Leite's Culinaria » chocolate

Brigadeiros

David Leite — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:04:09 +0000

Leticia Moreinos Schwartz | The Brazilian Kitchen | Kyle Books, 2010 | Makes 40 brigadeiros

Chewy, fudgy, addictive. These little chocolate fudge balls are as common and well-loved in Brazil as cookies and brownies are in the United States. Traditionally, brigadeiros are a simple mixture of condensed milk, sweetened cocoa powder, and butter, cooked to a fudge state then formed into little balls and rolled in chocolate sprinkles. I find this to be much too sweet, so I made a few changes to the original recipe, adding real chocolate, real cocoa powder, heavy cream, and corn syrup. Unless I know the chocolate sprinkles are made with real chocolate, like the ones from Guittard or Cocoa Barry, I prefer to use cocoa powder or grated chocolate for rolling—and the result is amazing. This is a perfect dessert to give as a gift for any occasion. Children will love it and so will adults.—Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

convert Ingredients
Two (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate sprinkles, preferably Guittard

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Method
1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring the condensed milk, butter, heavy cream, and corn syrup to a gentle boil.

2. When the mixture starts to bubble, add the chocolate and the cocoa powder. Whisk well to prevent any pockets of cocoa powder.

3. Reduce the heat to low and cook the chocolate mixture, whisking constantly, until it is the consistency of a dense, fudgy batter, 8 to 10 minutes. You want it to bubble only toward the end of cooking, so it’s important to use low heat otherwise the chocolate will scorch. It’s done when you swirl the pan and the mixture slides as one soft piece, leaving a thick burnt residue on the bottom—that’s as it should be. If you undercook the chocolate mixture, the brigadeiros will be too soft; if you overcook them, they’ll be too chewy.

4. Slide the chocolate mixture into a bowl (without scraping the bottom of the pan) and let cool to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the chocolate mixture for at least 4 hours.

5. Scoop the chocolate mixture by the teaspoonful and, using your hands, roll it into a little ball about 3/4 inch in diameter (roughly the size of a chocolate truffle). Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture.

6. Place the sprinkles in a bowl. Roll 4 to 6 brigadeiros in the sprinkles, making sure to cover the entire surface. Store them in an airtight plastic container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

Making Waves with Chocolate

David Leite — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:15:34 +0000

Nothing says Valentine’s Day better or more intimately than chocolate. (Okay, well, maybe foie gras, oysters, filet mignon, too.) Phenylethylamine aside, there’s plenty to love—or make you feel like you’re in love. Chocolate is luscious (making you want to lap it up), sexy (you never heard of a movie called “Like Water for Vanilla,” have you?), and has a long history of mystical powers (it was drunk by the gallon by ancient Aztecs—and they didn’t do too badly).

But if you want to rack up some brownie points, (oh, god, did I really write that?) this VD forget Godiva, pass up Lindt, and snub Teuscher. Instead make your own love bites. Like this chocolate nougat. Full confession: they’re not exactly a 30-minute masterpiece (in fact, it’s taken us hours and hours to simplify the recipe for you), but think about it: How much more grateful (read: compliant) will your enamorado/a be when you whip out a box of homey, handmade, not-Martha-perfect-but-perfectly-divine chocolates? If proving your love doesn’t include tempering chocolate, try one of the recipes below. Everything from simple breakfast waffles to easy-to-make chocolate soufflés. If these don’t melt your true love’s heart, well, there’s always eHarmony.com

Double Chocolate Souffles
French Chocolate Macaroons
Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies
Molten Chocolate Cake
Dark Chocolate Waffles
Chocolate Bliss Layer Cake
Bittersweet Citrus Tart
Caramels
Kahlúa Truffle Triangles
Chocolate Pecan Caramel Torte
Chocolate Fondue
Cappuccino Cheesecake

Tempering Chocolate

David Leite — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:15:10 +0000

Peter P. Greweling | Chocolates and Confections at Home | Wiley, 2009

Tempering is the process of heating and cooling chocolate to ensure that it will set with a proper gloss and snap. Properly tempered chocolate will set quickly, will not show streaks or spots as it sets, and will have snap and shine as it hardens. When chocolate isn’t tempered, it will take a long time to set and will have streaks on the surface. Once set, these streaks will turn gray and the chocolate will have a soft and grainy texture.

1. Weigh or measure the amount of chocolate you’ll be tempering. Weight is the preferred method; otherwise, use the chocolate conversion table below.

Weight | Approximate volume

6 ounces | 1 cup of 1/2-inch pieces chopped chocolate

8 ounces | 1 1/3 cups of 1/2-inch pieces chopped chocolate

8 ounces | 3/4 cup of melted chocolate

10 ounces | 1 cup of melted chocolate

2. Weigh or measure a second amount of chocolate equal to 25 percent of the original amount. For example, if you’re tempering 1 pound of chocolate, measure out 4 more ounces.

3. Fully melt the larger amount of chocolate using either a microwave or a double boiler over low heat. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the heat. The chocolate should be 120°F (49°C) for dark chocolate or 110°F (43°C) for milk or white chocolate.

4. Add the smaller amount of unmelted chocolate to the melted chocolate. This is called the seed; it will cool the melted chocolate and cause it to set the way you want. You can use either the chopped chocolate or a single block as the seed; a single block has the advantage of easy removal once the chocolate is tempered.

5. Stir the chocolate gently and constantly until the temperature falls to 85°F (29°C) for dark chocolate or 83°F (28°C) for milk or white chocolate. This will take 15 to 20 minutes. Most or all of the seed should melt by the end of this time.

6. Test the chocolate. This is the only way to know for sure that chocolate is actually tempered. Make sure the chocolate is below 90°F (32°C) for dark chocolate or 87°F (30°C) for milk or white chocolate. Dip a spoon in the chocolate, place the spoon on the work surface, and leave it undisturbed for 7 to 8 minutes at room temperature of 68°F. Do not yield to the temptation to refrigerate the spoon! After 8 minutes have passed, look closely at the chocolate on the spoon. If the chocolate has set so that it no longer looks wet, and the surface is uniform and without streaks, the chocolate is tempered. If the chocolate hasn’t set or has set with a streaky appearance, the chocolate requires further seeding. (See Step 8.)

7. If the chocolate sets properly, gently warm it over a double boiler over low heat not exceeding 89°F (31.5°C) for dark chocolate or 86°F (30°C) for milk or white chocolate.

8. If all the seed has melted but the chocolate is not setting quickly without streaks or spots, it must be seeded more. Add a few more pieces of chocolate or another small block to the bowl, and stir for another 3 to 4 minutes. After this time, test again (step 6), and proceed from there.

9. Remove any unmelted seed from the melted chocolate.

10. Use the chocolate as desired while maintaining the proper working temperature. Dark chocolate should be used at 86°F to 90°F (30°C to 32°C) , milk chocolate at 84° to 87°F (29°C to 30.5°C). If it cools too much, it will thicken and set. If it is too warm, it will no longer be tempered and will not set properly. There are several options for maintaining this crucial temperature:

Some home candy makers use a heating pad to keep the bowl of chocolate warm.
Some put the chocolate over a pot of water at the desired temperature.
Some warm the chocolate in short bursts in a microwave.
Others warm it briefly from time to time over a water bath or direct heat.

Chocolate Nougat

David Leite — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:12:07 +0000

Peter P. Greweling | Chocolates and Confections at Home | Wiley, 2009 | Makes about 4 dozen candies

This is a soft chocolate nougat, similar to what is found in some well-known candy bars, except this one has more chocolate flavor. It is the fourth musketeer, the one with attitude, the one the others were jealous of, and you make it in your own kitchen! The nougat becomes more tender a day or two after it is made.—Peter P. Greweling

convert Ingredients
Canola oil, for greasing

For the meringue
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the flavorings
3/4 cup milk powder
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted unsweetened chocolate

For the syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup

For the chocolate coating
1 1/2 pounds dark chocolate, melted and tempered (click for tempering technique)

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Method
Prepare the meringue and the flavorings
1. Lightly oil a 9-by-13–inch baking pan.

2. Combine the egg whites, corn syrup, and vanilla extract for the meringue in a 5-quart mixer bowl fitted with a whip attachment. Do not begin whipping yet.

3. Sift together the milk powder, cocoa powder, and confectioners’ sugar. Set aside.

Prepare the syrup and the meringue
1. Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup for the syrup in a 2-quart saucepan. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Boil covered for 3 minutes, remove the lid, insert a thermometer, and continue to cook over high heat without stirring.

2. When the syrup reaches 233°F (112°C), begin whipping the egg whites on high speed.

3. When the syrup reaches 257°F (125°C), remove immediately from the heat and pour the hot syrup into the whipping whites in a constant stream. Continue whipping on high speed for 8 minutes.

Make the nougat
1. Turn off the mixer, add the sifted dry nougat ingredients, and mix together on low speed just to combine.

2. Add the unsweetened chocolate and mix on low speed just to combine. If there are still white streaks of meringue, mix in the chocolate by hand with a rubber spatula.

9. Press the nougat into the prepared baking pan in an even layer.

10. Allow the nougat to cool completely to room temperature, about 2 hours, or allow it to rest overnight.

11. When the nougat is cool, cut it into 1 1/2-inch squares.

Coat the nougat
1. Dip the nougat in the tempered chocolate (see Dipping Master Techniques, below).

2. Mark the tops of the chocolate nougat with waves, if desired (see Making Waves, below)

Techniques
Dipping Master Techniques
1. Set up your work station from left to right with undipped nougat squares, tempered chocolate for dipping, and a pan lined with parchment for the dipped nougat. (Left-handed workers may set the station to flow in the opposite direction.) Rest the bowl of tempered chocolate in a pan or other container so that it can be tilted toward you.

2. Place a square of nougat upside down in the tempered chocolate.

3. Place the tines of a dipping fork on top of the nougat and gently push the nougat into the chocolate to submerge it. With a swift J motion, invert the dipped nougat onto the dipping fork and lift it out of the chocolate. (When lifting the nougat, try to allow one side of the dipped nougat to extend past the end of the fork. This will make it easier to put it down.)

4. Lower the fork so that the bottom of the dipped nougat touches the surface of the tempered chocolate. Do this 6 to 8 times.

5. Glide the bottom of the dipped nougat across the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate. This will prevent a foot from forming when the nougat is put down.

6. Place the dipped nougat on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Making Waves
1. After dipping the nougat, wait for a minute or two until the chocolate begins to set very slightly.

2. Place your dipping fork on the chocolate, flat on the top of the piece. Pick the fork up slowly, pulling a little of the chocolate up with it. As you pick up the fork, move it slightly forward to create a wave pattern in the chocolate. When done at the correct moment, the wave will be smooth and relatively well defined. If applied after the chocolate has set too much, the wave will look more like a scar. A little bit of practice will help you to know the right moment to make the wave.

Keys to success
• Sugar cooking temperature is always critical. Use an accurate thermometer to cook your sugar.
• If you want slightly firmer nougat, cook the sugar mixture to a temperature 3° to 4°F higher. For softer nougat, cook the sugar mixture to a temperature 3° to 4°F lower.
• Make certain that the bowl is free of fat and that the egg whites do not have any yolk in them.
• Whip the egg whites on the mixer’s highest speed to achieve the best aeration.
• Stream the hot syrup down the inside edge of the mixing bowl so that it goes into the whites and not on the whip or bowl.
• Add the hot syrup to the egg whites in a moderate stream, neither very slowly nor in one gush.
• Do not mix the nougat for a long time after the chocolate has been added. Mix only until incorporated.

Christmas Breakfast Chocolate-Sour Cream Crumb Cakes

Linda Avery — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:01:00 +0000

by Marcel Desaulniers
from I’m Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas
(John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007)
Makes 18 crumb cakes

Get your Christmas morning going in the right direction with these appetite-soothing, chocolate-sour cream crumb cakes. They’re sour cream-enhanced, cinnamon-and-walnut-crumb-topped chocolate cupcakes. What a way to start a special day!—Marcel Desaulniers

convert Ingredients
For the cinnamon-walnut crumb topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the chocolate-sour cream crumb cakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
2 large eggs
2 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped and melted
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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Method
Make the cinnamon-walnut crumb topping
1. Place the flour, walnuts, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix on the lowest speed for 4 minutes, then mix on medium for 30 seconds, until the mixture is crumbly.

Make the chocolate-sour cream crumb cakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 18 muffin tin cups with 2 1/2-inch foil liners.

2. In a sifter, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift onto a large piece of parchment or wax paper.

3. Place the granulated sugar and butter in a clean bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix on low for 1 minute, then beat on medium for 2 minutes, until soft. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium for 30 seconds after each addition, and scraping down again once the eggs have been incorporated (at this point the batter will look curdled; but don’t worry, the melted chocolate will remedy the situation).

4. Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium for 15 seconds. Scrape down again. Add the buttermilk and sour cream and beat on medium for 1 minute, until the mixture is thoroughly combined and smooth. Scrape down again. Turn on the mixer at the lowest speed and gradually add the dry ingredients; mix until incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down again. Add the vanilla and mix on medium to combine, about 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the ingredients until thoroughly combined.

5. Portion 2 heaping tablespoons or 1 level #20 ice-cream scoop of batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle 1 slightly heaping tablespoon of the Cinnamon Walnut Crumb Topping over as much of each cup of batter as possible. Place the muffin tins on the top and center racks of the oven, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cakes comes out ever so slightly moist with batter, about 20 minutes. (Switch the pans between top and center halfway through the baking time and rotate each 180 degrees.) Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove the crumb cakes from the muffin tins (but not from the liners). Serve immediately, while still warm.

Dark Chocolate Fleur de Sel Cupcakes with Butterscotch Icing

Linda Avery — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:30:43 +0000

Christie Matheson | Salty Sweets | Harvard Common Press, 2009 | Make 12 to 14 cupcakes

Oh, do I love dark chocolate cupcakes. They are absolutely the perfect treat. I might even be a little obsessed. I am constantly pitching food editors stories about cupcakes, just so I have an excuse to sample more. (I think they’re on to me now.) I take my friend Carrie’s three-year-old daughter, Caitlin, out for cupcakes—claiming it’s because she loves them so much. (She does love them—after her first bite of a lemon cupcake on our last date, she looked up at me with a huge grin and exclaimed, “This is delicious!”) While planning my wedding, I was probably most excited (aside from marrying Will, which was definitely the best part) about the cupcakes we planned to serve instead of a big wedding cake. Three kinds, including a this dark chocolate cupcake—sprinkled with fleur de sel, of course.—Christie Matheson

convert Ingredients
For the dark chocolate cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fleur de sel
Snappy Butterscotch Icing

For the butterscotch icing
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon

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Method
Make the dark chocolate cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and fine sea salt together into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.

3. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, oil, and water over medium-low heat, stirring until the butter is completely melted and incorporated. Whisk the butter mixture into the dry ingredients on low speed until thoroughly combined. Beat in the egg, and then beat in the buttermilk and vanilla.

4. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and sprinkle a tiny bit of fleur de sel over the top of each. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until the tops of the cupcakes are set and spring back when you touch them and a cake tester comes out clean.

5. Let the chocolate cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost with Snappy Butterscotch Icing. The cupcakes will keep, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Make the butterscotch icing
1. Combine the sugar, cream, butter, water, and fine sea salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is completely dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 8 minutes without stirring, until the butterscotch icing has thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool completely so the icing will thicken enough to spread. Refrigerate or freeze for 30 minutes to speed the thickening process, if you like. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Toffee Cookies with Dark Chocolate Glaze

Linda Avery — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:15:15 +0000

Christie Matheson | Salty Sweets | Harvard Common Press, 2009 |Makes 20 to 24 cookies

I first made these toffee cookies seven or eight years ago, when I was just starting to learn about the merits of really, really good chocolate. And wow, do these showcase what a difference good chocolate can make. The toffee cookies are sweet and rich, the perfect foil for an intense layer of dark chocolate.—Christie Matheson

convert Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
Fleur de sel

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Method
11. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well. Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl, then add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing until well combined.

3. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles with a 2-inch round cutter and place the cookies on the baking sheet.

5. Bake the toffee cookies for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Bring water to a simmer in a double boiler, or set up a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan with water in the bottom. Melt the chocolate over the simmering water. When the toffee cookies are cool, spread them gently with a thin layer of melted chocolate. Before the chocolate dries, sprinkle lightly with the pecans and a few grains of fleur de sel. Let the chocolate set. The toffee cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Pound Cake

Linda Avery — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:00:55 +0000

by Melissa Gray
from All Cakes Considered
(Chronicle Books, 2009)
Serve 20 to 32, thinly sliced

Know some chocoholics? If they’re not in rehab, they’re going to become your very best friends when you bring in this baby. It’s another recipe Momma gave me. I made it for the “Morning Edition overnight staff during the month after the 2000 presidential election, when we were still wondering who’d won: Bush or Gore. At 3 a.m., the cake was on the counter. At 3:16 it was gone. The cake would have lasted until 3:20, but Newscast’s Dave Mattingly had five pieces. He said one was for Carl Kasell, but I know that was a lie.—Melissa Gray

You’ll need a 10-inch tube pan.

convert Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs

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Method
1. Position a rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper, and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, dry whisk the flour, sugar, and cocoa together.

3. Gradually add the butter, shortening, and milk and beat on medium speed until smooth.

4. Add the baking powder and salt, and beat until incorporated.

5. Still on medium speed, add the vanilla extract and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan using our plate-over-pan method and flip it onto a cake rack. Continue cooling the cake.

Wait, wait, wait Melissa! In the first part of this book we spent God knows how many brain cells going over how to properly cream butter and sugar and add the dry ingredients, and this recipe doesn’t follow that standard mixing technique! What gives?

It may have something to do with baker’s preference. This recipe will give you a moist, dense cake if you follow the directions as written. I suspect since the baking powder is added later, it has less time to react to the liquid and there is also less beating here (less beating = less air in batter). When I tried the recipe with the standard mixing procedure, I got a lighter, fluffier, and much taller cake, which rose about an inch above the cake pan. A different texture, but the same taste. I prefer it denser, so I go with the original mixing instructions.

If you collect recipes, you’re going to come across a lot that don’t conform to that standard mixing technique. Always follow directions as intended, then experiment with your technique when you’ve muscled up your skills.