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Chocolate Malt Ice Cream We used Horlicks malt powder 10 oz milk chocolate 8 egg yolks (told ya it was rich) 2 c heavy cream 2 c whole milk 1/4 c malt powder 2 T Bailey's Irish Cream Make a custard as usual from the cream, milk, malt powder and eggs. While still hot pour over the chocolate and stir to melt and blend. Chill and add Bailey's. Process. Keywords: Dessert, Chocolate, Ice Cream Maker, Ice Cream ( RG541 )

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 )

I'm taking my friend out for her 30th birthday. She's a major chocoholic. Any picks for the best chocolate dessert at restaurants in the city ?

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 )

A friend made me some chocolate chip cookies this morning. They are tasty, but skinny and not as chewy as I am used to. He used the Toll House recipe, I am sure there are other recipes that could give me the result I seek. Any one out there with recipes you think might be fun for me to try? Thanks!

I recently got ahold of a copy of Stephen T. Beckett's The Science of Chocolate. This is more or less an overview of his magnum opus Industrial Chocolate Manufacture and Use, which it seems is now out of print. After reading the book, I now have a good theoretical understanding of how chocolate is made. Of course, I still have no practical experience whatsoever. What I'm left wondering is, how small a scale is still practical for the end-to-end process, starting with dried fermented beans and ending with edible couverture? How much room would there be for custom production runs in a small shop? I see a lot of talk in this forum about the relative merits of different chocolates from different vendors, but don't recall anyone ever mentioning a supplier willing to work with pastry chefs to custom formulate a product with exactly the desired characteristics for a particular use. Is it simply not economically feasible to try to work in this niche? I'm guessing that the lower limit for a viable production line would be around five hundred pounds a week. Note, I have no personal interest in entering this line of business; I am just curious whether it exists, and if not, why not.

what is your favorite chocolate combination? I love chocolate with either cherries or raspberries or chocolate and mint

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 )

whats your take on pairing chocolates with wine? can it ever be a very worthwhile pairing? do you have any specific chocolate recommendations when it is to be paired with wine? (brands, cocoa percentage, etc.)

Hello everyone, I'm quite sure this topic has been addressed somewhere, but I couldn't seem to find the "best chocolate thread" when I searched. I need to find out which brand of chocolate is the best, but also affordable. I'm throwing a bridal shower in a couple of weeks and am making homemade truffles as favors. I am on a budget though, so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a brand that won't cost me an arm and a leg. With the amount of money I've already spent on the shower, I was even considering using Guittard (in my opinion, really excellent) chocolate chips for the centers, and only buying the higher quality for the coating chocolate. Would this be just--wrong??? I know E. Guittard is the good stuff, but I actually find their store bought chocolate chips to be great. I intend on making 4 different kinds of truffles, the kind being soft ganache centers coated in melted chocolate--not the firmer ones rolled in cocoa or nuts (who knows, I could change my mind though). My intended variations include: plain dark chocolate, dark chocolate-rum, milk chocolate-hazelnut (frangelico) and white chocolate raspberry. So I will need all 3 kinds of chocolate. In addition, does anyone have any ideas with the white chocolate raspberry one? The bride really wants this flavor combo, so I was thinking about trying fresh raspberry puree with just a bit of cream as opposed to, say, chambord or another liqueur for the ganache filling. I've also tried raspberry extract before and wasn't thrilled with the outcome, so I don't want to use that. Would this work? Anyone have a recipe for white chocolate-raspberry truffles? Thank you everyone! -Elizabeth

Laurie brought me a gift from Portland: a bar of 2002 Valrhona Gran Couva single-estate chocolate, which she bought at Pastaworks. The chocolate is from Trinidad. It's a 62% bar, which is not my top choice (around 70 is perfect). It's the kind of stuff Shaw was writing about in last month's Elle. Is there any place in Seattle that sells this sort of thing? Laurie said there were two other varieties at Pastworks. The best selection of vintage chocolate I've seen is at the Bon Marche in Paris, which is less than convenient. Help me become a chocolate nerd.