Love and Chocolate

 

Love and chocolate!  A dynamic duo that fits all types of love and all types of chocolate.  And while I may not be able to make any promises about your love prospects (I'm sure they're fabulous, by the way!), I can promise you all the scrumptious chocolate eats that your heart and palette can hold.

So if you’re looking to make your Valentine’s Day a little sweeter, then I’ve got seven ways to make that happen in this roundup of my favorite chocolate recipes I've shared here over the years.

Choose one (or more) to express your love to those who are special to you and enjoy all the delicious goodness and good vibes that result. From morning to night, and all in between, these sweet treats are the perfect indulgence.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Hazelnut Bark

Chocolate Croissants

Chocolate Chip and Sea Salt Cookies

Chocolate Sorbet

Raspberry-Topped Chocolate Cake

Here’s to love, chocolate, and Happy Eating!

Chocolate Hazelnut Bark

Few things tantalize me like chocolate and nuts, combined.  Peanuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts--you name it!  It's a forever combination made in heaven for me.

But there's something especially scrumptious about chocolate and hazelnuts.  So when I recently came across a video touting the two in a delicious bark, I knew I had to bring the goodness to life in my own kitchen.  

Following church today, I made good on that promise and a three-ingredient star was born (I added sea salt to finish, in case you're wondering).  It takes sheers minutes to bring together, followed by an hour or so to set in the freezer--and you've got the best noshing at your fingertips.

Whether it's a casual (healthy-ish) sweet fix or a dessert course, it eats (and satiates) all the same.  

Here's to your own batch in your kitchen and guaranteed...Happy Eating!

Chocolate Hazelnut Bark

Ingredients:

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

8 oz. hazelnuts

Sea salt to finish (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place hazelnuts in preheated oven and roast for 10-12 min.

Remove roasted hazelnuts and place them in a clean kitchen towel. Using towel, rub skins off of the hazelnuts (don't worry if they don't all come off) and set hazelnuts aside.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler (place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, being careful not to allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water) and stir chocolate until completely melted.  Remove chocolate from heat and stir in hazelnuts.

Pour chocolate-hazelnut mixture onto a parchment lined baking tray.  Sprinkle with sea salt, if using.

Place tray in freezer and allow bark to set, 1-2 hours.

Remove from freezer and enjoy!

Pralines

 

When New Edition sang the song, Candy Girl, they were singing to me—and my unabashed sweet tooth.  To say I love candy is the greatest of understatements, because I actually looooove candy.

And when it comes to these confectionery delights, I especially enjoy them during the holidays.  Growing up, my mom always set out her glass candy jars filled with candies for my sister and me, along with family members and “dropper-byers”, alike, to relish.

Then something really special happened exactly 15 years ago, when D.M.R. Fine Foods was born during the holiday season.  And our inaugural offering?  A Holiday Sweets & Treats menu filled with sweet and savory goodness, including decadent homemade candies.

So it’s no wonder that I was inspired to bring another candy recipe to life in my kitchen last weekend—inspired by my latest jaunt to New Orleans this past Summer—and the tastes that have long been favorites of my pecan-loving family.

Pralines.

So unbelievably easy and quick to bring together, you can make and nosh on these goodies whenever your heart and palate desires.  I gifted most of my batch (a bit selfishly motivated by the consequences of keeping them on hand in my home and the residual fallout to my waistline), so you can do the same for friends, family, colleagues—or just enjoy them all to yourself, if you’re not willing to part with the nutty, decadent goodness.

This recipe rendition hails form the New Orleans School of Cooking where I spent an afternoon learning more about the history, culture, people, cuisine, and techniques that make Creole and Cajun cuisines so exceptional, while watching classic dishes come to life, and eating to my heart’s content.

So here’s to making your holidays—and beyond—extra sweet and to Happy Eating!

Pralines

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup milk

6 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick)

1 1/2 cup pecans (roasted optional—but recommended)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Special Equipment:

A Candy Thermometer

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil achieving “softball stage” (*238-240 degrees) Cook’s Note: watch carefully to avoid sticking and burning on the bottom.

Remove from heat.  Stir until mixture (stirring constantly) becomes creamy and cloudy, and pecans stay suspended in mixture.  Spoon out on buttered waxed paper or parchment.  Enjoy!

Cook’s Note: when using waxed paper, be sure to buffer with newspaper underneath, as hot wax will transfer to whatever is underneath.

Roasted Pecans: Bake them on a sheet pan at 275 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until slightly browned and fragrant.

Options:  Praline Sauce (add 1/2 cup corn syrup to mixture.)  Chocolate covered praline candy.  Flavored pralines (chocolate, coffee, brandy, etc.)

**Makes 1-50 Pralines depending on size.

*Recipe adapted from the New Orleans School of Cooking

Chocolate Truffles (& A Food Story)

Ten years. TEN YEARS!

I recently came up for air and realized that, indeed, it has been ten years since I first "went public" (read: beyond doting family and friends) with my food passion and journey.  I had been cooking, baking--and sharing--well before then, but ten years ago (the holiday season of 2007, to be exact), I decided to take my love of creating and sharing great food to another level.  And it was then that my inaugural Holiday Sweets and Treats Menu was born.

When I set about this whirlwind task of developing the menu (the easy part--and 100% inspiration) and subsequently fulfilling 35 orders that first Christmas (yes, 35!!!--and more in the queue that I had to decline as the word spread), I didn't have any more immediate plans on this front.  Because let me tell you: that. was. some. work.--100% perspiration.

Still, I took immense pleasure in the fact that people responded to my food--and wanted to pay me for it! (A sensation I imagine most creatives and entrepreneurs experience.)  I made everything from scratch (the purist in me is still alive and well all these years later.)  I had personalized ribbons with my new chosen name, D.M.R. Fine Foods, designed to adorn the delivery boxes.  And, finally, I personally packaged--and delivered--every order to each precious customer across the Metropolitan Atlanta area (the majority of whom were...strangers!)  It was the ultimate labor of love--and one that has brought me to this very moment in time...in grateful retrospection.

This has been one of the best surprises and journeys of my life so far--replete with blessing after continual blessing.  I'm so grateful to God for the gifts and talents He's graced me with and for allowing me to share them with those who cross my path in real life or virtually.  And THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

As an ode to that first menu and the abundant memories, I'm sharing a delicious, indulgent confection that has been with me since that initial launch: my rich Chocolate Truffles.  And because they're so easy to pull together, you can make them now and enjoy them in time for Christmas--and beyond!

Here's to ten years and counting, a Merry Christmas....and, as always, Happy Eating!

Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients:
8 oz. semisweet (good quality) chocolate --some of my favorites are Lindt and Ghirardelli 
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioner's Sugar
Dutch (Unsweetened) Cocoa 

Method:
Finely chop chocolate and set aside in a heat-proof bowl.  

Add cream to a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Stir in vanilla.  Let cool for 20 seconds.

Pour hot cream over chocolate and stir to melt chocolate completely.  (Cook's Note: If chocolate still has lumps, place bowl over a pot of simmering water--being careful that the bowl doesn't touch the water--and continue to stir until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.) 

Refrigerate for at least two hours and then using a small ice cream scoop or teaspoon, scoop out the truffles.  They don't have to perfect; it's meant to be rustic as a mimic to the real (savory) truffles.

To finish, roll truffles in powdered sugar and cocoa (and any other coatings you prefer.)  Serve and enjoy!


   

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Let's just say that my affinity for chocolate and peanut butter combined knows few, if any, bounds.  From childhood, peanut butter has always been one of my absolute favorite tastes.  (I actually have a family member or two who find it totally distasteful, and every so often I have to insert the incredulous side-eye/eye roll to this madness. 😏) 

As I was saying, PB (with, or without, the J) is a delicacy I find scrumptious from cookies (it's my favorite kind and perpetual "go to"), to candies, and beyond.  And while I'm not the world's biggest chocoholic, chocolate peanut butter cups--or any variation of those ingredients--squarely amount to confectionery delights of the grandest proportions.  Translation: it's not safe to keep them around for long...or my hips and waist may be impacted.

Still, everyone deserves a special indulgence (or two or three or more) every so often.  And these homemade goodies more than fit the bill of indulgent, undeniable goodness.   And served to someone special?  There's no denying the love that's involved.  

So for all my fellow chocolate-peanut butter lovers, this one's for you.

Happy Eating!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients:
9 ounces milk or semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Method:

1. Set 18 mini paper baking cups on a baking sheet. Melt 4 ounces of the chocolate either over a double boiler on the stove top or in short bursts in the microwave. Spoon 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into each cup. Use an offset spatula or a small spoon to spread the chocolate slightly up the sides of each baking cup; make sure you have an even chocolate base at the bottom of each cup. Let cool at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes until mostly solid.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt. (Make sure the peanut butter is well-combined in the jar before you measure it.) Transfer the peanut butter mixture to a resealable plastic bag and seal it tightly.
3. Cut one corner of the plastic bag and pipe 2 to 3 teaspoons of peanut butter mixture into the center of each cup. With a very lightly moistened finger, tamp down the peanut butter and make it flat and even, but leave a bit of space between the peanut butter and the edge of the paper cup (you should be able to see a ring of chocolate peeking from below the peanut butter).
4. Melt the remaining 5 ounces of chocolate. Spoon 1 teaspoon of chocolate onto the top of each cup. Use an offset spatula or a small spoon to spread the chocolate evenly over the top and down the sides of the cup. Refrigerate until solid, about 30 minutes.

 Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of New York Times Cooking
    

When Food Speaks for Itself: Eye Candy

Source: Uploaded by user via Dawn on Pinterest

Wouldn't you like to sink your teeth into these beautiful, dreamy chocolates?! I would!

Happy National Chocolate Day!

All About Chocolate

I started today in the world of all things chocolate.  Not a bad way to start, for sure.  The occasion was a networking/social affair with several ladies from my corporate gig.  And when I received the invite, I knew I'd be down for checking out a local chocolatier, while connecting with new and old colleagues, alike.  (Note: it doesn't take much to get me interested in most things involving the world of food.)

Chocolate Bark, Candy Mold & Truffles!

So, as planned, we met at the quaint and cozy venue, Chamberlain's Chocolate Factory, and dove into the fun and always fascinating world of chocolate.  We were introduced to the chocolates of the day (white, milk, semisweet (56%) and bittersweet (72%)) by way of scrumptious samples.  This allowed us to acquaint our palettes, so to speak, with the flavors we'd want to use--and possibly reuse or mix--throughout our various chocolate "projects".  Personally, I loved them all, but tended to lean towards my long-standing favorites of milk and semisweet.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

We had the place all to ourselves for a morning of uninterrupted candy-making and didn't waste any time diving into the action.  We started off by painting molds with colorful chocolates, which were then filled with our choice(s) of the white, milk, semisweet or bittersweet varieties.  We followed with chocolate bark, chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate truffles.  It was chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! 

I chose my favorite: the butterfly mold

Besides the fun of making the delicacies, while "tasting" my way through the morning, one of the best parts was the ease of it all.  Unlike when I make my chocolate fare at home, there was no having to chop or measure or make the ganache for the truffles or temper the chocolate for the strawberries--or anything else.  It was all ready to go for us to simply enjoy.  Now if I could only find a way to duplicate that in my kitchen.

Some more highlights:

One of the instructors prepares the ganache

So, if you're looking to indulge your sweet tooth, while trying something fun and different, I'd recommend planning an outing.  It would be great for a fun girls' night out, kids' parties and any other occasion you want to tag for the fun of it.  And if all else fails, you really don't need an excuse when it comes to chocolate.  It pretty much speaks for itself.

Happy Eating!