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BLACK BOTTOM CUPCAKES

These old favorites taste better than any cupcakes. I always make a double recipe and freeze half.

Filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • l egg, well beaten
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 6 ounces chocolate chips

Cake:

  • l 1/ 2 cups flour
  • l cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • l teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • l cup water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • l tablespoon vinegar
  • l teaspoon vanilla

Filling: In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese with the eggs, sugar, and salt until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.

Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Place paper cupcake liners in 2 or 3 inch muffin tins.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla, and mix well by hand.
Fill the cupcake liners halfway full with the cake batter.
Drop about l tsp of the cream cheese filling over the cake batter.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake part tests done.
Cool on a wire rack for l0 minutes before removing them from the tins.
Chill for several hours or overnight before serving, or else it will be difficult to peel the paper liners off of the cupcakes.

Makes 2 to 3 dozen

HORATIO’S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

  • 4 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
  • 1 1/ 2 cups sugar
  • l 1/ 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • l cup whipping cream

In a large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese.
Slowly add the sugar and vanilla, beating well after each addition.
Beat until light and fluffy - about l0 minutes.
The sugar should be well dissolved. Taste a little, if it is grainy, beat longer.
Add the cocoa and beat until mixture is smooth and the cocoa dissolved.
In another large bowl, with the electric mixer at high speed, whip the cream until soft peaks form.
Fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture one half at a time.
Divide into individual serving dishes, or place in a large serving bowl.
Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Serves l0 to 12.

UPDATED OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE PUDDING

This recipe is from The American Medical Association’s new FAMILY HEALTH COOKBOOK and is healthy, in moderation!

  • 1/ 2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch processed
  • 2 1/ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups skim milk
  • 1/ 2 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • l 1/ 2 teaspoons vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.
Gradually whisk in about half of the milk until smooth, then whisk in the remainder.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the pudding thickens and comes to a boil, 5 - 8 minutes. Cook, stirring, l minute more.
Remove the pudding from the heat and add the chocolate and vanilla. Allow the pudding to stand l minute to melt the chocolate, then stir gently just until smooth.
Pour the pudding into a serving bowl. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a “skin” from forming. Refrigerate at least l hour and up to 8 hours.

Serves 4

 

CHOCOLATE CREPES WITH COCONUT

This is from my friend David, publisher of Leite's Culinaria http://www.leitesculinaria.com where there are lots of great recipes.

Crepes:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 3/ 4 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, melted
  • 1/ 2 tablespoon softened butter or margarine for cooking

Filling:

  • 4 (3.5 oz each) bars bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 1/ 4 cups heavy cream

Garnish:

  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • store bought caramel sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, and salt.
Whisk in the milk slowly, then add eggs and melted butter and whisk until smooth. (HINT: Don't add butter until you can touch it with your fingers and it is not hot or it will curdle the eggs.)
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Place the chocolate in a medium size bowl.
Heat the cream in a small pan over medium heat until boiling.
Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Toast the coconut in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Spread on a plate to cool. Whisk the filling until slightly thickened. Be careful not to over beat or mixture will become stiff. Set aside, it will continue to thicken but use when still slightly warm to spread more easily.
Heat a 8" crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot; a drop of water should skitter across the surface. Dab the softened butter with a paper towel and wipe the pan very lightly. Pour in a scant 1/ 4 cup of batter and quickly tilt and swirl the pan until the batter evenly coats the bottom. This may take a few tries.
Cook until the batter bubbles and looks dry, about 1 to 1 1/ 2 minutes. With the tip of a knife, release the edge of the crepe and flip using your fingers. Cook the other side until golden, about 45 seconds. Remove the crepe to a plate and cover with paper towel.
Repeat, stirring the batter often. To assemble, drizzle a plate with some caramel sauce. Spread 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling along the lower third of a crepe and roll it up; alternately spread the filling over the bottom half of a crepe and fold into quarters. Drop a dollop of whipped cream on top and sprinkle with some coconut.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT MACAROON PIES Gale Gand's SHORT & SWEET (Clarkson Potter, NY)

These little pies are like chocolate-dipped macaroons in reverse: lots of chocolate and a little coconut. The "dough" for the coconut macaroons is so easy to make, easy to work with, and holds its shape well after baking. I used raspberries instead of nuts to top mine.
 

  • Heaping 3/ 4 cup sugar
  • Scant 1/ 2 cup egg whites (about 3 large eggs)
  • 3/ 4 lb. (scant 2 1/ 2 cups) sweetened flaked coconut
  • 8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 1/ 2 cup whipping cream
  • a few toasted almonds, chopped
  • pint of fresh raspberries (my addition)

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Mix the sugar, egg whites, and coconut together. Put a spoonful into each of 24 nonstick mini-muffin cups or individual tart molds. Press the "dough" into the molds to make little cups with sides and a well for holding the chocolate filling. Bake until golden brown about 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely in the pans, then gently remove.
To prepare the filling, place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan just until boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Then gently whisk the cream and chocolate until smooth and glossy.
With a small spoon, fill the tarts with the warm chocolate mixture. Sprinkle a few pieces of nuts in the center of each tart while they are still warm. (I used a fresh raspberry on top instead). Then serve. (They need to be served the same day they are made). Makes 24.

MILK CHOCOLATE-ORANGE MOUSSE (BUTTER SUGAR FLOUR EGGS by Gale Gand, Clarkson Potter, NY)

It is unusual to find milk chocolate in recipes, since it cannot be substituted for other chocolates, so this one is for all you milk chocolate lovers.

  • 5 oz milk chocolate
  • 3 oz semisweet chocolate
  • 2 cups chilled heavy cream
  • 2/ 3 cups egg whites (from about 5 eggs)
  • 1/ 3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon thawed frozen orange juice concentrate or Grand Marnier liqueur
     

Melt the chocolates together in the top of a large double boiler set over barely simmering water. Stir well and set aside to cool slightly. Whip the cream in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or hand mixer) until stiff. Refrigerate it.
In a clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue whipping just until stiff and glossy, about 30 seconds more.
Whisking hard, whisk about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate until well blended. Fold in the next third of the egg whites. Fold in the remaining egg whites just until barely combined (the mixture will be streaky). Add the orange zest, orange juice concentrate, and whipped cream and fold until smooth. Use a pastry bag fitted with a large plain or star tip to pipe the mousse into serving dishes, or simply spoon it into a large serving bowl. Cover lightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Makes about 8 servings.

CHOCOLATE GRAPES

While waiting for the holiday meal put these out to pop in your mouth. Don’t tell your guests what’s in them. I had the pleasure of eating these at Citronelle recently and thought they were truffles until something squirted out of the centers into my mouth and surprised me. This is from my favorite chef, Michel Richard of Michel Richard Citronelle (and his newest book Happy In the Kitchen), a marvelous book for reading, entertaining with, and astonishing your friends and family

  • 1 lb. cold firm seedless red grapes, stems removed
  • 4 oz. 60% semisweet chocolate, melted, cooled to room temperature (see hint)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Dry the grapes well and place them in a bowl large enough to toss them easily. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the chocolate to the rapes about 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring well with a spatula, carefully scraping the sides of the bowl and folding through the center of the grapes to coat all of them evenly.

When the chocolate begins to set, using a small strainer, sprinkle the cocoa powder little by little over the surface. Gently toss or stir the grapes as you sift, continuing to ad the cocoa until all the grapes are well coated and separated. Spread on the prepared sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, or for up to 1 day. Makes 3 ups.

Hint: Melted chocolate temperature can be checked by dabbing a small amount on your lower kip. When it is “lip temperature” (or body temperature) it is ready to use.

 
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