I love appetizers and entrees more than desserts, but now and then, like most people, a good dessert is really hard to resist.
Also, like most people, I like chocolate. In small doses. It's certainly not something I eat every day, but once a week is just fine.
When I'm in the mood for a chocolate bar, I usually choose Ghirardelli. If you're not familiar with Ghirardelli (and who isn't?), it's a famous San Francisco based maker of fine, premium chocolate products since 1852.
Ghirardelli has just introduced four new filled chocolate bars, and I must say, all of them sound scrumptious. Here they are:
Milk Chocolate with Caramel Filing
Milky mild chocolate filled with buttery caramel describes this new bar. It's my personal favorite because I adore milk chocolate. Ghirardelli recommends you pair this bar with salty and crunchy snacks like almonds, peanuts, or caramel corn. I recommend you enjoy it on its own.
Dark Chocolate with Raspberry Filling
Decadently delicious dark chocolate filled with fruity raspberry filling. Who couldn't love this bar? Ghirardelli suggest you pair it with strawberries, hazelnuts, or vanilla ice-cream.
Dark Chocolate with Caramel Filling
More intense than the milk chocolate bar, Ghirardelli recommends pairing this one with red wine or black tea - as if we have to pair it with anything, it's so delicious on its own.
Dark Chocolate with Mint Filling
Intense, velvety chocolate and cool, refreshing mint work together to enhance each other. And make no mistake - they do. Ghirardelli suggests pairing this exquisite bar with fruit, nuts, or green tea. We suggest you eat it alone and just enjoy.
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Recipe - Classic Chocolate Truffles
This recipe makes about 24 truffles
Ingredients:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate + 6 oz. for dipping
about 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
Preparation:
1. Mix the cream, butter and corn syrup together in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a full boil. Turn off heat.
2. Add 8 ounces of the chopped chocolate, and gently swirl the pan. Do not stir. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
3. After 5 minutes, whisk slowly to combine.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. In the meantime, line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. After 45 minutes, the mixture will start to thicken quickly, keep refrigerated another 11 to 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
6. Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form the mixture into 1-inch balls and and place on the prepared sheets.
7. Chill until firm, about 10-15 minutes. While the balls are chilling, melt the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate. After it is completely melted, allow to cool slightly before continuing.
8. Place cocoa in small bowl. Remove the balls from the refrigerator. Using one hand, dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Roll it around in your hand, allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the truffle in the cocoa. With your clean hand, cover the truffle with cocoa.
9. Lift it out and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining truffles. Place back in the refrigerator for 5-8 minutes to set.
To store: May be stored up to one week in an airtight container.
Note: White chocolate may be substituted for the dark chocolate. Think about making these for a romantic Valentine's Day dessert. You can dip the truffles in contrasting chocolate and decorate. If you decide to roll the truffles by hand, it is important to make sure your hands are cold, never warm. Dip your hands in ice water for a few seconds and then dry them. Do this immediately before rolling the truffles. If your hands are too warm and the truffles begin to melt while you are rolling them, redip your hands in the ice water, dry them, and proceed.
Bon Appetit!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate + 6 oz. for dipping
about 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
Preparation:
1. Mix the cream, butter and corn syrup together in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a full boil. Turn off heat.
2. Add 8 ounces of the chopped chocolate, and gently swirl the pan. Do not stir. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
3. After 5 minutes, whisk slowly to combine.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. In the meantime, line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. After 45 minutes, the mixture will start to thicken quickly, keep refrigerated another 11 to 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
6. Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form the mixture into 1-inch balls and and place on the prepared sheets.
7. Chill until firm, about 10-15 minutes. While the balls are chilling, melt the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate. After it is completely melted, allow to cool slightly before continuing.
8. Place cocoa in small bowl. Remove the balls from the refrigerator. Using one hand, dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Roll it around in your hand, allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the truffle in the cocoa. With your clean hand, cover the truffle with cocoa.
9. Lift it out and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining truffles. Place back in the refrigerator for 5-8 minutes to set.
To store: May be stored up to one week in an airtight container.
Note: White chocolate may be substituted for the dark chocolate. Think about making these for a romantic Valentine's Day dessert. You can dip the truffles in contrasting chocolate and decorate. If you decide to roll the truffles by hand, it is important to make sure your hands are cold, never warm. Dip your hands in ice water for a few seconds and then dry them. Do this immediately before rolling the truffles. If your hands are too warm and the truffles begin to melt while you are rolling them, redip your hands in the ice water, dry them, and proceed.
Bon Appetit!
Ganache - Try It, You'll Love It! :)
Ganache is a simple thing, really. It's just cream and chocolate. But oh, the wonderful, wonderful things a creative chef can do with it!
To make ganache, one simply boils heavy cream and pours it over bits of chocolate, then stirs and stirs until the chocolate melts and forms the most irresistably smooth texture.
Most of the time, in making ganache, you'll be using equal parts of cream and chocolate, though this can vary from recipe to recipe and will also depend on how, exactly, you plan to use your ganache. You can make ganache from either dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate, but one thing is very important - no matter which type of chocolate you use, for the best ganache, use the highest quality chocolate you can find. This is one confection where cutting corners just won't work.
No one really knows who invented ganache, though several countries claim the honor. We do know the public began its love affair with ganache sometime around the mid-1800s. Switzerland claims its pastry chefs were the first to make truffles from ganache, however the French claim to have invented this confection earlier than the Swiss at the Patisserie Siradin in Paris. No one, however, really knows for sure.
One of the best known uses for ganache is truffles, an elegant dessert, which are made by rolling the mixture into balls, then rolling those balls in cocoa powder (the traditional coating), confectioners' sugar, coconut, nuts, or even dipping them in chocolate sauce and letting it harden. Liqueurs and other flavorings can make truffles even more tempting and flavorful. For example, if you want hazelnut flavored truffles, you might add Frangelico to your truffle mixture. For orange flavored truffles, you can't beat Grand Marnier, and for my favorite, coffee flavored truffles, add espresso to the hot cream and Kahlua to the truffle mixture.
Truffles are fun to make, though they can be time consuming. The good news is that they store exceptionally well. You can freeze truffles for several months and they keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Remeber to serve them at room temperature, though.
Heated ganache is often poured over a cake or torte, coating it with a slick, sugary glaze. To make your ganache extra shiny, you can add oils, such as butter or corn syrup.
Chilled ganache is often used as a filling or spread for cakes and other pastries. When softened butter is added, you've made ganache beurre, a confection that is very similar to chocolate buttercream.
No matter which type of chocolate you use - dark, milk, or white - or what you use ganache for, there no denying its elegance and sophistication. Next time you're having a party, try some chocolate truffles for dessert (both dark and white - decorated with contrasting chocolate) and your guests will sing your praises. They also make a perfect Valentine's Day dessert.
To make ganache, one simply boils heavy cream and pours it over bits of chocolate, then stirs and stirs until the chocolate melts and forms the most irresistably smooth texture.
Most of the time, in making ganache, you'll be using equal parts of cream and chocolate, though this can vary from recipe to recipe and will also depend on how, exactly, you plan to use your ganache. You can make ganache from either dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate, but one thing is very important - no matter which type of chocolate you use, for the best ganache, use the highest quality chocolate you can find. This is one confection where cutting corners just won't work.
No one really knows who invented ganache, though several countries claim the honor. We do know the public began its love affair with ganache sometime around the mid-1800s. Switzerland claims its pastry chefs were the first to make truffles from ganache, however the French claim to have invented this confection earlier than the Swiss at the Patisserie Siradin in Paris. No one, however, really knows for sure.
One of the best known uses for ganache is truffles, an elegant dessert, which are made by rolling the mixture into balls, then rolling those balls in cocoa powder (the traditional coating), confectioners' sugar, coconut, nuts, or even dipping them in chocolate sauce and letting it harden. Liqueurs and other flavorings can make truffles even more tempting and flavorful. For example, if you want hazelnut flavored truffles, you might add Frangelico to your truffle mixture. For orange flavored truffles, you can't beat Grand Marnier, and for my favorite, coffee flavored truffles, add espresso to the hot cream and Kahlua to the truffle mixture.
Truffles are fun to make, though they can be time consuming. The good news is that they store exceptionally well. You can freeze truffles for several months and they keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Remeber to serve them at room temperature, though.
Heated ganache is often poured over a cake or torte, coating it with a slick, sugary glaze. To make your ganache extra shiny, you can add oils, such as butter or corn syrup.
Chilled ganache is often used as a filling or spread for cakes and other pastries. When softened butter is added, you've made ganache beurre, a confection that is very similar to chocolate buttercream.
No matter which type of chocolate you use - dark, milk, or white - or what you use ganache for, there no denying its elegance and sophistication. Next time you're having a party, try some chocolate truffles for dessert (both dark and white - decorated with contrasting chocolate) and your guests will sing your praises. They also make a perfect Valentine's Day dessert.
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