Classic Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping (35%) cream
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla

Method

1. In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, melt chocolate. Gradually whisk in cocoa until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until thickened and pale yellow. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring cream and milk to a simmer. Gradually whisk into the egg mixture.
4. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Be careful not to let it boil. Strain into a clean large bowl. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold or overnight.
6. Stir cream mixture. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: 125 Best Ice Cream Recipes

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Chicken with Chocolate

Ingredients

1 (3-lb) chicken, disjointed
salt and pepper
all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 oz bitter chocolate, melted
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup raisins
12 pitted, prunes

Method

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge with flour.
2. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove chicken to an ovenproof dish.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to pan drippings and cook until browned, stirring constantly. Add the stock gradually and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
4. Blend in the chocolate and cinnamon, adding salt and pepper, if needed.
5. Stir in the remaining ingredients, then pour over chicken.
6. Bake, covered, in a preheated 325°F oven for 45 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and blanched whole almonds before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Creative Cooking Course

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Chocolate-filled Croissants

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (about 110°F)
3/4 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
about 2-1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup (two 1/4-lb sticks) cold unsalted butter
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

Filling

4 semisweet chocolate bars (about 1-1/2 oz each)

Method

1. In large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, sugar, and salt. Gradually add 2-1/3 cups of the flour and beat on high speed until dough is elastic and pulls away from sides of bowl in stretchy strands—about 5 minutes.
2. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (1 to 1-1/2 hours).
3. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until very cold (about 30 minutes).
4. Using a sharp knife, cut each stick of butter crosswise into very thin slices. Place on wax paper and refrigerate
5. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the remaining flour on a cool surface. Slide dough from baking sheet onto flour. Roll out to a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
6. Arrange butter slices, slightly overlapping, in center of dough rectangle. Fold extending sides over butter. Roll out again until rectangle is about 3/8 inch thick. If necessary, turn dough over occasionally and flour surface lightly to prevent sticking. Use as little flour as possible.
7. Fold dough into thirds again to make a squarish rectangle. Roll and fold dough again in the same way; then wrap folded dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. Roll and fold chilled dough 2 more times, just as before; then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.
9. Break each of 4 semisweet chocolate bars into 12 small rectangles.
10. Roll out dough to a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 16 triangles, each about 6 inches across the base and 8 inches tall. Fill each croissant with 3 rectangles, slightly overlapping. Place filling about 1 inch above base of each triangle. Roll triangles up from base to point and place, point down, on ungreased baking sheets. Croissants should be about 1-1/2 inches apart all around. Curve ends inward to form a crescent shape. Cover lightly and let rise in a warm place until very puffy (about 2 hours).
11. Preheat oven to 400°F.
12. Brush croissants lightly with egg yolk mixture. Bake until golden brown (20 to 25 minutes).
13. Serve hot, or transfer to racks and let cool.

Makes 16 pieces.

Source: Pies and Pastries

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Chocolate Roulade

Ingredients

1-1/4 tbsp instant coffee
1-1/4 tbsp hot water
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or grated
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup fine sugar

To Decorate

1-1/4 cups heavy cream
Confectioner’s sugar

Method

1. Grease and line a 13×9 inch jelly roll pan.
2. Mix the coffee with the hot water and add the chocolate. Stand in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water and stir until the chocolate has melted. Allow the mixture to cool.
3. Beat together the egg yolks and sugar until thick, then fold into the chocolate mixture.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry, and fold lightly into the mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
5. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
6. Immediately after taking the cake out of the oven, cover the cake in its pan with a damp tea towel, and leave it to stand overnight.
7. To decorate: carefully turn the cake out onto a sheet of wax paper which has been sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. Remove the lining paper.
8. Whip the cream until it holds its shape and spread over the cake (reserve a little for decorating).
9. Roll up the cake like a jelly roll, and dust it with icing sugar.
10. Decorate the remaining cream down the center or around the roulade.

Makes 1 roulade.

Source: Chocolate Cooking

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Chocolate Hazelnut Baklava

Ingredients

1 pound hazelnuts
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2-2/3 cups sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 pound phyllo dough
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 cups water
1-1/2 cups honey

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, until the skins are blistered. Let cool. Leave the oven on.
3. Transfer the nuts to a kitchen towel and rub off the skins, then transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
4. Add the chocolate, 2/3 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon to the food processor and pulse until the chocolate and nuts are finely chopped and the same size.
5. Unwrap the phyllo and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap.
6. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Butter and stack 8 sheets of phyllo. Trim the edges. Ease the stack into the pan. Sprinkle about 2 cups of the filling over the phyllo. Butter and stack 2 more phyllo sheets. Fold them in half crosswise and place over the filling. Sprinkle on another 2 cups of the filling. Top with 2 more buttered, folded sheets and 2 cups of filling. Butter and stack 3 more phyllo sheets, fold them in half and place over the filling. Fold in the overhanging phyllo on top and brush generously with butter. Using a ruler and a sharp knife, cut the baklava (through the top and bottom) into 3-inch squares (there will be a bit left on one long side). Cut each square in half to make triangles.
7. Bake the baklava for 25 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 300°F and bake for 50 minutes longer, until golden.
8. In a saucepan, bring the water, honey and the remaining 2 cups of sugar to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for 10 minutes. Immediately ladle the hot syrup over the hot baklava and let stand until completely cool, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
9. The baklava can be covered with foil and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days

Makes 24 pieces.

Source: Chef Maura Kilpatrick

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