Chocolate is the first in the Foodie File series that celebrates ingredients with their own designated “day” or month.
Chocolate is my favorite “food group” and the queen of chocolate, Alice Medrich, is my favorite chocolate cookbook author. Here are some fun facts and three easy, fantastic recipes using the brown gold.
How healthy is chocolate? Check fitnessmagazine.com.
Comments? Ideas? Contact me at peg@peggyrahn.com.
Chocolate Truffles by Recipe 4 Living
Ingredients
- 1 pound chocolate
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2-3 tablespoons liqueur (optional)
- Cocoa power
- Chopped nuts
Preparation
Melt chocolate and cream over very low heat. Remove. Add butter (and liqueur) and whisk until it cools and thickens. Refrigerate. Scoop out with melon baller, roll in cocoa or nuts and refrigerate.
Crockpot Chocolate Fondue by crockpotladies.com
Ingredients
- 4 cups bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped (or chocolate chips)
- 1 1/3 cup of half and half
- Strawberries, banana and pineapple chunks for dipping
Preparation
Place chocolate and cream in a mini crockpot. Cover. Turn on low for one hour, stirring after 30 minutes and again at the end of the hour. Works as a drizzle as well.
Kurty’s Blender Chocolate Mousse
Makes 1 or 2 servings
My son and grandchildren are experts at making this.
Ingredients
- 1-6 oz package chocolate chips
- 2 whole large eggs
- 3 tablespoons very strong coffee or instant coffee crystals
- 3/4 cup scalded whole milk.
Preparation
Combine the ingredients in a blender for 2 minutes. Pour into serving dish. Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.
Names and numbers
The percentages on chocolate packages reflect the cacao (chocolate liquor) content. Unsweetened chocolate is 100 percent cacao. It is bitter and best for baking. Bittersweet chocolate ranges from 35 to 99 percent cacao, and has milk and sugar. This group includes semi-sweet, dark and extra dark. Milk chocolate contains 10 to 34 percent cacao. Think candy bars.
