Sliding into Heaven Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!" Unknown
Chili with Chocolate Pair with Prairie Pink Ingredients 2 lbs lean ground beef 2 tbsp olive oil 1 yellow onion chopped 1 red bell pepper chopped 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes 1 6 ounce can tomato paste 6 garlic cloves crushed 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate Chili Spice Mix: Combine the following spices: 1 tsp Kosher salt 1 tsp black pepper 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp cumin ground 1 tsp thyme dried 1 tsp basil dried 1 tsp oregano dried 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp garlic granulated 1 tsp parsley dried 2 tsp cilantro dried 1 tsp chili powder Med. Hot 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Directions: Combine Chili Spice Mix in a bowl and set aside. Chop vegetables and set aside. In a soup pot add the olive oil and set heat to medium. Add ground beef and brown. When beef is close to being brown add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Let vegetables sweat with meat for about 5 minutes then add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and bittersweet chocolate. Bring ingredients to a low boil and stir in Spice Mix. Bring heat to simmer (lowest setting possible). Simmer chili for 1 hour stirring frequently. Chili can be served immediately but if you are like me soups and chili are best the next day.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Soup with Leek and Goat Cheese Relish and Orange Oil Pair with Cab Franc Ingredients: Chocolate-Hazelnut Soup 1 ounce olive oil 8 ounces onion, peeled and diced 8 ounces leek, white part only, trimmed and sliced thinly on the bias 20 ounces hazelnuts, roasted 4 ounces orange juice 40 ounces vegetable stock 1 bay leaf 24 ounces heavy cream 14 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 70% Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped roughly To taste salt and freshly ground pepper 1. Heat medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add oil once hot. Add onion and leek; sweat lightly for five minutes. There should be no brown on vegetables. Add roasted hazelnuts, mix well and cook for five minutes. Add orange juice, stock and bay leaf. Slowly bring to a boil. Reduce to slow simmer for 20 minutes. Add cream, mix well and bring to boil. Reduce to slow simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and blend soup till smooth. Carefully pass soup through fine strainer. Return soup to clean sauce pot over low heat. Add chocolate slowly, stirring until fully incorporated. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. Ingredients: Leek and Goat Cheese Relish 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 ounces leeks, cut in half length wise and then thinly on bias 2 ounces goat cheese 2. In small sauté pan over medium low heat, add oil. When hot, add leeks. Mix well and slowly sweat for 10 minutes. Make sure leeks are just wilted with no brown. Remove from heat and cool. Add crumbled goat cheese to leeks. Carefully mix without breaking up goat cheese. Set aside until ready to serve. Ingredients: Orange Oil 10 ounces grapeseed oil 2 orange peels, with white membrane removed 3. Preheat convection oven to 200 degrees. Combine oil and orange peels in small sauce pot. Place saucepot into oven for three hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Strain out orange peels. Set aside until ready to serve. 4. In eight hot soup plates or bowls, ladle six-ounce portion of hot chocolate soup. Carefully place 1/2-ounce portion of relish in center of each soup. Drizzle 1/4 of orange oil around soup. Serve. This soup is a new twist on a centuries-old Italian tradition: chocolate and hazelnuts. It's wonderfully savory and deeply satisfying. Serves 8 Chef Ken Gladysz THE HOTEL HERSHEY http://www.allchocolate.com/recipes/chocolate-hazelnut-soup.aspx
Truffles Pair with Eclipse Ingredients 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 5 1/2 Tbsp butter 9 oz 65% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips (organic) Dust Ingredients 1/3 cup cocoa powder zest of 1 orange (organic) Directions In a double boiler melt together (stirring frequently) chocolate chips, olive oil and butter. When thoroughly blended transfer chocolate to pyrex dish. Cool, cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge and allow to warm for 30 minutes. While chocolate is warming, mix cocoa powder and zest in a shallow pan. Have ready a storage container with parchment paper for balls. Using a mini ice cream scoop, scoop chocolate mixture into small balls, drop balls into cocoa powder mixture (Dust). When 4-5 balls are in the Dust roll around until fully covered, shake off excess dust and place in storage container. Allow to rest in fridge for 12 hrs. to 3 days. Makes 45 Truffles.
Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Hearts Makes 4 dozen 2 1/2-inch heart cookies Pair with Holiday Spirit Ingredients 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more, for dusting 1/2 tsp salt 3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 tsp olive oil Directions In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined. On slow speed, beat in flour and salt until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 2 hours, or overnight. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until 1/16-to-1/8 inch thick. Cut out hearts with a 2-1/2 inch heart cookie cutter. Transfer cookies to an ungreased baking sheet; chill for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 300 degrees with a rack in the center. Press the tines of a fork into each cookie to make designs. Bake until just beginning to brown around the edges, about 18 minutes. (Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.) Chocolate In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Stir in the oil. Dip half or one third of each cookie into the chocolate mixture. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to dry, or place them on a piece of parchment paper in the freezer for 10 minutes. Serve.
Chocolate Cupcakes Pair with F5 w/strawberry Glaze Cupcakes 1 cup all purpose flour ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 10 tbsp. (5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon baking soda 1/8 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt 1 large egg ¾ cup whole milk For The Cupcakes: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mist cupcake pan with cooking spray. Stir together the flour and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until pale, light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately in two batches, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Continue mixing until the batter is uniform in color. Fill muffin tin about two-thirds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes (if making mini cupcakes bake for about 10-12 minutes) or until the cupcakes spring back slightly when pressed in the center. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a cooling rack, then remove and allow to cool completely on the rack. Strawberry Glaze 4 cups ripe or frozen strawberries (if frozen thaw) 4 1/2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water 1/2 cup sugar 1 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tsp lemon juice Directions: Crush strawberries with potato masher. Place pulp in medium saucepan; add 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat 2 minutes or until mixture boils, thickens and is clear. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature. Drizzle over cupcakes.
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