| Chocolate Treats for Gray January Days (Recipes) |
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By Joyce Rosencrans
Scripps Howard News Service What's cozier than a cashmere sweater? A cup of cocoa after some brisk exercise outdoors. How best to use up leftover candy canes? Crush them in a heavy plastic bag by banging the peppermint with a rolling pin, then lace the white bits through One-Bowl Peppermint Brownies. What's the fastest, most foolproof fudge this side of the holidays? Fudge quickly made with a can of sweetened condensed milk. You don't have to "cook" it; you just do some gentle melting and it turns out perfectly smooth, without grainy crystals, every time. This fixation with all things chocolate is due to the cold reality of January, when we need a little chocolate therapy. Why wait until Valentine's Day? We're stuck with more immediate realizations. For instance, there goes Santa Claus and Christmas cards. Here comes the postal equivalent of winter depression in the form of higher property tax bills for some, a flurry of financial statements for the IRS and credit-card charges as long as our gift lists. We'd better check the lists twice. Even more therapeutic than a steaming cup of cocoa would be a small pot or microwave-safe dish of warm, melted chocolate for dipping a dozen delights. If one swirls a figure eight in the chocolate with a marshmallow or Teddy Graham, then it's just plain, ol' chocolate fondue for "cream puffs." If you use pretzel rods, tortilla or potato chips -- all delicious and different with a dab of chocolate at one end -- then call it Football Fondue, as the recipe has been for macho men who wouldn't mind a little melted chocolate as one of their Super Bowl snacks. Whatever the January occasion, chocolate can make it better. Here are some suggestions for creating a topnotch, steaming cup of hot cocoa, the real thing that's cooked (not instant cocoa mix). If you want real hot chocolate instead of cocoa, blend gently melted Baker's German's sweet chocolate with heated milk and add a chocolate-dipped cinnamon stick for stirring. Make such cinnamon sticks ahead of time. Alternately dip some of the ends in white, light or dark chocolate, then decorate with contrasting chocolate squiggles and swirls. Chill to set. These stirring sticks would also please latte and cappuccino fans. But you don't have to melt bar chocolate to get a satisfying cup of hot chocolate because cocoa is the essence of chocolate, what the cacao bean is all about. Cocoa butter, the only substance that may be contained in top quality white "chocolate," more correctly called confectioners' coating, melts on the tongue, but has no chocolate flavor. Only cocoa, made from chocolate liquor of the cacao bean, contains true chocolate flavor. These two cocoa blends are for adult tastes, not for floating mini marshmallows on top: - Brazilian Mocha Cocoa: In a saucepan, combine 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, dash salt and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir in 1/2 cup hot water and cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Blend in 3-1/2 cups milk and heat to serving temperature without boiling. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla with a rotary beater.
- Spicy Mexican Cocoa: In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Blend in 1/2 cup hot water and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add 2-1/2 cups milk and 1 cup whipping cream. Heat without boiling. Stir in 1/2 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua. Taste and adjust sugar content.
Football Fondue Ingredients: 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips (see variations)
1/4 cup milk
One 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
Assorted fondue dippers (see preparation) Preparation: Place chocolate chips, milk and sweetened condensed milk in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 to 1-1/2 minutes at high power until mixture can be stirred smooth. Pour into a fondue pot or warmer, if available. Otherwise, keep returning to the microwave and reheat gently as the treat is devoured by dippers. Arm the dippers with a tray of pound cake cubes, shortbread cookies, berries, maraschino cherries with stems, sliced starfruit (cross-cut carambola), pretzels (rods or twists), tortilla chips (salted or unsalted), potato chips, crackers, Teddy grahams, dried apricots, candied citrus peel, candied pineapple or dates. Variations: Instead of semi-sweet chips, use 2 cups (1-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips or 1-2/3 cups (10 ounces) peanut butter chips. Yield: About 2-1/2 cups fondue Recipe from Hershey
Chocolate Peppermint One Bowl Brownies Ingredients: 4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts, optional
4 squares white baking chocolate, melted
Crushed peppermint candy Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 for glass baking pan). Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl on full power (high) 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir sugar into chocolate until well blended. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and nuts until well blended. Spread in greased, foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not overbake. Cool in pan. Cut into 36 pieces (2-3/4" by 1"). Drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle immediately with red-and-white peppermint candy, finely crushed. Yield: 36 fudgy brownies
Bake: 30 minutes
White Walnut Orange Fudge Ingredients: 1 pkg. (8 squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate squares
One 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk, divided (not evaporated milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 pkg. (6 squares) white baking chocolate squares (tested with Baker's premium)
1 tsp. freshly grated orange peel Preparation: Microwave semi-sweet chocolate and 3/4 cup of the canned milk in a medium microwavable bowl on high 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. (Remember that microwaved chocolate holds its shape, even though melted, so don't overheat. Always check by stirring.) Stir in vanilla and nuts. Spread in a foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Microwave white chocolate in remaining canned milk in a medium microwavable bowl on high 1-1/2 minutes or until white chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted. Stir in orange peel. Spread evenly over semi-sweet chocolate layer. Refrigerate until firm, 1-1/2 hours. Cut into squares. Yield: 4 dozen pieces
Microwave: 3-1/2 minutes (Joyce Rosencrans is home editor of the Cincinnati Post)
RESOURCES :
Hershey Chocolate
Visit the Hershey Web site for everything you ever wanted to know about chocolate and more.
Web site: www.hersheys.com
Dip Me in Chocolate
Model: 0732259134
Author: Aaron Maree
(1998)
HarperCollins
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-207-7000
Fax: 212-207-7145
A Passion for Chocolate
Model: 0696211742
Author: Meredith Books
Essentials Chocolate
Model: 0809223287
Author: Alison Inches and Ric McKown
(November, 2000)
Longstreet Press
All About Chocolate
Model: 0028622839
Author: Carole Bloom
Hungry Minds, Inc, 1998
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