Search the Community

Satsuma Rum Sorbet with Shaved Dark Chocolate 1 c cwater 1 c sugar 1 T corn syrup 3/4 c juice from satsuma oranges (6-8 satsumas) 2 strips of zest from oranges 1 jigger of dark rum 2 T shaved dark chocolate 1. Bring sugar, water, corn syrup and orange zest to light boil over medium heat. 2. Remove orange zest strips from syrup. 3. Cool syrup in ice bath. 4. Stir orange juice into syrup mixture. Make sure it is well combined. 5. Freeze in your Ice Cream machine as per manufacturer's directions. 6. When mixture is starting to get thick, add the jigger of dark rum slowly and then the shaved chocolate. 7. Let combine in the machine. 8. Pour out into airtight container and freeze to desired firmness. Keywords: Dessert, Ice Cream, Ice Cream Maker ( RG539 )

Chocolate Marble Cake One of those classic cakes deserving of resurrection! Best if just thinly iced with your favorite ganache. 3 oz Unsweetened chocolate, melted 1/4 c sugar 1/4 c boiling water 1/4 tsp baking soda 3 c sifted cake flour 3 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 6 oz butter, softened 2 c sugar 1 c milk 1 tsp vanilla 6 egg whites Spray two 9" round cake pans and line bottom with parchment. Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine melted chocolate with the 1/4 cup sugar and boiling water. Add baking soda and stir until thickened. Cool. Sift flour once before measuring then add baking powder and salt and sift three times more. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until white and fluffy. Add flour alternately with milk beating until smooth after each addition. Add vanilla. Beat egg whites to moist peaks. Stir quickly but thoroughly into batter. Pour half of batter into another bowl and add chocolate mixture. With ice cream scoop (or large spoon) alternate light and dark batters then marbleize by cutting through batters with knife. Bake for approximately 35 minutes. Keywords: Dessert, Cake ( RG482 )

Thomas Haas Chocolate Sparkle Cookies This was published in the LA times so I don't think it is a copyright infringement of any sort. 1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate (TH recommends Valrohna if you can find it) 3 T butter, room temp 2 eggs 1 T honey 1/3 c sugar, plus more for rolling 3/4 c ground almonds 2 tsp cocoa powder pinch of salt powdered sugar for garnish Melt chocolate on top of a double boiler, over (but not in contact with) simmering water. Cut butter into small pieces and mix into the heated chocolate until melted. Beat eggs with mixer, gradually adding the sugar and honey until light & the mixture falls in thick, smooth ribbons from the beaters (about 10 minutes). Fold into the chocolate-butter mixture. Add the cocoa powder and salt to the ground almonds & mix; gently add to the chocoate mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a small ice cream scoop to form the dough into 1 inch balls. Working quickly, roll the balls in granulated sugar. Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 12 minutes, until the centres are most, but not wet. Cool slightly. Dust lightly with powdered icing sugar. Makes 36 cookies. Keywords: Cookie, Chocolate, Dessert, The Daily Gullet ( RG459 )

Extra-chocolatey brownies 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped 4 oz butter 1-1/2 c sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt 1 c all-purpose flour chopped or broken nuts (optional) chocolate chips (optional) Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave at 50%. Stir in the sugar, then the eggs, the vanilla, the salt and the flour. Add as much nuts and chocolate chips as you like. Scrape into an 8x8 to 9x13 (depending on how thin and crusty you want them) baking dish lined with a piece of parchment that overhangs. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until firm around the edges and beginning to congeal in the center, but still soft. (Begin checking at 25 minutes.) When completely cold, lift by the paper from the dish onto a cutting board, and cut with a French knife. Variation I have always been a person who favors the 'filet' over the crusty exterior pieces. I discovered when I had no working oven for an extended period of time that you can steam brownies (works best with no nuts or chips). When they are cold, they can be cut into small pieces (they are very rich, rivalling the best flourless chocolate cake) and plated with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, raspberry coulis, etc Keywords: Dessert, Brownies/Bars ( RG442 )

Elizabeth's Extreme Chocolate Lover's Cake Mmmmm rich, dense, chocolatey goodness. Not for the faint of heart! CAKE: 2-1/4 c all-purpose flour, sifted 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 6 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1/2 c unsalted butter 2-1/2 c dark brown sugar 3 eggs 1-1/2 T vanilla extract 1 c sour cream 1 c water FROSTING: 6 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1/4 c unsalted butter 1 egg yolk 4 c confectioners' sugar 2 T vanilla extract 2 T heavy cream 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened GANACHE: 2 c bittersweet chocolate chips 1 c heavy cream Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the top of a double boiler, heat 6 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. 2 In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. 3 Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. 4 Make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: In the top of a double boiler, heat 6 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. In a large bowl, whip the butter for about 10 minutes until it is super fluffy, beat in egg yolk. Gradually blend in the confectioners' sugar, alternating with 2 tablespoons vanilla and 2 tablespoons cream, then blend in the melted chocolate. Beat in the softened cream cheese. 5 Make the Ganache: In a large saucepan, combine chocolate chips and 1 cup heavy cream. Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside. 6 Assemble the cake: When cake is completely cooled, cover the bottom cake layer with as much ganache as desired. Refrigerate for 5 minutes, or until ganache has set. Spread frosting over the ganache. Cover with top layer of cake. Frost top and sides with buttercream, and garnish with more ganache and fresh raspberries if you like! Keywords: Dessert, American, Intermediate, Chocolate, Cake ( RG431 )

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies! Serves 15 as Dessert. These are my all-time favorite chocolate chip cookies! They're big, fat, and chewy--and finally you can eat just one, they are just that big and satisfying! This recipe is adapted from the Cook's Illustrated version, only with some minor adjustments to my taste. Enjoy! 2 c all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 c unsalted butter, melted 1 c packed brown sugar 1/2 c white sugar 1 T vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk 2 c semisweet chocolate chips 1. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 2. Stir together melted butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla. Add egg, then the yolk. Stir in dry ingredients, then fold in chocolate chips until incorporated. Refrigerate dough until firm (at least 30 minutes). 3. Drop 1/4 cup sized "puck-shaped" mounds of dough onto baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for approximately10-12 minutes or ONLY until the edges begin to turn golden. (They'll look underdone, but trust me, they're perfect)! Cool and enjoy! Yields about 12-15 BIG cookies! Keywords: Dessert, American, Easy, Chocolate, Cookie ( RG430 )

Chocolate Fudge Frosting This sweet frosting is a favorite with children and anyone who likes condensed milk. It's perfect for Brownstone Front Cake. 1/2 pt sweetened condensed milk (normal size can) 3 oz unsweetened chocolate 2 oz unsalted butter 1 egg yolk 1. Melt chocolate, add condensed milk. Stir until blended. 2. Add butter, cut into small pieces. Stir until thickened slightly. 3. Add egg yolk , Stir until blended. Allow frosting to cool. It will thicken upon standing. If it gets too thick, add a little coffee or water to thin it to spreading consistency. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Chocolate ( RG427 )

Chocolate Mousse 1-1/2 c whipping cream 3 T sugar 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 c chocolate syrup 3 T cocoa maraschino cherries and mint for garnish In a well chilled mixing bowl, beat cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla and mix until stiff peaks form. Fold in the syrup and cocoa. Divide into 6 parfait glasses and chill for at least two hours. Garnish with cherries and mint if you like. Keywords: Dessert ( RG421 )

Chocolately Chewy Brownies 3/4 c cocoa powder 3/4 c shortening 2-1/4 c sugar 4 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1-1/4 c flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 c chopped walnuts or pecans 1 chocolate bar (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. Melt shortening in a large saucepan over low heat, then stir in cocoa. Remove from heat. Mix in sugar and vanilla then mix in eggs one at a time. Stir in remaining ingredients stir in nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into 2x2" squares Keywords: Dessert, Brownies/Bars ( RG408 )

Chocolate Glaçage YIELD: approx. 4.4#/ 2000g This yields a lot, so I usually cut it in half, though it stores well and is easy to warm and use from the cold state 32 g sheet gelatin 160 g water, cold 560 g heavy cream 130 g water 840 g granulated sugar 280 g cocoa powder 1. Bloom gelatin in first measurement of cold water. Reserve. 2. In a large saucepan, combine cream, second measurement of water, and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook to 103ºC/217ºF. 3. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder, followed by bloomed gelatin and any unabsorbed water. 4. Process with an immersion blender. Allow to cool to 40ºC/104ºF before glazing, or chill completely for later use. ... . ( RG352 )

Claire's Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Serves 48. 1-3/4 c plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 tablesoon salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 5-1/2 oz cold butter 3/4 c packed light brown sugar 1/2 c granulated sugar 1 large egg, cold 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips Arrange oven racks in the upper and middle positions of the oven. Heat the oven to 375ºF. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. Using a KitchenAid or very strong mixer with paddle, beat together cold butter, egg and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Add chocolate chips. Do not overbeat -- stir only until well-mixed. Drop rounded measuring teaspoons of dough about 2 inches apart onto two ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375. Keywords: Dessert, Cookie ( RG351 )

Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Serves 30. These cookies are the pinnacle of perfection! If you want a big, fat, chewy cookie like the kind you see at bakeries and specialty shops, then these are the cookies for you! " Remember to chill the dough first, to avoid spreading 2 c all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 c unsalted butter, melted 1 c packed brown sugar 1/2 c white sugar 1 T vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk 2 c semisweet chocolate chips 1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. 2 Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. 3 In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart. 4 Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Keywords: Dessert, Cookie ( RG350 )

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Chocolate Chip Cookies like Mrs. Fields makes -- These cookies are a combination of oatmeal and chocolate chip. They are very rich, but very tasty. The recipe was obtained from a friend of a friend, who supposedly paid a large amount of money for it. However, the cookies do not taste exactly the same as the name brand. Yield: approximately 60. A blender works very well to powder blender chops the oatmeal finer than a chocolate bar should melt at the touch the oats and the chocolate bar. The food processor. The powdered of your fingers. I prefer my cookies just barely done, so that they remain chewy. If you want to send your taste buds into heaven, butter the cookies as they come out of the oven (still hot), and eat them still warm with a glass of cold milk. Note that cocoa is not the same thing as a shredded chocolate bar. Note also that oatmeal is not the same thing as quick-cooking oats or instant oatmeal. Oatmeal means "rolled oats," such as Quaker oats. 2 c Butter 2 c Sugar (granulated, white) 2 c Brown sugar (dark brown) 4 lg Eggs 2 tsp Vanilla extract 4 c Flour (sift before measuring) 5 c Rolled oats (oatmeal), powdered finely 1 tsp Salt 2 tsp Baking soda 2 tsp Baking powder 24 oz Chocolate chips 8 oz Chocolate bar, finely grated 3 c Chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts, but use your favorite) 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream together the butter and the sugars. 2. Sift together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder and shredded chocolate bar. Add eggs and vanilla to creamed sugar and butter, then mix all ingredients together. Mix chocolate chips and nuts into mixture. 3. Drop by onto ungreased cookie sheet in small drops. Bake 6 minutes or until done. ( RG332 )

The Neiman-Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie From the Neiman-Marcus website, with permission. 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened 1 c brown sugar 3 T granulated sugar 1 egg 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1-3/4 c flour 1-1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, slightly crushed 8 oz semisweet chocolate chips 1. Cream the butter with the sugars until fluffy. 2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract. 3. Combine the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. 4. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for a crispier cookie. Makes 12 to 15 large cookies Keywords: Cookie ( RG262 )

Chocolate Cheese Cups Serves 24 as Dessert. 8 oz cream cheese 1/3 c sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1/8 tsp salt 1 c chocolate chips 1-1/2 c flour 1/4 c cocoa 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 c sugar 1/3 c oil 1 c water 1 tsp vinegar 1 tsp vanilla Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake paper. Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside. Mix dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, soda, salt, sugar) in large bowl. Stir in oil, vinegar, water and vanilla. Mix well. Spoon batter into muffin tins. Spoon cheese batter evenly over chocolate batter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. ( RG252 )

The Ubiquitous Chocolate Eclair Cake Don't knock it 'til you try it. 1 pkg graham crackers (16 oz) 2 pkg vanilla pudding mix (the small ones) 3-1/3 c milk 1 pkg Cool Whip (16 oz size) 1 pkg Chocolate Frosting (16 oz carton) Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with graham crackers. In a large bowl, combine the milk and vanilla pudding. Beat until slightly thick. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread a layer of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Alternate the graham cracker and pudding layers up to the top of the pan. Heat the container of prepared frosting (uncovered) in the microwave for about 1 minute on half power. Spoon over the top of the cake and spread to edges. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours before serving. Keywords: Dessert ( RG243 )

Chocolate Chip Cookies With Pudding Serves 36 as Dessert. This is one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes I've found. The secret is the instant pudding mix. Stick with vanilla pudding mix or get creative and use butterscotch pudding mix and butterscotch chips. 2-1/4 c flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1 c butter (softened) 3/4 c brown sugar 1/4 c white sugar 3.4 oz package vanilla instant pudding mix 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 12 oz bag Nestle Tollhouse Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips Preheat oven to 375. Mix flour, salt, soda and set aside. Cream together butter, sugars, eggs, pudding mix and vanilla. Beat well. Slowly stir in dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let cool. Keywords: Easy, Chocolate, American, Snack, Cookie ( RG242 )

Buttermilk Chocolate Fudge Cake Initially posted by Toby. Re-posted by Sandra Levine, with the quote, "Here's a recipe that I made a couple of weeks ago. It's a recipe that Toby posted. Even though I overbaked it, it was still delicious." 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled 8 oz unsalted butter, softened 1-3/4 c packed dark brown sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1-1/2 c all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt 1 c buttermilk, at room temperature Beat butter till light and fluffy. Beat in brown sugar at high speed, till well blended and light, about 8 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time and then the chocolate and vanilla. Sift together the dry ingredients and then beat 1/3 of them into the chocolate mixture. Add 1/3 of the buttermilk. Repeat 2 more times. Scrape batter into buttered and floured 10" springform pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 1 hr. and 10 minutes. Really good with ganache and whipped cream. Keywords: Dessert, Chocolate, Easy, American ( RG160 )

Chocolate Cake with boiled frosting This recipe comes from my great grandmother. Any notes in quotes come direction from a 70+ year old recipe card, hand written in beautiful cursive with a fountain pen. 1-1/2 c butter 2 c sugar 2 eggs 1 c buttermilk 1 tsp baking soda 2/3 c cocoa 2-1/4 c flour 1 c cream 1 c sugar cocoa Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, "beat well." Add buttermilk "beat well." Add baking soda, dissolved in "a tidge" of hot water. Add cocoa, which has been mixed with 1/2 cup boiling water. Add flour, "beat well." Makes three 9" layers, one 9x13 or a number (depending on how full you fill them) cupcakes. Bake at 350 F until done; don't overbake. Frosting Mix 1 cup sugar with enough cocoa "so it looks right." Stir in cream. Cook over med. low heat to soft ball stage. Remove from heat, and beat by hand "with wooden spoon" until amost spreaking consistency. If you beat it too long, and are frosting layer cakes, it will be too hard on the top layer. If too hard, beat in a drop or two of hot water. Advice on frosting. At least 1.5 the recipe because you will want to have plenty of frosting -- enough to lick the pan. Keywords: Dessert, Intermediate, American ( RG128 )

Chocolate Milk Serves 1. A classic childhood treat. The first recipe ever to go into the archive way back in the pre-alpha days when the whole thing looked like total crap. 12 fl oz milk 3 T chocolate syrup Pour half of the milk into a tall glass. Add the chocolate syrup and stir vigorously until combined. Add the remaining milk and stir to combine. Keywords: Easy ( RG101 )

i have a chocolate recipe for which I use cocoa powder. I would like to make a vanilla version but don't know what substance to use to substitute for the "powder" which adds considerable volume. I do not want to use solid chocolate. Any ideas? Thanks!

My whinging is centered around purchasing couveture. O.K., I'm a small player artisan chocolates and pastries, a retail shop/production facility of under 950 sq ft. When it comes to chocolate, Vancouver is a Belgian town, people consider only Belgian chocolate to be "the best". I, being Swiss, beg to differ and have gone to great lengths to obtain and use "X", a Swiss couveture. For the first year, I was getting my couveture through "Y" a large and reputable baking and pastry supplier here in B.C.. "Y" was breaking the 10 kg cases into 4, 2.5 kg pouches and selling them by the pouch. Taking full advantage of my 12 year relationship with "Y" in my previous business, I was able to obtain a $3.00/kg price reduction provided I order in multiple full cases. A year later I was ordering in 50 and 60 kg shipments but try as I might, could not get any further price reductions. In fact, I would have to listen to, and call "Y"'s bluff every time they told me that "Prices have gone up". Always called the bluff, always won, but never got further price reductions. By January of this year I called "X"in Toronto and manged to wrangle an appointment with thier Western Canada sales rep. By committing to a set quantity over a 12 mth period I would get my couveture direct from Toronto at set prices. Problem was, they gave me prices virtually identical to "Y"'s prices--less than $1.00/kg difference. (Well, whadja expect? They treat "Y" like a regional distributer, they wouldn't let a small guy like me mess up their pricing structure...) What the hey, it was a bit cheaper, but more importantly I would be building a relationship with the Canadian branch of "X". So mid January we ordered over 120 kgs of product, expected delivery time: 3 weeks. February comes, and goes, I have to order through "Y" to get product for Valentine's day. March comes, and goes, no delivery I gt ticked off, I ask where my product is. I'm told they're "still processing my information". Well, geez, it's not like I'm adopting a baby, how much time do you need? When will I get my shipment? April 12th, I'm told. Fine, I say, I missed out on Valentine's day, now I'll miss out on Easter. April 12th comes, and goes--no couveture. I raise he**, April 15th I get my order, only problem is, out of the 4 types of couvetures I ordered, they "substituted" the 54% with a 52%. No notification, no explanations no apologies. O.K, O.K. punishment of the "original sin" of being small, l know. Thing is, I haven't had such royal treatment since "Freshie week" in grade 9 when I was in high school.... By end of May our stock is running low and it's time to order again, about the same quantity. I ask for a delivery date. June 8th I'm told. June 8th comes, and June 8th goes, no couveture. On the 9th I get the invoice via Canada Post. I make inquiries with Toronto . No reply from my sales rep, no reply from the Sales director. I try the shipping dept.: "Oh, that order was shipped out, we heard from the transport company in Vancouver, they tried to deliver, but you were closed that day." Yes, Virginia, Monday's we are closed. But that little golden nugget of information was on my credit application and customer forms,. Remember, the forms d you took 31/2 months to process? So the delivery Co. tried to deliver on the 8th. It's the 11th now, and I have no idea where the couveture is, neither the delivery co nor "X" Canada has attempted to contact me. I 've got a sinking feeling my couvture is in the back of a truck--in 28 C weather, doing the milk run for 3 days. Rant off. Time to walk the dog.....

What would you do with this flavor combination? I'm thinking of doing a caramel pairing dinner with a line of "sweet and savory" caramels that Vosges and Zingerman's paired up to produce, and that's one of them. I was planning it for dessert, and thinking of a flourless chocolate cake with a blood orange-campari sorbet and a hibiscus sauce. But I'm not sure about cake with sorbet - ice cream seems more appropriate, but can I make a blood orange ice cream? Any other ideas for this flavor combination?

We had a great time at the San Francisco Chocolate Salon and so we will also be at the Seattle Chocolate Salon in July. Just wondering who else plans on attending...make sure to stop by and say hi. I'd love to meet some fellow egulleters in person.

Hi all, I've got about a pound of unsweetened chocolate (Kennedy & Wilson - an Australian brand) that has a "best before" date of one year ago. The chocolate has always been kept in a cool part of the house, and it shows no signs of bloom. I've not tasted it because, well, it's not really meant to be eaten out of hand, but do you think it would still be fine to use in baking? I know it doesn't contain any milk solids, which would obviously shorten the shelf life, but as it is a food item, it's not going to have an indefinite shelf life. I understand that cocoa butter is a relatively stable fat, and I would think that if it's gone rancid, I'd be able to know by the smell. I'm going to be baking 3 batches of Dorie Greenspan's Chocolate Chunkers, and despite the recipe calling for only 1oz of unsweetened chocolate, I'd hate for anyone to get sick by eating a cookie containing chocolate that's one year over its "best before" date. I'm probably just being over-cautious, but better to be safe than sorry! Thanks for any advice! J.