Author: Chocolate Covered Weekly

Add pretzel legs to REESE’S Peanut Butter Pumpkins and garnish with candy eyes. Part recipe, part quick Halloween craft, these pretzel spiders use HERSHEY’S MIlk Chocolate Chips to boost the flavor and fun.

Ingredients:

8                REESE’S Peanut Butter Pumpkins (1.2 oz each)
32              large pretzel twists (2-1/2 to 3 in)
1/4 cup    HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Chips, HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (this amount of                                                                              chocolate will make about 8 spiders)
candy eyes

Directions:

Equipment Needed:
Tray or Cookie Sheet
Wax Paper
Microwave-Safe Bowl
Microwave
Measuring Cup
Rubber Scraper
Food Storage Bag

1. Line tray or cookie sheet with wax paper. Remove wrappers from desired number of peanut butter pumpkins. For each spider, cut 8 matching curved sections from pretzels which will form the legs. Set aside remaining pretzels pieces.

2. Place milk chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium (50%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at medium an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and smooth when stirred. Transfer to small heavy duty plastic food storage bag. Cut off one corner of bag about 1/4 inch from the tip.

3. For each spider, place peanut butter pumpkin on prepared tray. Attach pretzel legs and candy eyes to spider with melted chocolate. Allow chocolate to set before moving spiders.

As posted on Hersheyland.com

Nutritionist Brittany Gordon shares a tasty snack idea for your kids’ school lunches.

Chocolate Sunflower Energy Bars

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sunflower seed butter (melted)
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cup Rice Krispies-type cereal
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
28 grams dark chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand to keep it nut safe)

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine melted sunflower butter, maple syrup, ginger and ground cinnamon until well combined. Then gently fold in the rice cereal and sunflower seeds.

2. Line an 8 x 8 casserole dish with parchment paper making sure the parchment comes up and over the sides to make it easy to pull out later.

3. Press the rice cereal mixture into the prepared dish. To keep your hands clean, place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on top and press down to even out the mix. Be sure to really press down to make sure the mixture sticks together.

4. Put your dark chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for no more than 30 seconds at a time, until the chocolate has melted. Using a spoon drizzle chocolate all over the top of the Rice Krispies mixture, get creative with it.

5. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, then slice into 6 bars.

Pro tip: Double the batch and save yourself snack prep for a couple of weeks. These delicious bars will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge or two months in the freezer. Serves six.

As posted on CBC.ca

 

Convert your kitchen into a chocolatier’s heaven and wow family and friends with smoky chocolate brownies. These delicious brownies are coated in rich chocolate and topped with smoked paprika and salt.

Ilse’s Double Chocolate Brownies with Smoked Paprika & Salt

You’ll need:

230g butter; 375g sugar; 125g cocoa powder; 10ml smoked paprika, plus extra for sprinkling; 2,5ml salt; 5ml vanilla extract; 3 XL eggs; 100g cake flour; 100g walnuts, roughly chopped; 80g coffee flavored dark chocolate; smoked salt, for sprinkling

How to:

Preheat the oven to 170°C and position the rack in the lower third of the oven. In a medium pot over low heat, melt the butter (do not boil).

When completely melted, remove from the heat and add the sugar, cocoa powder, paprika and salt to the warm pot. Stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed, then add the vanilla and one egg at a time, mixing very well between the additions of each egg.

When the mixture is thick and glossy, stir in the flour (no need to sift) until no streaks remain, then keep stirring for exactly 40 strokes.

Now stir in the chopped walnuts. Line a 30x20cm baking tin with non-stick baking paper, then transfer the brownie mixture into the lined tin, edging it evenly into all corners.

Bake for 20-22 minutes until the middle is risen but still very soft (it must look slightly under-baked), then remove from the oven to cool completely.

For the top layer, break the chocolate into smaller blocks and melt in a small bowl in the microwave at 30-second increments until fully melted. Pour over the brownies, then spread evenly all over.

Sprinkle lightly with smoked salt flakes and some smoked paprika, then cut into bars/ squares when the chocolate has firmed up.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Created by Ilse van der Merwe, as the perfect indulgence with a glass of Roodeberg, as posted on SouthCoastHerald.co.za

 

You don’t need to be a professional chocolatier to make beautiful tempered chocolate. Achieving its signature shiny, crisp finish may take a few attempts to master, but some common kitchen tools and a little patience can go a long way. Before you know it, you’ll be making confections worthy of a high-end candy counter.

How to Temper Chocolate

Time: 30 to 35 minutes
Cost: $15
Difficulty: Hard

Materials

1 large bar of premium baking dark chocolate

Tools

Large serrated knife
A saucepan, double boiler, or microwave-safe bowl
A spatula
A food thermometer
(Optional) A large bowl of lukewarm water

Instructions

1. Chop up the chocolate. Use a large serrated knife. Set one third of the chopped chocolate aside.

Note: Avoid using chocolate chips. They often have additives that will help them hold their shape during baking, but will disrupt the tempering process.

2. Melt the chocolate on low heat. You can do this in a microwave, a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water, or a double boiler. Stirring constantly is key, as it’ll prevent the chocolate from burning as it heats up, or solidifying as it cools down.

Pro tip: Use a spoon or spatula, as a whisk will add too much air into the mixture and keep the cocoa butter crystals from packing tightly together.
Warning: Don’t place a pot lid over your chocolate—this will cause any steam coming off of the chocolate to condense and drip back into it. Even the smallest amount of water can ruin a batch of melted chocolate.
3. Very carefully, heat your melted chocolate to 115 degrees Fahrenheit while stirring constantly. A couple degrees above or below this temperature is okay, but don’t let it exceed 120 degrees.

Pro tip: Be sure to use a thermometer that can accurately measure low temperatures—in the 80- to 90-degree range—as well as high ones. “A human thermometer actually works the best. You’re at really low temperatures for most things in the kitchen,” says food scientist Pat Polowsky, who currently works for Walmart’s health and wellness division.
4. Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the unmelted chocolate you put aside earlier.

5. Stir and monitor the chocolate until it reaches 84 degrees. This could take as long as 15 minutes. Be patient and don’t stop stirring.

Warning: “Never put [the melted chocolate] in the fridge—that’s a cardinal sin in chocolate-making,” Polowsky cautions. “If you put tempered chocolate in the fridge, even though it’s not melting, these [weaker] crystals will slowly form over time.”
6. (Optional) Dunk the bottom of your melting vessel into lukewarm water. If warm weather is giving you trouble lowering the melted chocolate’s temperature, this will speed up the process. Just make sure no water comes in contact with the chocolate itself.

7. Heat the chocolate again. Use low heat and monitor its temperature carefully. When it reaches 88 degrees, remove it from the heat source. Your melted chocolate is now ready to pipe, dip, spread, and mold.

If your end result doesn’t come out as planned, don’t fret—you can always re-melt it and restart the tempering process. And even if you aren’t satisfied with its appearance, poorly tempered chocolate still tastes great. This process is about adjusting the chocolate’s appearance and heat resilience, and doesn’t compromise the flavor at all.

So, what is “tempering” anyway?
Tempering is the process of using heat to break down the cocoa butter crystals in chocolate and then allowing only the strongest and most stable ones to re-form.

The cocoa butter in chocolate exists in several different types of crystals, which break apart at different temperatures. Tempering starts by thoroughly melting the chocolate to break up all the crystals and then cooling the mixture just enough to let only the strongest ones form again. When they do, they take a shape similar to a tuning fork.

As published on PopularScience.com.

It contains one of Vital Proteins’ chocolate powders, chocolate almond milk, maca berry, cinnamon, matcha, and spinach, with a few daily variants like banana and berries.

The smoothie consists of:

Vital Proteins Chocolate Collagen Powder or Chocolate Vital Performance Protein Powder
Chocolate almond milk
Cinnamon
Maca berry
Cacao
Matcha powder
Spinach

She’ll sometimes switch it up by throwing in a banana and handful of berries. “The chocolate-flavored Vital Performance Protein is also made with collagen and is my latest obsession,” she said. “It’s so filling, and it tastes like I just indulged.”

Rich, chocolaty, and so very festive, this chocolate cake with ganache frosting is worthy of a party. Ganache has many applications in pastry, and here Chef Paola Velez uses it to make the silky-smooth frosting to top her chocolate cake. If you’re making the sprinkles from scratch, remember to start one day ahead so they can dry overnight.

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Cake;

⅔ cup olive oil, plus more for the pan
1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (40 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons (40 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Pinch of kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache:

5 ounces roughly chopped dark chocolate (not above 64% cacao)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Pinch of salt

Additional Ingredients:

Homemade Sprinkles (see recipe below) or store-bought, for garnish

• • • • • • •
Directions:

Make the cake
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with 1 3/4 to 2-inch high sides with olive oil. Line bottom of pan with a parchment paper round and lightly brush with oil.

Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Add coffee, yogurt, vanilla, and 2/3 cup olive oil and whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and, using a whisk, mix batter until fully combined. Switch to a rubber spatula to scrape down sides of bowl and fold the batter a few more times to fully combine until flour is fully incorporated.

Step 3
Pour batter into prepared cake pan; tap cake pan once on a work surface to release any bubbles. Bake cake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes; let cool in pan. Run a small offset spatula or a table knife around edge of pan to release cake. Invert cake onto a plate and peel off parchment paper.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache
Step 4
Place chocolate in a medium mixing bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine cream, corn syrup, and salt; heat, stirring occasionally, until just starting to simmer and is warm to touch; pour cream mixture over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk to create a smooth chocolate ganache; let stand at room temperature until ganache thickens into a shiny, pudding-like frosting, about 30 minutes.

Step 5
When ready to serve, spread ganache over top of cake and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Cut slices with a knife dipped in warm water and wiped dry.

Homemade Sprinkles
To make your own sprinkles for the cake, start one day in advance, and be sure to have access to a cool, dry place to dry the sprinkles. Use cocoa powder to color and flavor chocolate sprinkles or omit the cocoa powder and use natural food coloring for rainbow sprinkles.

2 cups confectioner’s sugar; 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (optional); 1 ½ tablespoons meringue powder; 3 tablespoons water, or more; Natural food coloring (optional)

1. Sift confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder (if using) into a large bowl. Whisk in meringue powder. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in water, tablespoon by tablespoon, until a smooth, shiny, and spreadable texture is achieved. Stir in desired food coloring, if using. Add mixture to a piping bag and cut off 1/16-inch from tip to create a very small hole, equivalent to the tip of a pencil.

2. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, pipe long strands lengthwise. Allow to dry at room temperature until hardened, about 24 hours. Once fully dried, break apart with hands to create 1- to 2-inch shards.

Recipe posted on FoodAndWine.com

Making fudge with just two ingredients: chocolate and dates. It’s a soak, melt and blend situation. Joy Bauer prefers using semi-sweet chocolate chips for a sweeter fudgy experience, but if you’re a dark chocolate fan, you can use chips with a higher percentage of cacao (she recommends 60 to 70%). Choose to be a purist and leave the treat plain or add extra flair by incorporating all sorts of goodies to the batter — from roasted, chopped nuts (walnuts, peanuts, pecans) to swirled nut butter to shredded coconut — you’re the judge of your fudge.

Ingredients:

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 heaping cup Medjool pitted dates (about 6 ounces or 12 dates)

Preparation:
1.Line an 8- by 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on each side for easy removal, and set aside.

2.Soften the pitted dates by soaking them in 2 cups boiling water for 15 minutes (making sure the dates are fully submerged). Remove dates from water and add to a blender, along with 3/4 cup of the leftover soaking water. Puree in the blender until the consistency is a smooth paste (remove any hard pieces, as sometimes a few small pit remnants remain, and they can really hurt your teeth).

3.While dates are soaking, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stopping and stirring every 20 seconds until they are velvety smooth (about 2 minutes total).

4.Add the pureed dates to the melted chocolate and combine. Pour evenly into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top using the back of a spoon or rubber spatula. Sprinkle optional sea salt over the top, if preferred. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Remove and slice into 15 to 18 pieces (three rows lengthwise and five to six horizontally). Store in fridge for up to a week.

TECHNIQUE TIP: Buy “pitted” dates for convenience, as it saves the step of manually removing the pits by hand.

SWAP OPTION: You can add preferred extras into the batter or on top, such as chocolate chips, roasted-chopped nuts, shredded coconut, a swirl of nut butter, etc.

As posted on Today.com.