Recipe: Charles Chocolates Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles

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From Denny: From CBS' Chow.com comes an easy chocolate truffle recipe. Give it a try when you want to impress someone and with little effort! So simple the children can help.

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What to Buy: We love Guittard Chocolate Compnay’s 72% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate; available in small wafers which are perfect for melting. You can find it in some groceries, and online.

Special Equipment: A melon baller, also known as a Parisienne scoop, is perfect for scooping truffle-size balls of ganache. You could also use a cookie scoop. Both are available at Cooking.com.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic heavy cream or whipping cream

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 whole vanilla bean

8 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside. Place chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, and use the back of a paring knife to scrape the vanilla seeds into the cream. Let steep for 10 minutes, then return the cream to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Pour the hot cream over the finely chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.

Whisk the chocolate and cream mixture together until very smooth. This is referred to as ganache, a mixture of chocolate and cream.
Pour ganache into a shallow 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.

Using a small melon baller or a small teaspoon, scoop a small ball of ganache into your hand and roll between your palms until somewhat smooth and round. Place ganache balls on a baking sheet until they are all rolled. They should be approximately 1 inch in diameter.

Place cocoa powder in a shallow bowl or pan. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder to coat.

Truffles may be stored for up to two weeks at a cool room temperature (55 to 65 degrees) in an airtight container.

Note: Do not refrigerate or freeze the truffles; this damages the texture of the creamy ganache.

Recipe: Chocolate-Covered OREO Cookie Cake

Tomorrow: Chocolate Banana Coconut Cream Pie


Chocolate-Covered OREO Cookie Cake

From: Kraft


Prep Time: 20 min

Total Time: 1 hr 20 min

Makes: 16 servings



Ingredients:


1 package (2-layer size) devil's food chocolate cake mix

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 package (8 ounces) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

12 OREO Cookies, coarsely crushed


Directions: HEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter and bake in 2 (9-inch) round cake layers as directed on package. Cool in pans 10 min. Invert cakes onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool 5 min.

MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in COOL WHIP and crushed cookies. Stack cake layers on plate, spreading cream cheese mixture between layers. Spread top with chocolate glaze. Let stand until firm. Keep refrigerated.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Family Fun: This great-tasting cake looks like a giant OREO Cookie.

Cooking Know-How: If chocolate glaze becomes too thick, microwave on HIGH 20 to 30 seconds or until of desired consistency.

Tomorrow: Chocolate Banana Coconut Cream Pie

Photo by ginnerobot @ flickr

Recipe: Espresso-Ganache Tartlets

Espresso-Ganache Tartlets

Yield: 6 servings

From: Bittersweet Pastry Shop, Chicago, Illinois.



Crust:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt


Ganache filling:

¼ cup hot water

1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder

¾ cup whipping cream

2 Tablespoons sugar

10 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) OR semisweet chocolate, chopped


Directions for crust: using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in medium bowl until light. Beat in egg. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat just until blended. Divide dough among six 3-inch-diameter tartlet pans with 1-inch-high sides and removable bottoms. With floured fingertips, press dough into pans. Refrigerate 1 hour, then freeze 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake tartlets until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely.

Directions for filling: Mix ¼ cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl until espresso dissolves. Bring cream and sugar to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Mix in espresso mixture. Pour hot filling into tartlets. Chill until chocolate sets, at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Remove tart pan sides from tartlets. Transfer to plates and serve.