Tagged:  chocolate

I always thought meringues would be hard to make but they’re not. Classic meringues are simply made with egg whites and sugar.
For these Valentine treats, I combine egg whites with sugar, hazelnuts, melted chocolate and a dash of cinnamon.

While these little guys make an awesome “light” dessert, they’re also great with cappuccino as part of a romantic afternoon snack.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 15 to 17 minutes
Makes: 30 to 35 meringues

Ingredients:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups finely chopped hazelnuts (can be substituted with almonds)
Dash cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour two 18X12-inch baking sheets (do not use parchment paper as the meringues will stick to the paper).

2. In a double boiler or in microwave oven, melt the chocolate and set it aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (stand mixer or hand mixer should be set on high speed).

4. Stir in the sugar, one tablespoon at a time until it is all incorporated. The egg whites will look glossy.

5. Using a wooden spoon, gently fold the chopped hazelnuts into the glossy egg whites.

6. Next, gently fold in the melted chocolate.

7. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon into the meringue mixture.

8. Drop meringue mixture by rounded tablespoons onto the baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.

9. Alternatively, fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and form 1-1/2-inch circles on baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart..

10. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until meringues look puffy.

11. With oven turned off, allow meringues to cool inside oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

12. Immediately remove meringues from oven and place on a serving platter.

13. Store cooled meringues in double freezer bags up to one month.

Note: If meringues are transferred to counter after baking, they will “fall” and become chewy instead of crunchy.

Text & Photograph ©2011 Nancy DeLucia Real

One of the best things in every culture is the food, right? I’ll start with my own – we Italians can’t live without Nutella®, a chocolate-hazelnut spread that is served with bread and caffè latte at breakfast time. In Mexico (also in Mexican restaurants in California and yonder), warm, flour tortillas are used as bread alongside breakfast, lunch or dinner. Filled with savory ingredients, tortillas can turn into a satisfying pick-me-upper whenever one has the munchies.

Years ago, I gave tortillas and Nutella® a green card (or permanent residence) in my kitchen. Now, can you guess what happened one day when I was craving a chocolate-filled crêpe, but only found tortillas and Nutella®? You got it.

Get ready to enter chocolate bliss the moment you taste this anytime-treat.

Prep time: 3 to 4 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 minutes

Ingredients:
Two 8-inch* flour tortillas
4 heaping tablespoons Nutella®

1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet set on medium heat, warm the tortillas through (turn them over once in a while to prevent blackening) – about 2 minutes.

2. Transfer the tortillas to a flat surface such as a dinner plate or a cutting board.

3. While still warm, quickly drop 2 heaping tablespoons of Nutella® on one-half of each tortilla and fold the plain tortilla half over the Nutella®.

Serve immediately.

*Note: Larger flour tortillas can be substituted – just be sure to double the Nutella®!

Text and Photograph ©2011 Nancy DeLucia Real

I think a Valentine’s Day celebration with a lover definitely starts in the morning. The question is this – should these luscious chocolate pancakes be served before or after?

No matter when you decide to serve the pancakes, be sure to complement the rich chocolate tones with red raspberries, a dusting of powdered sugar and candy. Whatever pleases the eye is sure to please the palate and the heart. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 to 8 minutes
Makes: Six 5-inch pancakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk (whole, 2% or 1% milk fat – nonfat milk will result in a thin batter)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
One 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter
Five-Minute Raspberry Coulis (found in our Recipes, under “Desserts, Creams & Sauces)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
2 to 6 Valentine chocolates, for garnish (optional)

1. In a 2-cup mixing bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. In a 3 or 4-cup mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, oil and milk to combine. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, mixing until batter it is smooth.

3. Place a 12-inch nonstick skillet on stove burner set on medium heat. Lightly butter the skillet and pour a scant 1/4 cup batter three times onto the skillet to form three pancakes set 1 inch apart from each other.

4. Cook pancakes on medium heat, 2 to 4 minutes per side. To avoid blackening, check underside of one pancake after 1 minute with a nonstick spatula.

5. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook other side 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Transfer the pancakes to a covered container to keep warm; set aside.

7. Pour remaining batter in skillet to form three more pancakes. Repeat cooking instructions.

8. Lay the six pancakes, side by side, on a flat surface.

9. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 6 hearts (remaining pancake shreds can be enjoyed later as a snack).

10. Divide the heart-shaped pancakes evenly among two dinner plates (set three pancakes per plate in a horizontal row).

11. Garnish pancakes with the raspberry coulis and dust with powdered sugar. Set a chocolate over center pancake in each plate. Decorate with remaining chocolates.

These chocolate pancakes can be served with maple syrup, if desired.

Text and Photographs ©2011 Nancy DeLucia Real

A few weeks ago, I was shopping at an arts and crafts store and noticed candy molds for skeletons and cakes. Making Halloween desserts with such fun decorations is a great art project for kids and adults. You’ll have a blast assembling the tombs and decorating the cupcakes. During this graveyard project, you won’t be able to resist tasting the candies and cakes. However, be sure to leave a few for your guests!

Prep time: 45 minutes (for the green skeleton candies & cupcakes)
Bake time: 25 minutes
Frosting time: 15 minutes
Makes: 8 tombs & 8 cupcakes

MAKE THE SKELETON CANDIES:
One 14-ounce bag Wilton® White Candy Melts
4 drops green food color
Pastry bag fitted with a star tip
Skeleton design candy molds

1. Melt the candies in a double boiler or in a microwave (follow microwave directions on package).

2. Using a wooden spoon, immediately stir the green food color into melted candy.

3. Set container with melted candy on a counter to cool 5 to 8 minutes.

4. Carefully spoon the melted candy into the bottom of a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.

5. Squeeze the pastry bag to overfill each skeleton mold – the top of each mold should look like it has a cloud of melted candy over it. Using a long metal spatula, scrape off the extra candy.

6. Set the mold in freezer, about 8 to 10 minutes or until candies have hardened.

7. Unmold candies onto a flat surface and set aside. Repeat filling the mold, freezing and unmolding the hardened candies until there are enough candy parts to form 8 complete skeletons.

8. If making ahead, set the skeleton candies in layers with paper towels in between each candy layer – inside a sealable plastic container. Make sure the candies do not touch. Freeze candies until ready to use.

FOR THE TOMBS & CUPCAKES:
5 mini loaf pans (5 X 3 X 1-7/8), greased and floured
8 Halloween baking cups, set in a muffin baking pan
One box Devil’s Food cake mix (1 lb. 2.25 oz.)
One Wilton® Orange Decorating Icing tube (4.25 oz.)
Decorating Plastic Tips to attach to icing tube
Halloween candies or decorations

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare cake mix per package directions.

2. Pour a scant 2/3 cup cake batter into each loaf pan and divide remaining batter evenly among 8 baking cups set in a muffin pan.

3. Set the loaf pans on bottom oven rack. Set the muffin pan on top oven rack.

4. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center of loaves and cupcakes comes out clean. If knife is coated with batter, bake an additional 5 minutes.

5. Transfer the loaf pans and muffin pan with cupcakes to a counter to cool completely. Unmold the loaves.

6. If making a day ahead, set loaves and cupcakes on a flat plate. Cover them with aluminum foil wrap and set aside on counter overnight.

PREPARE THE FROSTING & GARNISH:

1. With loaves right side up, horizontally slice off the rounded tops.

2. Set two of the sliced-off tops in a bowl and crumble – this will be used as edible earth around the loaves or tombs.

3. Arrange candies in each of the 8 tombs to form a complete skeleton and set aside.

4. Frost the cupcakes with the orange icing tube (fitted with a decorator tip).

5. Arrange tombs and cupcakes on a large platter with crumbled “earth” around them. Add Halloween candies as part of the decoration.

Happy Halloween!

Note: White Candy Melts, candy molds, pastry bags, premade orange frosting tubes, decorator tip attachments and Halloween baking cups can be found at party supply and/or arts and crafts stores.

Text and Photographs ©2010 Nancy DeLucia Real

Catherine de’ Medici, an Italian noblewoman, introduced pastry cream or “crema pasticciera” to the French court in the sixteenth century. In turn, the French called it “creme patissiere”. While traditional pastry cream is made with eggs, sugar, flour and milk, contemporary versions of this recipe have added flavorings.

As a chocoholic, I created this pastry cream to satisfy my palate. I use this rich chocolate cream as a filling for cakes or simply served with berries. Rest assured that this is a definite crowd pleaser.

Active prep time: 3 hours (chill time)
Inactive prep time: 3 hours (chill time)
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups milk (2% is best – not too heavy and not too light)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed and cut into fourths lengthwise
1 cup fresh blueberries
Powdered sugar and cocoa, for dusting
1. In a 3-quart sauce pot, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until well-blended.

2. Gradually and vigorously whisk in the flour, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, making sure that each addition is completely absorbed.

3. In a slow and steady stream, pour in the milk while whisking continuously until all the milk is absorbed.

4. Transfer the sauce pot containing the milk mixture to a stove burner set on medium-low heat.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.

6. Cook and stir the cream for 1 to 2 minutes or until it has thickened.

7. Remove the saucepot from heat and stir the melted chocolate chips and the vanilla into the cream. Mix until the mixture is uniform.

8.Divide the chocolate pastry cream evenly among four 4-ounce ramekins. Immediately cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

9. At serving time, top the chocolate pastry cream with berries and powdered sugar.

10. Set each ramekin on a flat dessert plate. Dust each plate with powdered cocoa and garnish with a strawberry and some blueberries.

Note: For more servings, just double or triple the recipe. Pour the cooked pastry cream into a porcelain or glass serving bowl, cool and refrigerate. At serving time, spoon the cream into individual bowls; dust with powdered sugar and cocoa. Garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves.

Variation: The milk can be substituted with soy milk, but the flavor will be different.

Text and Photographs ©2010 Nancy DeLucia Real