When you think of chocolate, you usually don’t think of the Irish.  Ireland is not famous for it’s chocolatiers, but that’s changing. Here are  some chocolatiers you should know about…

Butler's Chocolate

Butler’s Chocolates were established in Georgian Dublin in 1932.  They still have the same standards today as they did then.  The really fun thing is that you can tour the factory next time you are in Dublin!  Tours run daily at 11am and 2.30pm and you must book your reservations in  advance.

Mary Ann O’Brien started her chocolate business in Kildare in 1992 after recovering

Lily O'Brien's Chocolates

from a debilitating illness. Her daughter, Lily, acts as her production manager for what is now known as Lily O’Brien Chocolates.  Lily O’Brien Chocolates is now becoming a well known name throughout the world producing some of the finest artisan chocolates around. They create some really spectacular chocolates for favors for any event.

Wilde Irish Chocolate Triple Chocolate Chip Fudge

Wilde Irish Chocolates produce some brilliant chocolates including organic chocolate bars, sugar free chocolate, chocolate spreads, chocolate gift boxes, fun molded chocolate and some over the top fudge.  I have to tell you about the fudge!  Here are the offerings… Cranberry & White Chocolate,  Irish Porter, Orange Dark Chocolate, Orange Dark Chocolate,  Peppermint White Chocolate,  Peppermint White Chocolate,  Toasted Hazelnut Milk Chocolate, Triple Chocolate Chip and Vanilla Pod.

For this St. Patrick’s Day, whip up a lovely chocolate dessert with an Irish twist.  Try the Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake or Chocolate Whiskey and Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Cream Icing.  Maybe you should go crazy just this once and make them all… The first recipe comes from Closet Cooking.

Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake

Serves 6 generously

Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons heavy cream
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Guinness

Directions:
1. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, sugar, and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
2. Melt the chocolate in the cream in a double boiler.
3. Cream the cream cheese.
4. Mix in the sugar, chocolate, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and Guinness.
5. Pour the mixture into the spring form pans.
6. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 60 minutes.
7. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 60 minutes.
8. Let it cool completely.
9. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes stuffed with Whiskey Ganache and topped with Bailey’s Irish Cream Icing adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey (optional)

Baileys Frosting:
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons Baileys (you can substitute heavy cream, if you like)

Directions:

Special equipment: 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer (I used the open end of one of my piping tips) and a piping bag (though a plastic bag with the corner snipped off will also work)

To Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

Make the Filling: Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can return it to a double-boiler to gently melt what remains. 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully, will also work.) Add the butter and whiskey (if you’re using it) and stir until combined.

Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes). Meanwhile, using your 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. You want to go most of the way down the cupcake but not cut through the bottom — aim for 2/3 of the way. A slim spoon or grapefruit knife will help you get the center out. Those are your “tasters”. Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

For the Frosting: Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.

[Note from Smitten Kitchen:  "This is a fantastic trick I picked up while working on the cupcakes article for Martha Stewart Living; the test kitchen chefs had found that when they added the sugar slowly, quick buttercream frostings got less grainy, and tended to require less sugar to thicken them up." Thanks, SK!]

When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys (or cream) and whip it until combined. If this has made the frosting too thin (it shouldn’t, but just in case) beat in another spoonful or two of powdered sugar. Ice and decorate the cupcakes.

Do ahead: You can bake the cupcakes a week or two in advance and store them, well wrapped, in the freezer. You can also fill them before you freeze them. They also keep filled — or filled and frosted — in the fridge for a day. (Longer, they will start to get stale.)

Chocolate Whiskey and Guinness Cupcakes

Eat, drink and be merry on St. Patrick’s Day!  And please be safe!

Annmarie Kostyk

Cocoa Beans

We all know about chocolate and cocoa powder, but there is another product from Theobroma cacao’s cocoa bean that not many people know about.  It is called the cocoa nib. Theobroma cacao produces a pod which contains cocoa beans.  The cocoa nibs come from a cocoa bean that has been roasted and separated from the husks of the cocoa bean.

Cocoa Nibs

Cocoa nibs may be added to oatmeal, used as topping on an ice cream sundae, adding the chocolate chip cookies instead of or in addition to nuts, added to homemade granola… really the possibilities are endless!  Cocoa nibs have the same health benefits of both chocolate and cocoa powder, but possess the added surprise of crunch and texture.

Askinosie Chocolate's Cocoa Nibs

Kopali's Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Cocoa Nibs

You may purchase cocoa nibs for a variety of chocolate makers in their naked form (try Askinosie Chocolate’s cocoa nibs of Scharffen Berger’s Cocoa Nibs!) and they are exceptional tasty covered in dark chocolate (try Kopali’s Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Cocoa Nibs!).

Cocoa Nib Tassies

Serves 24

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
scant 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:
1 large egg white
3/4 cup packed light brown
1 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup cocoa nibs, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
generous pinch sea salt

Directions:

Position oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

To make the pastry:

Combine the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour and mix just until incorporated.

Divide the dough in half and press each half into a flattened 4-inch square. Cut each square into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Place one dough ball in each muffin cup and press it evenly over the bottom and all the way up the sides of the cup, forming a neat rim. Set aside.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until foamy. Stir in the brown sugar, melted butter, cocoa nibs, vanilla, and salt. Divide the filling evenly among the tartlet shells, using about 1 teaspoon for each.

Bake the tassies for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F. and bake for 20 minutes more, or until the pastry is well browned on the edges and underneath (life one out with the point of a knife to check). Let cool in the pans on a rack.

(Stored in an airtight container, these remain delicious for about 3 days, with the chocolate flavor intensifying from day to day).

Cocoa Nib Tassies

Fairyland Village of Greyton

Once upon a time, in the land of South Africa lived a man named Sir Richard Von Geusau who was tired of being an accountant and was extremely fond of chocolate.  He started his fairy tale chocolate business called Von Geusau Chocolates in a little cottage in the town of Greyton.  The villagers were excited to have him!

Sir Von  Geusau searched to the far ends of the earth for the best ingredients for his fine chocolates.  His quest led him to a country called Belgium.  The chocolate couvertures procured from Belgium had been secretly known to be some of the best chocolate in the world .

All of Sir Von Geusau’s fine chocolates are made by hand with only the freshest and most innovative ingredients such as fresh farm cream, roasted nuts, exotic liqueurs and essential oils.  The chocolates beckon you to them begging to be experienced.  The glossy chocolate greats your eyes, the aroma of the fine ingredients tempts your nose as bit into them, and the taste envelopes your mouth in a second.  Simply, breathtakingly sinful.

Chocolate Truffles (Photo Courtesy of Von Geusau Chocolates)

The deliciousness, beauty and care that go into Sir Von Geusau’s chocolates led him into a realm of fairy tale and romance.  Many of the finest hotels in the Cape offer Von Geusau’s chocolates to their guests.  Recently,  Sir Von Geusau ventured to ye land of the United Kingdom and Belgium to further his knowledge and chocolate skills which he passes on in his newest creations just in time for ye holidays of Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter.

Filled Chocolates (Photo Courtesy of Von Geusau Chocolates)

The romantic chocolates of Von Geusau have ventured yet further afield to the land of the grape where master Kevin Arnold of Waterford Winery presents wine and chocolate tastings with these fine chocolates.  Not to be put in shackles, Sir Von Geusau thinks out of the fairyland and created a combination of a Cabernet with Rock Salt Dark Chocolate for ye people of the world.

Bouché (Photo Courtesy of Von Geusau Chocolates)

Sir Von Geusau is a kind man who will gladly ship to anyone in the world which makes him even more of a hero to our story!  Among the many offerings created at this fairy tale cottage include a variety of truffles which are also available enrobed in chocolate (all you have to do is ask!), filled chocolates, dipped ginger, dipped orange peel, chocolate covered marzipan, Frangelico & Hazelnut bouché, Amaretto & Almond bouché,  Cointreau, Orange peel & Pecan bouché Maraschino Cherry Wedges!  For the purists in the land, Von Geusau offers 50g and 100g white, milk and dark plain chocolate bars, and those made with exotic spices or essential oils.

To order Von Geusau Chocolates to be shipped anywhere in the world, click Von Geusau Chocolates.

100 g Chocolate Slabs (Photo Courtesy of Von Geusau Chocolates)

Beef Fillet with Chocolate-Chilli Sauce

(Recipe Courtesy of Waterford Wines and sourced from www.nomu.co.za)

For the Beef:

Ingredients:
1.5kg (3 1/3 pounds) Beef fillet, trimmed and tied
3 tablspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Coffee Rub

For the chocolate-chilli sauce:

Ingredients:
500ml (17 ounces) beef stock
250ml red wine (8 ½ ounces) (We suggest The Jem 2005)
100g Chocolate Chunks (3.5 ounces) (dark chocolate)
80ml cream (2 ¾ ounces) (optional)
1 tablespoon thyme or rosemary, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper, for seasoning

Place the beef stock and red wine in a saucepan and allow to simmer until reduced by half. Whisk in the chocolate and continue stirring until the chocolate has melted and the sauce is thickened and glossy. Add the cream and the rosemary and season to taste.

Pre-heat you oven to 200°C (400°F). Cut the fillet into 6 neat medallions. Combine the olive oil and Coffee Rub and rub into the medallions. Pan-fry the fillet in an oven-proof pan over medium heat on all sides until nicely browned and caramelized all over. Place the pan in the pre-heated oven for 5 -10 minutes or until cooked to your preference (5 minutes for medium-rare). Serve on heated plates, drizzled with chilli chocolate sauce and garnished with fresh thyme and a pinch of Maldon salt (sea salt is fine).

Chocolate is something to be savored and enjoyed all over the world.  Now, get to it!

Annmarie Kostyk

Baby it’s cold outside isn’t just a song, and I am not even sure that is the actual name of the song, but it’s pretty chilly here in Chicago. I know my blood has thickened up again (after my 8 year hiatus in Austin, Texas) for the brisk winters, because when I ran errands this morning and I thought to myself how nice it was out.  It was 3 degrees F!  Coat was unzipped, no gloves and the sun was shining with no wind.  The day is what you make of it. I headed for Trader Joe’s grocery store where they sell Barry Callebaut chocolate for absurdly low prices under their private label and purchased $20 worth of chocolate.  Just sitting down to drink my Caribbean Hot Chocolate that I prepared with my 85% chocolate bar.  Thought I would share some tidbits with you about the Caribbean and chocolate/cocoa while I enjoy my Caribbean Hot Chocolate and dreaming about the gorgeous beaches of the islands. I am also going to be more proper in my Theobroma cacao terminology from now on and will be using the proper term of cacao rather than cocoa so everyone will be on the same page.

Map of the Caribbean

The Spanish Capuchin friars who grew criollo cacao in Ecuador in about 1635, previously there had been little success growing Theobroma cacao in any of the Spanish Caribbean territories.

As the need for chocolate in Europe increased, France introduced cacao to Martinique and St Lucia in 1660, the Dominican Republic in 1665, and Grenada in 1714.

The Dutch had taken over cacao plantations in Curaçao after they seized the island in 1620.

England had Theobroma cacao growing in Jamaica by 1670.

The share of the cacao market in the Caribbean is quite small compared to other countries.

The Dominican Republic produces the most cacao beans in the Caribbean islands, but only represents about 2% of the world’s prodcution.

Other Caribbean producers of the cacao bean include Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada.

Cacao beans from Trinidad and Tobago have a cinnamon spiciness with a complex fruitiness. Very well-balanced.

Cacao beans from Jamaica have notes of pineapple and are rather bright and fruity with appealing aromas. The cacao beans are complex and well-balanced.

Dominican Republic’s cacao beans possess a deep earthy flavor with fragrant tobacco notes. Some of the cacao beans have delicate red wine and spice notes too.

Grenada Chocolate Company Organic Dark Chocolate Bar

The Grenada Chocolate Company is an organic Trinitario cacao plantation and chocolate maker’s cooperative.  They are small scale growing on 150 acres and are also completely environmentally friendly using solar power.  I like that they are tree to bar with no one in between!  Rococo Chocolates works in collaboration with The Grenada Chocolate Company to make their famous house blend.

Rococo Chocolate's Orange & Geranium Organic Dark Chocolate Bee Bar

Hotel Chocolate owns the Rabot Estate Cacao Planation in St. Lucia.   They actually have a hotel when you can stay ont he estate called simply The Hotel. The cocoa trees of Rabot Estate are primarily Trinitario Theobroma cacao species rich in Criollo genes.

Some of the other chocolate makers and chocolatiers using cacao beans or chocolate from the Caribbean include Amano Chocolate, Valrhona Chocolate and Michel Cluizel Chocolate.

Caribbean Hot Chocolate

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:
4½ oz (125g) dark chocolate (70% or higher cocoa content), grated
2 cups (500ml) whole milk (cream for complete decadence and for my vegan friends almond milk is fabulous!), divided
2 tbsp raw sugar
½ egg yolk
½ vanilla pod
½ cinnamon stick
pinch ground nutmeg

Directions:
Mix grated chocolate, raw sugar, egg yolk and ¼ cup milk in small bowl. Split the vanilla pod. Put vanilla pod, pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon stick in a heavy saucepan with remaining milk. Bring to a simmer. Slowly pour chocolate mixture from bowl into saucepan while stirring with whisk. Remove from stove. Continue stirring until thick. Serve immediately.

Caribbean Hot Chocolate

I bid you creamy, thick Caribbean Hot Chocolate and warm sunny beaches!

Annmarie Kostyk

A Mayan Making Some Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate has its origins in Central America and was then carried to Europe in the mid-17th century where it joined the ranks of popularity among tea and coffee.  Hot chocolate then became the drink of choice over ale, beer and hard ciders of the day when it traveled to America.  The drink first showed up in Spanish Florida and then slowly moved its way up to New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions of America.

Hot Chocolate Pots with Wheels

Although hot chocolate was used for medicinal purposes during this time, it was primarily enjoyed as a special treat during the day.  There was a great deal of time that went into preparation of hot chocolate.  Today’s hot chocolate where the package is torn open or a tin opened was not an option. The ingredients for hot chocolate during the 1800s included milk, eggs, white-wine, rosewater, mace, cinnamon, sugar, and of course, chocolate.

Ibarra Chocolate Cake

The entire process was also quite time consuming.  The chocolate of the day came in prepared chocolate cakes (similar to the Ibarra chocolate today).  A portion of the chocolate had to be scraped fine, added to water and simmered for 15 minutes.  The beverage then had to be milled to make sure it was smooth.  The mixture was put into a chocolate pot that  had a wheel inside which was usually made of wood or metal.  The wheel was propelled by hand to blend the chocolate and water together (something we know chocolate doesn’t like to do).  After the hot chocolate goes through this milling process, it must be heated again, and then milled a second time.  For the hot chocolate to be made properly, there should be no pieces of chocolate sediment, and it should be smooth and blended.  Cream and sugar may be added prior to the milling process, but most often added once the process is completed.

Walter Baker's Cocoa

To follow are some chocolate and cocoa recipes from By Miss Parloa
and Home Made Candy Recipes By Mrs. Janet McKenzie Hill.  The cocoa for the recipes was furnished by Walter Baker & Co., Ltd. of Dorchester, Massachusetts and published in 1780.

Breakfast Cocoa

Walter Baker & Co.’s Breakfast Cocoa is powdered so fine that it can be dissolved by pouring boiling water on it. For this reason it is often prepared at the table. A small teaspoonful of the powder is put in the cup with a teaspoonful of sugar; on this is poured two-thirds of a cup of boiling water, and milk or cream is added to suit the individual taste. This is very convenient; but cocoa is not nearly so good when prepared in this manner as when it is boiled.

For six cupfuls of cocoa use two tablespoonfuls of the powder, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, half a pint of boiling water, and a pint and a half of milk. Put the milk on the stove in the double-boiler. Put the cocoa and sugar in a saucepan, and gradually pour the hot water upon them, stirring all the time. Place the saucepan on the fire and stir until the contents boil. Let this mixture boil for five minutes; then add the boiling milk and serve. A gill of cream is a great addition to this cocoa.

Scalded milk may be used in place of boiled milk, if preferred. For flavoring, a few grains of salt and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract may be added.

Hot Chocolate

Formula for Making Three Gallons of Breakfast Cocoa

Ingredients:
½ pound of Walter Baker & Co.’s Cocoa
1 ½ gallons of water, hot
1 ½ gallons of milk, hot

Directions:
This should not be allowed to boil. Either make it in a large double-boiler, or a large saucepan or kettle over water. Mix the cocoa with enough cold water to make a paste, and be sure it is free from lumps. Heat together the milk and water, and pour in the cocoa; then cook at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

Cracked Cocoa

To one-third a cup of Baker’s Cracked Cocoa (sometimes called “Cocoa Nibs”) use three cups of cold water; cook slowly at least one hour—the longer the better. Then strain the liquid and add one cup (or more if desired) of milk, and serve very hot. Do not allow the mixture to boil after milk has been added.

Cocoa Nibs

Vanilla Chocolate with Whipped Cream

Ingredients:
One cake (½ a pound) of Walter Baker & Co.’s Vanilla Sweet Chocolate
4 cups of boiling water
Pinch of salt
4 cups of hot milk

Directions:
This must be made in a double-boiler. Put the chocolate, boiling water and salt in upper part of the double-boiler. Stir and beat with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is dissolved and smooth. Add the milk and when thoroughly hot, strain, and serve with unsweetened whipped cream. More cooking will improve it.

Plain Chocolate

Ingredients:
1 ounce or square of Baker’s Premium Chocolate,
3 tablespoonfuls of sugar,
1/8 a teaspoonful of salt,
1 pint of boiling water,
1 pint of milk.

Directions:
Place the chocolate, sugar and salt in the agate chocolate-pot or saucepan, add the boiling water and boil three minutes, stirring once or twice, as the chocolate is not grated. Add the milk and allow it time to heat, being careful not to boil the milk, and keep it closely covered, as this prevents the scum from forming. When ready to serve turn in chocolate-pitcher and beat with Dover egg-beater until light and foamy.

Hot Chocolate with a Side of Whipped Cream

Now go take some time to make yourself some real hot chocolate!

Annmarie Kostyk

Crystallized Ginger

I hope everyone enjoyed the first annual Twelve Days of Holiday Chocolate Candy!  Today is the last day.  If you have some recipes that you would like to share for next year, please feel free to email them to me.  Holiday cookie recipes?  Do the same.  I am always looking for new recipes to try and share!

The twelfth day of The Twelve Days of Holiday Chocolate Candy brings a suggestion from my sister.  She said, “How about some brittle?”  Here you go little sis… Chocolate Cherry Walnut Brittle.

Chocolate Cherry Walnut Brittle

Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
3 tablespoons dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% Chocolate Chips)

Directions:

Dried Cherries

Butter a cookie sheet well. Stir together sugar, corn syup and salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; stir in walnuts and cherries, and continue to cook until mixture reaches 300 degrees F, stirring frequently.  Remove pan from heat and stir in butter and baking soda, quickly; pour onto cookie sheet, and spread out thinly using two forks.

Sprinkle ginger over brittle and gently press into surface.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over brittle and gently press into surface.  Cool completely before breaking into pieces. Store in an airtight tin or jar in a cool place.

Chocolate Cherry Walnut Brittle

To a successful cooking and baking holiday season!

Annmarie Kostyk

Toonie Moonie Organics Marshmallow Creme

First, let me tell you not to be bummed out that this recipe calls for marshmallow creme.  Yes, this is marshmallow fluff.  There are some good alternatives to this chemical laden fluff.  Whole Foods Markets always has a good substitute.  Try Toonie Moonie Organics Marshmallow Creme or the vegan alternative called Suzanne’s Ricemallow Creme.  For those of you who are not vegan, don’t be afraid to try the vegan option.  I promise you that it is nice and sticky, sweet and gooey.

White Chocolate Eggnog Fudge with Pecans

Day eleven, we are almost done, of The Twelve Days of Holiday Chocolate Candy brings White Chocolate Eggnog Fudge.  You can make it with or without nuts.  I like to use nuts because it adds more texture and interest. Honestly, it tastes great either way!

White Chocolate Eggnog Fudge

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup eggnog
2 cups sugar
10 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme (see note at end of recipe)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon rum or rum extract

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, eggnog and sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium, and continue to boil, stirring frequently, 8 to 10 minutes, or until mixture reaches 234°F (soft ball stage).

Remove from heat; add chocolate and nutmeg. Stir until smooth. Add marshmallow creme, pecans and rum; mix well.

Pour mixture into a 9-inch square pan lined with buttered foil. Cool completely; cut into 1½-inch squares. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

White Chocolate Eggnog Fudge

Sit back with a small plate of White Chocolate Eggnog Fudge and watch a classic holiday movie!

Annmarie Kostyk

Dark Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peels, also known as Orangettes, are the tenth chocolate candy for The Twelve Days of Holiday Chocolate Candy.  This candy has been around for centuries and is still extremely popular in Europe.  You will find it in all of the old world chocolate shops. Once you make these the first time, each time it will get easier until you get your timing right.

Dark Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peels

Equipment:
Parchment Paper
Cooling rack

Ingredient:
Four medium oranges (look for ones with thin peels)
salt
2 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces dark chocolate (70% or higher cocoa content)

Directions:
Cut the top and bottom ends off the oranges. Cut the peel off the oranges in six sections, as close to peel edge as possible.

Cut peel sections in half lengthwise, so you can flatten them more easily, and remove as much pith as you can with a paring knife. Some pith will remain. Don’t worry about it.

Cut peel sections lengthwise into quarter-inch wide strips, as evenly as possible.

Orange Peel Strips

Place the peels in a non-reactive bowl with enough salt water to cover. (One teaspoon salt per cup of water.) Soak for at least 24 hours. Drain, rinse, and soak peel in fresh water for 20 minutes. Drain again.

Boil peel in fresh water for 20 minutes and drain again.

Mix two cups of sugar with two cups of water in a medium saucepan. Stir. Add peel. Bring to a boil, reduce heat until the mixture is just simmering. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove peels from syrup a few at a time using a fork, and put them on a rack to drip dry. (Put a dish towel or a piece of parchment paper under the rack to catch the drips.) Allow them to dry completely. (Overnight works for me.)

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip peel strips into melted chocolate. Place on parchment paper to dry.

Dark Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peels

You can also do this with lemon peels, lime peels, tangelo peels or grapefruit peels.  FYI – I tried it with ugly fruit peels and they were terrible.

Annmarie Kostyk

Okay, you might notice something a bit off here.  What is it?  There’s no chocolate in this recipe. Gasp.  Yes, I know how you feel.  The soft, light and sweet French nougats are one of my all time favorite candies in the world.  For this recipe, I’ve used pistachios and cranberries to make it festive looking.  Buy all means, you can coat these in dark chocolate half-way to really make a statement.  Why not?  The holidays only come around once a year!

Nougat de Montélimar with Pistachios, Sliced Almonds and Cranberries Covered in Dark Chocolate (from last year's holidays)

Nougat de Montélimar with Pistachios and Cranberries

Makes a 9×13 pan of candy to divide into pieces

Equipment:
Stand mixer
Candy thermometer
9×13-inch pan
Wafer paper (to line top and bottom of pan): sometimes called rice paper, it’s an edible paper that will stick to both sides of the candy. It’s available through stores like this one.
Non-stick cooking spray

Ingredients:
(use a kitchen scale and grams if you can, otherwise the conversions are here, but are a bit off)
1 kilogram pistachios (2 pounds or about 4 cups)
100 grams cranberries (3.5 ounces or 1/2 cup)
500 grams honey (2 1/4 cups)
400 grams sugar (2 cups)
4 egg whites
100 grams powdered sugar (1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Roast the pistachios: spread them out on a baking sheet and put them in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to make sure they toast evenly.

Spray the pan with cooking spray and line it with the wafer paper.

In a double boiler heat the honey, stirring constantly. In another pan, heat the sugar, aiming for 250-265°F. Once it reaches the right temperature, add it to the honey (being careful not to burn yourself!). Keep the heat constant and continue to stir the mixture until it reaches 280-290°F.

In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks (see a visual guide to this here) and then add the honey/sugar mixture a little at a time and carefully. The mixture should begin to thicken almost immediately as it cools. Keep the mixer at medium to high. This is where you’re beating all the air and fluffy chewiness into the candy. It will begin to form a ball around the beater and have the consistency of a very thick chocolate chip cookie dough with the stickiness of taffy after 6-8 minutes. At this point add the warm nuts, cranberries and the powdered sugar.

As soon as the nuts have been mixed into the batter, pour it into the prepared pan. It will be thick and you might need an extra hand to get it out. Try coating a wooden spoon with cooking spray to help with the stickiness. Smooth the batter and cover it with a sheet of wafer paper. Use a rolling pin to smooth out the pan, the candy will begin to harden almost immediately so get it smooth as quickly as you can, it won’t ever be perfect, that’s the nice rustic quality you’re going for. Allow it to cool overnight or, if you’re in a hurry, for at least 3 hours.

Once cool, unmold the nougat onto a cutting board and slice through in strips and then slice those into the desired size. Wrap the pieces in cellophane or wax paper and they’ll last quite a while.

You can also experiment with adding chocolate chunks, currants, lemon peel, other kinds of nuts, etc.

Nougat de Montélimar with Pistachios and Cranberries

No chocolate, but you can add chocolate chunks if you care to do so.  Experiment with it.  It is most definitely time consuming and you cannot leave it for even a minute while you are making it, but it is so worth it in the end!

Annmarie Kostyk

For the eighth day of The Twelve Days of Holiday Chocolate candy we will be making another bark.  This is a fantastic peppermint bark that sparkles with crushed candy canes, and has both white and dark chocolate.  I really don’t think you can get more festive looking than this!

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:
1 pound dark chocolate, chopped (I used 70% cocoa content.)
1 pound white chocolate, chopped
12 peppermint candy canes, crushed (about 1 cup)

Directions:

Crushed Candy Canes

Melt the dark chocolate and pour onto a jelly roll pan lined with aluminum foil or a silpat. Spread evenly to desired thickness. Place in refrigerator to harden. Sift peppermint candy to separate the large chunks from the peppermint sand. Melt the white chocolate. When cooled, fold the peppermint sand into the white chocolate taking care not to  over-mix (and getting pink chocolate instead). Remove dark chocolate from the refrigerator and spread the white chocolate on top. Sprinkle the peppermint chunks evenly over the white chocolate and gently press the pieces into the layer. It’s best to use gloved hands or even a spatula so you don’t leave finger marks on the bark. Refrigerate until hardened. Leave it in the refrigerator the shortest amount of time to set. Break the bark into pieces. Store at room temperature.  Do not store in the refrigerator or the chocolate will sweat and bloom.

I beg you to buy blocks of baking chocolate or chocolate bars, but I understand if you used white chocolate chips and chocolate chips.

Peppermint Bark

Some of this peppermint bark is great pushed into the side of a few scoops of ice cream – especially peppermint stick or eggnog!

Annmarie Kostyk