This is Maria Filosa from WDIY and you are listening to Tasty Seasonal Recipes for the Everyday Chef. I can't think of a better time than the approach of Valentine's Day to talk about one of my favorite food groups. Chocolate! Ok, so it's not an actual food group but let's face it, to some of us, it's an important part of our everyday diets. Chocolate is so sweet, so creamy, so versatile. It can be made into hot and cold drinks, it can be used for baking, it can be made into divine confections. You can even convey feelings to another person with it. You can say "I love you" with a box of chocolates, as many do during this coming season.
Most people would say that chocolate isn't very healthy for you but that all depends on the type and, of course, the quantity you consume. There are several different types of chocolate. The most common are milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate. You can use all three for making specialty candies that will dazzle your friends and loved ones but it's the dark chocolate that is the best version of them all. In fact, you could even say that many dark chocolates are even healthy for you. It all has to do with the cacao or cocoa percentage in each bar. The higher the percentage, the healthier the chocolate. That doesn't mean that you should make a meal out of it but about 2 ounces a day could actually have some health benefits. Keep in mind that chocolate does contain a substantial amount of calories from fat so if you plan on having chocolate that day, just refrain from having something else with the same amount of calories, hopefully in the dessert department!
Dark chocolate contains antioxidants to help fight free radicals, healthy monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil, flavonols which prevent platelets from clumping together for better blood flow and theobromine that prompts the brain to produce dopamine and serotonin which stimulate endorphins, the body's own antidepressant.
With all that technical stuff aside, let's get into some easy recipes. Ganache is a very simple chocolate creation that can be used in a multitude of ways. You will need 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and about 4 ounces of good chocolate, the darker the better. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Heat the cream until it simmers, then pour the hot cream over the chocolate pieces. Stir until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth mixture. At this point it is ganache. Pour or drizzle warm on cakes for a smooth, glossy frosting or as a dip for fruits. As the ganache cools, it will thicken. I like to use my immersion blender to whip the ganache until it looks like mousse. This makes a great filling for cream puffs or sandwiched between two cookies. Take this one step further by making meringue cookies with it. Fold the cooled ganache into 4 stiffly beaten egg whites whipped with 1 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar. Use approximately 1 tablespoon per cookie and place on an ungreased foil covered cookie sheet about 2" apart. These cookies will spread when baked. Place pan in 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes. When you take the pan out of the oven, just remove the foil with the cookies on it to cool. Don't try to remove them hot as they will break. You could also leave the cookies in the oven with the heat turned off for an hour or so for a harder cookie.
Just about anything dipped or covered in chocolate will delight both young and old. Chocolate wafers are available at most grocery stores or at the larger craft stores. These are perfect for melting and adding various ingredients. Among the varied ingredients I like to add are chopped nuts, cereals, shredded coconut, pretzels and dried fruit such as raisins and apricots. All you need to do is melt the chocolate of your choice, drop in any of the ingredients I mentioned, stir to coat then place spoonfuls onto some foil. Let the pieces cool completely before attempting to remove them from the foil. You can decorate your treats with sprinkles for a very professional look. These make great gifts and they are hard to resist. For party favors, dip pretzel rods into various colors of chocolate then top with sprinkles. When they are cooled and dry, cover them in plastic wrap and tie with a pretty ribbon.
So pop a piece of chocolate into your mouth and savor the flavor...it'll put a smile on your face. I'm Maria Filosa, stay tuned for more Tasty Seasonal Recipes for the Everyday Chef. Have a Bountiful day!