Chocolate Overload, addendum: Caramel Chai Dark Chocolates

A reader asked whether I'd share the recipe for the caramel chai dark chocolates from the Chocolate Overload post here.  I originally didn't post the recipe because I didn't write down what I did while I was making the chai chocolates, so I didn't have exact amounts.  But, I do have a pretty good guess from my memory, so Rebecca--this one's for you.

Chai tea dark chocolate ganache
(for Caramel Chai Dark Chocolates, I used some leftover store-bought caramel from another project.  For chocolate molding directions, check out the post here.)

6 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4-5 Tbspn Darjeeling tea leaves
2-3 tspn ground cardamom
dash of cloves
a few grinds of fresh black pepper (white would work, too)
1 Tbspn butter
2 Tbspn Godiva chocolate liquor

1. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cream, tea leaves, cardamom, cloves, and pepper. Stir and bring to a gentle boil, remove from heat, cover, and let steep for ten minutes.
3. Return the spice and tea cream to heat and add the butter. Bring to just barely a boil. Make sure the honey is completely dissolved.
4. Remove the cream mixture from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer over the prepared dark chocolate. Allow to sit for two to three minutes, then stir until the chocolate melts into the cream.
5. Stir in the Godiva chocolate liquor. Allow the ganache to set in the fridge overnight before use.


Enjoy!

Christmas cupcakes!

Last week, I did something completely uncharacteristic of myself: I baked cupcakes.

For anyone who knows me, you'll recognize immediately that baking cupcakes is soooo not me.  I'm not a cupcake girl.  In fact, I have a huge rant prepared about how cupcakes are NOT cute and mini versions of cakes.  No, cute and mini versions of cakes should still look like cakes.  Cute and mini versions of cupcakes should look like cupcakes.  But really, I should spare you all the rant.

And back to the cupcakes.  The other reason that I tend to steer clear of cupcakes is the same reason that I don't like making sugar cookies: the decorating.  There are just so many frosting colors involved!  And the thought of all those little bowls with all of those different colors of frosting, all of which have to be washed at the end of the decorating session, along with all of the spoons that you used to mix the different colors.  Just the thought of it is extremely exhausting to me.  (background note: I abhor doing dishes.)  So, the short of it is that I don't usually do cupcakes.  Mini cupcakes are my thing.

But, for some unexplained, crazy reason last week, I had the sudden urge to make cupcakes.  I think it was all of the peppermint ganache that I'd eaten.  Really, it was.  After making my molten peppermint chocolate cake, I ended up with a few cakes that were left uneaten.  At first, I didn't think that the peppermint ganache would be good after it had cooled and hardened inside the cake, but, upon trying one of the cooled cakes, it tasted really good!  So, why not put peppermint ganache in chocolate cupcakes?  yum yum!

Alas--there was a problem.  Mini-cupcakes just would not do in such a situation.  There just wouldn't be enough room for cake AND chocolate ganache in the mini molds, so full-sized cupcakes it would have to be.  And that's the story of how my Christmas cupcake extravaganza came to be.





Anyways, the cupcakes were super yummy.  The chocolate cake here is THE chocolate cake recipe I turn to for pretty much everything under the sun.  It's so moist, which is perfect here, because the peppermint ganache sort of melts into the chocolate cake and cools to form an amazing amalgamation of pepperminty-chocolatey awesomeness.  Top with a generous dollop of peppermint-schnapps-infused buttercream and some sprinkles, and you're golden.

Oh, and of course I made mini versions as well (not with peppermint ganache).  I mean, everything is better in miniature, no?

Read on for recipe... (this chocolate cake recipe also works well fresh-out-of-the-oven for molten chocolate cakes!)

Double the fun with peppermint ganache!

Really, what are the holidays without peppermint and candy canes?

Peppermint molten chocolate cake

with dark chocolate-dipped candy canes

Okay--don't answer that.  That was rhetorical (and yes, I do remember what my high school English teacher said about rhetorical questions being a sign of horrible writing, and I apologize).  :-)

Anyways, along with the ginger carrot dark chocolate candies, I made peppermint dark chocolate candies as a more traditional holiday flavor for Christmas treats and gifts.  You know, just in case people snuff at the idea of carrots in their chocolate.

Peppermint dark chocolate ganache candies

But what to do with all of the leftover peppermint ganache?  Ah, here's where the genius comes in:

Pop a ball of ganache in the center of moist chocolate cake, bake in souffle molds, and voila!  Instant molten peppermint chocolate cakes.  And oh my, were these good straight out of the oven.  I made sure to call my friend, Lauren, over in time for the cakes to finish baking, just so I wouldn't have to scarf these all down myself.

The chocolate cake was so rich when it was still hot, and then when you get down to the bottom, there's just a thick layer of melted dark chocolate ganache, laced with cool peppermint.  It was divine.

Ah, but back to the peppermint ganache:

I mean, do I really have to convince you that these were good?

Wait--damn rhetorical questions.

Read on for recipe for peppermint chocolate ganache...  (chocolate cake recipe now available here.)

Xmas Treats!: Ginger Carrot Dark Chocolates

It's the Holidays!  Oh my--I do love the holidays.

The good cheer and benevolence on everyone's minds, the gathering of family and friends, the warm cider, hot fireplace, sparkly lights on the tree.  And best of all, Christmas treats.  :-)  (of course.)

Promptly after getting off the plane ride back from Taiwan, I was in the kitchen making the first of many holiday treats for the season: ginger carrot dark chocolate candies.

Okay.  Before you call me crazy, hear me out.  These didn't originally start out as ginger carrot chocolates.  No, originally, I set out to make pumpkin chocolates.  But, for some reason, I just couldn't get that idea fully formed in my head.  So then I remembered these wonderful ginger cookies from a few weeks ago.  Yum yum.  Which led me to making ginger truffle filling.  Then, as I leaned over the pot to smell the spicy aroma of ginger cooking in the cream, it hit me: these chocolates needed carrot.

And trust me, they are amazing.  It's weird to think that a traditionally savory ingredient works so well in candies, but they are the perfect finishing touch to these chocolates!  (The idea isn't all that out there, I suppose, since carrot cake requires lots of ginger flavor as well.)

The shreds of carrot in the truffle filling add a perfectly crunchy texture to the ganache.  And the mild sweetness of the carrots compliment the spiciness of the ginger so well.  Not to mention, eating these definitely make you feel less guilty about all that Christmas candy.  :-P

As with rosemary-lemon sandwich cookies, pomegranate-basil cheesecakes, or pumpkin sage blackberry pancakes, I positively adore the fact that these unexpected ingredients like carrots, rosemary, basil, or sage work so well in sweets.  You have to believe me on this one.  :-)  (Or, try them for yourself!--and make sure to let me know what you think.)

Read on for recipe...

Raspberry Dark Chocolate Ganache (Breast Cancer Awareness, part deux)

[for part 1 of Breast Cancer Awareness Month Chocolates, check out these rose marzipan dark chocolates!]

Here's the second flavor that my Breast Cancer Awareness boxes contained: dark chocolate ganache with raspberry preserves.  Where the sweetness of the marzipan was the focus of the other chocolates, these raspberry ones were all about the smoothness of the ganache, with just an ever-so-light hint of raspberry preserves spilling out of the chocolate shell when you take a bite.  mmm....

Raspberry Dark Chocolate Ganache Chocolates

People who tried both of these chocolates told me that they were so torn over which ones they liked better!  The two types of chocolate candies together were a great complement for each other, so I'd definitely recommend making both as a pair.

Also, don't let the chocolate work faze you from making these chocolates!  They are super easy.  I think the hardest part of candy making is tempering the chocolate, but that requires almost no skill if you use the method described in the recipes here--all it needs is lots and lots of patience to wait for chocolate to melt!  :-)  The best part of candy-making, too, is that everyone is always super-impressed that you've made chocolates.  I had this hilarious exchange with an old professor of mine where, after trying a chocolate, he said:

"You bake.  I know people who bake.  And you bake.  But-- I don't know anyone who makes chocolates!  I thought that chocolates were something that no one makes at home-- like, like, mayonnaise!"

LOL.  It's even funnier if you imagine it with a Finnish accent, as he has.  Also, incidentally enough, I've never been successful at making my own mayonnaise, though granted I've only tried (and given up) once.  Great mayonnaise-making tips accepted!, since now that I've conquered chocolates, I should try my hand again at homemade mayo.

Anyways, please, please! help spread the word about Breast Cancer Awareness.  Make chocolates.  Eat chocolates.  Whatever it takes.  Stay healthy!

Read on for recipe...