The Steaming Cup

Posts Tagged ‘chocolate’

Chocolate biscotti should be served with coffee or tea

By Terri Paajanen

That’s right, there are 3 different types of chocolate in this biscotti recipe. These crisp cookies should satisfy any cocoa-craving sweet tooth.

• 5 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
• 2 tbs baking powder
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 400F. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth then add vanilla extract. Sift together all of the dry ingredients and stir into the egg mixture. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Shape the dough into short loaves (about 6-inches long) and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cut each loaf into 1-inch diagonal slices. Reduce heat in your oven to 350F and place slices back into the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool.

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave or double boiler, and drizzle over the cooled biscotti.

I know this pic has no wine glass. That's life.

An elegant coffee and chocolate cocktail, served in a warm wine glass if you want to be particularly elegant. Share this with a partner for a relaxing drink by the fireplace.

• 2 cups hot coffee
• 2 oz chocolate liqueur
• 2 oz hazelnut liqueur

Combine spirits and coffee, and serve in two glasses.

Serves 2

You can never have too many recipes with rum

You can always leave the rum out if you prefer a non-alcoholic version, but it does add some good flavor.

• 2 cups milk
• 3 1/2 oz dark or semisweet chocolate
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbs dark rum

Chop or grate chocolate, and combine with milk in a saucepan. Stir in honey, sugar and broken cinnamon stick. Heat until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Add vanilla and run, then whisk through. Remove pieces of cinnamon stick, and serve. Serves 2.

Simple, but special.

It’s special because it’s so simple. Using unsweetened chocolate brings out the bold cocoa flavour. You’ll be making this hot chocolate all winter long. This is a classic recipe that many people will recognize once they taste it.

• 2 1/2 cups milk, scalded
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt

In a blender, combine chocolate, sugar, vanilla and salt, with 1/2 cup of the milk. Blend until smooth, then add the rest of the milk. Serve immediately.

Serves 3.

Heavy cream makes a rich cup of cocoa

Downright decadent. This hot chocolate recipe calls for heavy cream and whole milk. No need for spices or other flavours when you have real chocolate and cream. This isn’t a recipe for anyone watching their diet. You could always use 2% milk if you want to cut the fat down a little.

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 oz semisweet chocolate

In a saucepan, simmer together milk, cream and sugar. Don’t let the cream mixture come to a boil. Chop chocolate, and stir into hot cream. Stir until melted and mixed.

Serves 2

This is a sweet recipe when you want something different

Ah, a recipe for the kid in all of us. A sweet and delicious way to have some peanut butter that won’t stick to the roof of your mouth. This hot chocolate is quick too, because it uses syrup instead of melted chocolate.

• 8 oz milk
• 3 tsp chocolate syrup
• 1 tbs peanut butter, smooth
• Whipped cream

Heat milk in a saucepan until hot through. Add chocolate syrup and mix well. Stir in peanut butter and stir until melted. Serve and top with whipped cream.

Serves 1.

Cinnamon and a hint of coffee in this hot chocolate

Hot cocoa recipe with a bit of coffee and cinnamon. You can’t beat hot chocolate made with real melted chocolate, especially with the added cinnamon.

• 1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbs instant coffee
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups milk

Grate chocolate, and mix together with other ingredients (except for milk). Heat in a saucepan and simmer while chocolate melts. Stir until everything is evenly blended together. Continue to simmer and stir for about 5 minutes. Then add milk and heat through, but don’t let your  chocolate mixture boil.

Remove from heat, and whisk until frothy. Serve hot chocolate immediately with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

Serves 2

Two kinds of chocolate, if you don't mind some decadence.

This hot chocolate recipe calls for two different kinds of chocolate, and it’s whipped frothy. The half and half cream makes for an extra rich cup of cocoa. The title really says it all.

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 8 tsp sugar
• 1 oz semisweet chocolate
• 1 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Grate or chop chocolate, and stir everything together in a saucepan (except vanilla). Stir over low heat until the chocolate melts and is well blended.

Pour about half your mixture into a blender. Whip until thick and very foamy. Pour back into saucepan and add vanilla. Stir hot chocolate through and serve immediately.