Independence Fudge

12 ounces good quality white chocolate
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

In a large microwave bowl place the white chocolate and milk together.  Microwave on high for about 2 minutes.  Chocolate should be almost melted.  Remove from microwave and stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is completely melted.  Stir in the almonds.  Carefully fold in the blueberries and cranberries.  Add the orange peel and mix well. Place foil into an 8 inch square pan. Be sure the foil extends over the top of the pan so you can use it as handles when removing the fudge.  Spread the mixture into the pan evenly with a rubber spatula.  Place in the refrigerator until firm. This usually takes about 3 hours.  When fudge is firm remove from pan by lifting the foil by the extended area.  Cut fudge and store tightly in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Fruity Grilled Chocolate Kabobs

3 pears, peeled and cut into quarters
6 grapes, halved
12 strawberries
2 tbsp raw sugar
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 15 min. (like for kabobs)

Chocolate Dip

½ cup favorite chocolate bar, chopped
½ cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream
25 mini marshmallows
2 tbsp chopped toasted almonds

Note: You can change the fruit to whatever you like and the nuts as well…or eliminate the nuts altogether.

Melt the chocolate, heavy cream and marshmallows in a small saucepan over low heat. Stay on it and keep stirring. Bring to a boil and whisk rapidly for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in nuts. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine fruit and sprinkle with sugar. Toss gently. Put them on skewers.

Grill fruit skewers for about 7 minutes, until the fruit is caramelized and heated well.

Serve with the freshly made chocolate dip.

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El Choco Biscuits

1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp cocoa powder
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup high quality chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, egg and oil and mix with a fork. Add the chocolate pieces flour and cocoa powder. Mix.

With your hands knead the dough carefully and form balls with 1 tbsp of dough. Grease a baking tray and put the balls on the tray, leaving 1.5inches of room between them. Bake for about 12 minutes, let them rest on the tray for another 5 minutes and transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to cool.

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German Chocolate Cake

1 (4 oz.) pkg. German sweet chocolate
1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp. pure bourbon vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Melt chocolate in boiling water; cool. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add yolks, beating well after each. Blend in vanilla and chocolate. Sift flour with soda and salt. Add dry mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into 3 prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

Coconut Pecan Frosting

3 egg yolks
1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
1 T. butter
1 1/2 c. flaked coconut
1 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. pure bourbon vanilla extract

Beat eggs, milk, sugar, and butter. Cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes, stirring until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; add coconut, pecans, and vanilla. Beat until cool and of spreading consistency. Frost between layers, top, and sides.

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White Chocolate Cheesecake

1 cup pecan halves, divided
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk )
4 eggs
16-ounce package white chocolate baking squares, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
Whipped cream or topping

Reserve 5 pecan halves for garnish.

Finely chop and toasted remaining pecan halves. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix crumbs, chopped pecan halves, sugar and melted margarine or butter; press firmly on bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Beat cream cheese in large bowl with mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.

Blend in eggs, melted chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until center is set.

Cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Mix cherry pie filling and remaining vanilla. Remove side of spring form pan.

Spoon cherry mixture over cheesecake. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream or topping around edge and reserved pecan halves. Cut into wedges to serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

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Chocolate Chip Truffles

Ganache

9 oz semisweet chocolate
1 c. heavy cream, room temperature
3 oz dark sweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks
1 Tablespoon Sabra Orange-chocolate liqueur

Dipping

16 oz. dark sweet chocolate
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Garnish

1 cup dark chocolate shavings.

Prepare ganache by chopping or grating semisweet chocolate into small pieces. Place in top half of double boiler along with cream. Put hot (not boiling) water in bottom of double boiler, taking care that water
doesn’t touch top half. Stir with a wooden spoon. When melted, beat vigorously until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

When ganache is at room temperature, add Sabra Liqueur and dark chocolate chunks, stirring until thoroughly blended. Transfer to covered bowl and refrigerate overnight to harden.

Take a little ganache at a time and form 1″ balls, using fingertips (with as little contact as possible so the chocolate doesn’t soften). Keep unused portion refrigerated as you work. Place balls on waxed paper-lined baking sheet; continue until ganache is used up. Refrigerate baking sheet until ganache is hardened, overnight or up to two days. Allow to set in refrigerator at least two hours before loosely covering with waxed paper.

Dipping

Prepare chocolate coating with 16 ounces dark sweet chocolate and 1/4 cup vegetable oil.Chop or grate chocolate into small pieces. Heat chocolate and oil together in top of double boiler over hot water,
stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Insert candy thermometer and begin dipping the ganache balls when temperature registers between 85-90F. If chocolate begins to cool and thicken before you’re
finished dipping, reheat over hot water.

Work with 1/2 dozen ganache balls at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated. Drop ganache into the chocolate, turning until completely covered. Lift with fork, letting excess drain off, then gently rap fork against rim of pan to remove more chocolate. Gently slide truffle off of fork (using a butter knife) onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining truffles.

Garnish

Garnish truffle by sprinkling dark chocolate shavings over top. Repeat with remaining truffles. Refrigerate truffles overnight or until firm. Allow to set in refrigerator at least 2 hours before loosely covering with waxed paper.

Makes approximately 40 truffles.

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Basic Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) package or 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs; beating well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from the baking sheet.

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Chocolate Pudding

2 squares chocolate
pinch of baking soda
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 T butter
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla

Separate the eggs. Melt chocolate in a little water with a pinch of soda in a double boiler. Reduce heat. Beat the egg yolks. Stir a spoon of the chocolate into the beaten eggs. Add the egg mixture slowly into the chocolate, stirring briskly. Add most of the the sugar gradually (reserve a T for the egg whites) and continue stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Beat the egg whites with 1 T sugar and the vanilla until stiff. Fold into the pudding mixture while still hot. Chill several hours before serving.

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Chocolate Custard Pudding

2 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 squares semisweet baking chocolate
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons milk
5 tablespoons butter

In a medium saucepan, scald (just below boiling point) 2 cups milk with salt. Stir in chocolate until completely melted; set aside. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and half the sugar; beat until pale. Beat in remaining sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Gradually add chocolate mixture, stirring constantly. Pour back into saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in butter and keep covered and refrigerated until served.

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Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the microwave or over a double boiler, melt unsweetened chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally until smooth. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light. Mix in the chocolate mixture until well blended. Stir in the sifted ingredients alternately with sour cream, then mix in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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