Category: Chocolate

Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Italian Christmas Pudding Cake

Belinda

The best of all the Italian desserts rolled into a gorgeous, moist and boozy cake.
This recipe is Nigella Lawson’s own but at the same time a conflation of a couple of Italian Christmas must-haves: the glorious, fruit-studded panettone and crema di mascarpone, which is best described as tiramisu without the Savoiardi biscuit layer, and sometimes with pieces of chocolate stirred through the mascarpone mixture.
She has brought in a cassata element, which means she adds, along with the chocolate, some crumbled marrons glaces (though any candied or dried fruits could do) and chopped pistachios.
The pomegranate seeds she tumbles over the top at the end are there for their beauty as well as to add a further seasonal touch.

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Makes: 12-14 slices

1½ pounds Panettone (or pandoro)
⅓ cup tuaca liqueur (or a liqueur of your choice)
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
⅓ cup superfine sugar
2 cups mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
1 cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
½ cup Marsala
⅓ cup marrons glacés (pieces)
⅔ cup mini chocolate chips (or regular chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate)
⅔ cup shelled pistachios (chopped)
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Using a serrated knife, cut the panettone roughly into ½ inch slices, then use about a third of these to line the bottom of a 9 inch springform cake tin.
Tear off pieces to fit so that there are no gaps; panettone is fabulously soft and moldable, so this isn’t a hard job.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the Tuaca (or other liqueur of choice) over it so that the panettone lining is dampened. It looks like a beautiful golden patchwork made out of cake.

Now get on with the luscious filling.
Whisk – using a freestanding electric mixer for ease – the eggs and sugar until very frothy and increased in volume and lightness.
More slowly, whisk in the mascarpone and heavy cream, then gradually whisk in the Marsala and carry on whisking until the mixture is thick and spreadable. Remove a good cupful to a bowl or other container, cover and put in the fridge; this is for the top layer, which is not added until you serve the cake.

Crumble the marrons glacés into the big bowl of mascarpone cream mixture, followed by ¾ of the chocolate chips and ¾ of the chopped pistachios, and fold in. Use half of this creamy filling to top the panettone layer that is lining the cake tin.

Use another third (approx.) of the panettone slices to cover the cream filling, again leaving no holes for the cream to escape through. Dampen with another 2 tablespoons of liqueur.
Spoon on the other half of the cream mixture and spread it evenly. Then top with a third and final layer of panettone, covering the cream as before, and drizzle over it the last 2 tablespoons of liqueur.

Cover tightly with clingfilm, pressing down on the top a little, and put in the fridge overnight or for up to 2 days.

When you are ready to serve, take the cake out of the fridge, unmold and sit it on a flat plate or cake stand, then spread with the reserved mascarpone mixture. Don’t try to lift the cake off the base, as the panettone slices at the bottom are too delectably damp.

Scatter the top – and all around the cake, if wished – with the remaining chocolate chips and chopped pistachios and your pomegranate “jewels”.
These sprinklings also provide beauteous camouflage for any less than aesthetically uplifting edges of the springform base which may be visible.

Chocolate · Poultry

Spicy chocolate milk-braised chicken

Belinda

Your inner-child is screaming “YASSSS”!!

Recipe is from the website Food 52

1. Chicken poached in milk is absolutely wonderful, as evidenced by chicken potpie or any creamy chicken dish for that matter.
2. Chicken in a sweet sauce is totally a thing. See American Chinese food classics, like sweet-and-sour chicken, General Tso’s chicken, and orange chicken.
3. Chicken, chili and chocolate have a long and beautiful history in the form of mole, from the state of Puebla, Mexico.

So accept that this chicken may just be one of the most interesting things. After poaching the chicken (and I promise the milk will not curdle, and the chocolate will help keep it emulsified and beautiful. Pull the meat out of the liquid and put it over quinoa with some sautéed zucchini for a solid weeknight meal. Or stuff it in corn tortillas with a spoonful of the braising liquid and Greek yogurt.

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Serves 4
1 cup (240ml) full-fat chocolate milk
2 tbsp chili powder (I prefer the one made from ancho chiles)
2 jalapeños, stemmed and split lengthwise
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 1 1 ⁄ 2 pounds (680g)
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 zucchini, sliced into 1 ⁄ 2-inch-thick (1.3cm-thick) rounds
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups Cooked quinoa, for serving

In a saucepan, combine the chocolate milk, chili powder, jalapeños, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the chicken thighs. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender.
While the chicken is cooking, add the oil to a large sauté pan over high heat. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the zucchini and the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is caramelized and soft, though not so soft that it’s turning to mush. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until the garlic starts to caramelize a little.
Serve the chicken and zucchini over cooked quinoa.

Chocolate · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Sweet and smoky Mexican chicken

Belinda

Chicken meets chocolate in this rich and distinctive dish by Ottolenghi

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Serves 6-8

2 medium red peppers
3 small cinnamon sticks, freshly ground (or, failing that, 1½ tbsp ground cinnamon)
4 chipotle chillies, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, drained, seeds and stalks removed
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
2.5 tsp soft brown sugar
2.5 fl oz olive oil
Salt and black pepper
4 lbs (1.75kg) whole chicken legs (ie with both drumsticks and thighs), skin-on
1 oz (20g) dark chocolate, finely grated
1.5 lbs (650g) baby maris peer potatoes (or other roasting potato), peeled and halved
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 2cm x 6cm wedges
2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
1.5oz (10g) cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6.
Put the peppers on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, until the skin has blackened.
Transfer to a small bowl, cover with cling-film and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, peel the peppers, and discard the skins, seeds and stalks.
Put the pepper flesh in the small bowl of a food processor, and add the cinnamon, chili, garlic, vinegar, sugar, three tablespoons of the oil, a teaspoon and half of salt and three tablespoons of water.
Blitz for a minute, until smooth, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken legs and chocolate, and mix to coat.
Put both types of potato in a separate large bowl with the onions, the remaining oil, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Mix well, combine with the chicken, then tip everything on to a large 12″ (30cm) x 16″ (40cm) baking tray.
Arrange the chicken skin-side up and roast for about 50 minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are cook

Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead

(Almost) no-bake chocolate mousse pie

Belinda

Who doesn’t like an “almost”non-bake chocolatey dessert?
Recipe by Sue Moran from the food blog “The View from Great Island”

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Serves 12

For the chocolate mousse pie
1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (I used 24 Nabisco chocolate wafers)
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 cups heavy whipping cream
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp granulated sugar

Garnish
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Cocoa powder or extra chocolate cookie crumbs
Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F.
Butter a 9-inch springform pan
In a food processor, grind the chocolate wafters until they become fine crumbs. You’ll want 1 1/2 cups of crumbs total, this was just exactly 24 Nabisco chocolate wafters for me. If you want to save a little for dusting on top of the final pie like I did, you can add one or two more and reserve a tablespoon or so.
Add the crumbs to the melted butter and stir together until evenly incorporated.
Press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, and up the sides a little bit (about 1/2 inch). Using a flat-bottomed measuring cup to tamp them down is an easy way to get a nice, even layer.
Bake the crust for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and set aside.

Heat 1 cup of heavy whipping cream over medium or medium-high heat until it just begins to boil.
Take the cream off the heat and add the chopped chocolate, salt, and vanilla extract.
Allow to sit for 10 minutes or so until the chocolate is completely melted. Stir until everything is evenly mixed.
Set the ganache aside to cool at room temperature, or place in the fridge once it’s cooled down a bit.

Whip 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and the sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. You don’t want to over beat it, but you want the peaks to stand up on their own without flopping over.
Gently fold the room temperature ganache into the whipped cream until completely mixed, and there are no streaks.
Pour the mousse into the springform pan, and spread out evenly. You can shake the pan a bit to get it to even out a little more, but you don’t want to knock too much of the air out of the mousse.

Refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours.

To garnish, whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and spread in the middle of the cake. Top with cocoa powder or extra chocolate cookie crumbs.

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Chocolate-ginger refrigerator squares

Belinda

Don’t you just love cookies you don’t have to “cook”?
We are living with an upstairs temporary kitchen and only a toaster oven for 6 months while our kitchen/dining room is being remodeled, so this recipe is a real winner. Aside from the ease of “cooking” I am a ginger freak.
Recipe c/o the great BBC Good Food website.

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11 oz ginger cookies, roughly crushed
8 oz crystallized stem ginger, finely chopped or the stem ginger in syrup, drained and finely chopped. The more gingery you like it, the more you can add!
11 oz plain 70% to 85% chocolate of a good quality like Lindt.
3.5 oz butter, diced
3.5 oz golden syrup ( I get this on Amazon, but you can probably substitute with honey or corn syrup)

Line a 8″ by 11.5″ tin with baking parchment.
Mix the cookies with most of the ginger, then set aside.
Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth and glossy.
Pour this over the cookie and ginger mixture and mix together well.

Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle over the reserved ginger (whether you’re using crystallized or drained ginger), then flatten the top lightly – it doesn’t need to be completely smooth.
Chill for at least 2 hrs, or overnight, before cutting into small squares.

Chocolate · Do-ahead · Grains

No-bake chocolate oatmeal bars

Belinda

Everyone needs an easy, no-cook dessert in their lives.

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1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

Line an 8 x 8″ baking dish with parchment paper.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is completely melted, stirring to combine. Add the oats, ground cinnamon, and salt.
Cook and stir for about 5 minutes.
Pour 1/2 of the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
Spread and pack down.
Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a liquid measuring cup in the microwave in 30 second increments, until fully melted.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan (reserving some) and top with the remaining oat mixture, packing down once again.
Drizzle the reserved chocolate mixture over the entire pan.
chill for at least four hours before serving.

Chocolate · Do-ahead

Marmalade-marbled chocolate brownies

Belinda

The chocolate-orange combination is sublime and the British cookies called “Jaffa cakes” springs to mind. Marmalade is divine marbled through the gooey, chocolatey brownie.

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1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup Seville orange marmalade
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-inch square pan.
Melt the butter and chocolate together over low heat, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat.
Add the sugar and marmalade and beat until blended.
Add the beaten eggs and vanilla essence; mix.
Add the flour, walnuts and salt. Stir to blend.
Spread in the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Cool slightly on a wire rack.

Baking · Chocolate · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Chocolate olive oil cake

Belinda1 Comment

This cake from Nigella Lawson is absolutely wonderful and gluten free.
It’s very moist, not too sweet and divine simply served with raspberries and creme fraiche.

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Makes: 8-12 slices

⅔ cup regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)
6 tbsp good-quality unsweetened cocoa (sifted)
½ cup boiling water
2 tsp best vanilla extract
1½ cups almond meal or ground almonds
½ tsp baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 cup superfine (caster) sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/gas mark 3/325ºF.
Grease a 9inch springform tin with a little oil and line the base with baking parchment.

Measure and sift the unsweetened cocoa into a bowl and whisk in the boiling water until you have a smooth, chocolatey, still runny (but only just) paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then set aside to cool a little.
In another smallish bowl, combine the almond meal with the baking soda and pinch of salt.

Put the sugar, olive oil and eggs into the bowl of a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment (or other bowl and whisk arrangement of your choice) and beat together vigorously for about 3 minutes until you have a pale-primrose, aerated and thickened cream.
Turn the speed down a little and pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go, and when all is scraped in you can slowly tip in the ground almond mixture.
Scrape down, and stir a little with a spatula, then pour this dark, liquid batter into the prepared tin.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre, on top, still looks slightly damp. A cake tester should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging to it.
Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, still in its tin, and then ease the sides of the cake with a small metal spatula and spring it out of the tin. Leave to cool completely or eat while still warm with some ice cream, as a pudding.

Chocolate · Dairy-free · Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Whole 30/Paleo brownie balls

Belinda

When you’re off sugar, grains and dairy, sometimes you really want something sweet and it can be hard to find. These little gems are chocolatey and rich, but really healthy with lots of protein, fiber and healthy fats.. Thank you to “Paleo Grubs” blog.
You simply blend everything together, and then roll the ‘dough’ into bite-size brownie balls.
Sometimes it’s nice to roll the finished brownie bites in chopped nuts or dried coconut and they are definitely best served straight from the refrigerator.

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1 1/2 cups walnuts
Pinch of salt
1 cup pitted dates
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. I love Scharffen Berger)

Add the walnuts and salt to a food processor. Mix until the walnuts are finely ground.
Add the dates, vanilla, and cocoa powder to the blender.
Mix well until everything is combined. With the blender still running, add a couple drops of water at a time to make the mixture stick together.
Using a spatula, transfer the mixture into a bowl. Using your hands, form small round balls, rolling in your palm. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Appetizers · Chocolate · Gluten Free · Meat

Chocolate-covered bacon strips

Belinda

Who needs any other snack? The sweetness of the chocolate and the smokey saltiness of the bacon makes this spectacular. Just make sure your bacon is cooked until very crispy.

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12 strips bacon
1lb good quality dark chocolate
Flaked sea salt, chopped nuts, or other toppings of your choice

Prepare the bacon according to the package directions, either on the stovetop or in the oven. Make sure you cook the bacon until it is crispy.
Once the bacon is cooked, drain the fat and let it cool, then pat both sides with a paper towel of the bacon to remove any lingering fat on the surface.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Temper it so that it remains shiny and hard at room temperature.

Holding a strip of bacon at the top, carefully dip most of it into the melted chocolate. If you have trouble dipping the bacon, use a spoon to pour the melted chocolate over the bacon until both sides are covered to your liking.

Lay the chocolate-dipped bacon on a tray or plate covered with waxed paper. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the top with flaked sea salt, chopped toasted nuts, or any other toppings you’d like. Repeat until all of the bacon is covered with chocolate.

Refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate, for about 15 minutes.
Once set, let the bacon come to room temperature, and it’s ready to eat!

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.