrap and kiss :)
Enough melted milk or dark chocolate to dip
This recipe was the sunshine that came over the Holidays by way of my nephew and his wife on a freezing day in Boston. So easy to make, so easy to enjoy. Easy to adapt to your taste for milk or dark chocolate too!
Mix the first three ingredients together and pour over the crushed rice crispies. Shape the batter around your chocolate kisses or chunks so they are just covered with batter. They're a good size treat, so don't think it's just you. Refrigerate on a cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Melt about 2 cups of chips or 12 oz of chocolate-your choice. The original recipe was milk chocolate center and milk chocolate to dip. Roll the balls in the chocolate and then set back on the parchment lined cookie sheet until set. Probably about 30 minutes and then enjoy.
Pumpkin Bread dusted with red cocoa
sift or mix with a whisk 1 3/4 c flour beat until fluffy
1 3/4 tapioca flour 2 c sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder 2/3 c unsalted butter
2 tsp baking soda 4 eggs
2 tsp salt add 2 cups cooked or can pumpkin
1 tsp fresh grated cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
add the sifted dry ingredients in 3 parts and alternated 2/3 cup water, milk or almond milk(you choose) add 1 tsp vanilla. 1 cup chopped nuts is optional yet I really like it with lightly toasted pecans.
Lightly grease 3 bread pans and dust with flour or corn meal. Add 1 -2 Tbp of unsweetened cocoa to the bottom and tap the pan so that it evenly coats the bottom and lower part of the side.
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Make sure the middle tests clean yet don't overbake. Cool and then remove from the pans. It's a beautiful contrast with the colors of the bread and the cocoa contrasts the sweet of the bread. Enjoy for breakfast or afternoon snack. You can even add it to an after dinner assortment of wine and cheese-the pairing is listed above.
Savory French Toast drizzled with black mission fig balsamic dressing
Crusty portuguese bread, sliced in pieced about 1/2 inch thick
3 eggs with a 1/8c of low fat milk beaten until light (or water if you prefer)
add one small pinch of nutmeg into the egg batter
3/4 lb turkey ham sliced thin or canadian bacon
goat cheese to spread
1/8- 1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
margarine, butter for cooking the french toast and then a little more or olive oil for the pan so it doesn't stick in the pan when you make it into a sandwich
Dressing
1/4 cup black mission fig balsamic
1 tsp dark cocoa (you could chop up your favorite dark chocolate bar if you don't have cocoa on hand and then melt them together)
1. Melt the margarine or butter in a pan and then after you dip the bread in the egg batter, cook until lightly browned.
2.Use the french toast and Make your sandwiches spreading the goat cheese on one piece of bread and then topping with the ham.
3.Lightly coat your pan with olive oil and crushed rosemary and then put your sandwiches in the pan to finish browning and warming up the filling. Keep the heat low because you don't want the french toast to burn when continuing to heat.. Press your sandwich down so that it's pulling together all the flavors as it warms.Sort of like a panini.
4.While the sandwiches are cooking, blend together the balsamic with the cocoa
5.When the cheese begins to melt, remove the sandwiches and cut them each in half.
6. Plate them by cutting in half and lightly drizzling the sauce zig zag over the middle of the sandwich and serve with mixed greens that can share the dressing.
It's going to be tested out in the kitchen with friends this weekend-let me know how I did with this creation if you try it first.
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Mexican chocolate crackle cookies3 T unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inc pieces
1 Tbs coffee liquor or cooled brewed coffee 6 ounces 70percent cacao bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1/2 c (3.5 ounces) plus 1/2 cup(3.5 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole almonds toasted and cooled completely
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder (optional)
3/4 c unsifted confectioners sugar
1.Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in the bottom of the double boiler. Place the butter, liquer and chocolate in the top of the double boiler (off the heat). Turn off the heat, then set the chocolate over the steaming water. Stir occasionally with the spatula until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove and let cool slightly while you whip the eggs.
2.Place the eggs and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar in the bowl of the mixer and whip on high speed until very light in color and thick-5-6 minutes. You can also use a hand mixture and a medium bowl. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs and whip until blended about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Place the flour, nuts, cinnamon, baking powder and chile powder (if using) in the food processor and process until the nuts are very finely chopped-60-90 seconds. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Make sure you clean up from the bottom so it all gets mixed. Cover and refrig for 1-2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and use the center position. Line baking sheets with parchment.
5. Scoop the dough into tablespoon size balls . Put the remaining 1/2 c sugar in one bowl and the confectioners in another and then roll each ball in the granulated and then the confectioners. Space the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on the sheets . Bake one sheet at a time rotating halfway through -11-14 minutes until the cookies are puffes and cracked. It's better to slightly underbake these cookies they get dry and hard when overbaked. Cool and then eat the same day for best flavor! Happy New Year with some warm flavorful chocolate-that's fun!
These were so much fun to end a meal that had both sweet and savory to it. The nuts gave it some depth, yet the meringue like batter made it stay light. These were fun to have with chocolate dipped clementines on the side.
From The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet
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Goat Cheese Ganache
3/4 cup almond milk
10 oz goat cheese (the soft kind, not crumbly)
12 oz. high quality chocolate or vegan chocolate chips (or chopped vegan chocolate) (chopped so that it melts easily)
3 tsp balsamic (the variety if up to you)
2 tsp other complimentary flavor e.g. chambourg, coffee, citrus, mocha..
Heat the almond milk until almost boiling. Put the chocolate in a medium size bowl and pour the heated almond milk over it. Let it stand for about a minute and then stir until the chocolate melts completely. Add the goat cheese and continue to stir until it's mixed in. If it cooled to quickly, heat the whole thing over a double boiler so it doesn't get soupy, just smooth.
Let the gananche cool and depending upon what you want to use it for let it firm up completely.
Keep it a little softer to pipe, firmer to spread. Completely chilled overnight if you want to roll into balls and dust with cocoa, nuts and chopped dry fruit for truffles!