February 2015 | How to use Chocolate

Feb 27, 2015

Dark and Stormies

Fresh ginger and rum flavor the white chocolate centres, adding a delightful tropical note that is complimented by the dark chocolate coating. By Peter P. Greweling Peter P. Greweling | Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner | John Wiley & Sons, 2007 Yield: 180 pieces Ingredients 6 oz....

Chocolate Arbequina Truffles

Olive oil is used in both sweet and savory creations in the Mediterranean, and here, the rich fruity notes of Arbequina olives from California add delicious flavor to the chocolate truffles. Ecole Chocolat founder Pam Williams has tried these and says they are fabulous. By California Olive Ranch California Olive Ranch uses its arbequina...

Milk Chocolate and Bourbon Truffles

Chocolate and spirits have a great affinity for each other, and in this truffle recipe from Chocolates El Rey, the Venezuelan producer of fine chocolate uses its milk chocolate with delicious results. By Chocolates El Rey Variations for finishing the truffles can include rolling them in cocoa nibs or cocoa or drizzling them with dark...

Burnt Caramel Sauce

Who would want to burn anything? Master chocolatier Michael Recchiuti knows that burning sugar brings out a great flavor. Pour this sauce over ice cream, brownies, chocolate cake or use as a flavoring for ganache or mousse. Michael talks about caramel in our Chocolate Masters Hangout. By Michael Recchiuti Michael Recchiuti and Fran...

White Chocolate Coconut Ganache Truffles

Lake Champlain Chocolates of Vermont has some great recipes and both traditional and microwave chocolate-tempering instructions. If you love coconut, this recipe from LCC's website offers a dreamy, creamy confection. Use only coconut milk if you want a creamier mixture, or add shredded coconut for texture. If you want to shape and dip your...

Salted Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Salt is becoming almost as ubiquitous in chocolate candy as sugar and cream. That's because salt is a flavor booster like no other, whether in a sweet or savory dish. Here, the salt imparts a delightful counterpoint to the the richly sweet caramel and all of it becomes a splendid symphony of flavors and textures with the addition of chocolate....

Cognac and Ginger Creams

Hand-made chocolates are always a welcome hostess gift, especially when they include the spark of cognac and preserved ginger, as in this sophisticated little treat from the book, Chocolate Ecstacy: 75 of the Most Dangerous Recipes Ever by Christine France. By Christine France The pretty outer shells, decorated with candied ginger,...

Feb 26, 2015

Chocolate Peanut Butter Gianduja

Who can resist peanut butter and chocolate? This creamy, truffle-based dessert from Scharffen Berger Chocolate is sure to please lovers of this combo. By John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg The Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate | John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg | Hyperion, 2006 ...

Almond Chocolate Truffles

This easy truffle recipe replaces peanut butter with almond butter for a rich and delicately flavored treat. Toasted almonds give it a nice crunch. By Ecole Chocolat Almond Butter Truffles are rolled in toasted chopped almonds. Yield: 40-45 pieces Ingredients 4 oz./115g bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces 6 oz./175g...

Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Tart

Raspberries and chocolate pair up beautifully in this sophisticated but easy-to-make dessert. Use raspberry coulis if fresh berries aren't available. By Lori Longbotham Lori Longbotham | Luscious Berry Desserts | Chronicle Books, 2006 Yield: 10-12 servings Ingredients 9 oz. chocolate cookie crumbs or chocolate wafers, broken into large...

Toasted Coconut Truffles

This one's definitely for coconut lovers as it has both coconut milk in the filling and shredded toasted coconut as a covering. Use only sweetened coconut. To toast coconut, place in 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, or until light golden brown. By Dede Wilson Dede Wilson | Truffles: 50 Deliciously Decadent Homemade Chocolate Treats | Harvard...

TCHO Caramel Chocolate Popcorn

Can’t decide between popcorn, pretzels, dried fruit, and chocolate? Have them all with “TCHO Munch” – their take on caramel chocolate popcorn. By Heather Haskell & Alana Buckley TCHO Chocolates TCHO Munch hits all the right notes when a snack is in order. TCHO Photo. Yield: About 14 cups Ingredients 12 cups popped popcorn (about...

Milk Chocolate Rum Raisin Truffles

Guittard, legendary Bay Area chocolate maker, offers fine chocolate for cooking, baking and chocolate making at fine food stores and also online. By Guittard Milk Chocolate Rum Raisin Truffles are delicious with a cup of coffee. Yield: 16-20 one-inch (2.5cm) truffles Ingredients 1 1/2 tbsps. raisins, chopped 1 tbsp. rum 1 cup (6 oz./170g)...

Feb 25, 2015

Almond Roca

This classic candy appeals to everyone: chocolate lovers, those who are nuts about almonds, and those who love the buttery crunch of caramel. By John Scharffenberger John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg | The Essence of Chocolate | Hyperion 2006 "This recipe can be doubled without any extra effort. Just make sure you use a large...

Dulce de Leche Coffee Truffles

Dulce de leche is a Latin invention, a thick milky caramel that can be addictive, it's so good. Here it combines with coffee to make a luscious little treat. By Peter Greweling Peter P. Greweling | Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner | John Wiley & Son "Dulce de leche may be made...

White Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bark

Chocolate nut bark is an easy-to-make and delicious treat that gets even better with the addition of dried fruit and marshmallows. White chocolate looks festive, but you can use any favorite chocolate with this recipe. This also works well with toasted slivered almonds. By Dwayne Ridgaway Dwayne Ridgaway | The Gourmet's Guide to Cooking...

Mrs. D's Chocolate Peanut Fudge

Fudge is one of those childhood treats that reserves a special place in the heart of many chocoholics. And Mom's home-made fudge is the best of all. This recipe calls for peanuts, but you can use any favorite nut, or a combination of nuts. By Marcel Desaulniers Death by Chocolate: The Last Word on a Consuming Passion | Marcel Desaulniers...

Cacao Bean Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles

This recipe calls for Scharffen Berger's products, which are available by mail order or at Whole Foods. Other fine chocolate nibs and bars can be substituted. By Dede Wilson Dede Wilson | Truffles: 50 Deliciously Decadent Homemade Chocolate Treats | Harvard Common Press, 2006 "Cacao beans, from which we get all of our wonderful chocolate,...

Pistachio-Kirsch Truffles

This is a sophisticated take on those ubiquitous cherry cordial bonbons. Shelling pistachios will give you fresher product, but it can be a tedious job. If your market carries shelled pistachios in the refrigerator section, it's likely they're pretty fresh. If not sure, just ask. By Andrew Garrison Shotts Andrew Garrison Shotts | Making...

Caramelized Cocoa Nib White Chocolate Bark

White chocolate can be too sweet for some, but here, the caramelized crunch of cocoa nibs helps temper the sweetness. By Michael Recchiuti & Fran Gage Michael Recchiuti & Fran Gage | Chocolate Obsession: Confections and Treats to Create and Savor | Stewart, Tabori & Chang 2005 "Cocoa nibs, bits of roasted and shelled cocoa...

Orange Truffles

These unusual looking bonbons have a visual texture that is quite appealling. The recipe is geared to professional chocolatiers and makes a large amount. By Jean-Pierre Wybauw Jean-Pierre Wybauw | Fine Chocolates, Great Experience | Lannoo, 2004 Yield: About 5 lbs. Ingredients 1 cup whipping cream 1 cup corn syrup 1 cup butter 1/2...

Feb 24, 2015

Lemon Verbena Ganache

Modern chocolatiers love experimenting with unusual flavour combinations. This recipe takes full advantage of the fragrant herb, lemon verbena. By Michael Recchiuti & Fran Gage Michael Recchiuti & Fran Gage | Chocolate Obsession: Confections and Treats to Create and Savor | Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2005 "Lemon verbena is...

Fresh Chocolate Truffles with Lavender and Fennel

The lavender and fennel flavors are infused into the cream used in the ganache to create this delicious and unusual truffle. The recipe is from Green and Black's new cookbook, Unwrapped ($19.99, Kyle Cathie), which has 100 recipes “to tempt, tease and torment lovers of this food of the gods.” By Green & Black's Chocolate The combination...

Ghirardelli® English Toffee

Turning sugar into toffee or caramel seems a magical process, but it's one that must be closely monitored. You'll need a candy thermometer and read the recipe carefully as to what to do at certain temperatures. As for the chocolate, Ghirardelli is wonderful for candy-making, but if you can't find it or order it, substitute another fine...

Scotch Lover's Chocolate Truffles

We developed this simple method for making delicious truffles, here flavored with Scotch. If you prefer other liquors or liqueurs, go ahead and use them. They'll be just as yummy. By Ecole Chocolat Scotch Lover's Truffles combine two great flavors into one delicious treat. Photo by Ric Ernst Cook's Notes: We used two 100g bars of 60%...

Boule d'Amande

Fran Bigelow is a North American Grand Dame of fine chocolate, after opening her first shop in 1982. She has several upscale chocolate shops in Seattle and a thriving online chocolate business. In this easy recipe, she gives you the choice of using tempered chocolate or not. Either option makes for a delicious treat. By Fran Bigelow ...

Port Pralines

These exquisite chocolates are flavored with port and require a fair degree of chocolate making skill as well as some specialty equipment. Bonbons are called pralines in Belgium, where the author is a highly respected chocolatier. By Jean-Pierre Wybauw Jean-Pierre Wybauw | Fine Chocolates, Great Experience | Lannoo, 2004 Yield: About...

Chocolate-Covered Caramel Popcorn

“This is a hands-down best-seller in our store,” says Andrew Garrison Shotts of Garrison Confections. “What could be better? Fresh, salty popcorn and crunchy nuts covered in creamy caramel and then drizzled with chocolate?” We couldn't agree more. By Andrew Garrison Shotts Andrew Garrison Shotts | Making Artisan Chocolates | Quarry...

Feb 23, 2015

Truffle D’epice

The year-end holiday season – whether it involves Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or some other treasured family celebration – evokes nostalgia in many of us, says Ecole Chocolat graduate and master chocolatier Elaine Hsieh of EH Chocolatier in Somerville, MA. Hsieh developed the holiday chocolate truffle recipe that follows. By Elaine Hsieh...

Chocolate Coconut Bar

Making beautiful chocolates is both an art and a skill and British chocolate and pastry whiz William Curley demonstrates his mastery on all counts in his new book, Couture Chocolate, covering both bonbons and pastries. Here's a coconut chocolate bar that's easy to make and irresistibly delicious. By William Curley William Curley | Couture...

Extra-Bitter Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream

Michael Recchiuti, a top San Francisco chocolatier, offers this recipe for a fabulous vanilla and chocolate swirl ice cream flavored with real Tahitian vanilla beans, not extract. You will need to start making the ice cream two days ahead of serving as the vanilla is steeped overnight in the milk to intensify the flavor. By Michael Recchuiti Recchiuti...

Dark Chocolate Gelato with Sea Salt

This recipe for chocolate gelato was developed in the Ecole Chocolat kitchens, with coaching from Judy Witts of Diva Cucina who suggested the addition of a bit of crunchy sea salt. The results are terrific. The recipe calls for milk rather than cream, and corn starch replaces egg yolks as a thickener, so it is a lower-fat, healthier version...

Strawberries Ginger Truffles

The subtle heat of ginger marries well with the sweet innocence of strawberry in this delightful confection. Be aware, it is a professional recipe and includes ingredients that may not be widely available. By Jean-Pierre Wybauw Jean-Pierre Wybauw | Fine Chocolates, Great Experience 3 | Lannoo, 2010 Yield: About 2 1/2 lbs. Ingredients...

Traditional-Ale Truffles

Paul A.Young is Britain's most lauded chocolatier because of his daring and dazzling flavor combinations. This is the man who invented the port and stilton truffle, and then went on to create the marmite truffle as well as the caramelized onion and rosemary truffle. Recipes for all three are in his new book, Adventures with Chocolate, which...

Passion Fruit, Coconut and Cardamom Ganache

Dominique and Cindy Duby are award-winning chefs and chocolatiers who've written several cookbooks on working with chocolate. Their often wildly flavored and always delicious Wild Sweets chocolates, available online, have received international acclaim. In this recipe, they combine the zing of passion fruit with the sweetly fragrant flavors...

Rochers

A renowned master of sugar and chocolate work, Ewald Notter goes deep into chocolate work in his new book, The Art of the Chocolatier. In this recipe, he uses a few simple techniques to come up with a delicious confection that marries the sweet crunch of sugared and roasted almonds with the velvety smoothness of tempered chocolate. By...

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