CULINARY INFO
Chocolate

"T'will make old women young and fresh, create new motions of the flesh and cause them long for you know what. If they but taste of chocolate."
From "A History of the Nature and Quality of Chocolate"
by James Wadworth (1768-1844)

These are just a taster of recipes using chocolate. If you require any others, please feel free to email me or return to my Main page and make use of the 'Request a Recipe' feature

Here are a couple of other links to some special chocolate recipes

- - - Chocolate: The Original Mayan Drink - - - Chocolat : The Movie Recipes - - -

Chocolate Ganache

325 gm chocolate ( melted )
050 gm butter ( melted )
125 ml double cream

1. Boil cream in a thick based pan and remove from the heat
2. Stir in the melted chocolate
3. Stir in the melted butter and mix well until all the butter is incorporated
4. Store refrigerated in an air tight container

CHEF NOTES
There are many different recipes for ganache, some without butter and some with more cream. This is just a basic ganache. It can be used immediately as it is poured over a cake, or it can be whisked until it is lighter in colour and texture and piped on to gateaux, petit fours or chocolates etc.

Chocolate Saveur

230 gm dark chocolate (melted)
100 gm butter (melted)
060 gm ground almonds
080 gm rice flour
120 ml milk
002 pc eggs (separated)
180 gm castor sugar

1. Melt the chocolate in a round based bowl over a bain marie
2. Stir in the melted butter and the ground almonds
3. Mix together the flour the milk and the egg yolks
4. Whisk the egg whites while gradually adding the sugar
5. Fold the three mixtures in together
6. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with silicone paper
7. Bake at 180°C for 20 mins

Boiled chocolate icing

275 gm castor sugar
100 gm chocolate
050 gm cocoa powder
008 tbs water

1. Bring the ingredients to the boil until it is thick and reaches 180°C
2. Pour half onto a marble slab and work it with a palette knife until thick and creamy
3. Stir it back into icing.

Chocolate sauce
500 ml water
080 gm sugar
150 gm bitter chocolate
030 gm cocoa powder
075 ml cream

1. Boil the water and sugar until it has the consistency of a thick syrup
2. Mix the cocoa powder to a smooth paste with a little water
3. Stir the cocoa into the syrup and add the cream
4. Bring the mixture back to the boil, remove from the heat
5. Stir in the chocolate, and allow to cool

Dark chocolate mousse # 1
syrup
050 gm glucose
200 gm sugar
250 ml water

700 gm dark chocolate
008 pc egg yolks
001 lt whipped cream
syrup (as above)

1. Melt the chocolate in a round, based bowl over a bain marie and put to one side
2. In a thick based pan boil the ingredients together until it has reached soft ball stage (118°C)
3. In another round, based bowl beat the egg yolks over a bain marie, while slowly drizzling in the sugar syrup to form a very light sabayon
4. Fold in the melted chocolate
5. Fold in the whipped cream then pipe the mixture into your serving containers, chill in the refrigerator This mousse is ideal for shaping into quenelles

Dark chocolate mousse # 2

001 pc eggs
001 pc egg yolk
250 gm bitter chocolate
050 gm milk chocolate
100 ml rum
600 ml whipped cream

1. Melt the two chocolates together in a well rounded bowl over a bain marie, and put to one side
2. In another rounded bowl over the bain marie, beat together the yolk and the egg until light and fluffy
3. Whisk in the rum and then fold in the melted chocolate
4. Finally fold in the whipped cream and serve chilled.

White chocolate mousse

700 gm white chocolate
004 pc leaf gelatine
001 lt double cream (whipped)
004 pc eggs

1. Melt the chocolate in a round, bottomed bowl over a bain marie and put to one side
2. Reconstitute the leaf gelatine in cold water
3. In another rounded bowl over the bain marie beat together eggs until light and fluffy
4. Stir in the softened gelatine
5. Fold in the melted chocolate
6. Fold in the whipped cream then pipe the mixture into your serving containers, chill in the refrigerator.

This mousse is ideal for shaping into quenelles.

Piping chocolate

200 gm plain or milk chocolate
050 gm icing sugar
002 drps water

1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a bain marie
2. Mix with the sifted icing sugar
3. A few drops of water are added to give piping consistency
4. Keep covered at 32°C in a bain marie while using

Chocolate glaze

250 ml sorbet syrup
120 gm bitter or plain coverture
040 gm unsweetened cocoa powder

1. In a bain marie heat chocolate to 40°C
2. Heat syrup with cocoa, whisking continuously
3. At 50°C pour syrup into chocolate whilst whisking until smooth and shiny
4. Can be stored for up to seven days refrigerated in an airtight container

Chocolate fudge

750 gm sugar
250 gm liquid glucose
310 gm double cream
060 gm butter (melted)
325 gm couverture (melted)

1. In a thick based pan, mix the sugar, glucose, cream and butter
2. Boil the mixture until it is pale golden brown (do not stir when it is boiling )
3. Allow to cool slightly then stir in the melted couverture
4. Pour into a shallow tray and allow to cool
5. When the fudge has set coat it with tempered chocolate
6. Set in the fridge and cut to desired size

Chocolate cream cheese fudge

125 gm cream cheese
200 gm chocolate chips
270 gm icing sugar
001 tsp vanilla essence

1. Soften the cream cheese by beating
2. Melt chocolate in bain marie (double boiler)
3. In bowl mix cheese, chocolate, icing sugar and essence, blend until thoroughly combined
4. Working quickly spread in greased tray, refrigerate until firm

CHEF NOTES
For variation add chopped nuts or replace vanilla essence with rum or peppermint essence

Chocolate microwave fudge
100 gm butter cut into cubes
050 ml milk
440 gm icing sugar
050 gm cocoa powder
050 gm chopped nuts
002 tsp vanilla essence

1. Place the butter, milk, vanilla essence, sifted icing sugar and cocoa in micro wave proof bowl
2. Microwave the mixture on high for two minutes
3. Beat until smooth and then stir in the nuts
4. Pour into a tray lined with lightly greased greaseproof paper and refrigerate overnight