Who doesn't love chocolate? (+recipes)

Celebrating that most wonderful of decadent ingredients.

Chocolate self-saucing individual puddings. Photo / Babiche Martens

Who doesn't love chocolate? There has always been a sense of luxury connected to it. Savouring the finest chocolate should be an exceptional experience. Much knowledge and effort goes into creating such a delicious product, compared to the mass-produced offerings that often taste disappointing. Try to buy the best quality chocolate you can afford, with the highest cocoa content, knowing that the end result will be considerably richer in flavour and texture.

The recipes today - a cake, muffins and a pudding - are delightful in their simplicity. There are no tricky ingredients but all the recipes are lovely for a winter's day.

Muffins can often be uninspiring, largely because some of those sold commercially are made from instant muffin mix, but if you come across lovingly made muffins with proper ingredients - and not too big - they make for a delightful accompaniment to one's morning coffee. I've added hazelnuts to this recipe because I love the flavour when combined with chocolate. Remember to fold the batter gently until just mixed so the result is soft and not overworked.

Everyone should have a perfect chocolate cake in their repertoire. This one suits me because of the lack of flour and the inclusion of ground almonds, which makes the texture short, the flavour superior and produces a cake that can be used for dessert, with a wee glass of dessert wine or port and a dollop of softly whipped cream.

A self-saucing pudding is one of the most decadent winter dessert recipes I can think of. It is really important to use dark chocolate and dark - preferably Dutch - cocoa in this recipe so the pudding is divinely decadent. Spooning through the crusty pudding top reveals a rich sauce and when paired with soft vanilla bean icecream or runny cream, the result is fantastic.

Chef's tip

I am not a great fan of the microwave. I don't own one because apart from heating up leftovers, I don't see the reason for one. But if you do, chocolate can be melted very successfully using a gentle heat and microwaving in 30 second increments until just melted, then only a slight stir is needed. Chop the chocolate first before heating.

By Amanda Laird | Email Amanda

Source

 

Chocolate and hazelnut meringue

Chocolate and hazelnut meringue: Serves six to eight.

YOU WILL NEED

175g/6oz hazelnuts, skinned and toasted
275g/9½oz icing sugar, plus extra for
dusting
110g/4oz/4 squares dark chocolate,
broken into pieces
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 egg whites
A pinch of salt
For the filling
300ml/10fl oz pouring cream
250g carton mascarpone cheese
225g/8 oz fresh raspberries
For the chocolate curls
110g/4oz/4 squares plain chocolate (at
least 70pc cocoa solids), broken into
pieces

Method

Preheat the oven to 120°C/250°F/Gas Mark ½. Line three baking sheets with non-stick parchment paper. Draw a 20cm/8in circle on each piece of paper and then turn the paper over.

Place the toasted hazelnuts in a food processor with three tablespoons of the icing sugar and process to a fine powder. Add the chocolate and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Sift the remaining icing sugar and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Whisk the egg whites with the salt in a large bowl until very stiff, but not dry.

Whisk in the combined icing sugar and bicarbonate of soda. Carefully fold in the hazelnut and chocolate mixture until well combined. This is best done in a food mixer to make sure everything is mixed in well. Divide the meringue mixture among the three circles, spreading into rounds of an even thickness using a spatula. Bake for five minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 110°C/225°F/Gas Mark ¼ and bake for a further one-and-a-quarter hours until the tops of the meringue are crisp and the inside soft like a marshmallow. Transpose the baking sheets during baking to ensure even cooking.

Slide the meringues, still on the parchment, off the baking sheet and on to wire racks and allow to cool for about one hour, or until cold, then peel off the parchment paper.

To make the filling, whip the cream in a large mixing bowl until it holds its shape, then fold in the mascarpone. Place a meringue round on a serving plate. Spread with a third of the cream mixture and raspberries. Place the second meringue on top and press down lightly. Cover with another third of the cream mixture and raspberries. Position the final meringue on top. Chill in the fridge for at least four hours, reserving the remaining cream mixture and raspberries for the decoration.

For the chocolate curls, place 75g/3oz/3 squares of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat gently until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate. Continue to stir until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. This will help temper the chocolate.

Pour the chocolate on to a very cold marble slab and allow to set at room temperature. If you put it in the fridge, the chocolate will lose its wonderful sheen. Holding a large sharp knife at a slight angle, carefully push the blade across the surface of the hardened chocolate to shave off long curls. Always push the blade away from you. You should end up with about 12 chocolate curls.

To serve, spoon the remaining cream mixture over the layered meringue and arrange the rest of the raspberries with the chocolate curls on top. Dust lightly with icing sugar and bring straight to the table. Cut into slices and serve.

Source

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Ferrero Rocher Chocolate Price

Recipe: Chocolate orange loaf cake

By Nigella Lawson
 

Cuts into 10-12 slices 

• 150g soft unsalted butter, plus some for greasing
• dab flavourless vegetable oil, for greasing syrup spoon
• 2 x 15ml tablespoons golden syrup
• 175g dark muscovado sugar
• 150g plain flour

• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 25g best-quality cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 large eggs
• zest of 2 regular oranges and juice of 1

KITCHEN KIT

• 1 x 900g (2lb) loaf tin

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3 and line your loaf tin with baking parchment or a paper loaf-tin liner.
2. Beat the already soft butter with the syrup – if you dab a little oil on your tablespoon measure with a sheet of kitchen roll, the syrup shouldn’t stick to the spoon – and the sugar until you have a fairly smooth caffè Americano cream, though the sugar will always have a bit of grit about it.
3. Mix the flour, bicarb and cocoa powder together, and beat into the syrup mixture 1 tablespoonful of these dry ingredients before beating in 1 egg. Then add another couple of spoonfuls of the dry ingredients before beating in the second egg.
4. Carry on beating in the remaining dry ingredients and then add, still beating, the orange zest and finally, gradually, the juice. At this stage, the batter may suddenly look dimpled as if slightly curdled. No need to panic!
5. Pour and scrape into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes, though check
6. 5 minutes before and be prepared to keep it in the oven 5 minutes longer if need be. A cake tester won’t come out entirely clean, as the point of this cake, light though it may be, is to have just a hint of inner gunge. Leave to cool a little in its tin on a wire rack, then turn out with care and leave on the rack to cool.

MAKE AHEAD NOTE The cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and store in airtight container. Will keep for 5 days total.

FREEZE NOTE The cake can be frozen, tightly wrapped in double layer of clingfilm and layer of foil, for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight at room temperature.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1335366/Recipe-Chocolate-orange-loaf-cake.html#ixzz17CKXnDvC

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Tava Tea
Green Tea - Anti Prostate Cancer Tea
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Best Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

How to Bake Muffins

Baking muffins is fairly easy - All you have to do is decide just what kind of muffins you want to bake. My muffins are very popular with the guests at our B&B. Here is what you will need. It takes around 20 minutes to make up a delicious batch of muffins. Do NOT try to bake two batches at the same time or one will come out overcooked!

You need:
* plain flour
* one large egg
* sugar
* baking powder (to make it rise)
* flavouring

This is my easy recipe for my own chocolate chip muffins (makes 12 small or 6 big ones.) Most people find this foolproof. You will need the following on your kitchen table. It really helps to assemble everything first.

* Large Mixing Bowl for the dry ingredients (My Victorian bowl is still the best!).
* Fine metal sieve
* Smaller mixing bowl for the wet ingredients (I use a pyrex bowl)
* Cup or mug for butter One teaspoon dessert spoon
* Non-Stick muffin tray with paper cases place in holes. (paper cases are MUCH easier to use and the muffins will not stick to them)
* Wooden spoon balloon whisk (or fork)
* Packet of chocolate chips (100 g)
* Good quality vanilla essence
* 8 oz milk (just over 200cc)

Measure out the following:
* 10 ounces (250g) of PLAIN FLOUR
* 3 teaspoons (15g) (heaped a little bit) of BAKING POWDER
* 1/2 teaspoon of SALT
* 3 ounces (85g) of granulated SUGAR (I use demerara sugar but white is fine too)
* Soften 3 ounces of butter in cup in oven or microwave (on low or it gets messy) just until liquid is ok

First light your oven (around 5 to 6 is best for a gas oven).

Pour the sugar and the chocolate chips into the big bowl. Sieve above the big mixing bowl on to the sugar and chocolate. chips Pour through the sieve the flour with the salt and the baking powder (I like to sprinkle salt & Baking powder over the flour so it mixes better.)

Take the balloon whisk or fork and mix well till it all looks fairly well mixed. (Do not wash the balloon whisk you will need it again now!)

Crack the egg into the smaller bowl whisk until it is pale yellow pour in the milk and whisk again till well mixed.

Take butter out of microwave. Light oven to gas mark 5 to 6 (depends on your oven!) Pour molten butter into small bowl with egg/milk mix. Whisk like crazy or the butter will solidify and go lumpy. (they will still taste good )

Whisk into wet mixture TWO teaspoons Vanilla essence. Pour wet mixture on to dry mixture and with a wooden spoon mix well - again as fast as you can.

With dessert spoon half fill paper cups in muffin tray. Top up muffin cases with mixture till it is all evenly placed in cases. Now put tray of muffins on middle shelf of oven. Set timer/watch for 11 minutes.

After 10 minutes peek into oven press on a muffin - it should be firm to the touch. If they are still soft then close oven and come back again in a couple of minutes.

Eat your yummy muffins!

I Hope you love these muffins as much as I do.
My waist shows how much that is.
Please visit my website for more recipes at http://www.squidoo.com/howtobakeacake

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Jones 


Related articles on chocolate:

• Healthy Dark Chocolate 
• We love chocolate
• Recipe for raw dark chocolate
• Why Dark Chocolate is Good For You

 

A Healthy Chocolate Fudge Recipe That Takes 5 Minutes to Make - You Heard Me Right, it is Healthy!

As a Certified Nutrition Specialist, I try my best to make tasty foods that you probably would not think were actually good for you. I have a real sweet tooth, but I also try to make them healthier than typical desserts, which are basically just junk food. The problem with a lot of desserts that are deemed to be "healthy" is that they simply improve the flavor by taking away fat and adding sugar (or using artificial sweeteners). Nothing healthy about that!

Today, I am going to share with you a chocolate- peanut- butter fudge recipe that is very easy to make. It fact, it will take only 5 minutes to bake! And, it adds no sugar or artificial sweeteners. Instead, it relies on fat sources which are healthy. (And if you don't like peanut butter, you can simply leave it out and just use chocolate)

* Extra dark chocolate bar (3-4 oz bar is good. Try for one with at least 70% cocoa content, which minimizes sugar)
* 4 or 5 Tbsp of any organic nut butter
* 2/3 to 3/4 cup of organic coconut milk
* 2 tbsp rice bran (good fiber source)
* 2 tbsp oat bran (again, more fiber)
* 1/2 cup raw pecans, almonds, or walnuts (these fats are healthy, have antioxidants, and lots of vitamins and minerals)
* 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins (not required)
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* a little stevia to lightly sweeten (stevia is a natural sweetener that has no calories)

Put the coconut milk, nut butter, and chocolate bar in a saucepan and turn the heat to the lowest level possible. Stir all the contents together, then add everything else in. Then, spread your mixture onto some waxed paper that's in a baking dish and put it in the refrigerator. You now have fudge that is much more nutritional than any other type you will find! Enjoy, and make sure to tell your friends that your trainer Brendan Harris gave you the recipe!

And, click here to check out 5 ways to get a flat stomach with no worthless diet pills or any other weight loss scams.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brendan_Harris

raw chocolate bar recipes health benefits of chocolate dark chocolate chocolate cheesecake recipe healthy dark chocolate

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A Delightfully Dense Chocolate Cake Recipe

This cake recipe is a necessity for the recipe files of all true chocoholics. When it's as easy as this one and as fabulous too, it's a total no-brainer!

Some vanilla ice cream would be proud to sit beside a piece of this cake.

Chocolate Cake

This cake is very moist and extremely easy to make.

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup margarine
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup boiling water or coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla

15-18 servings
45 minutes 5 mins prep

1. Measure all ingredients into mixing bowl.
2. Blend with electric mixer, beginning on low setting, and increasing speed until batter is of smooth consistency.
3. Pour into greased and floured cake pan (s) (1 9x13 or 3 small layer).
4. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick tests clean.
5. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool

Chocolate Meringue Pudding:

For a small pudding use one pint of milk, two tablespoonfuls and a half of cornstarch, one ounce of Walter Baker & Co.'s Chocolate, two eggs, five tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract.

Mix the cornstarch with one gill of the milk. Put the remainder of the milk on to boil in the double-boiler. Scrape the chocolate.

When the milk boils, add the cornstarch, salt, and chocolate, and cook for ten minutes. Beat the yolks of the eggs with three tablespoonfuls of sugar.

Pour the hot mixture on this, and beat well. Turn into a pudding-dish that will hold about a quart, and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven.

Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth, and gradually beat in the remaining two tablespoonfuls of sugar and the vanilla. Spread this on the

pudding, and return to the oven.

Cook for fifteen minutes longer, but with the oven-door open. Serve either cold or hot.

Flourless Chocolate Torte:

A luscious recipe for flourless chocolate torte.

A flourless chocolate torte is a dream come true: silky smooth and rich. Your guests will be impressed whether you offer the basic recipe or the more elaborate offering. They'll be begging to know how you did it!

A decadent chocolate torte for serious chocoholics! Very rich...a little slice goes a long way!

Cake

1 cup unsalted butter

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

5 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup dark corn syrup

Glaze

3/4 cup whipping cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup

10 servings

1 hour 30 minutes 30 mins prep

1. For cake: Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Butter and flour 9 inch diameter cake pan with 2 inch sides.

3. Line bottom of pan with parchment.

4. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess.

5. Stir butter and chocolate in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth.

6. Set aside.

7. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until slightly thickened.

8. Add corn syrup and beat until slowly dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted.

9. Pour chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold together gently.

10. Pour batter into prepared pan.

11. Bake until tip of knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

12. Cool completely in pan on rack.

13. Invert cake onto 7 1/2 inch cardboard round.

14. Peel off parchment.

15. Place cake on cardboard on rack set over a cookie sheet.

16. For Glaze: Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan.

17. Reduce heat to low.

18. Add chocolate; stir until melted.

19. Remove from heat; let stand until just cool.

20. Whisk in butter and syrup.

21. Pour glaze over cake; spread with spatula to cover top and sides.

22. Refrigerate cake overnight.

23. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead; cover and keep refrigerated.) Cut cake into slices.

24. Serve cold.

Flourless Chocolate Torte:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate

3 cups (6 sticks) butter, plus more for pan

12 eggs, separated

1 1/4 cups sugar, plus more for pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until smooth. In another bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks hold, about 12 minutes. Blend egg yolk-sugar mixture into melted chocolate-butter mixture. Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.

Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Dust it lightly with sugar. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake top cracks. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com

About the Author

William Smith the author provides many more delicious chocolate recipes for you free at http://www.chocolateholygrail.com (All is Free)

   

raw chocolate bar recipes  health benefits of chocolate  dark chocolate  chocolate cheesecake recipe   austin chocolate

chocolate recipe, dense chocolate recipe,chocolate meringue pudding,flourless chocolate torte

A Delightfully Dense Chocolate Cake Recipe

This cake recipe is a necessity for the recipe files of all true chocoholics. When it's as easy as this one and as fabulous too, it's a total no-brainer!

Some vanilla ice cream would be proud to sit beside a piece of this cake.

Chocolate Cake

This cake is very moist and extremely easy to make.

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup margarine
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup boiling water or coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla

15-18 servings
45 minutes 5 mins prep

1. Measure all ingredients into mixing bowl.
2. Blend with electric mixer, beginning on low setting, and increasing speed until batter is of smooth consistency.
3. Pour into greased and floured cake pan (s) (1 9x13 or 3 small layer).
4. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick tests clean.
5. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool

Chocolate Meringue Pudding:

For a small pudding use one pint of milk, two tablespoonfuls and a half of cornstarch, one ounce of Walter Baker & Co.'s Chocolate, two eggs, five tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract.

Mix the cornstarch with one gill of the milk. Put the remainder of the milk on to boil in the double-boiler. Scrape the chocolate.

When the milk boils, add the cornstarch, salt, and chocolate, and cook for ten minutes. Beat the yolks of the eggs with three tablespoonfuls of sugar.

Pour the hot mixture on this, and beat well. Turn into a pudding-dish that will hold about a quart, and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven.

Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth, and gradually beat in the remaining two tablespoonfuls of sugar and the vanilla. Spread this on the

pudding, and return to the oven.

Cook for fifteen minutes longer, but with the oven-door open. Serve either cold or hot.

Flourless Chocolate Torte:

A luscious recipe for flourless chocolate torte.

A flourless chocolate torte is a dream come true: silky smooth and rich. Your guests will be impressed whether you offer the basic recipe or the more elaborate offering. They'll be begging to know how you did it!

A decadent chocolate torte for serious chocoholics! Very rich...a little slice goes a long way!

Cake

1 cup unsalted butter

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

5 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup dark corn syrup

Glaze

3/4 cup whipping cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup

10 servings

1 hour 30 minutes 30 mins prep

1. For cake: Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Butter and flour 9 inch diameter cake pan with 2 inch sides.

3. Line bottom of pan with parchment.

4. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess.

5. Stir butter and chocolate in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth.

6. Set aside.

7. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until slightly thickened.

8. Add corn syrup and beat until slowly dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted.

9. Pour chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold together gently.

10. Pour batter into prepared pan.

11. Bake until tip of knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

12. Cool completely in pan on rack.

13. Invert cake onto 7 1/2 inch cardboard round.

14. Peel off parchment.

15. Place cake on cardboard on rack set over a cookie sheet.

16. For Glaze: Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan.

17. Reduce heat to low.

18. Add chocolate; stir until melted.

19. Remove from heat; let stand until just cool.

20. Whisk in butter and syrup.

21. Pour glaze over cake; spread with spatula to cover top and sides.

22. Refrigerate cake overnight.

23. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead; cover and keep refrigerated.) Cut cake into slices.

24. Serve cold.

Flourless Chocolate Torte:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate

3 cups (6 sticks) butter, plus more for pan

12 eggs, separated

1 1/4 cups sugar, plus more for pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until smooth. In another bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks hold, about 12 minutes. Blend egg yolk-sugar mixture into melted chocolate-butter mixture. Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.

Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Dust it lightly with sugar. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake top cracks. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com

About the Author

William Smith the author provides many more delicious chocolate recipes for you free at http://www.chocolateholygrail.com (All is Free)

   

raw chocolate bar recipes  health benefits of chocolate  dark chocolate  chocolate cheesecake recipe   austin chocolate

chocolate recipe, dense chocolate recipe,chocolate meringue pudding,flourless chocolate torte