Tag: chocolate recipe

Recipes

Dark chocolate truffles with whiskey and sunflower seed brittle

by AudreyLeave a Comment on Dark chocolate truffles with whiskey and sunflower seed brittle

chocolate-truffle

This holiday season I was determined to create foodie gifts for my loved ones. For some I made braided bread, which will come in a later post, however for one specific person I created this truffle recipe.

Crunchy, creamy, sweet, and salty (with a subtle kick from the whiskey), this truffle is a great show stopping dessert for those who are hitting holiday gifting late. The key to keeping this recipe simple would be a silicone mold so that the cleanup process is as easy as possible. Also, for those who are hesitant about making brittle, you can instead top the truffle with roasted sunflower seeds to cut out the extra steps.

chocolate-truffle

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 shot of whiskey
  • 1 tbs honey
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tbs. water
  • 1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
  • Pinch sea salt

Step 1: For the brittle: Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. In a heavy-bottomed pan, stir the sugar and water together until combined. Put the pan on the heat on medium high until the sugar melts. Do not stir at all once the pan hits the heat, only swirl the pan to ensure the sugar mixture heats evenly. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sugar mixture turns a light golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the molten sugar over the nuts. The sugar should be a clear, thick liquid. Sprinkle sea salt over the molten sugar. Let the brittle sit to cool and harden. Once fully set, break into small pieces.

(You can entirely skip this step if you want and simply sprinkle nuts on top if you are wary of making the brittle.)

Step 2: Heat the cream until it is steaming. You can do this over the stove or in the microwave. Add 1 1/2 cups of chocolate and let sit to let the chocolate melt. After a few minutes, stir until the mixture is homogenous – this will be the truffle filling. Add a shot of whiskey and the honey, stir to combine.

Step 3: Heat 3/4 cups of the chocolate in a glass bowl resting over a pot of steaming hot water. Melt fully. Take the bowl off of the heat and then add the last 1/4 cup of chocolate. Let the remaining chocolate melt. Gently fold the chocolate together to combine.

Step 4: Take your silicone mold and spoon a teaspoon of chocolate into each opening. Use the back of the spoon to push the chocolate all the way up to the edge. Tap the bottom of the mold against the work surface to ensure there are no bubbles. Let sit for 20 minutes to let the chocolate set.

Step 5: Spoon the ganache into the molds until they are 3/4 of the way full. Let sit for another 20 minutes to let the top set. Top with more melted chocolate (you can return the bowl to the hot water bath to re-melt) and tap the silicone molds against the work surface again to eliminate air bubbles. Let sit to fully cool and set.

whole-edit

 

Recipes

Chocolate Almond Meringues

by Audrey1 Comment on Chocolate Almond Meringues

chocolate-meringues

As promised, here is my meringue recipe I teased in my last post.

These are crunchy, sugary, chocolatey cookies that are awesome if you are gluten intolerant. This is a great recipe to make the night before as it requires time to dry out overnight. However who doesn’t like waking up to cookies?

There are only a handful of ingredients, so let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 4 egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Toppings:

  • 1/2 cup chocolate
  • 1/2 cup ground almonds (or any other topping you prefer- crushed toffee, sprinkles, cocoa nibs or peppermints would be good as well)

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Take the egg whites and in a large bowl, whip with a hand mixer on high until you achieve stiff peaks. To tell if you achieved this, turn your mixer off and pull it out. The egg whites should pull as you move and leave behind a “peak” that does not sink back into itself.

Step 3: Turn the mixer back on high. Add the sugar gradually until the egg whites have become smooth and the sugar is completely mixed into the meringue. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

Step 3: Remove the mixer and set it aside. Pour the cocoa powder into the mixing bowl. Slowly fold the cocoa powder until the powder is mixed in, but not fully incorporated – I want the meringue to have subtle cocoa swirls.

Step 4: Put the meringue in a piping bag or a big plastic bag. Cut the tip off so the cut is about 1 centimeter wide. Pipe the meringue onto a parchment paper (foil also works, but is not preferred) lined baking sheet. For those like me who have a silicone baking mat, it works like a charm. Pipe domes of meringue that are about an inch in diameter.

Step 5: Put the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the cooking temperature to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for two hours, then turn the oven off (leaving the baking sheet in the oven) and leave the cookies to dry out overnight.

Step 6: The next day, melt some chocolate in the microwave (in 20 and 10 second intervals). Put the almond meal in another plate. One-by-one, dip the meringues into the chocolate, then the almonds, and then return them to the baking sheet to cool. Let cool another 5 minutes. Enjoy!