Little Hill chocolate watch: CHOCLATEA

Exotic chocolate bars that will titillate your taste buds or impress your peers.

http://www.smilechocolatiers.com/choclatea.php

Little Hill chocolate watch: Yan Yan Choco Sticks

Sesame sticks in one section and chocolate cream in the other. It’s like Handi-Snacks for chocolate lovers.

Little Hill chocolate watch: Max Brenner

Milk Chocolate from Venezuela. White chocolate from Trinidad. Spicy hot chocolate from Mexico.

Our hero…

www.maxbrenner.com

Little Hill chocolate watch: BJ’s Famous Pizookie

The is a first ballot chocolate watch hall of fame candidate.

http://www.bjsrestaurants.com

Thursday is for Food*

* daily feature from www.ozolife.com

Persimmon Says

U.S. Ark of Taste Endangered Foods List

Wishing they were on your kitchen chopping block (and off the one shared by many businesses these days) are 200 foods on Slow Food Nation’s US Ark of Taste list. These dietary staples are literally on the verge of extinction due to industrial standardization, limitations on large scale-distribution, and environmental damage. On the list: wild rice, yellow-meated watermelon, a selection of plums, apples, and tomatoes, and many more. So how can you save the persimmon and its imperiled friends? Simple: Buy them and eat them. By voting with your dollar, you’ll encourage growers to keep them coming (regardless of hanging chads).

See the list at slowfoodsusa.org.

Little Hill chocolate watch: NOKA

Premium dark chocolate…Life is complete.

http://www.nokachocolate.com

L.H. Chocolate Watch: Cadbury Nut Selection

M&M’s are for kids. Goobers are for the movies. Cadbury Nut Selection. That is dessert in bed with your lover.

Hazelnuts, almonds, and brazils covered in milk chocolate. Even the packaging is sexy.

L.H. Chocolate Watch: L.A. Donuts

The best donuts in the world are found in Los Angeles. Think we’re buggin?

The mom and pop donut shops in Cali will crush any donut from Dunkin or Krispy Kreme!

L.H. Chocolate Watch: Digestive Cookies

We know. The name sounds odd. Trust us though, these cookies are “wicked” (as they would say in either England, Jamaica…or Boston, MA).

L.H. Chocolate Watch: White Chocolate Coffee

3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
2 cups hot freshly brewed coffee
Whipped cream and chocolate curls, optional

1. Microwave the chocolate and half-and-half in a medium microwaveable bowl on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Stir in the coffee. Pour into large cups or mugs
3. Top each serving with whipped cream and chocolate curls, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/beverage/white-chocolate-coffee-recipe.html

Little Hill CHOCOLATE WATCH: Chocolate Whiskey Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 100 g sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 220 ml milk
• 200 ml cream
• 150 g dark (70%) chocolate
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) whiskey

What to do:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water or a in a microwave. Take care chocolate melts at a low temperature (ca. 37C) and it burns easily, so once it’s melted, remove from the heat!
2. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until pale yellow.
3. Bring the milk to a low simmer.
4. Remove from the heat and beat the milk into the egg and sugar mixture in a slow stream. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place over low heat.
5. Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 65-70C) and just coats the back of a spoon. Don;t over-heat, though, because at around 76C you will scramble the eggs! Immediately remove from the heat.
6. Add to the melted chocolate in small parts and mix thoroughly until smooth and velvety.
7. Cover the chocolate custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.
8. Stir in the whiskey.
9. Whip the cream until it has doubled in volume (you should have soft peaks – don’t over-whip).
10. Fold the cream (gently stir) into the custard.
11. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer, stirring every few hours to break up the ice crystals.
12. If you’re using a domestic ice cream machine, transfer to a freezer-proof covered container when the ice cream has achieved a semi-solid consistency (around 15 minutes). Place it in the freezer, and continue to freeze until it is solid.

Yield: 8 servings.

http://icecreamireland.com/2007/12/21/chocolate-whiskey-ice-cream/

Little Hill Chocolate Watch: Godiva Ice Cream Soda

1.5 ounces Godiva Liqueur
4 ounces of cola
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream

Pour Godiva Liqueur into tall glass. Add cola. Stir. Top with ice cream…Sip like a queen.

http://www.godiva.com/recipes/recipe_zoom.aspx?id=284

Little Hill CHOCOLATE WATCH: World’s Most Expensive Sundae

By Vivianne Rodrigues

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A day after New York City came up with a $1,000 bagel, a local restaurateur unveiled a $25,000 chocolate sundae on Wednesday, setting a Guinness world record for the most expensive dessert.

Stephen Bruce, owner of Serendipity 3, partnered with luxury jeweler Euphoria New York to create the “Frrozen Haute Chocolate,” a blend of 28 cocoas, including 14 of the most expensive and exotic from around the globe.

The dessert, spelled with two Rs, is infused with 5 grams (0.2 ounces) of edible 23-karat gold and served in a goblet lined with edible gold. At the base of the goblet is an 18-karat gold bracelet with 1 carat of white diamonds.

The sundae is topped with whipped cream covered with more gold and a side of La Madeline au Truffle from Knipschildt Chocolatier, which sells for $2,600 a pound.

It is eaten with a gold spoon decorated with white and chocolate-colored diamonds, which can also be taken home.

“It took us a long time to experiment with all the ingredients and flavors, and more than three months were needed just to design the golden spoon,” Bruce told Reuters.

Four years ago, Bruce unveiled a $1,000 ice cream sundae called Golden Opulence, a staple on his menu and a favorite with rock stars, socialites and other celebrities.

Both desserts are sold only with advance orders. Bruce said he has received inquiries about his latest creation, mostly from Europeans planning to visit New York.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if soon we get a call from a Middle Eastern prince or Shah willing to give something sweet to his many wives on his next trip to the city,” Bruce said.

On Tuesday, New York chef Frank Tujague of The Westin New York hotel at Times Square unveiled the $1,000 bagel, topped with white truffle cream cheese and goji berry infused Riesling jelly with golden leaves. Sales will help raise funds for culinary school scholarships.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0753679220071107?sp=true

Little Hill CHOCOLATE WATCH: Fudgy Macadamia Nut Brownies

1/2 cup butter
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups chopped toasted macadamia nuts, divided use

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter an 8-inch square pan.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter and chocolate together over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and transfer to mixing bowl. Beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Blend in flour, baking powder and salt until just blended. Fold in 1 cup of the nuts.
3. Spread mixture in pan. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining 1/4 cup of nuts. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Do not overbake; center should be set, but still moist. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Makes 16 bars (you don’t have to share them if you don’t want to!)

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/bar/fudgy_macadamia_nut_brownies_recipe.html

Little Hill CHOCOLATE WATCH: White Chocolate Mousee

Ingredients (serves 4)

180g white chocolate, chopped
300ml thickened cream
1 tsp gelatine powder
3 eggs, separated
1 tbsp Grand Marnier, optional

Method

Stir the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until melted. Set aside to cool.

Place 1 tbsp of boiling water in a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle over the gelatine. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Remove from the heat. Sit the bowl of gelatine in the water and stir until dissolved.

Stir the egg yolks, liqueur if using, and gelatine into the cream mixture. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, until thickened slightly.

Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Fold into the cream mixture until evenly combined. Place in a mold and set in refrigerator.

Once set, then unmould and dress the top with fresh sliced mango and some of its juice, decorate with crushed pistachio.

Enjoy!

http://garymartin.info/2008/05/01/white-chocolate-mousse-with-mmmmango/

Little Hill CHOCOLATE WATCH

Cookie Bars made with SNICKERS® Brand Bars.

1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. softened butter
1 c. peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 c. flour
1 (16 oz.) pkg. miniature SNICKERS® bars

Cream together sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter. Add vanilla and beaten eggs. Mix. Add baking powder, baking soda and flour; mix well. Cut miniature SNICKERS® bars in half. Wrap dough around each bar half, forming a ball.Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cookies will flatten as they bake, with candy bar as center filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-18 minutes or until light golden brown.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Little Hill CHOCOLATE WATCH

Toblerone Chocolate Mousse

Dark Toblerone Mousse (6-8 servings)
300 g (10 ounces) dark Toblerone,
broken into large pieces
Ample boiling water
2 eggs
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
4 dl (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cream

Place the Toblerone in a bowl and cover it completely
with boiling water. Allow it to stand briefly, until the
chocolate softens. The chocolate should not lose its
shape; the proper degree of softness is reached when
a wooden skewer can be inserted easily into the
chocolate.
Carefully pour off the water. In a separate bowl, beat
the eggs and sugar together until light. Add the soft-
ened chocolate and blend well. Beat the cream until
stiff peaks form, and fold it carefully into the chocolate
mixture. Chill two to three hours. To serve, use two
spoons to scoop out balls of mousse. Arrange them on
a serving platter and decorate them with additional
cream.