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

Store Marshmallows in an Airtight Container

I have a lot of marshmallow recipes as I am quite the fan of these gooey giant wonders.  I say giant because when I cut them they are never as small as I think they should be.  I guess my taste buds and stomach take over once the knife gets in my hands.  These recipes come from entertaining guru Martha Stewart.  You may not think of marshmallows as a candy, but they are candy.  You do need a candy thermometer.  Just guessing will result in disappointment.  Trust me on this one. Top

Milk Chocolate Covered Vanilla Marshmallow

them on Peppermint Hot Chocolate and make everyone your new best friend. Feeling crazy?  Make some chocolate fondue and use them for dipping, make s’mores by the fire, or cover them in chocolate for chocolate covered marshmallows.

I bring you The Twelve Days of Holiday Chocolate Candy day number seven!

Chocolate and Vanilla Marshmallows

From Martha Stewart

Equipment:
Standing mixer with wire whisk attachment (this recipe will be tricky to near impossible without one)
Candy thermometer (you can guess, but your results may be inconsistent)

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for brushing
4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons)
3 cups granulated sugar (21 oz)
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup (14 oz)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (7 oz)

For chocolate marshmallows:
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I like to use 70-80% cocoa content.)
4 tablespoons unsweetened dutch process powdered cocoa

Chocolate and Vanilla Marshmallows

Directions:
NOTE: Every time before making candy, I like to check my candy thermometer for accuracy. To do this, boil a pan of water and clip on the thermometer. Boiling water should read 212°. Make note of any difference in your reading with the water, and adjust your reading with the candy accordingly (for example, if thermometer reads 210° instead of 212° in boiling water, then take the candy off at 236° instead of 238°).

Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with oil. Line with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Brush parchment with oil; set aside.

Put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 3/4 cup water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Clip on candy thermometer, taking care not to let it touch the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook, without stirring, until mixture registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer (softball stage), about 9 minutes. Watch the thermometer carefully when making candy, as the temperature does not rise at a steady pace.

Meanwhile, put 3/4 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer; sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes.

Attach bowl with gelatin to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, beat hot syrup into gelatin mixture. Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is very stiff and lukewarm, about 12 minutes.

If making chocolate marshmallows: Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for one minute on medium power. Stir. Continue cooking in 30 minute intervals, stirring in between, until the majority of chocolate is melted with a few unmelted pieces left. Remove from microwave and stir in cocoa powder. Continue stirring until combined and all chocolate is melted.

Pour in chocolate if using and add vanilla during the last minute of beating. Mixture should be thick but should drizzle slowly off of beater without having to push it out. Pour into prepared dish and smooth with an offset spatula. Set aside, uncovered, until firm, about 3 hours.

Sift 1 cup confectioners’ sugar onto a work surface. Unmold marshmallow onto confectioners’ sugar; remove parchment. Lightly brush a sharp knife with oil, then cut marshmallow into 2-inch squares. Sift remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl, and roll each marshmallow in the sugar to coat. Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Chocolate Marshmallows

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Bon Appetit December 2008

Ingredients:
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet (preferably 60% cocoa) chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Optional: 4 small candy canes (for garnish)

Directions:
Beat 1/2 cup cream and 1 teaspoon sugar in bowl until soft peaks form. Cover; chill. Whisk 1/2 cup cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and milk in medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Whisk in extract. Divide chocolate among mugs. Top with cream and garnish with candy canes.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate with Vanilla Marshmallows

Stay warm and toasty by the fire!

Annmarie Kostyk

This is the last of the four part episode on the Swiss Chocolate Pioneers. The final installment is about Lindt & Sprungli Chocolate. The Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli was founded in 1899 when Chocolat Sprungli purchased Rodolphe Lindt & Fils. The Confiserie Sprungli is no longer partnered with Lindt & Sprungli Chocolate. The factory is located in Kilchberg where the air is filled with the smell of chocolate. They are one of the oldest and largest chocolate makers in the world. They employ 6,000 people in their company with 300 people in the Kilchberg head office and factory. The Kilchberg schoggi, schoggi means factory in German, serves as the standard for what happens at its other factories. The busiest seasons are during the winter and spring which sends all of the factories into full production mode.

Lindt Chocolate Factory

The factory includes a section dedicated to refining the chocolate liquor and a conch machine fashioned after Rodolphe Lindt’s original conch machine. Although Lindt is know primarily for their chocolate bars, they also produce chocolate confections. In 2004, the company produced a line called Petits Desserts which won Lindt Chocolate the Saveur de l’Annee (Flavor of the Year). Lindt Chocolate’s goal was to offer simple, old-fashioned recipes the company used from an earlier time. Nostalgia was the premise. The most popular flavors were crème brulee, macaroon, tarte citron, and tiramisu.

Lindt Chocolate Petits Desserts

Lindt Chocolate

The chocolate confection development department is always looking for new flavor ideas. They are made up of a group of innovative people who are both veterans and rookies. Some of the latest hires are a mere 16 years old. Their goal is to balance the old with the new. It takes anywhere from one to two years for a product to go from development to market.

Lindt Chocolate's Triangles

Lindt & Sprungli Chocolate manufactures all of its own chocolate. The beans come from seven different origins and are made into chocolate crumbs and chocolate liquor at the Olten factory. They are delivered to the Kilchberg factory fresh daily where they go through their refining process. Milk chocolate goes through the conch for two to four hours. The darker the chocolate, the longer it goes through the conch machine. The darkest chocolate may remain in the conch machine for up to twenty-four hours. The reason for the darker chocolate remaining in the conch machine is that the higher the cocoa content, the longer it takes for the flavors and texture of the dark chocolate to balance.

Lindt’s most well-known chocolates include the triangle (a mixture of hazelnut paste and milk chocolate) and the Lindor (a enrobed truffle). Rodolphe Lindt would be proud that not only do his recipes continue on to this day, but new machines and flavorful inventions are happening all the time.

Vanilla Hot Chocolate Mix

Makes 32 servings (10 cups of mix)

Ingredients:
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split crosswise
1 1/2 pounds dark chocolate (70% or higher cocoa content), coarsely chopped
8 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder

Directions:
Place sugar in large bowl. Split half vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape seeds into sugar, and add pod. Work seeds in with your fingers. Cover snugly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.

In food processor fitted with metal blade, process semisweet chocolate and milk chocolate until finely ground, using 4-second pulses. (Process in two batches if necessary.)  Remove pod from sugar. Add ground chocolate and cocoa powder to sugar and whisk to blend.  Store mix airtight at room temperature for up to six months.

Serving:
For each serving, heat 8 ounces milk in small saucepan over medium heat until scalded. Whisk in 1/4 to 1/3 cup mix. Serve with unsweetened softly whipped cream or marshmallows and a dusting of coarsely chopped dark chocolate or cocoa powder.

Vanilla Hot Chocolate

Corn Syrup-Free Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons  gelatin
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup cold water
Pinch salt
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar

Directions:
Soak gelatin in 1/2 c. cold water. Heat sugar in 3/4 c. water until dissolved. Add gelatin to syrup and bring to boil. Take off stove, let stand until partially cool. (To cool rapidly, put saucepan in cold water.) Add salt and flavoring. Beat with electric mixer until stiff. Dust pan with powdered sugar and pour in 1/2 inch deep. When set, cut into squares with a knife dipped into cold water.  Eat as they are or add to a steaming cup of hot chocolate!

Corn Syrup-Free Homemade Marshmallows

Chocolate Bars

Chocolate bars are known to be the fuel of choice among many athletes today including hikers, mountain climbers and those rowing across great bodies of water to set records.  Did you know that chocolate was also taken as a staple on early Arctic expeditions?  The provision lists for these Arctic expeditions was pretty standard.  The provisions taken on every Arctic expedition in the 19th century included arrowroot, dried meat, pemmican (A mixture of fat and protein. The meat was often bison, moose, elk, or deer.), dried soups, tea and chocolate.   Condensed milk was added to the list on occasion to make hot chocolate, but the chocolate was mostly eaten as is or in the Aztec and Mayan way of heating it with hot water until it melted.  The British explorers thought chocolate every morning was of more benefit to the diet than that of tea, but they usually took both.  Better to be safe than sorry.

Sir John Franklin

Sir John Franklin brought chocolate from England to the Canadian Arctic.  During his expeditions, Franklin demanded what he thought to be crucial provisions that included 60 pounds of coffee, 110 pounds of tea and 180 pounds of chocolate.  It’s nice to know where his priorities were!  Found in Franklin’s diary were notes that he found chocolate to be both restorative to his men, it gave them energy and that it traveled well.  He often insisted that his men drink or eat chocolate for breakfast to sustain them through the day.  Chocolate was also a common treatment to avoid hypothermia.

Sir Francis McClintock

Franklin disappeared during another Canadian expedition in 1845.  Those looking for the team of Arctic explorers also packed provisions exactly as Franklin had on what would be his last expedition.  From 1847 to 1859, numerous expeditions searched for Franklin and the lost team with no luck. Sir Francis Leopold McClintock was the last explorer who set out to find remains of the missing team of explorers.  When reaching King William Island, McClintock found relics, supplies, human remains and the records of Franklin’s expedition.  Among the supplies were tea, pemmican and forty pounds of chocolate.

Arctic Mudslide Recipe

Ingredients:
1 ounce Vodka
1 ounce Kahlua
1 ounce Creme de Menthe
2 Scoops Ice Cream
1 shot Jack Daniel’s
1 ounce Irish Cream
1 ounce chocolate syrup
Top With Whipped Cream and Nuts

Directions:
Put all alcohol into blender with about 8 or 10 ice cubes. Blend until smooth. In a tall glass, put in a couple scoops of ice cream. Add the alcoholic mix to the ice cream. Add chocolate syrup, whipped cream and nuts in that order. Enjoy!

Arctic Mudslide

Chef Levana Kirschenbaum

Today’s guest blogger is Chef Levana Kirschenbaum of Levana Cooks and Levana Desserts.  Chef Levana has a catering business, a bakery and a restaurant in Manhattan, New York.  She believes in simple and healthy when it comes to cooking and baking.  You can buy Chef Levana’s Cookbooks on Amazon or at your local bookstore.  Don’t forget to follow her on Facebook and Twitter too! Think chocolate is just for dessert and snacks.  Think again!  She’s be kind enough to share her favorite chocolate recipes with us today, so get out your grocery list and get everything you need.  Have  a fantastic day!

Chocolate Anytime Menu:

Black Bean Chocolate Soup
Chicken Breast with Mole Sauce
Assorted Truffles
Chili Hot Chocolate
Chocolate Coconut Pie

Black Bean Chocolate Soup

Serves 12

Beans and chocolate? I recently teased my friend Sara into identifying the odd ingredient in this soup, which she loved. I enjoyed watching her racking her brains, and didn’t feel any guilt about it: After all, she was working for food, and was kept guessing through a second bowl. PS, she never did identify it, she said all she could tell is that this was like no other bean soup she ever had. That’s the magic of chocolate!
Canned beans will work here just fine, as the soup has lots of fabulous flavors going for it.

Ingredients:

Sofrito:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, quartered
4 large cloves garlic
4 ribs celery, peeled and cut in thirds
1 large red pepper, seeded and quartered
1 bunch flat parsley, stems and all
1/2 small bunch cilantro, stems cut off
6 pounds good quality canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine
3 tablespoons bottled hot sauce
6 bay leaves, or 1 teaspoon ground
3 quarts (12 cups) water
2/3 cup grated semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon oregano

Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Make the sofrito: In a food processor, coarsely grind the onion, garlic, celery, pepper, parsley and cilantro. Add ground mixture to the hot oil, and sauté until translucent (if you have sofrito in your freezer, skip this step; use 1 cup thawed sofrito and proceed with the recipe from this point). Add the beans, tomato paste, wine, hot sauce, bay leaves and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook 30 minutes. Add the chocolate, cumin and oregano and cook for 15 minutes more. Adjust texture and seasonings. Serve hot.

Chocolate Black Bean Soup with Onion and Sour Cream Garnish

Chicken Breasts with Mole Sauce

I can’t tell you how many times I have knocked my guests’ socks off with this dish: Improbable ingredient combo, simple preparation, amazing dish!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped fine
8 chicken cutlets (do not pound thinner)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice
Good pinch saffron
Good pinch cayenne
6 bay leaves, or 1 teaspoon ground
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the cutlets, juice, saffron, cayenne and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, 20 minutes. Transfer the cutlets to a platter. Whisk in the tomato paste and chocolate chips and cook one more minute. Pour the sauce over the cutlets, and serve hot with rice.

Chicken Breasts in Mole Sauce

Chocolate Truffles

I think after sharing this recipe and all its variations with you, I am finally
satisfied that all of you chocolate lovers will think of me very kindly. For the
ultimate gift, multiply this recipe, then divide in 2-3 equal parts and add a
different flavor to each. I wish you this kind of danger everyday! They look
as professional and taste as delicious as if you had bought them in the best
boutique. A guest recently caused total consternation at my dinner table
when he declared he didn’t care for chocolate. A chocolate-addict friend of
mine seated near him looked at him in horror, as if he had admitted to being
a criminal of some sort, and proceeded to ignore him the rest of the meal.
Fortunately for him, the evening was just winding down! Could it be he had
just never tasted good chocolate before? Could he get rehab?

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy or rice milk powder
1/2 cup soy or other non-dairy milk (oat, rice, grain, almond)
1/2 cup natural non-hydrogenated margarine (health-food stores)
2 cups semisweet real chocolate chips, only the best
1/4 cup pure cocoa powder
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup brandy, rum or bourbon

Directions:

Whisk the milk powder and the milk in a small saucepan until smooth. Turn
on the heat, set at a low flame, and add the margarine, chocolate chips,
cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk until the mixture is just melted. Turn off the
heat, add the egg yolk and brandy and mix until incorporated. Refrigerate
the mixture until set, a couple hours. Shape into little balls (do not smooth:
leave them a little bumpy, that is the trademark of truffles), and roll into
cocoa powder. Keep refrigerated and tightly covered in plastic wrap until
serving.

Variations:
Coffee truffles: Add 1 tablespoon instant coffee.
Peppermint truffles: Omit the rum, and add a few drops peppermint
extract (health food stores).
Nut truffles: Add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts or
pecans to the mixture. Or place a toasted hazelnut in the center of each
truffle.
Raspberry truffles: Omit the rum, and add 1/2 cup seedless raspberry
jam and 3 tablespoons Creme de Cassis to the mixture.
Peanut butter truffles: Replace the margarine with 1/2 cup smooth
peanut butter.
Roll the truffles in chocolate sauce or ground toasted nuts instead of
cocoa powder.

Chocolate Truffles

Chili Hot Chocolate

A friend recently brought me a box of insanely expensive hot chocolate mix. I couldn’t wait to try it, and….I was frankly underwhelmed. What’s the big deal, I thought? It certainly didn’t beat boiling some milk or dairy-free milk, with some good cocoa powder, a little sugar and maybe a little vanilla extract or other flavoring. Yes, that’s the whole story! No problem making your own natural mix the instant way, using milk powder, dairy or not, and mixing it with boiling water, making a delicious cup of hot cocoa in a jiffy. I still make it for my children, who now enjoy it with their children. Love of hot chocolate is forever: thank God for small blessings!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, best quality
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 cups milk, preferably whole, but low-fat is okay (dairy-free milk OK)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (get racy and try other real flavorings: chili powder, cinnamon, cloves etc….)
1 to 2 tablespoons coffee powder, optional, if you want mocha.

Directions:

In a small saucepan, whisk all ingredients until smooth, and bring to just below boiling. Whisk again to make the mixture frothy. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings

Individual serving: combine 3 tablespoons chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon cocoa, 1 cup milk, into a large cup. Microwave about 2 minutes. Mix until smooth.

Chili Hot Chocolate

Chocolate Coconut Tart

For this fabulous tart, celebrating yet another great love match -chocolate and coconut – you are under no pressure whatsoever. Make the crust a couple days before dessert time, and make the filling even a few days before serving, then pour the filling over the crust the day you are serving the dessert. Of course there is no problem making both the crust and the filling on serving day, just as long as you allow the filling to set.

Ingredients:

Crust:
1/2 cup natural margarine (health food stores)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups flour, any flour, a little more if needed

Filling:
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup natural margarine (health food stores)
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, only the best
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons rum
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 cups unsweetened grated coconut (health food stores)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
Make the crust: in a food processor, cream the margarine, sugar and egg yolks until fluffy. Add the cocoa and flour and pulse just 3-4 seconds, adding a little flour if needed to make a smooth-firm dough. Working quickly, starting from the center toward the sides, spread the crust evenly in a 12-inch spring form pie pan, coming up the sides, patting firmly.  Prick the crust with a fork all over. Bake about 30 minutes. Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days before filling and serving.
Make the filling: In a saucepan, whisk the coconut milk and tapioca flour until smooth. Turn the flame on low, and add the margarine, chocolate chips, cocoa, rum and sugar. Whisk only until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Quickly whisk in the eggs one at a time, and whisk 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Turn off the flame, and fold in the coconut. Refrigerate the filling until firm, and pour over the baked crust. Serve at room temperature, alone or with coconut sorbet.

Chocolate Coconut Tart

CHOCOLATE SHOPPING:

NATURAL MARGARINE
CONF. SUGAR
EGGS
COCOA POWDER
FLOUR
CC
RUM
COCONUT MILK
SUGAR
TAPIOCA FLOUR
GRATED COCONUT
RICE MILK
VANILLA
COFFEE
SOY MILK POWDER
WASABI
CARAMEL EXTRACT
GREY SALT
CUTLETS
CRANBERRY SAUCE
OO
CAYENNE
SAFFRON
BAY LEAVES
WHITE WINE
TOMATO PASTE
ONIONS
PARSLEY
CILANTRO
GARLIC
RED PEPPER
CELERY
BLACK BEANS SOAKED
RED WINE
RED HOT
CUMIN
OREGANO

There will be a re-post of the Homemade Oreo cookies later this week in its correct form.  The blogger who posted it got a lot of it wrong and needed to redo the recipe.  That’s what I get for relying on a recipe and not testing it myself before hand.  It sounded so close to my lost version of Homemade Oreo Cookies that I thought it was okay.  Sorry my friendly readers!

20th Century Chocolate Pot

Today, we are continuing with last week’s lesson on chocolate pots.  Today we are heading into the 20th century and we will be exploring Europe and North America.

Most of the chocolate pots from the 20th century were manufactured in the years between 1900 and 1949.  During this short period, there are many changes in design in chocolate pots.  Floral designs were still popular, but more companies started using specific species of flowers on their chocolate pots.  Scenic designs also became popular depicting people, animals and geisha.  The color palate also became more diverse offering very bright and vivid colors as well as subdued colors.

20th Century Chocolate Pot

Each country began to show their specific style in chocolate pots.  The Germans were bigger at the top and were more rounded towards the top.  The handles were more elaborate and were often gilded in gold.  Silver was used less and less as it became more expensive to use and own.  Porcelain was less expensive, so that was the material of choice.  The Germans still preferred the old-fashioned floral motif with roses being the prominent flower in their designs.

20th Century Chocolate Pot

The French continued making chocolate pots that were big and round at the bottom.  They were mostly white, the color palate was subdued and the design consisted of small clusters of flowers scattered throughout the design or it would depict a scene on one or two side of the chocolate pot.  Gold was used, but mostly as an accent.

England manufactured a huge variety of chocolate pots during this time period.  They made chocolate pots out of copper, pewter, silver and porcelain.  English chocolate pots were shorter than those found in other countries, but they still manufacturer some tall designs.  The metal pots were all very simple and plain.  The porcelain chocolate pots found in England depicted a vast number of subjects including flowers, animals and landscapes.

20th Century Chocolate Set

The Japanese pots, once again, were not used all that much in Japan.  Instead, they were exported to North America and Europe.  They were wide at the top and the bottom and skinny in the middle – more of an hourglass shape.  The Japanese used the chocolate pots almost like a canvas and depicted flowers, animals (both real and mythological), landscapes and people (mostly geisha).

Americans made all sorts of shapes and sizes of chocolate pots.  Some were short and some were tall, but most all of them were made from silver or pewter.  The silver and pewter chocolate pots were very simple in design and were usually not decorated at all.  They were few porcelain chocolate pots manufactured in

19th Century Silver Chocolate Pot (center & just because it's magnificent!)

America during this time.  Some of the chocolate pots made in America during this time reverted back to the original chocolate pot design where the handle was 90 degrees from the pouring spout.  They were the only country making chocolate pots during this time in this way.  Americans also designed a line of chocolate pots specifically for use in hotels and on board trains.

There are few chocolate pots remaining from this time period.  Mostly because there were not many manufacturer in this era.  It is thought that less chocolate pots were produced since it was more fashionable to drink tea and coffee.  Drinking chocolate was considered passe.  Since there has been a growing interest in chocolate, drinking chocolate (both hot and cold) have seen a resurgence.  Perhaps the idea of the chocolate pot will again became all the rage.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3 drops peppermint oil

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk,sugar and salt.  Heat over medium-low heat. When mixture just begins to steam, add the chopped chocolate. Stir until melted. Stir in peppermint oil.  Divide the hot chocolate among mugs.

Optional: whipped cream, chocolate shavings, a sprig of mint and over the holidays a candy cane!

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Homemade Marshmallows

Makes 20

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
2/3 cup of water
2 packets of unflavored gelatin (about 2 tablespoons)
1 egg white

Directions:
In a small saute pan, heat sugar, vanilla, corn syrup and 1/3 cup of water on high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then stop stirring. Heat the mixture until it reaches 240 degrees using a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes.

While the mixture is heating, dissolve the gelatin into the remaining 1/3 cup of water. Also, in a large mixing bowl, whip the egg white to soft peaks.

Once the mixture has reached 240 degrees, pour it into the gelatin and water (you can do this in a medium-sized, heatproof bowl) and stir to combine. Allow to cool for about 3-4 minutes, and then pour the gelatin/sugar mixture in a slow stream into the whipped egg white, whipping constantly to incorporate. (This is pretty much impossible to do by hand, you need a hand mixer or a stand mixer, because the gelatin will start to set and get really stiff and difficult to whip).

Whip the mixture until stiff peaks form. Pour into a prepared tray lined with parchment paper or powdered sugar, and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Remove from the fridge and cut the marshmallows into squares (or other shapes).

Roll them in powdered sugar, if desired, and serve! You can also dip them into chocolate for a wonderful treat or use them for chocolate fondue!

Homemade Marshmallows

Mayan Chocolate Pot

Today we’re going to learn about chocolate pots and we also have a lovely recipe for some European Hot Chocolate from Michael Recchiui Confections.  We have all heard of tea pots and coffee pots, but how many people have heard of the chocolate pot?  The chocolate pot is used to serve hot chocolate from.  The chocolate pot isn’t a modern day concept.  In fact, chocolate pots were first seen during the times of the ancients Mayans, but not again until the mid-17th century.  The earliest chocolate pots found in England date to this time.  The chocolate pots were primarily silver.  They were decorated around the top and base with a raised design and the family crest was often stamped into the side.  To be able to differentiate between a silver tea pot and the chocolate pot, the chocolate pot had a wooden handle and was angled at 90 degrees from the pouring spout.  One didn’t want to serve tea from the chocolate pot and vice versa.

English Chocolate Pot

Dutch Chocolate Pot

During the 19th century, when chocolate became more readily available to the masses, chocolate pots changed in look, design and materials.  The chocolate pots were still made of silver, but more frequently they were made from copper, china and porcelain. Floral decorations with roses became especially popular.  European porcelain chocolate pots became larger and more detailed.  In the 19th century, the shape of the chocolate pot changed in Germany and the new design followed in France.  The French took the design on step further and made the chocolate pots slimmer and taller than the German version.

French Chocolate Pot

Japanese Chocolate Pot

Although Japan did not consume much in the way of chocolate compared to other countries, the Japanese were responsible for making a lot of the porcelain chocolate pots for North America and Europe.  The styles, shapes and patterns were all similar with a floral motif.  The only difference was the flowers from Japan were more open and spread out.  They resembled Asian paintings.  The chocolate pots manufactured in Japan tended to be slender like those previously made in France, but they had a simpler handle.  Often times the design was created for a more three dimensional effect with raised surfaces called moriage.

German Chocolate Pot

American Chocolate Pot

American made chocolate pots did not start showing up until after 1850.  Metal chocolate pots were still found all over America and Europe, but the porcelain became more popular.  North American chocolate pots were decorated more simply than those of Europe with the floral motifs covering only part of the pots and the colors being more muted.

More about 20th century chocolate pots next week and a recipe for homemade marshmallows.

Recchiuti Confections European Hot Chocolate

Serves 2

Ingredients:
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
6 ounces water, boiling

Flavorings (choose one)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chile powder

Spirits (choose one)
1 1/2 ounces single malt scotch
1 1/2 ounces eau de vie
1 1/2 ounces apple brandy

Garnishes (choose one)
loose whipped cream
crème fraîche flavored with vanilla
cinnamon sticks
Marshmallows

Directions:
In a small saucepan, pour the boiling water over the chocolate. Add any flavorings or spirits to the mixture now. The amounts listed are recommendations only…you can use as much, as little or any combination to suit your tastes.

Using an immersion blender, mix until the chocolate have completely melted and a foamy froth has developed. You may also use a whisk, but the hot chocolate will not be as frothy.
Pour into serving cups and garnish.

You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe if you’re entertaining a large group. Simply make the hot chocolate base and keep it warm in a double boiler. For a super-fast, super-frothy individual serving, I suggest using the steam wand on an espresso maker.

Rather than making it with milk, European way to make a rich, creamy cup of hot chocolate by stirring in a dollop of loose whipped cream.

European Hot Chocolate (Photo Courtesy of Recchiuti Confections)

I hope everyone’s having a lovely weekend! Welcome to another month.  If you haven’t signed up to receive the newsletter, make sure you do.  The first issue went out today!  It contained a recipe for Chocolate Skillet Cake!  If you sign up today and want to receive the news letter, just email me or add a comment and I’ll get it right out to you!  Today we’re going to learn about cocoa powder.  There’s a little more to it than you thought…The recipe to go with it is something for your to make for yourself, for hostess gifts or for the upcoming holiday season.  No reason you can’t start now so you’ll have less to do then!

C.J. Van Houten

In 1828, the way the world had experienced chocolate was about to change. A Dutch chemist named C.J. Van Houten, took out a patent for a process he invented to manufacture chocolate with a reduced fat content. This chocolate was made in block or cake form and could be easily reduced to a fine powder. Van Houten accomplished this by using a hydraulic press. This powdered chocolate could now be made on a large scale, meaning that it would become more affordable for the mass population. Another benefit is a lower fat content making the cocoa easy to digest and less likely to go rancid than chocolate with the usual higher fat percentage.

Cocoa Press

Today, hydraulic presses are still used in the manufacture of cocoa powder. Roasted cacao beans are cooled, then the shells are cracked by large rollers. Puffs of air are used to blow the broken bits of shells away leaving the edible part of the bean called cocoa nibs. The nibs are then crushed and ground into a fine paste. This process breaks open their cellular structure and causes the release of the cocoa butter in the nibs. Friction during this process produces enough heat to melt the cocoa butter, and the combination of crushed, ground nibs and cocoa butter produces chocolate liquor, also known as unsweetened chocolate. This chocolate liquor (which contains no alcohol) is compacted by powerful hydraulic presses so that much of the cocoa butter is pushed out of it. The resulting blocks or cakes of cocoa are crushed to make the cocoa powder.

Natural Cocoa Powder

There’s more than one kind of cocoa powder available to today’s consumers. There are variations in fat content, depending upon how much cocoa butter is pressed out of the chocolate liquor. Standard cocoa powder is listed as “10/12”, which means it has between a 10 and 12 percent fat content. But there’s also “22/24”, cocoa powder with a fat content of between 22 and 24 percent.

Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder

Originally, Van Houten processed his cocoa with alkaline salts. This alkaline cocoa powder came to be called “Dutch processed” cocoa. Dutch processed cocoa has been treated with an alkali which helps neutralize cocoa’s natural bitterness. It’s a richer, darker and slightly milder powder that is perfect for hot cocoa and other chocolate beverages. Dutch processed cocoa powder has a darker color, a more alkaline pH, and is easier to blend into liquids than non-Dutch processed cocoa (also known as “natural” or “non-alkalized”cocoa). Natural cocoa has a strong, bittersweet flavor that is great for baking. Natural cocoa is what to use when cocoa is called for in Mexican recipes. Use three tablespoons of cocoa plus one tablespoon fat (shortening, butter, etc.) to replace a one ounce square of unsweetened chocolate. Dutch processed cocoa powder also has a milder chocolate flavor. Substituting one type of cocoa powder for the other in recipes can be difficult. The acidity levels vary enough to cause them to react differently to some chemical leavenings, such as baking soda. There are a few other varieties of cocoa powder as well, including a black cocoa

Black Cocoa Powder

powder (also known as “Black Onyx” cocoa). Black onyx cocoa powder has been alkalized to the extreme, producing a beautiful dark, purplish black cocoa that when used in baking makes for an exquisite black-as-coal colored end product. Because black onyx cocoa has less fat, it does tend to create a drier texture. When using black cocoa powder, it’s best to use a 50/50 mixture of black cocoa and Dutch cocoa to add more fat. If you do want to use 100% black onyx, then be sure to increase the fat in the recipe. This will also alleviate the dryness issue. It may take you a few tries to get it right, but the outcome will be phenomenal once you do.  The first time I ever had black cocoa was from a product I had at Trader Joe’s which I highly recommend.  They are Black Cocoa Covered Almonds.  First the almonds are dipped in dark chocolate and then they are covered in the black cocoa.  A delicious snack and packed full of antioxidants!

Hershey Special Dark Cocoa

There’s also a controversy about Dutch processed cocoa these days. Perhaps a decade ago, Dutch processed saw a rise in popularity within the United States. It was all the rage among many famous chefs, and a lot of recipes called for its use and it became much easier to find. More recently, however, Dutch process cocoa has fallen out of favor. It’s been claimed that the Dutch processed is used to cover up a cocoa powder made from beans of inferior quality. I’m not sure if this is true, but currently there is no way to tell otherwise unless the company specifies the beans being used. One thing I can advise against is using the Hershey’s Special Dark Dutch Processed Cocoa. They reformulated the brand and started adding salt to the cocoa. So there’s a cocoa powder for all of your cooking, baking and confectionery needs. Experiment, learn and taste the difference each variety of cocoa can bring to your table.

Mexican Hot Chocolate in a Jar

Ingredients:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered vanilla
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups powdered milk

Directions:
Combine and blend ingredients in a small bowl. Place in an airtight jar. For a nice added touch for a gift, add a small wooden scoop and/or a molinillo with a ribbon.  Don’t forget to attach the directions!

Attach these instructions to the jar:

Mexican Hot Chocolate:

For a frothier hot chocolate, mix in a blender or use a molinillo for an authentic creation.

Mexican Hot Chocolate in a Jar

First off…welcome to the new site! What do you think of it?  I’d love to know. Send me an email or comment.

Second, don’t forget to vote for me for the Anthony Bourdain contest.  Voting has been embarrassingly low with the amount of readers and followers I have.  Get to it people! Vote.  You can vote once a day for the rest of the month!  Tell your friends too! Anyone in the world can vote.

Annie's Old Beach

It is going to be another scorcher in Chicago.  Heat index will be between 100-108.  Am I in Phoenix? Right now I wish I still lived on the Indiana-Michigan border a mere 5 houses from my own private beach.  How spoiled was I? Today would be a day to hit the beach in the morning and then again after dinner with lots of hydration and a nap in between. We do have beaches in Chicago which surprises a lot of people.  Nice beaches.  Not the same though. I used to live in a small building just behind those two red high rises. I’ve been very lucky.

Chicago's Lakefront

I’m upset about the casualties of this heatwave. Not only the people who have no shelter, but for my dozens of chocolate bars that had to make for the refrigerator.  Chocolate does not like to be put in the refrigerator or freezer.  Heat, cold, frozen…it doesn’t like any of that.  I guess chocolate is more of a Northern California/Pacific kind of resident.  It doesn’t like extremes.

Unhappy Chocolate (Bloom)

When it gets this hot I don’t even like to eat.  I make sure everything is cold.  Breakfast was just some puffed brown rice cereal with amaranth milk and a side of strawberries.  Lunch is a cold turkey burger left from last night with a salad.  Not sure about dinner yet.  But my snack?  I’ve got that covered too.  I found this recipe today on Healthy Delicious.  She always has recipes that interest me. What’s this one for?  Frozen Hazelnut Hot Chocolate!  I have everything in my pantry.  I’m ready to go.  I’m going to use my handy martini mixer cup thing for this…shaken, not stirred.  Think of me sweltering in this Chicago heat while you enjoy your Frozen Hazelnut Hot Chocolate.  Says it serves 2, but I’m pretty sure it’s just going to serve me!

Frozen Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

Serves 2 (or me)

Ingredients:
3 tablespons sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups skim milk (I’m using a grain “milk”)
1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoons hazelnut spread, such as Nocciolata (I’m using Nutella)
1 tray ice cubes (about 12 cubes)

Directions:
Add the sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and hazelnut spread to a blender. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the ice and blend until the mixture is slushy.

Frozen Hazelnut Hot Chocolate (Photo Courtesy of Healthy Delicious)