Irresistible Chocolate and Dessert Recipes

Chocolate and dessert recipes are an absolute ”go to” for any party or casual gathering. They can be as simple as a cookie or as extravagant as a cake like the Cassata Siciliana.

And what can one say about chocolate? Its history dates back to around 600 AD! It has been used as a symbol of devotion, power, and love throughout the centuries. At one time it was secured by royalty as an expensive and rare luxury and now it is plopped into cookie dough for kids to gobble up.

What’s more….we’ve taken that simple bean from the cacao (kah-KOW) tree and created not only chocolate, but different kinds of chocolate. Here’s a little information:

• Unsweetened Chocolate: This is where you take the bean from the tree and ground it up. It is harsh and bitter in taste. You might find this chocolate used with a semi-sweet chocolate in baking.

• Bittersweet Chocolate: This chocolate is the liquor from the cacao bean that is released during processing. Cacao butter, some sugar and vanilla are added. The taste is strong and only slightly sweet and is often used in desserts and pastries.

• Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Somewhat sweeter than bittersweet chocolate, semi-sweet has additional sweeteners and cacao butter. This is your dark chocolate!

• Milk Chocolate: Take your chocolate liquor, add the usual cacao butter, sweeteners, flavorings, and whole milk. More of an eating chocolate, this one is not usually used for baking.

• White Chocolate: This chocolate is made from the cacao butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla flavoring. Imitation white chocolate is made with vegetable fat rather than cacao butter.

• Cacao Butter: This is the natural, cream-colored fat released from the cacao beans using a hydraulic press.

• Cocoa: After the cacao butter is released, the remaining solid ingredients including the flavor and color of the chocolate liquor is the cocoa.

We love chocolate and we love desserts! So …..

• identify the nature of your gathering
• determine portion sizes (for example, a generous slice of cake and tea with a friend or smaller size sweets for an afternoon tea)
• calculate your prep time
• whip up those luscious sweets
• and Enjoy!

Here’s an easy recipe to get you started, and your friends will think you spent hours preparing this elegant sweet. The combination of fresh berries and chocolate is a match made in heaven!

Truffles with Fruit

Mini fillo shells
Chocolate truffles
Fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries – select one type or mix)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Place fillo shells on a baking pan.
3. Put a truffle in each shell.
4. Bake 2-4 minutes until chocolate begins melting.
5. Remove from oven and top the chocolate with a piece or pieces of fruit.
6. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set again.

NOTE:

• Pre-cooked fillo shells can be found in your grocer’s freezer section.
• Lindt Lindor Truffles are especially delicious and perfect for this recipe. You can select from milk chocolate, dark chocolate, extra dark chocolate, white chocolate, or an assorted truffle bag.

Chocolate Caramel Trifle

Chocolate Chip Tea Cakes

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Chocolate Pecan Toffee Bars

Chocolate Tart Recipe

Chocolate Truffle Recipe

Chocolate Truffle Recipe Ideas

Chocolaty Chocolate Cookies

Low Fat Chocolate Cookies

Melted Chocolate Cake Recipe

Nutter Butter Cheesecake Truffles (Winner of 2006 Alabama National Peanut Festival Recipe Contest.)

Recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Simple Simon Cookie Bars

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