Coffee Infused Homemade Chocolate Syrup

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I love chocolate syrup.  I love it in milk, on top of ice cream, straight out of the bottle... oh the possibilities are endless!  I hate that it is hard to find without undesirable added ingredients (i.e. high fructose corn syrup.)  When I do find those that don't contain what I don't want it to have in it, it costs way to much.  Up until recently, I'd never even thought of making it myself.  But it is possible, and every bit as delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Handful of whole coffee beans

Steps:

In a medium to large sauce pan wisk together the cocoa powder, water, sugar, vanilla and salt over medium-low.

When everything is combined, add the whole coffee beans.

Wisk constantly.

Allow mixture to boil for a minute or two, then remove it from the heat.

Pour the chocolate into a bowl, and place it in the refrigerator.  At this point the mixture will be quite thin, it will thicken some as it cools.

Allow the syrup to cool completely.

Once cool, remove the coffee beans with a spoon.

Transfer the syrup into a bottle (I poured mine into a nice olive oil bottle) and store it in the fridge.

Mmmm.... wonderful, rich, homemade syrup without the unwanted added junk.

Pour the syrup

Sugar And Spice: Xocolatl

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Dagoba Organic Chocolate makes a whole line of quality chocolate bars.  Among the different varieties that are available is the Xocolatl bar.  The Xocolatl bar is made of organic dark chocolate, Cacao Nibs and infused with chili powder, nutmeg oil, and citrus oil.  I must admit, I was quite skeptical of this combination of chili powder and chocolate.  I have heard of interesting combinations that chocolatiers have come up with before, but I have never tried them before.

For my first taste of this unique chocolate bar, I popped a small piece in my mouth for fear being overwhelmed by the chili powder.  I wasn't too thrilled with this combination.  But the more that I tasted it, the more I liked it.  It, like most spicy things, is strangely addicting.  Now, this is not the type of chocolate bar that you devour as you're watching a movie.  I liked it best when eaten in little bitty pieces as a small afternoon pick-me-up or as a post-dinner treat.

When you take a bite of this chocolate, the first thing you taste is the smooth dark chocolate, its not until the chocolate is gone that the spice comes back to give you a swift kick in the taste buds.  The spice lingers for a while, and packs a punch that makes you keep coming back for more!

If you're not a fan of dark chocolate, this is not the chocolate bar for you.  As with some dark chocolate, it is not very sweet like a milk chocolate bar (this is because the cacao percentage is high.)  But lucky for you Dagoba does sell a Milk Bar as well.

I look forward to trying the other flavor combinations, as well as, the chocolate drink mixes, and baking products that Dagoba Organic Chocolate has to offer!

Eggnog Cake Balls

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Cake balls has truly been this year's baking craze, and with good reason; they're delicious, they're cute, and they're delicious.  How awesome would it make you look if you brought a tray of these to your next Christmas party!?!  

I have made my regular boring ol' vanilla cake into a festive eggnog cake, perfect for the season!  Then I dipped each ball of confectionary goodness into milk chocolate, and sprinkled with fun decorations.  Cake balls are not difficult to make, but they do take some time and patience.

Ingredients:

• 1 box vanilla cake mix
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 can (16 oz-- you could always use homemade if you'd like) vanilla frosting
• 2 12 ounce bags of milk chocolate chips
• festive sprinkles 
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Steps:

Make your cake according to the directions.

Add the nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla to the cake batter (this is what turns it into an eggnog cake.)

Make sure that you spray the pan well for easy removal of the cake.

Notice all the flecks of flavor in there!

When the cake is done baking, allow the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack, and let the cake cool completely.

When the cake has cooled, break the cake up into large pieces using your (clean) hands, and place the pieces into a bowl.

Using your fingers, gently crumble the cake into small uniformed crumbs.

When the cake has been completely crumbled, add about half of the can of frosting to the bowl.

Using your hands (or a spoon if you would like, because this is quite messy--however, I found it easier to do this by hand) mix the frosting with the cake.

The mixture should resemble dough.

If the cake and frosting is too crumbly, add more frosting until you get the right consistancy.

Using a Cookie Scoop put a small ball of 'dough' into the palm of your hand.  Roll the ball into a quarter-sized ball of deliciousness, and resist popping it into your mouth.  Place the rolled ball onto a cookie sheet. 

Repeat this process until all of the cake and frosting mixture has been used up (this should make about 60 cake balls.)

Place the tray into the refrigerator overnight.  Cover the tray with a kitchen towel.

When the cake balls have chilled out overnight, they are ready for their pretty outer layer.

Over a double boiler, melt your chocolate.  

I like to only work with 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips at a time.  For each 1/2 a bag, add 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil.  

When the chocolate is nice and smooth, remove it from the heat.

Take a few (no more than 4 or 5) of the cake balls out of the fridge, and place them on a small plate lined with wax paper.

Using a spoon and a fork drop 1 cake ball into the melted chocolate.

With the spoon, cover the ball completely with chocolate.

When the ball is covered, scoop the ball out of the chocolate using the fork.

With the spoon, gently tap the fork to get the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.

Place the covered ball onto the wax paper and sprinkle with decorations.

Repeat with the remaining 3 balls.

Place the plate in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate coating has hardened.

When the chocolate has set, transfer the bite-sized drops of yummy back onto the cookie sheet in the fridge.

When all of the balls have been dipped and decorated, they are ready to make their debut at your next party!

If you don't plan on eating them immediately, store them in your refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to a week.

If you wish, you could make a bunch of cake balls and store them in the freezer for up to a month.

Homemade Butter-Fingers

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Do you have left over candy corn from halloween?  I know I do.  At a loss as to what to do with it?  Well, whatever you do don't toss it.  Make this yummy version of a classic candy instead.  That's right, you can make butter-fingers right from your own kitchen in a matter of minutes!

What you will need:

• 1 cup candy corn (I had a cup of the autumn mix left from when I made chocolate covered candy corn)
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 graham cracker sheet, crumbled
• 1/2 cup bitter-sweet chocolate chips

How to make butter-fingers:

Grease a cake pan with a generous amount of cooking spray.

Spray the inside of a microwave safe bowl generously with cooking spray.

Pour the candy corn into the bowl.

Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.

Repeat the cycle of heating for 30 seconds then stirring until the candy has melted.

For me, this took 3 times.

Be careful not to over heat the candy.

It should be slightly puffy when it is ready.

When the candy is melted, immediately add the graham cracker crumbles and the peanut butter.

Stir until completely combined.

Pour the candy mixture out into the cake pan.

Using a spoon, press the candy into a sheet that is about 1/4" thick.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips for 30 seconds, remove and stir, then heat for an additional 40-45 seconds or until chocolate has melted.

Pour the chocolate over the candy sheet, and evenly spread to cover the candy.

Place the cake pan into the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set.

This took about 20 minutes.

Once chilled, peel the candy sheet from the cake pan, and cut into bite-sized pieces using a pizza cutter.

Yum!  Homemade butter-fingers from you left over candy corn.  

Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers

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Such a wonderful treat: light and crisp graham crackers covered in rich bitter-sweet chocolate.  This is a great afternoon pick-up, or bed-time snack enjoyed with a tall glass of cold milk!  

To make this treat you will need.

• 1/2 cup bitter-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Baking Chips and these are what I would recommend)
• 3 graham cracker sheets

Steps:

Using either a double boiler or a heat-resistant glass bowl placed on top of a simmering pot of water, melt your chocolate until smooth.

When the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the pot of water.

Break the graham cracker sheets into four small rectangles.

One by one, dip each of the crackers into the chocolate, press down lightly to make sure that the chocolate completely coves side that is facing down.

Using a fork, flip the graham cracker over.

Lift the covered graham cracker out of the chocolate, and transfer to a wax paper lined plate.

I used my fork to create a pretty design in the chocolate by moving my fork in a circular motion lightly over the top of the chocolate coved cracker.

Put the plate with your dipped grahams on it in the fridge, and wait (I know, its the hardest part when chocolate is involved) until the chocolate has set.

What a delightful little snack to share (or not.)

What a Spooktacular Treat: Chocolate Covered Candy Corn

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What's super-sweet, tastes like a s'more, and is yellow and orange in the center?  Candy corn covered in chocolate then sprinkled with little graham cracker crumbles.  What a unique Halloween (or anytime) treat!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of candy corn (I chose to use the autumn mix, I like those little pumpkins... I know that they taste just like regular candy corn, but somehow I like them better.)
• 2 cups bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 crush graham cracker sheets

Steps:

Place the chocolate chips and the unsalted butter into a double boiler (if you don't have a Double Boiler, you can make one by placing a heat-safe bowl over a pot of simmering water)

While the chocolate is melting, crush the graham crackers.  To do this, place the crackers into a zip lock bag.  With a Rolling Pin crush the graham crackers into tiny pieces.

When the chocolate has melted, place a few pieces of candy corn into the chocolate.

Use a fork to fully submerge the candy.

Lift the candy corn one piece at a time from the chocolate.

Place the chocolate covered candies onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet.

Sprinkle the dipped candy corn with the graham cracker crumbles.

When all of the candy has been dipped and sprinkled, place the cookie sheet into the refrigerator and allow to cool for at least one hour.

Peel the cooled candy from the wax paper.

You can either devour them right on the spot, or place in a air-tight container kept in the fridge until you plan on eating these delightful little morsels of yumminess.

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

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Salty, sweet, and crunchy... everything a great snack should be.  This special indulgence includes crunchy potato chips covered in luxurious chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag ridged potato chips
• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Steps:

In a Double Boiler (or a heat-safe glass bowl on top of a pot of simmering water) melt the chocolate chips, stirring occasionally.

  

When the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the heat.

One at a time, lay a chip into the melted chocolate, and press down slightly (make sure that your hands are clean.)

With your fingers (or a spoon), cover the rest of the chip with chocolate, making sure that it gets into all the crevices.

Remove the covered chip from the chocolate, and using your fingers, gently remove the excess chocolate.

Place the covered chips on a plate (or cookie sheet) lined with wax paper.

Place the chips in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the chocolate to harden.

Simple as that!  What a delicious sweet treat that is a great addition to your movie night.