Marble Chocolate Tartlet with Kahlua

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder
1 cup flour
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup Kahlua

Method

1. In food processor, combine butter, sugar and vanilla. Process until cream.
2. Add cocoa; process until smooth.
3. Add flour, pulse to combine.
4. Press onto bottom and sides of twelve 3-inch tartlet pans. Chill 1 hour.
5. Pierce bottoms well with fork. Bake on baking sheet at 375ºF, 8 minutes.
6. Pierce again: bake another 4 minutes. Cool.
7. Place chocolates in separate bowls.
8. In saucepan bring cream to boil. Add Kahlua and bring to simmer. Pour 1/3 cup cream mixture over each chocolate. Stir each until smooth.
9. Remove crusts from pans. Fill each about 2/3 full with dark filling. Pour 3 small pools of white filling onto dark filling. Marble by pulling tip of knife through fillings. Chill before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Source: The Best of Kahlua

Sweet Samosas with Chocolate

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 sheets of phyllo pastry
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

1. Melt half the butter in a skillet, add the banana slices and sugar, and saute for about 4-5 minutes, or until the bananas have caramelized, turning them over halfway during cooking.
2. Cut the pastry sheets in half. Place banana slices and a good sprinkling of chocolate and cinnamon toward one end of each pastry sheet, then fold up to resemble a triangular “samosa” shape.
3. Heat the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat, add the pastries, and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown all over. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 pieces.

Source: Chocolat

Chocolate Truffles with Almond Butter

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons raw almond butter
2 tablespoons raw coconut nectar
3 packets monk fruit extract
salt
1 no-sugar-added dark chocolate bar

Method

1. Mix the almond butter, coconut nectar, and monk fruit extract in a mixing bowl until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt.
2. Form the mixture into 8 equal-sized balls, stick a toothpick in each ball, and place on a piece of wax paper on a plate. Transfer to the freezer and chill until very firm, about 1 hour.
3. Place three-quarters of the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high until the chocolate has just melted, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
4. Add the remaining chocolate and stir smooth and still warm.
5. Remove the almond butter balls from the freezer and, using toothpick as an aid, roll a truffle to coat with the chocolate until covered. Set on the wax paper-lined plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining truffles. Place back in the freezer to set, about 5 minutes and serve.

Tip

You can roll the truffles in 1/4 cup of chopped almonds before they set for a prettier presentation and extra negative calorie power.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Negative Calorie Foods

French-style Sweet Omelet Souffle

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups fresh mixed berries, such as raspberries, red currants, or blueberries
2 teaspoons raspberry preserves
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 egg yolk
1-1/2 tablespoons superfine sugar, plus an extra 2 teaspoons (or the same quantity of granulated sugar processed in a food processor for 1 minute)
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
2 egg whites
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Put the berries and preserves into a saucepan and cook over medium heat for I minute, or until the berries start to puff up. Remove from the heat and put aside.
2. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the surface of the water does not touch the bowl.
3. Put the egg yolk, the 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar, and the vanilla into a bowl and mix together, then stir in the chocolate.
4. In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the remaining superfine sugar a little at a time. Fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate to loosen the mixture, then fold in the remaining whites.
5. Melt the butter in a small 6-1/2-inch diameter flameproof nonstick skillet over medium heat, and meanwhile preheat the broiler to medium-high. Spoon the chocolate mixture into the skillet, making sure it is an even layer, and cook for 2-3 minutes, then place under the broiler for 1 minute, or until set, making sure it does not burn.
6. Spoon the berry mixture over one half of the omelet. Fold the omelet over to enclose the filling, then dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately.

Tip

Use egg whites at room temperature to get the most volume when whisking.

Makes 1 serving.

Source: Chocolat

Moist Chocolate Cakes Infused with Lentil

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried red lentils Pinch of salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter or coconut oil
3 oz chopped dark chocolate
1/3 cup natural (non-Dutch processed) cocoa powder
1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large organic eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
1/4 cup coconut, turbinado, or demerara sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract

Sauce

1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/3 cup 2% evaporated milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Place lentils, a pinch of salt, and 1-1/2 cups water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until lentils are very mushy and water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. If needed, add a small amount of additional water during cooking. Mash lentils well with backside of a spoon, set aside, and let cool to room temperature.
2. Place butter or coconut oil and chocolate in metal bowl set over pan of barely simmering water. Heat until chocolate has melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in cocoa powder and espresso powder (if using), and let cool for several minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
4. In large bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Stir in cooled lentil puree, milk, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix gently.
5. Divide mixture among 12 greased or paper-lined standard-sized muffin cups and bake for 22 minutes, or until a tester inserted into centre of a cake comes out mostly clean. Let cool for a few minutes, unmould, and cool further on metal racks. Cakes can be kept chilled for up to 5 days.
6. To make sauce, blend together pumpkin, evaporated milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon. If needed, add more evaporated milk to reach a thin consistency.
7. To serve, spread some pumpkin sauce on serving plate and top with a cake.

Makes 12 servings.

Source: Alive magazine