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Chocolate Snob
Not Just Any Chocolate
It only makes sense that my kids like matzah and melted cheese because they’re copying me. Or sliced apples...or rice cakes...or iced coffee. It’s the same thing when it comes to my less healthy habits: dessert. As much as I anticipate the final course, that was only if the dessert was something vanilla and creamy. So that means that I have to fight with my kids over the white halves of the black-and-white cookies. They request that I buy vanilla sandwich cookies over the ubiquitous chocolate, and if the ice cream shop layers a birthday cake with vanilla on the bottom and chocolate on top...well, that cake is going to cave in. Because of all this, I get along much better with chocolate-loving guests who are happy to enjoy the halves of things myself and my kids just don’t want.
Photo by Dan Engongoro
But this was all before I learned that there’s a difference in chocolate quality...and it makes a huge difference in the taste. In the past, whenever I’d purchase the ingredients for a chocolate dessert, I’d look for the cheapest baking bar I could find. No more...now the best possible quality chocolate is my little secret to heavenly chocolate desserts (that even I love). When I started tasting chocolate desserts with the right kinda chocolate, I was converted.
Why was I so fooled before? In the United States, chocolate doesn’t need to contain all that much chocolate to earn the name. Your “chocolate baking bar” is likely mostly fat and sugar. To ensure quality when baking with chocolate, look for a % on the package. The % represents how much of that bar actually comes from the cocoa bean. 70% or 72% a bittersweet bar or about 62% for a semi-sweet bar which contains more sugar. Not all are created equal.
Want to prove me right? I’ve picked some of my favorite chocolate selections on Cookkosher. First, there’s the Chocolate Candy Crunch. I love crunchy, toffee like treats and it takes good quality chocolate to make that candy go from OK to gourmet. If you are a sweet and salty lovers you will appreciate this easy Chocolate Pretzel Ice Cream. Or, keep it simple with classics like an intense Chocolate Fudge Pie or Chocolate Molten Cakes.
The folks at Scharffen Berger (my personal favorite brand) want to get you started by giving away an Essential Scharffen Berger Baking set, which includes all the products you see above (Retail value $50). Simply leave a comment, sharing your favorite chocolate dessert, and one of you will be the winner!
Giveaway ends midnight, September 27, 2012
Prize sponsored by Scharffen Berger, opions are my own.
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Comments (19)
My favorite chocolate recipe is Hot Fudge Cake (we always double it and serve it with some whipped up Rich's Whip)
1 Cup Flour
¾ cup sugar
2 T cocoa
2 t baking powder
¼ t salt
½ cup parve milk
2 T melted margarine
1 C brown sugar
¼ cocoa
1¾ C Hot water
Mix flour, sugar, 2 T cocoa, baking powder and salt together.
Stir in milk, and margarine
Pour into ungreased pan
Mix brown sugar and ¼ cup cocoa together and sprinkle over batter – DO NOT MIX IN
Pour hot water over
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
Above is for 9” pan; double and put in 9 x 13
love chocolate in all its forms. i sometimes put plain cocoa powder into my coffee. would really enjoy getting this set of baking chocolate.
Chocolate souffle/chocolate molten cakes. They're my favorite. Whenever I go out to eat, I order that for dessert. I have no interest in even trying anything else out :)
I love a black forest trifle...makes a great presentation and is really delicious. For a kosher dessert I make a chocolate vinegar cake which has no milk and uses margarine instead of butter...no eggs either for a low cholesterol touch. Also, death by chocolate cookies are a winner.
I love chocolate in any shape or form!
Even a warmed up chocolate chip cookie or chocolate chip bar with vanilla ice cream - and when it's topped with warm runny chocolate sauce, what could be better!
My treat is chocolate mud pie with a crispy base.
Favorite chocolate dessert? A simple chocolate mousse - what could be better?
12 oz chocolate
8 eggs separated (use 6 yolks, 8 whites)
Slowly melt the chocolate. Let cool a bit, but while still warm beat in the egg yolks. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold in to chocolate/egg yolk mixture. I also add about 1/2 tsp almond flavoring and a few sprinkles of cinnamon.
By adding 4 eggs and 10 oz margarine, you can make a chocolate mousse cake.
After melting chocolate, and cooling a bit, beat in the 10 oz of margarine (or butter). Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold into chocolate mixture.
Place 3/4ths of mixture into ungreased springform pan and bake at 350 for about 45 mins to 1 hour. Put rest of mousse into refrigerator.
Cool - center will sink. When completely cool, spoon remaining mousse into center of cake.
Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
(Again, you can add any flavorings you wish.)
my favorite chocolate desert is molten hot chocolate cakes from fresh & easy. they're so easy to make and so good! and of course, nothing can top a good brownie
I adore ScharffenBerger chocolate; I'm one of their best customers. I don't splurge on too many ingredients, but this chocolate is definitely worth it! My favorite recipe is one that I found inside a ScharffenBerger box, Chocolate Orbit Cake. Here is the link to the recipe on their website: http://www.scharffenberger.com/chocolate/recipes/cakes/chocolate-orbit-cake/
It works for Pesach, and it's delicious all year round.
I love chocolate in any shape or form... For a quick chocolate fix I'll stick graham cracker, chocolate & marshmallows into the microwave for instant s'mores....
Do I need to post a "real" recipe in order to qualify for the giveaway?
Fondue!!
My favorite chocolate dessert is chocolate soup!
My favorite would have to be hot fudge sauce over ice cream!
this is tough - but i think I'll go with chocolate pecan pie
Truffles are my favorite chocolate dessert.
I just created a new recipe using Sharfenberger's cocoa powder -- and the best thing is, it's gluten free, pareve, and vegan!
Strawberry Chocolate Oat Muffins
6-8 strawberries
Chocolate powder, to taste (about 1/4 c)
3/4 cup corn starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
~ 2 cups oats
~ 1 tsp brown sugar
a heaping cup of sugar
3/4 cup oil
1 tsp salt
So delicious! But brownies are always good, too.
Love to make a cocoa cola chocolate cake with butter cream middle then covered in ganache
Yum Chocolate! It's always a good time to eat brownies.
I like chocolate chip biscottis. Thanks for the great post! I got some great recipes from your website.