Chocolate Fashion Show Paris

Paris was the place for more than chocolate hats last week. The Chocolate World Masters took place, but so did the 15th Annual Chocolate Fashion Show Paris. Ooh.. la... la...

The Salon du Chocolat Fashion Show featured models, TV hosts, actresses and singers wearing dresses made of or decorated with Chocolate.

Chocolate Bouchons

This fabulous recipe for Chocolate Bouchons. They have a texture close to a dense cake or a very dense brownie. Yummy! I've made these before, but even though they were a suggestion for Thanksgiving, I don't think I'll have time. They're best served the same day as baked. Thanksgiving is at my house this year. They really are easy to make though and only take about 45 minutes...so another time, but a great reminder!

This recipe is from the L.A. Times, adapted from "Bouchon" by Thomas Keller, with a few adaptations of my own. Timbale molds are available at Sur La Table and online. Keller suggests using 3-ounce (2 to 2 1/2 -inch diameter) stainless-steel timbale molds.

3/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Scharffen Berger)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use Madagascar vanilla)

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and just slightly warm

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, 55%-70% cacao, chopped into pieces

Butter and flour for the timbale molds

Powdered sugar

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
2. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed until thick and pale in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
3. With the mixer on low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then one-third of the butter, and continue alternating with the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and continue to mix to combine. (The batter can be made up to this point and refrigerated, covered, for up to one day.)
4. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12 timbale molds. Set aside.
5. Put the timbale molds on a baking sheet. Place the batter in a pastry bag without a tip, or with a large plain tip, and fill each mold about two-thirds full. Bake the bouchons until the tops are shiny and set (like a brownie), and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist but clean (there may be some melted chocolate from the chopped chocolate), 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Transfer the bouchons to a cooling rack. After a couple of minutes, invert the molds and let the bouchons cool in the molds. Remove the molds and serve, or store until needed (the bouchons are best eaten the day they are baked).

To serve, invert the bouchons and dust them with powdered sugar. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. At Bouchon (Keller's bakery in Yountville, they serve three small bouchons with roasted banana ice cream and a hazelnut tuile, along with chocolate sauce and a salted caramel sauce. Heaven!!!

More Chocolate Desserts for Thanksgiving

More Chocolate Desserts for Thanksgiving.

So now you have the Chocolate Turkey Rub and the White Chocolate Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. I've posted several pumpkin + chocolate desserts, too. Here are a few more last minute possibilities for including chocolate at your Thanksgiving table.

Flourless Chocolate Cake. This is always great . Add a dollop of whipped cream or some pure vanilla ice-cream.

Susan Shea mentioned a Chocolate Pavlova when she saw the Chocolate Caramel Trifle yesterday. A Pavlova is basically a meringue, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Here's Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Pavlova. I would add strawberries or raspberries and blueberries in addition to the whipped cream and chocolate curls on top, but it's your choice. I just think it looks more festive!

Chocolate Pavlova

FOR THE MERINGUE

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup dark-brown sugar

3/4 cup superfine sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

TO ASSEMBLE

Dark-Chocolate Cream

1 1/4 cups heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Milk-Chocolate Curls, for garnish (optional)

Make the meringue: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Draw an 8-inch circle on parchment, then flip. Mix whites, sugars, and salt in a mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugars dissolve and mixture is warm, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

Sift cocoa powder over meringue, and fold until barely any streaks remain. Using an offset spatula or a large spoon, spread meringue into a round, using circle as a guide. (Be careful not to spread out too much; meringue will spread more during baking.) Form a well in center, being careful not to spread meringue too thin.

Bake meringue until dry to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool on sheet on wire rack. Meringue will keep, covered, for up to 1 day.

To assemble pavlova: Spread dark-chocolate cream evenly in center of meringue, leaving a 1/2-inch border from edge. Spread whipped cream over chocolate cream. Garnish with chocolate curls, and serve immediately.

Dark Chocolate Cherry

I couldn't locate my recipe since it's been awhile, so I started looking on the Internet for something close.

This seems very close to the one I used to make. There are a few comments I'm unclear on, so my recommendation is do what you usually do. And, I should say I bake in a regular oven.



Dark Chocolate Tart Cherry Levain

1.5 lbs Bread Flour (Golden Buffalo)
1lb 2ozs water
.5oz salt
Small amount of refreshed s.dough culture (adjust depending on taste/rising time preference)
8ozs dark chocolate, broken into small bits
12ozs dried tart cherries (if sugar is added, its okay. They will come out during soaking)

1. Soak cherries for at least 30 minutes to remove any added sugar and prevent burning
2. Mix flour, salt, and water until fully hydrated, let sit for 30 minutes (can do while cherries soak)
3. Cut up levain, add to dough with cherries, mix until fully distributed, knead to develop gluten, but be gentle not to destroy cherry integrity
4. Bulk ferment until approx 1.5x volume increase, folding once* halfway through. During fold, add chocolate bits in between each fold over.
5. Very gently shape the loaf, trying not to puncture the future crust. While it's not tragic if it does happen, if there's a leak, chocolate can leak out and burn, and it might make you a little sad. But you'll be fine! It's okay!
6. Bake on a preheated stone with steam at 400-425F. LET COOL BEFORE CUTTING. Molten Chocolate is very hot! It will burn if you, so it is imperative that you resist the nearly irresistable urge to eat this bread.
7. Devour. It will probably not last very long. Not because it won't keep. But because it's too tasty. Even if you mess up a bit.

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Let the holidays begin! I love Peppermint and Chocolate, all year, but especially around the holidays, so throughout December I'll be giving recipes or linking to recipes that include chocolate and peppermint.

Here's an easy recipe:

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK

2 pounds white chocolate

candy canes, crushed to make 1 cup

Heat white chocolate in double boiler over low heat until all is melted. Add crushed candy cane to white chocolate. Make sure white chocolate stays warm. Pour mixture onto wax paper-lined cookie sheet, spreading very thinly with spatula. Place cookie sheet in freezer until the mixture has hardened. Take out of freezer and crack bark into small pieces. Remove from wax paper and store at room temperature. Do not refreeze.

Want to use the microwave? Try this recipe:

MICROWAVE PEPPERMINT BARK

1 lb. white chocolate

1/2 c. crushed candy canes

Place chocolate in microwave-safe dish. Microwave on 50% power, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and of creamy consistency. Stir in crushed candy canes. Spread on cookie sheet and place in the freezer until set (about 20 minutes). Break into pieces.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

This recipe substitutes condensed milk for raw eggs, so it's definitely safe. Kristin King has a video on the Norfolk Cooking Examiner site. Always fun to watch.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles (adapted from original recipe)

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

2 cups flour

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, crushed into small chunks (highest quality organic fair-trade)

2 cups 60% bittersweet chocolate chips or broken chunks (small) of a good dark chocolate you

2 tsp shortening

Using a mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy; about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, salt and flour; mix well. With the mixer on low, add the condensed milk until the batter is thoroughly combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate this mixture for at least 15 minutes before working with it.

Using a tablespoon, shape into evenly sized balls and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet. If the dough is sticky, coat your hands with either flour or cooking spray. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the balls for 3 hours, or up to overnight.

To make the chocolate coating, combine chocolate and shortening in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until the mixture is melted and smooth. Using a toothpick or fork, dip the dough balls in the chocolate to coat. Drag the bottom across the lip of the bowl to remove excess chocolate coating. Place it back on the baking sheet. Once all the truffles are coated, refrigerate until firm; about 30 minutes.

Store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Perfect for the holidays!

Recipe makes about 42- 1" truffles.

Chocolate Caramel Trifle with Raspberries

Sunset has as wonderful list of 17 Thanksgiving desserts. Most call for pumpkin or cranberries but the one that stands out for me is Chocolate Caramel Trifle with Raspberries. I posted something about trifle on DyingforChocolate, and I must admit it's a lovely dessert. This chocolate trifle is outstanding... and decadent.

I am a good baker, but I don't always have time, so I have printed the original recipe here and below an adaptation for the Time Challenged Cook.

Original Chocolate Caramel Trifle with Raspberries from Sunset

Notes: Make and cool pastry cream while cake bakes and cools.

Ingredients

About 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, at room temperature

About 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

4 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup hazelnut- or coffee-flavor liqueur

Caramel Pastry Cream

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (6 oz.), rinsed and drained

Preparation

1. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Coarsely chop 3 ounces of the chocolate and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in a microwave oven on full power (100%), stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes total.

3. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1/2 cup butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate.

4. In another bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, stir to combine, then beat until well blended. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread level.

5. Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until cake begins to pull from pan sides, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool to room temperature in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

6. Run a thin knife between cake and pan sides and invert onto a board to release. Cut cake into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Layer a third of the cubes in the bottom of a 3- to 3 1/2-quart trifle bowl or other straight-sided glass bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup liqueur evenly over cake. Spoon a third of the Caramel Pastry Cream over cake and spread level. Repeat to make two more layers each of cake, liqueur, and pastry cream, ending with pastry cream. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

7. Finely chop remaining 1 ounce chocolate or scrape into curls. Arrange raspberries on trifle and sprinkle chocolate evenly over berries. Scoop onto dessert plates to serve.

Adaptation: Use a good chocolate cake mix. You can also substitute caramel syrup for the caramelized sugar in the pastry cream. Fast and easy. I serve this trifle in a glass bowl with straight sides. Trifles should be seen and admired, as well as taste good.