Chocolate (12.14.23)
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Recipes contributed by Gail Hintze.
Chocolate is an ever-popular topic, and who better to present it than Gail Hintze? This reprise program featured the return of the chocolate tasting and truffle workshop, plus a bonus recipe just in time for the holidays: chocolate gingerbread cookies! For the chocolate tasting this time, we enjoyed Callebaut semisweet, Endangered Species 70%, Callebaut bittersweet, and Moka 72% (Ghana). If you'd like to revisit the slideshow, you can access it here. Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more chocolate recipes? Click here for the archive from our programs in 2014 Click here for the archive from our program in 2016. |
Chocolate Truffles
Chop finely: 1 lb. good-quality semisweet chocolate
Heat gently in saucepan until bubbles form around the edge of the pan:
¾ C heavy cream
Remove from heat. Add the chocolate and stir with a whisk until the chocolate is melted.
Stir in: 1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp orange liqueur
3 tbsp Amaretto
Let cool about five minutes.
Gradually whisk in: 5 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
(An immersible blender is great for this task.)
Refrigerate, covered, until firm. Use a small scoop (with release mechanism) to scoop into balls. Roll balls lightly in cocoa, chopped toasted pecans, cocoa nibs, or whatever suits your fancy!
Notes
Every good chocolate has its own unique taste. You may want to experiment to find your favorite.
This recipe was developed for Peter’s semisweet. You may need to adjust the amount of cream in the basic recipe for different chocolates, so that the ganache is not too stiff or too soft. If I use a Callebaut semisweet, I increase the cream to 1 cup.
Truffles will keep in the freezer, tightly covered, for months. Whether they’ve been in the refrigerator or freezer, you will enjoy the best flavor if you bring your truffles to room temperature before eating.
Heat gently in saucepan until bubbles form around the edge of the pan:
¾ C heavy cream
Remove from heat. Add the chocolate and stir with a whisk until the chocolate is melted.
Stir in: 1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp orange liqueur
3 tbsp Amaretto
Let cool about five minutes.
Gradually whisk in: 5 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
(An immersible blender is great for this task.)
Refrigerate, covered, until firm. Use a small scoop (with release mechanism) to scoop into balls. Roll balls lightly in cocoa, chopped toasted pecans, cocoa nibs, or whatever suits your fancy!
Notes
Every good chocolate has its own unique taste. You may want to experiment to find your favorite.
This recipe was developed for Peter’s semisweet. You may need to adjust the amount of cream in the basic recipe for different chocolates, so that the ganache is not too stiff or too soft. If I use a Callebaut semisweet, I increase the cream to 1 cup.
Truffles will keep in the freezer, tightly covered, for months. Whether they’ve been in the refrigerator or freezer, you will enjoy the best flavor if you bring your truffles to room temperature before eating.
Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Recipe from King Arthur Baking Company
These gingerbread cookies have all the chew of your favorite molasses cookie and, for an added bonus, surprise you with bursts of melted chocolate. Serve warm from the oven, or keep them soft and chewy for several days stored in an airtight container.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
5 Tbsp Swedish pearl sugar (or coarse sugar)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease lightly.
Combine the flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and cocoa. In a separate bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until light and creamy. Add the molasses and beat until combined. Beat in the dry ingredients, then stir in the chips.
Scoop the dough a tablespoon at a time, and roll the top portion in pearl sugar. Place the unbaked cookies 1 1/2” apart, sugar side up, onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until their surface begins to crack. Remove from the oven, cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
Yield: about 30 cookies.
These gingerbread cookies have all the chew of your favorite molasses cookie and, for an added bonus, surprise you with bursts of melted chocolate. Serve warm from the oven, or keep them soft and chewy for several days stored in an airtight container.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
5 Tbsp Swedish pearl sugar (or coarse sugar)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease lightly.
Combine the flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and cocoa. In a separate bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until light and creamy. Add the molasses and beat until combined. Beat in the dry ingredients, then stir in the chips.
Scoop the dough a tablespoon at a time, and roll the top portion in pearl sugar. Place the unbaked cookies 1 1/2” apart, sugar side up, onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until their surface begins to crack. Remove from the oven, cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
Yield: about 30 cookies.