Deep Dark Chocolate (27 page)

Candied citrus peel or crystallized ginger, slivered or diced

Dried fruit slivers such as golden raisins, cherries, apricots, or cranberries

Toasted pistachios, pecans, almonds, or peanuts, broken or slivered1

Roasted and/or salted sunflower seeds

Spices such as freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg, sea salt, or chile powder blends

Finely ground espresso

Colored sugar sprinkles or turbinado sugar

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw thirty 1¼-inch circles, 6 per row. Turn the parchment over, pencil side down. Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl in a wide pan or skillet of hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring 4 or 5 times, and let it melt completely. Stir until smooth.

Using a teaspoon, fill each circle with about ½ teaspoon chocolate, doing 2 at a time. Allow the puddles to just set, then, using kitchen tweezers and the tip of a paring knife, artfully garnish each button with 1 or 2 toppings, pressing down lightly to make sure the garnishes stick. Allow the buttons to set in a cool place. Do not place them in the refrigerator, or they will discolor.

To serve, peel them off the parchment. Store the buttons in layers, separated by parchment or waxed paper, in an airtight container at a cool (60° to 70°F) room temperature. (Since the buttons are made without tempering the chocolate, they will have a smooth, non-glossy surface.) The buttons are best eaten within 3 days.

Root-Te-Toot-Toot Chocolate Fudge

makes
64 pieces

SO, YOU’VE NOTICED THE FIRST INGREDIENT? BEFORE YOU
pass judgment, give this quirky fudge a try. It’s easy, too, and the Raz-Ma-Taz toppings are a kick. It’s also a fun recipe to do with the kids. You’ll find the fudge is quite good. One thing is for sure: No one will guess the secret ingredient.

Using a small amount of Dutch-process cocoa powder gives the fudge a dark color. If you don’t have any, you can substitute regular cocoa.

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cup canned pinto beans (about 4 ounces), drained and rinsed

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons premium unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Up to 1 box (16 ounces) powdered sugar

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Raz-Ma-Taz Sugar Blends for topping

Purée the beans or mash them through a sieve. Transfer the puréed beans to a stand mixer and add the unsweetened cocoa, melted butter, Dutch-process cocoa, and vanilla. On low speed, beat the mixture until well blended. (Or, place all the ingredients except the powdered sugar in the bowl of the mixer and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.) Add the powdered sugar slowly at first to keep it from flying around and continue to beat until the fudge reaches a thick and pliable consistency. Beat in the walnuts, if desired.

Outline an 8-by-8-inch square on a piece of parchment. Place the fudge in the center of the outlined square and, using clean hands, shape the fudge into a flat ¾-inch-thick square. Smooth the top with a rolling pin, and use a knife to clean and shape the edges. To cut the fudge into exact squares, first refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Then turn the chilled fudge over on a cutting board. Using a ruler and a paring knife, pointed straight down, cut the fudge into 1-inch pieces. Transfer each piece, bottom side up, to a plate. When you have cut all the fudge and the pieces have reached room temperature, frost by dipping the top of each piece into the sugar blends of your choice.

Variation

You could see this coming:
Roly-Poly Root-Te-Toot-Toot Chocolate Fudge
. Kids will love making these round candy treats, and the pliable candy also comes in handy as candleholders on “It’s My Party” Birthday Cake. Follow the main recipe. Instead of forming the candy into an 8-inch square, form it into small truffle like balls. Roll in powdered sugar or in a Raz-Ma-Taz Sugar Blend of your choosing.

Raz-Ma-Taz Sugar Blends

To make any of the following sugar blends, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well blended, or shake vigorously in a plastic container with a lid. (I use those nifty 4-ounce, resealable Ziploc or GladWare plastic containers.)
Salt And Pepper Blend

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon salt

¹
/
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teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Chile And Cocoa Blend

¼ cup demerara sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

¼ cup granulated sugar

1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Cinnamon And Cocoa Blend

¼ cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Barbecue Blend

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon barbecue rub of your choice

Sweet Chili Blend

¼ cup granulated sugar

CacaoNib Crunch

makes
about 2 cups

AT CACAO, IN DOWNTOWN PORTLAND, OREGON, OWNERS
Aubrey Lindley and Jesse Manis are always finding new ways to use crushed cocoa beans or cacao nibs. These crunchy, sweet nuggets are, by far, my favorite. They are delicious as a snack, tossed in with your breakfast granola, or over an ice-cream sundae. Jesse even adds them to salads whenever chopped nuts are included.

1 cup superfine sugar (see Note, below)

½ cup water

1¾ cup premium cacao nibs, such as Scharffen Berger or Theo

This recipe depends on visual cues. The total cooking time is about 15 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside. In the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven with a pale interior, combine the sugar and water. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Add the cacao nibs and stir a few times to coat them evenly in the sugar syrup, then let the mixture alone. As the syrup boils, it becomes thicker and big bubbles begin to form. When the moisture is almost gone, it will thicken and become sticky.

Begin stirring. The mixture will be quite sticky and then suddenly start to become sandy. When the sugar is completely sandy and has coated the nibs, remove the pan from the burner and continue to stir about 1 minute. Spread the nibs onto to the prepared baking sheet and cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Note

Superfine sugar, also called baker’s sugar, is available in supermarket baking sections. For a quick substitute, whirl 1 cup of granulated sugar at a time in a food processor or blender until fine, about 30 seconds.