Chocolate Dessert - Something for Everyone
March 6th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Who doesn’t like a rich, delicious chocolate dessert to end a great meal? In fact, a great chocolate dessert recipe can make an otherwise bland meal seem great. They say people remember the end of the meal more than the beginning. So, it’s no surprise that most chefs recommend you put a little thought into choosing a great finishing recipe and luckily, a chocolate dessert will more often than not, fill the bill superbly and easily!
How to Find a Great Chocolate Dessert Recipe
I know I am a chocolate freak and I think there is truly nothing better than enjoying a home-made dessert. But the best part is there are so many recipes to choose from that it’s just so easy to be a chocolate dessert freak! So, I’m going to share one of my real favorite recipes. It is called the double chocolate chunk cookie recipe, and for this you will need: 2 cups all-purpose flour; ¾ cup Nestle Toll House baking cocoa; 1 tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt; 1 cup butter or margarine, softened; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 2/3 cup packed brown sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 large eggs; and 1 ¾ cups Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chunks.
First you need to preheat the oven to 350°F, it is important that the oven has reached baking temperature, and then combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, and beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until it is perfectly creamy. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in the flour mixture, stir in chunks, then drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Now let them bake away for about 9-11 minutes. You will see the cookies puffing up and the centers will still be soft. Check by inserting a skewer or strand of raw spaghetti. Then allow them to cool on baking sheets for a couple of minutes after you take them out of the oven, and remove to wire racks so that they can cool completely.
I know you will just love this simple recipe. It is so easy but really satisfying even as a dessert. To dress the cookies up a bit and to make them more of a formal chocolate dessert, you may like to try the following finishing touches.
Option One
Arrange two cookies in a small desert bowl. Pile whipped cream between the cookies then crumble two small meringues over the top. Dress up with fresh raspberries and top with a small amount of extra whipped cream.
Option Two
Place a layer of fresh strawberries on bottom of serving bowl. Carefully slice one cookie lengthways and place one half on top of strawberries. Add layer of whipped or thickened cream that has been flavored with orange liqueur. Place other half of cookie on top. Add more fresh cream and garnish with a few strawberries.
Bon appetit!
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Chocolate: Manna From Heaven
January 10th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Chocolate, the exquisitely rich, dark sweet treat loved by billions all over the world, was originally discovered in the Amazonian jungles many thousands of years ago the precious Cacao plant from which the secret was eventually prised, was believed by the Mayans to have been created by the god Quetzalcoatl.
Because the food was given to them by a god, then it truly was food from the gods! The beans were highly prized, and became even more so after the Spanish conquistadors transported them back to Europe. There it became the treat only available to the rich, in fact in England only royalty were allowed to consume the precious chocolate drink produced from the beans. It was at that time a bitter treat with what was believed to be a healthy beverage.
How Chocolate Became a Treat For the Masses!
It was not until the early 1900’s that Chocolate in its modern form really took off in North America. Prior to this period, chocolate was an extremely expensive commodity limited to those who were well-off, similar to the royal exclusiveness in England. It took the Henry Ford of the chocolate world, Milton Hershey, to bring chocolate to everybody with his innovative modern approach to chocolate production. Once North Americans tasted it, the chocolate industry was born and never looked back, spawning hundreds of manufacturers across the world.
As discussed above milk chocolate was and still is the most popular, but the varieties of darker chocolates are becoming more and more popular with more mature palates. In fact this has been enhanced by the release of reports that indicate high anti-oxidant foods should be part of a healthy diet. You see dark chocolate is high in anti-oxidants! So what better excuse to eat more dark chocolate? Naturally some people don’t like high cacao content chocolates but although it can be an acquired taste, there is a huge range to choose from, so you are sure to find one you like.
Praise the Gods!
I know that you like chocolate because you are reading this article all the way through! If you look around you will find dozens of Cacao based products in your pantry. So remember, next time you pop that delicious treat into your mouth, take a short moment to give thanks to the Mayan god who gave us this special and delicious plant all those thousands of years ago!
