Author: Chocolate Covered Weekly

It’s happened to just about all of us—you open up a bar of chocolate for a treat, a bag of chocolate chips to make cookies, or a tin of homemade chocolate bark, and discover that the chocolate has a weird-looking white coating. What is that stuff? And is your chocolate still safe to eat? The white coating that forms on the surface of chocolate is called bloom, and—here’s the good news—it’s perfectly safe to eat. “Though the appearance of bloom looks unappetizing—some may even mistake it for a type of mold—the chocolate is absolutely safe to consume,” says Michael Laiskonis, creative director at the Institute of Culinary Education who also oversees the school’s Chocolate Lab, which does bean-to-bar production of chocolate. There are two types of chocolate bloom—sugar bloom and fat bloom. To learn more, click HERE.

Homemade treats or gifts don’t inherently need to be very involved or require a lot of time. These two-ingredient chocolate-covered pretzels fit the bill perfectly each time: They’re sweet and savory for the best of both worlds.

INGREDIENTS:
10 to 12 ounces chocolate chips (about 2 cups), or use 1 cup each of 2 different kinds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (if using white chocolate chips without cocoa butter)
3 cups mini pretzel twists (60 to 80 twists)
Topping options:
Sprinkles
Finely chopped nuts
Shredded coconut (finely chop if in long shreds)
Flaky salt
Finely crushed peppermint hard candies
Cookie or graham cracker crumbs
Melted chocolate, for drizzling

INSTRUCTIONS:
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, wax paper, or silicone baking mats.
Place 10 to 12 ounces chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl. If using white chocolate chips without cocoa butter, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir and continue to microwave on HIGH in 30-second increments, stirring after each increment, until the chocolate is melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth.)
If you’re using two different kinds of chocolate chips, microwave 1 cup of each kind in a separate heatproof bowl until melted (use 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil with 1 cup white chocolate chips without cocoa butter).
Working with 1 mini pretzel twist at a time, drop into the chocolate and flip with a fork to coat. Lift the pretzel out of the chocolate with the fork and gently tap the handle of the fork against the top of the bowl a few times to shake the excess chocolate off. Transfer to the baking sheet (if you don’t want any chocolate puddling under the pretzel, use a toothpick to transfer the pretzel from the fork to the baking sheet).
Dip the remaining pretzels, placing them close together on the baking sheets but not touching. If you are topping the pretzels, dip in batches of 10 pretzels, then sprinkle them with the topping of choice before the chocolate coating sets. (If the chocolate cools down and becomes difficult to dip, rewarm in the microwave or on the stovetop as needed.) Let sit at room temperature until the chocolate is set, 30 minutes to 1 hour, or freeze for 8 to 10 minutes.
For a decorative chocolate drizzle, wait until the chocolate coating is set. Transfer the pretzels to a wire rack. Use a fork to drizzle melted chocolate of the opposite color (for contrast) over the pretzels in a decorative pattern. Let sit until the chocolate drizzle sets or place in the freezer to set.
RECIPE NOTES
White chocolate chips: White chocolate chips which contain cocoa butter, such as Guittard Choc-au-Lait, melt the most smoothly. If you can’t find white baking chips with cocoa butter, opt for chopped bars or discs of white chocolate instead (add the vegetable oil if it doesn’t melt smoothly). Don’t use white candy melts, which aren’t as flavorful as white chocolate.

Storage: Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

As posted on TheKitchn.com.

“If you have to chop your chocolate into smaller pieces, always sift the chopped chocolate through a strainer to get rid of any small shavings that break off,” Ryan Schmidtberger, executive chef at Hancock St. in New York City, told Food & Wine in 2022. “These little pieces can change the color of your cookie dough or batter. Read more, HERE.

Depending on what kind of recipe you’re baking, using the wrong type can majorly mess up the chemistry. Cocoa powder is an essential baking ingredient. Our brownies, cakes and cookies would be nothing without it. The thing is, though, cocoa powder also can be kind of confusing. There are two types on the shelves of most groceries stores, natural and Dutch process, and are they sometimes interchangeable ― but sometimes not! Cocoa powder is the dry, solid remains of cacao beans that have been fermented, roasted and pressed. The shade and flavor of the cocoa powder can be different based on where it’s sourced from. There’s also variation in the quality of cocoa powder depending on the beans brands use. Hershey’s, although a classic, won’t be as high quality as, say, Valhrona, which is used by professional pastry chefs. Dutch process cocoa powder is different from its natural counterpart because it’s been alkalized. Potassium carbonate is added to change the pH. The pH can deepen the flavor and mitigate some of the acidic notes that are inherent in natural cocoa powder. As a result, Dutch process cocoa powder is typically a darker hue with richer. To learn more, click HERE.

It’s hard to fathom, but it can happen — having more chocolate than you can eat. This can often occur around holidays when sweet treats are involved. Don’t worry about the chocolate getting old and wasted; there is a way to freeze the chocolate so it doesn’t go bad. There is no hard and fast timeline for when chocolate goes bad, per The Pioneer Woman. Before biting into chocolate of an unknown age, test it to see if it smells, tastes, and looks normal. If it hits all three marks, then go ahead and eat it, explains The Pioneer Woman. You can also check the chocolate’s “best by” date in order to eat it when it still tastes the best. Another rule of thumb is the more dairy a piece of chocolate contains, the shorter its short life. If the chocolate has developed white splotches, which could be a fat or sugar bloom, it’s safe to eat but just might not taste as good, per MyRecipes.com. Fat blooms occur when the temperature changes around the chocolate, and the milk fats or butter in the chocolate crystallizes. When sugar crystallizes in chocolate, sugar blooms are created. According to MyRecipes.com, the best way to store your chocolate to prevent the blooms from occurring and keep your chocolate tasting good is to freeze it, but there is a trick to doing it right.

Freezing chocolate can be done, but it’s best if done slowly. According to Taste of Home, before you even think about storing chocolate, it needs to be prepped properly. First, make sure it is wrapped tightly. Then, according to Taste of Home, the chocolate should be kept in either an airtight container or a freezer bag. To make sure chocolate freezes properly, it should first be kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before it’s moved into the freezer for long-term storage. When the chocolate is needed, simply do the same process in reverse, advises Taste of Home. Remove the chocolate from the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw and then take it out and allow it to warm up to room temperature. If you skip this step, and the chocolate could develop sugar blooms, per Nestlé. Another reason that warming the chocolate should be done gradually is because chocolate becomes brittle and hard when it is cold.

 

This homemade chocolate ice cream recipe is so yummy and super easy to make. If you love ice cream, give this easy recipe a try!

Ingredients:

2 cups of heavy whipping cream (16oz or 473ml)
1 – 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (396g)
1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder (50g)

Tools/Equipment:

Bowls
Mixer
Spatula
Container for ice cream, with lid if possible
Plastic wrap

Step 1: Whip That Cream!

Add all the heavy whipping cream to a large bowl. Mix for several minutes until you have light fluffy whipped cream with stiff peaks. The little peaks created when you pull the beaters out of the cream will not curl over.

Step 2: Mix That Cocoa Powder

Now add all of the sweetened condensed milk into a separate bowl along with the cocoa powder. Mix until well combined. It will resemble thick chocolate.

NOTE: If you add the cocoa powder a little at a time, it will mix in without spraying a cloud of cocoa powder.  A larger bowl also helps so dust of cocoa powder doesn’t fly out of the bowl while mixing.

Step 3: Fold and Fold

Now pour the chocolate condensed milk mixture over the whipped cream and use a spatula and fold them together. Don’t use the mixer and don’t use a whisk or stir like crazy, that will ruin the fluffy air you got into the whipped cream. Keep folding until there are no streaks of white from the whipped cream.

And just like that, the chocolate ice cream base is done and ready.

Step 4: Freeze!

Pour the ice cream into a container that has a lid. Place plastic wrap on top making sure it touches the top of the ice cream, this will help prevent freezer burn and ice crystals from forming. Then add the lid. If you don’t have a lid you can use use the plastic wrap by itself.

Freeze for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. If you like it more soft serve consistency, you can remove it a little sooner.

Step 5: Serve!

Now time to eat that ice cream! Remove the lid and plastic wrap and then scoop out the ice cream. You may need to set it out for 10 to 15 minutes first to soften it before scooping. You can also dip your scoop in hot water.

Enjoy!

This makes about 32 ounces of ice cream.

Matt Taylor has a YouTube video and instructable recipe that shows you how to make it, click HERE.

Whether your tastes run more towards sweet milk chocolate or you prefer dark chocolate with its bitter edge, one thing almost everyone can agree on is that chocolate is delicious. It gives us a warm fuzzy feeling unlike any other snack. And when we’re craving it, nothing else comes close to satisfying that feeling. Even for chocolate lovers, though, the majority of chocolate on grocers’ shelves can present a problem in the kitchen. So, how do you choose what chocolate to buy for your recipes? Which chocolates can you substitute for which, and how will it affect a dish? Baking chocolate and chocolate chips are the two most commonly found chocolates in American kitchens (per Food Network). But not all chocolates are created equal, and these two forms of chocolate will render different results in your baked goods.

For true chocolate lovers, baking chocolate is the ultimate thrill. According to the Confectionary Foundation, in its unsweetened form, it is entirely pure and unadulterated in any way. Chocolatiers create it by roasting, shelling, and grinding cocoa beans. The resulting slurry, often called chocolate liquor or chocolate mass, is then pressed into blocks. This results in a very bitter and brittle slab of chocolate. Baking chocolate contains 51 to 53% cocoa butter, and this high-fat content makes it so hard. The complete lack of sugar or other sweet compounds accounts for its bitterness. Chocolate chips are a little more complicated. They come in a wide variety of flavor profiles, depending on their exact formulation. Common chocolate chip offerings include semi-sweet, bittersweet, dark, and milk chocolate chips. The ingredients most of these chips have in common are chocolate mass, sugar, vanilla, and some type of stabilizers and emulsifiers, per the Fine Chocolate Industry Association. The chemicals make it possible for chocolate chips to hold their shape, even after baking. Unfortunately, they also compromise the natural flavor of the cocoa.

Which style of chocolate will work best for you depends on what you’re making (and possibly your health goals). The Cleveland Clinic explains that if you’re using chocolate to boost your antioxidant intake, then you want to use the product with the highest cocoa content. Because baking chocolate is pure chocolate liquor, it is the obvious choice, while milk chocolate, with only 10-12% cocoa, is the least desirable. If you simply want to create stunning dishes, there are a few other factors to consider. Chocolate chips keep their shape because of the emulsifiers they contain, per King Arthur Baking. For baked goods, this means that when you use them in classic recipes for Toll House cookies, brownies, or other baked goods, they will maintain their shapes and not run or spread out as much as baking chocolate would. On the other hand, if you’re going to be melting chocolate as a topping, using chocolate chips can be problematic. Because of the emulsifiers, they are harder to melt. In contrast, baking chocolate melts smooth and flows more easily. This makes it possible to create wonderful drizzle effects and creamy pools of chocolate goodness.

 

Making delicious, thick, velvety hot chocolate at home is easy. Unsweetened cocoa powder is the key. It has a richer, deeper, more chocolatey taste than commercial sweetened drinking chocolates. It can also be used for baking. Although hot chocolate can be made in the microwave, it tastes more delicious when it is made on the stovetop. The extra 1-2 minutes of cooking allows the chocolate to fully bloom. Recipes usually ask for equal amounts of sugar and unsweetened cocoa, but it’s really a matter of taste. Adjust the amounts if you prefer it richer or sweeter. Any other type of milk can be used, such as almond or soy milk — have fun with it!

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons sugar (turbinado or raw), or to taste
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:
Mix sugar, cocoa, and the 2 tablespoons of milk in a mug until smooth. Set aside.
On the stovetop, heat the remaining 1 cup of milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. If using a microwave, heat in a glass measuring jug until steaming hot but not boiling.
Gradually stir the hot milk into the cocoa mixture, stirring, until well blended. Pour back into the pan. Add the vanilla. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until almost boiling again. Remove from heat.
To froth the hot chocolate, buzz with an immersion blender in the saucepan or jug, or beat it with a balloon whisk. Pour it back into the mug and sprinkle with cinnamon, if using. Alternatively, pour the hot chocolate into a blender, cover with the lid and a kitchen towel, and blend until frothy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories 130 cals

Fat 5 g

Saturated Fat 3 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g

Monounsaturated Fat 2 g

Carbohydrates 18 g

Sugar 16 g

Fiber 2 g

Protein 6 g

Sodium 60 mg

Chef Tips
For a deep chocolatey taste, use Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder.

For a Mexican twist, try adding adding a pinch of chili powder instead of the cinnamon.

In some countries, hot chocolate is made with water and not milk, so for lactose intolerants, experiment to find the unsweetened, nondairy milk that works best. Don’t hesitate to up the chocolate content if the taste seems thin. When using a milk with added vanilla flavor, no need to add any extra.

As posted on CookForYourLife.org

Chocolate cake is always a good idea. But does it matter whether you’re using real chocolate or the tinned powdery stuff that’s kept somewhere in the back of your pantry? First of all, the powdery stuff that tastes a lot like eating coffee straight from the jar is just as ‘real’ as the yummy stuff you’d happily eat a block of. Cocoa powder is one of the raw ingredients used in making chocolate. It’s made by roasting ground cacao beans at high temperatures. To make chocolate, you add cocoa powder to cocoa butter, additional fats and sugar. To achieve smooth, even chocolate, there are often other emulsifiers added as well. Milk chocolate will also have milk added as the main ingredient. Chocolate can vary in cocoa butter solids and other things. With cocoa, you’re getting the same product each time. As cocoa is a ‘raw’ chocolate ingredient, it also means you can better manipulate the flavor of your cake by adding sugar and fat to result in your desired texture and flavor. More fat will create a denser cake, more sugar will dilute the natural bitterness of cocoa. You can also experiment by using different fats and sugars to create your own unique flavor. Science aside, it really comes down to texture. A recipe using cocoa will usually be a lighter cake with a large crumb. Chocolate will result in a fudgier cake with a smaller crumb and a denser texture. Read more, HERE.

This chocolate yogurt cake is incredibly light and fluffy and has a unique texture. It is just 3 ingredients and doesn’t need any flour, butter or oil. This yogurt cake is so soft and fluffy. It is very similar to a Japanese style cheesecake, which is like a cross between souffle and cake. The cake can be made ahead of time so it’s great for gatherings and parties.

INGREDIENTS
Milk Chocolate Chips
Greek Yogurt
Eggs
Milk chocolate chips: For this recipe, I used milk chocolate chips. You can make it with semisweet chocolate chips but the cake might not be sweet enough. Even using milk chocolate, the cake is not super sweet.

Greek yogurt: You must use Greek yogurt. Regular yogurt will not work. I have only tested it with plain greek yogurt. I don’t know if a flavored one will work. The added sugar in flavored yogurt could affect the recipe. I think this recipe works best with whole milk Greek yogurt, however it does also work with fat free. The whole milk version has a richer flavor and isn’t as tangy.

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the inside of a 7 inch round cake pan with a cooking oil spray. Use a solid one-piece cake pan (no removable bottom). Line with parchment paper. You will want to create handles first and then line the bottom and sides. See notes for how to line the cake pan.
Separate egg yolks and whites. Place eggs whites into fridge until ready to use. Let the egg yolks sit out.

Add chocolate chips to a large microwave safe mixing bowl. Melt either in the microwave or on the stove (using the double boiler method). I used the microwave. If using microwave, heat chocolate in 15 second intervals, stirring in between with a spatula, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
Whisk in yogurt. Make sure your yogurt is not cold to the touch before adding it. If bringing it to room temperature is not enough, you can warm up the yogurt for a few seconds in the microwave. If your yogurt is cold it will make your chocolate seize. Mix in the yogurt with a whisk until fully incorporated and the batter is smooth.
Whisk in egg yolks until batter is smooth and no egg streaks remain.
Remove egg whites from fridge. Place them into a separate clean large mixing bowl. Beat at highest speed until stiff peaks form. I prefer to use a stand mixer but you can also use a hand mixer.

Add one third of the egg white mixture to your egg yolk batter. Fold it in gently with a spatula until no egg white lumps remain (it’s okay if there are a few streaks of white in your batter). Make sure you scoop up batter from the very bottom of the bowl each time you fold to make sure all of the batter gets incorporated with the egg whites. Repeat with the next 1/3 and then remaining 1/3.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan. The cake will be baked in a water bath. To do this, place your cake pan into a slightly larger baking pan. I used a 9 x 9 inch baking pan. Place your cake pan into the bigger pan. Pour just enough cold tap water into the outer pan so that the water level reaches 1/2 inch. Make sure to add the water to the outer pan after you’ve put the cake in. If you add 1/2 inch of water before, the added weight of the cake pan and cake batter will push up your water level more than 1/2 inch. I recommend using a ruler to measure the water level. If your water level is too high, the bottom of your cake will cook too much, causing a dense bottom layer.
Place cake with water bath into your oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cake looks done. (Check on the cake through the oven window and don’t open the oven door. You just want the top of the cake to look cooked.) Turn off the oven but do not open the oven door and leave the cake in the oven for one hour. It is important to leave the cake in the oven (unopened) because this allows the cake to finish cooking and the gradual drop in temperature prevents the cake from suddenly collapsing. The cake will shrink down, but it shouldn’t completely collapse. After one hour, you can remove the cake from the oven. Use the cake handles to lift the cake from the pan and transfer it to a plate. Let the cake cool to room temperature for a few hours. If desired, dust top with powdered sugar before serving.
NOTES
It’s important not to open the oven door during baking or during the one hour after. To know when to turn off the oven, take a look through your oven window. The cake should look done (it should be puffed up, the middle should not be sunken in). If you don’t have an oven window, I would just turn it off after 45 minutes.
Don’t eat the cake until fully cooled (at least a few hours). The texture will not be set and will taste a little eggy and wet before it is fully cooled.
This cake can be made a day ahead of time. If making it ahead of time, store cake in fridge and then bring to room temperature before serving.
This cake is best made in a solid one-piece round cake pan that does not have a removable bottom. A springform cake pan or a cake pan with a removable bottom results in the bottom layer of the cake cooking too fast, which will produce a dense bottom layer.
Lining the cake pan: Before lining the cake pan, you want to create some handles so that you can easily lift your cake out of the pan. First, grease the interior of your cake pan (I used an oil spray). Then place two long strips of parchment paper across the cake pan. Each strip should run from one side of the cake pan to the other with some overhang and should overlap and form an “X” at the bottom of your cake pan. See photo in post for reference. Then, line the cake pan as you normally would (bottom round parchment paper and parchment paper for the sides). You’ll want to either regrease the cake pan after adding the handles or grease the bottom round and side parchment strips so that they stick to the cake pan. If you use a nonstick pan, you don’t need to line the sides but you will need to make sure the sides are thoroughly greased. Most one piece 7 inch round cake pans I’ve seen sold in the US are not nonstick, so if you aren’t sure if it’s nonstick, I would line the sides just in case.
I used US standard large eggs. You should have approximately 142 grams of egg whites and 75 grams of egg yolks.

As posted on KIRBIECRAVINGS.COM

 

Chess pie is similar to buttermilk pie, but it includes cornmeal, which adds texture and rises to the top to create a great crust. While chocolate isn’t traditional for chess pie, it’s added here as a delicious twist.

Ingredients:
8 servings
2 cups sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal
1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 (9″) store-bought or homemade pie crust, chilled

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, butter, and vanilla until well combined. Add the eggs, milk, cocoa, cornmeal, and vinegar and whisk until well combined. Pour the filling into the pie crust.

Step 3
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the center of the pie is almost set. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for about 45 minutes before serving.

Excerpted from Super Soul Food with Cousin Rosie and posted on EPICURIOUS.COM.

Chef Guntas Sethi has come up with a drool-worthy recipe for a perfect chocolate sauce.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened chocolate, (chopped)
3 tbsp butter

Method:1)Start by heating some sugar along with some milk. Bring it to a boil until the sugar is well dissolved.2) Now, lower the heat and add some salt and cocoa powder and whisk it until the powder is well incorporated.3) Add some chocolate as well as vanilla extract along with butter and cook it on low to medium heat until it thickens.

A wonderful drool-worthy sauce is ready to be savoured. The chef also mentioned the following points in the post:- All those who wish to store the sauce, can do so. Chef Guntas stated that you can freeze the chocolate sauce for up to 2 months and reheat it whenever you wish to use it.- You can garnish your sundae with some chopped chocolate, roasted almonds and whatever other toppings of your choice.

As posted on FOOD.NDTV.COM

Chocolate is a favorite snack for most people, but when chocolate and cake mingle, it’s a different ball game. The bitter-sweet taste and moist feeling that elevates the senses is a secret reserved for the taste buds – it’s unexplainable. Here’s a recipe that’s easy and can be baked at home every day, anytime.

INGREDIENTS
4 pieces of eggs
3 cups of flour
2 satchets of Coffee
2 cups of water
1 tin of milk
2 caps of chocolate flavor
2 caps of vinegar
1 tbsp of baking powder
1 tbsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt
1 cup of cocoa powder
3 cups of sugar
1 cup of groundnut oil.

Method
1) Sieve your flour and all the dry ingredients inside the flour and set aside.

2) In your mixing bowl , add eggs and sugar together, mix for about 10 minutes.

3) Then add 1 cup of groundnut oil. Adding in oil, let it mix for about 5 minutes.

4) Then, add your flour little by little.

5) Mix your Nescafe with warm water, then pour into the mixture.

6) Mix well and add your buttermilk which is milk and vinegar and mix well.

7) Add your water (put one cup first). Then, take your spatula and scrape the side of the bowl to see if the batter is thick.

8) If thick, add another 1 cup of water (warm) and mix well.

9) Grease pan and pour batter into pan. Place in the pre heated oven.

10) Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out wet, wait a little more.

If it comes out clean and dry, it’s ready to be served.

11) Allow to cool. Serve with ice cream, fruit juice and any drink of your choice.

As posted on GUARDIAN.NG

Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie is made with a graham cracker and almond crust filled with Mexican chocolate cream filling and topped with fresh whipped cream. This Mexican Chocolate Pie recipe is from the famous Elote Cafe in Sedona Arizona.

INGREDIENTS:

Graham Cracker Almond Crust:
7 Whole Graham Cracker Sheets
¾ cup Sliced Almonds
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
Chocolate Filling:
1 cup Heavy Cream
3 ounces Mexican Chocolate (or Milk Chocolate)
9 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate
½ to 1 teaspoon Cinnamon * (optional)
Whipped Cream:
1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
½ cup Powdered Sugar
Topping:
4 ounces Caramel Sauce or Dulce de Leche, slightly warmed

INSTRUCTIONS:

Chocolate Filling:
Heat the 1 cup of heavy cream over medium heat until it is warmed. Reduce to lower heat and add chocolate (in small pieces) and allow to completely melt. Whisk the mixture to ensure it it completely smooth. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
Graham Cracker Crust:
Add the graham crackers and almonds to a food processor. Grind to form a coarse meal. Add melted butter and mix together. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.
Whipped Cream:
Whip the chilled heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Once the chocolate filling has cooled to room temperature, fold the whipped cream (reserving ½ cup for decorating the pie) into the chocolate filling mixture until no white streaks appear.
To Assemble Pie:
Pour the chocolate cream filling into the pie shell. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. When ready to serve, pipe the remaining whipped cream around the sides of the pie.
Drizzle with slightly warmed caramel or dulce de leche. Serve with extra whipped cream, if so desired.

NOTES
Mexican chocolate has cinnamon in it so if you are using regular milk chocolate, you will want to add some cinnamon to the filling. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon, depending on taste preference. Start with ¼ to ½ teaspoon and add more as desired.
What type of chocolate to use in this pie?
I would suggest using high-quality chocolate bars, if at all possible. I use the Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bar. You can also use semi-sweet chocolate chips.
* Recipe adapted from Elote Cafe Cookbook, posted on MODERNHONEY.COM

It’s probably been a while since you relied on your oven for therapy time, but let’s be honest: You kind of miss it. You miss being distracted by the step-by-step routine of the recipe. From kneading and melting to serving the first ooey-gooey slice of whatever you felt like having, nothing gets you feeling better than baking something delicious in the oven. If you do it regularly or like to have your shelf ready for dessert inspiration, you probably have any number of clever ingredients that elevate your baking game stacked in your pantry. There is a bag of flour somewhere and baking powder leftovers you used on the recent holiday. You may also have a bag of chocolate chips from your last brownie-craving night — you remembered they were so good you need to give it a try all over again. But, are the chocolate chips good to go? It’s been months since you last used them, and the expiration date says to use them before a day that passed a long time ago. You try one, they don’t taste bad … but could something happen to you? In fact, there is a more important question you need to ask yourself before using your chocolate chips: How were they stored? Chocolate chips can last years if stored properly (read more, HERE).

Executive pastry chef Joshua Cain’s passion for creating dramatic molded chocolate sculptures and desserts with molded chocolate elements is well-known. He previously created chocolate masterpieces like an 11-foot Saturn V rocket to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1969 moon-landing, which was comprised of 4,000 total pounds of chocolate. His biggest tip for those who want to try molding at home? “Get the best quality chocolate you can find,” he says. Read more, HERE.

 

According to The Nibble, chocolate bark (or “Mendiants” in French) was made to be a traditional Christmas candy that would appeal to followers of several Christian orders as a variety of colors and flavors were available to represent the various groups. Today this versatility means chocolate bark can appeal to a wide variety of palates as any number of nuts, berries, seeds, and other yummy goodies can be studded into bars of chocolate which are then broken into small “bark-like” pieces. It is a relatively easy candy to make at home and so many families that celebrate Christmas have folded it into their culinary traditions, especially since it is a treat even kids can help make. But, despite its delicious simplicity, your chocolate bark recipe can still go wrong if you incorporate the wrong ingredients (click, HERE).