Deep Dark Chocolate (25 page)

Hot Chocolate Waffles With Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

makes
12 4-inch waffles and 1 cup spread

WE CALL THESE “DEADLINE WAFFLES” BECAUSE I MAKE
them for my ten-year-old grandson Dylan when he’s over at the house working on a book report for school. Somehow it makes the task easier. When I make the waffles for a weekend family breakfast, I serve them with chocolate-hazelnut spread, butter, and warm maple syrup. When Dylan is here alone, he often prefers a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s a grandson’s prerogative.

Feel free to alter the waffles by adding a few tablespoons of cacao nibs, ground cinnamon (about
¹
/4 teaspoon), and/or other earthy spices to the batter.

Spread

7 ounces premium dark chocolate, chopped

½ cup heavy (whipping) cream

¼ cup ground hazelnuts

Waffles

2 ounces premium dark chocolate, chopped

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons premium unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 large egg, at room temperature

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

TO MAKE THE SPREAD:
Place the chocolate and cream in a medium heatproof bowl and set in a wide pan or skillet of hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring 4 or 5 times, and let the chocolate melt completely. Remove from the heat, stir in the hazelnuts, and let the mixture cool until it reaches a spreading consistency.

TO MAKE THE WAFFLES:
Place the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl and set in a wide pan or skillet of hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring 4 or 5 times, and let melt completely. Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth and cools slightly. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt until well blended.

In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Whisk in the granulated and brown sugars. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Heat a waffle iron and spray with cooking spray. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, ladle the batter onto the waffle maker and cook until done. Keep the cooked waffles warm in the oven while you make more. Serve the waffles with chocolate-hazelnut spread or with butter and warm maple syrup.

Note

Did you know that waffles freeze well? Place any leftovers in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze, then seal the waffles in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Warm in a toaster or in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

Bittersweet Chocolate–Caramel Apple Slices

serves
6 to 8

WHO CAN RESIST THIS DRESSED-UP VERSION OF A CARAMEL
apple, with its warm coating of caramel and chocolate? This simple yet elegant snack is one I often turn to when I need a quick dessert. There’s always some caramel sauce in my refrigerator, so it’s easy to assemble at the last minute. If I don’t have apples, fresh pears or bananas will work just as well.

To serve a group, I arrange the apple slices on a narrow serving platter and set it in the middle of the table. For individual desserts, I place 4 to 6 apple slices on a small plate with 2 or 3 melon-ball-sized scoops of homemade ice cream such as Earl Grey Ice Cream.

Caramel Sauce

1¼ cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature

¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream, at room temperature

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

¼ teaspoon salt

4 medium Granny Smith or Fuji apples, cored and cut into ½-inch slices

TO MAKE THE CARAMEL SAUCE:
Before you begin, make sure you have everything next to the saucepan. Heat the sugar in a heavy 2-to 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven with a pale interior over medium-high heat; use a whisk to occasionally stir the sugar as it begins to melt. As soon as
the liquid sugar is a rich amber color, add the butter to the pan, whisking constantly until the butter melts. The mixture will foam slightly.

Immediately take the pan off the heat and slowly whisk in the cream. The mixture will foam again. Continue to whisk until the caramel is smooth. Let it cool about 15 minutes, stir in the vanilla and salt, then pour it into a 2-cup pitcher or measuring cup. If the sauce was made ahead, rewarm it briefly in a pan of hot water. Any unused portion can be kept in a closed container in the refrigerator for several days or frozen up to 3 months. Makes about 1¾ cups.

TO ASSEMBLE:
On a serving platter, arrange the apple slices in one long line, all facing in the same direction. Pour a wide swath of warm caramel sauce down the row, followed by a smaller pour of the warmed chocolate sauce. Serve at once.

Variation

For a contemporary version of a classic, serve
Caramel and Chocolate Banana Splits with Earl Grey Ice Cream.
Follow the main recipe to create the caramel and chocolate sauces. For each serving, substitute 1 small, peeled baby, Lady Finger, or Niño banana (about 3 inches long; available in many supermarkets), slicing it on the diagonal. Arrange the two halves, side by side, on a dessert plate. Add a Ping-Pong-ball-sized scoop of 1, 2, or 3 varieties of ice cream. Pour the caramel sauce down the center of each banana slice, then over the ice cream, followed by a long drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Cool-Hand Chocolate Pretzels

makes
2 to 3 dozen pretzels

WITH A TWIST AND A SWIRL, YOU CAN TURN AN ORDINARY
pretzel into the life of your next party. Paul Newman—Cool Hand Luke—has a company that makes terrific pretzels that are just the right size for these quick and easy treats.