The Joys of Rich Chocolate + Chocolate Holiday Recipes
For all the chocolate decadents out there I have dedicated a hub for you. Herein you will find the following:
1. excellent youtube clip on the production of chocolate;
2. My grandmother's delicious chocolate recipes and arrangment ideas for Christmas, including:
- chocolate covered strawberries
- chocolate covered bananas
- chocolate covered cream cheese
- chocolate covered spoons
3. creative arrangement idea for your chocolate covered treats.
From Cocao Pod to Treat
Chocolate Survey
My favorite kind of Chocolate:
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
1. Buy a large package of fresh strawberries. The large Driscoll strawberries with the long straight stems are excellent for this recipe.
2. Under no circumstances should the strawberries be WET or the chocolate won't stick to the fruit. You can dry clean the strawberries with a paper towel. If you are worried about pesticides, get organic strawberries. If you must wash them with water, they have to sit until they are ABSOLUTELY bone dry.
3. Get a sauce pan. Melt 1/4 stick of butter to lubricate the bottom of the pan. The flame should be low.
4. Pick your chocolate to melt--use chocolate chips. Dark chocolate is excellent with strawberries. Milk chocolate is excellent for bananas. There is also semi-sweet and white chocolate. You can use two or more chocolates. One for dipping and a second to drizzle on top for decoration and variation in flavor.
5. Melt your chocolate slowly; the flame should never be too hot or your will burn the chocolate and it won't stick.
6. Dip your strawberries and place on a cookie tray with wax paper.
7. Drizzle a second chocolate type on top for decoration.
8. Take tray with strawberries and cool in freezer or refigerator. When chocolate is totally hard, the treat is ready. Enjoy.
Chocolate Covered Spoons
Variations
Variations:
1. Use bananas--excellent with milk chocolate. Obviously they should be peeled and ripe (but not too ripe).
2. Use cream cheese. Slice the cream cheese into small square bars and dip. This is my grandmother's favorite.
3. Take plastic spoons and dip in chocolate. Wrap with decorative cellophane and ribbons. Excellent for stockings or as a small token gift. See below.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Edible Arrangement
Once you have made your chocolate covered treats, you have to create a suitable presentation. And excellent ways of doing this is by creating an "edible arrangement."
1. Get some sort of decorative bowl or pot.
2. Get flower arrangement styrofoam from your local craft store.
3. Get wooden skewers like you would use in a shish kabab.
4. Skewer your chocolate covered treats and place in foam.
5. Garnish with holiday appropriate tream. Holly is excellent for Christmas.
See example with Strawberries above.