White Chocolate Latte

A special treat for that very special person in your life.......YOU! This is a recipe for White Chocloate Latte that you will adore, especially if you enjoy white chocolate. It only take a few minutes prep time and the taste is sensational. So grab your quilt and your favorite book, and get ready to sit in your comfy easy chair or on the sofa to enjoy your latte. Don't you just love the latte mug set in the above photo? Here is the recipe!

2 cups milk

1 cup half-and-half

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules or expresso

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

whipped cream

cinnamon sticks

In a saucepan, stir together the first 4 ingredients over low heat until white chocolate melts. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts; pour mixture into 4 mugs. Top with whipped cream and garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Join the world of Latte Lovers and Latte Artists.

Here are some excellent links.

Wikipedia: Caffè Latte

Latte Art

How To Make Latte Art

Video: Latte Art

Latte Art 101

World Of Latte Gallery

Latte Art Photo Album

Chocolate Hazel-Nut Ravioli

Photo By echoleigh

Chocolate-Hazelnut Ravioli

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday Italian

Episode: I Love Chocolate

Ingredients:

16 wonton wrappers

1 egg, beaten to blend

1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)

Vegetable oil, for frying

16 fresh mint leaves

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Granulated sugar, for dredging

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Place 1 wonton wrapper on the work surface. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges of the wrapper to seal. Place the ravioli on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, egg, and chocolate-hazelnut spread. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F.
Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Then, transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli. (The fried ravioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place them on a baking sheet and rewarm in a preheated 375 degrees F oven just until they are heated through, about 7 minutes.)
Spray the top side of the mint leaves very lightly with nonstick spray. Working with 1 leaf at a time, dredge the coated side of the leaves in sugar to coat lightly.
Arrange 2 fried ravioli on each plate. Dust the ravioli with powdered sugar. Garnish with the sugared mint leaves and serve.

The Leftover Queen

Whether you are seeking ways to serve up some rather ordinary leftovers and turning them into a visual feast for the eyes and the soul, or looking for some other mouth-watering recipes to reward you long overdue palate, then look no further and take some special time to visit

The Left Over Queen

Jenn's brilliant Blog is chocked full of all kinds of wonderful delights including a Pantry and Herb Garden with some superb and very selective information for every individual who enjoys spending time in the kitchen. I especially enjoy having the convenience of a Food Safety Section available on Jenn's Blog....it is so perfect if you would like to know more about food handling and storage. Jenn also has a wonderful Forum available on her Blog....a great way to communicate with other Food and Culinary Bloggers and to share our love of cooking. Best of all is Jenn's absolutely fantastic Foodie Blog Roll. What a great way to have just heaps of other Food Blogs available at your fingertips. With Jenn's permission I have added it to my own Blog here for easy access to so many other Blogs. You can find it in my right hand sidebar, and you can contact Jenn on her Blog if you wish to add it to your Food Blog too. It is an excellent blogging tool for all food bloggers.

Thanks so very much for inviting me to your Foodie Blog Roll Jenn!

A Reese's Moment

Even a squirrel knows that a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup can't be resisted. Well I love them also but unfortunately they are not available here in New Zealand as far as I can find. I already have a food wish list made up for the next time I go back to visit my family in New York, and a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup is on top of the list next to a huge bag of Cheese Doodles, a New York Pepperoni Pizza, a bottle of Black Cherry Soda, a New York Bagel and my list goes on.

Well yesterday I found a yummy looking recipe for homemade Peanut Butter Cups and I just have to make them soon. I also searched the Internet and found heaps of recipes using Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, so once I become proficient with the following recipe I will have to start trying some of the other recipes I Googled!

Here is the recipe!

Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

Yield: 10-12 servings

2 sticks (1 cup) margarine melted

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

12 oz milk chocolate (chocolate chips or chocolate bar works good)

Line a 9x13" pan with parchment or wax paper.
Mix 2 sticks of butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and graham cracker crumbs. Spread mixture on the bottom of the pan.
Melt chocolate and spread over mixture in pan. Let set in a cool place. Remove from pan and cut into desired shapes.

Melting Chocolate:

You can melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a double boiler.

In a Microwave Oven

Place coarsely chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe container and microwave at MEDIUM (50 percent power) for 1 1/2 to 4 minutes, until the chocolate turns shiny. Remove the container from the microwave and stir the chocolate until completely melted. Stir milk and white chocolates after about 1 1/2 minutes. Because of their milk proteins, they need to be stirred sooner than dark chocolate. (If overheated, these chocolates may become grainy.)

In a Double Boiler

Place coarsely chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove the top part of the double boiler from the bottom.

Reeses Official Web Site

Information About Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate Muffins With Hot Chocolate Custard

I have always been a great fan of muffins and usually resort to making my standard cranberry-orange muffins whenever I have the opportunity as they are my very favorite, but I have been longing to try this recipe I found from the May 2007 issue of Good Food Magazine for Chocolate Muffins With Hot Chocolate Custard. A very simple recipe for a dessert that will surely delight.

For The Muffins:

100g self-raising flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

50g golden caster sugar

100ml skimmed milk

1 egg

2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

For The Hot Chocolate Custard:

2 x 150g pots low-fat custard

25g dark chocolate, chopped

Heat oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 5. Brush 6 holes of a muffin tin with a drop of oil. Sieve the cocoa into a large bowl, then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir to combine, then make a well in the centre. Beat the milk, egg and oil together in a jug, pour into the well, then stir quickly to make a batter. Spoon into the muffin tin, then bake for 15 mins or until risen and firm to the touch. Heat the custard in the microwave according to instructions, or in a pan, then tip in the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Turn the puddings into bowls and pour the custard over.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

If there is one difficult thing about moving to another country other than adjusting to new cultures and missing family and friends from back home, I think it would have to be adjusting to not being able to find certain food items that you have been use to for so many years. Almost ten years ago when I moved to New Zealand I had a longing for pretzels and they were no where to be found. I had tried all the major supermarkets in our region and no one had even heard of them here. I then made it my crusade to find a grocery store that would be willing to go the extra mile to find a distributor that would able to supply the store from some of the food manufacturers back in America. After a few months the New World Supermarket started stocking their shelves with hard pretzels....the little twisty ones. After several more months it started to catch on in the other supermarkets and now pretzels are a major craze at barbecues and parties. However I have yet to see the long log pretzels come along, so that will have to be my next endeavor as those are my favorites, especially for making chocolate covered pretzels. Now you can use the smaller twisted hard pretzels for making chocolate covered pretzels too, so don't let the lack of the log pretzels stop you from making a very special treat. Chocolate and pretzels go so wonderfully together.

Here is a recipe for Chocolate Covered Pretzels, and bear in mind too that you can use either milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate for this recipe. They are all wonderful and make a fantastic snack for any party.

INGREDIENTS:

2 (10 ounce) packages pretzels

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Melt chocolate and cream in double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly. Dip pretzels one at a time quickly to coat while mixture is still very warm. Decorate with sprinkles or jimmies.

Place pretzels on wax paper to set and cool.

History Of The Pretzel

As we are with a lot of foods the exact origin of the pretzel is unknown.
As early as 610AD at a monastery somewhere in Southern France or Northern Italy, where monks used scraps of dough and formed them into strips to represent a child's arms folded in prayer. The three empty holes represented the Christian Trinity.
The monks offered the warm, doughy bribe to children who had memorized their Bible verses and prayers. The monks called it a Pretiola, Latin for little reward. From there, the pretzel transformed into the Italian word, Brachiola, which means little arms.
The Pretiola journeyed beyond the French and Italian wine regions, hiked the Alps, wandered through Austria, and crossed into Germany, where it became known as the Bretzel or Pretzel.
In medieval times merchants traveling to the Frankfurt Fair risked being robbed by bandits. In order to guard the tradesmen, the towns' people would ride out, greet the vendors and offer them pewter pitchers of wine and loads of crisp dough on their spears, called Geleit-pretzels.
The Whimsical Pretzel shape worked its way into the culture not only as a reward but as a symbol of Good Luck and prosperity. I suppose it had the same effect as a logo did appearing in festivals and celebrations, as well as a quick snack available from street corner vendors.
Probably two of the most fascinating things about the pretzel is it was served on Easter with 2 hard boiled eggs and hidden around the farms, for the kids to find. This very likely was the forerunner of the Easter egg hunt. Weddings in Europe for a time used the tradition of the bride and groom tugging at a pretzel like a wishbone, the larger piece assured the spouses fulfillment of their wishes.
There are pictures of pretzels in paintings that help us to find how old their existence really is. Here is a one of the more famous pictures in which we find pretzels, called "The f ight between carnival and lent" by Pieter Bruegel in 1559. You can see the pretzels in the lower right hand corner.
From this came the saying we still use, "Tying the knot".
So how did the hard pretzel spring into existence? Skip ahead to late seventeenth century Pennsylvania. A baker's helper fell asleep tending pretzels baking in the hearth. When he awoke, the flames had died, he believed the pretzels hadn't cooked long enough and started the fire up again. When the Master Baker came in, he was furious that an entire batch of pretzels wasn't fit to eat. In the process of throwing them out, he tasted one and realized he was on to something big! Not only did he like the taste of these delicious crunchy morsels but realized due to the moisture being baked entirely out, that freshness was preserved and they would keep longer to sell.
It was the immigrants from these countries who brought the "bretzel" to our shores during the 1800's, later becoming known as the "pretzel". Some believe that the pretzel recipe was brought over on the mayflower and they were made and sold to the Indians who loved them.
The first commercial pretzel bakery was established in the town of Lititz in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Julius Sturgis in 1861. The modern age of pretzel making began in 1935 when the Reading Pretzel Machinery Company first introduced the automatic pretzel twisting machine. Prior to that, most commercial pretzels were actually shaped by a cracker-cutting machine, then placed on baking pans and put into the baking ovens by hand. This innovation made pretzels available to people in all parts of the country, and helped the fledgling industry grow...
Some more modern bizarre pretzel facts include these noteworthy items: Largest pretzel ever baked:40 lbs, 5-feet across, by Joe Nacchio of Federal Baking, Philadelphia, PA; Pretzels in the movies: 20 lb., 4’ pretzel in “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World”—same baker; Pretzel capitol of the world: Reading, PA., where one plant can package over 10 million pretzels per day!
Annual pretzel sales top $180 million and are the second most popular snack, right behind potato chips and just in front of popcorn.

Source: Snack Food Association

More Pretzel History

The Essence Of Chocolate: Book Review

The Essence Of Chocolate

Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate by Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger

Book Review By Laurie Hartzell

The name "Scharffenberger" is synonymous with chocolate, so even the thought of a collection of recipes by this king of cacao may make mouths water. The Essence of Chocolate, by Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger, unites drool-worthy recipes with legends and narratives about the world of this decadent delight. The combination of all these elements—food, history, chocolate factory mechanics, cacao cultivation and more—results in a huge tome of knowledge; this is no ordinary cookbook. Whether you are in the mood to cook or learn, The Essence of Chocolate will serve you well.
Titles of recipe chapters are based on the role of chocolate in the dish: "Intensely Chocolate" (for those whose desire for the flavor can never be quenched), "Essentially Chocolate" (recipes where chocolate has an important but supporting role), "A Hint of Chocolate" (where chocolate is a minor theme) and "Basics and Add-Ons" (simple sauces and additions to bring desserts to the next level). The recipe chapters include classics like That Chocolate Cake and Factory Store Hot Chocolate as well as unique creations such as Chocolate Chunk Challah and the savory John’s Cocoa Rub to give meats a kick. Those interested in recipes alone will have to page through chapters on subjects like how Scharffen Berger sweets are made, but anyone with a true love for chocolate will find this entire book thought-provoking and comprehensive. And as for the decadent recipes...chocolate never tasted this good.

Chocolate Nutmeg Soufflé with Spiked Cremé Anglaise

I have been sitting here contemplating making this recipe for 'Chocolate Nutmeg Soufflé with Spiked Cremé Anglaise, but unfortunately I do not have Godiva Chocolates available for the recipe so I will probably have to improvise with another brand. Actually I have not seen Godiva Chocolates here in New Zealand, not to say that they are not availablve here but just have never seen them in the specialty shops. I must admit they are my favorites and I would often buy Godiva Chocolate for gift giving during the Christmas Holidays when I lived in New York. I always especially loved the gorgeous gold boxes they would be in. Anyway my dear husband has a Birthday coming up this week, so I think I will make this Chocolate Soufflé as a little surprise. The following Soufflé is a Godiva Chocolatier recipe which is available also on the Godiva Website.

Chocolate Nutmeg Soufflé with Spiked Cremé Anglaise

Yield: 4 servingsDifficulty:

Advanced Preparation: 45 minutes plus baking time Special

Equipment: 1-quart soufflé dish

Spiked Crème Anglaise:
1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons Cognac

Chocolate Soufflé:
2 bars (1.5 ounces each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, broken up

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon Cognac

4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Make spiked crème anglaise:

Combine milk and heavy cream in heavy, medium saucepan and bring to gentle boil over medium heat. Remove pan from heat.
Whisk egg yolks with sugar in medium bowl until blended. Whisk some of cream mixture into egg yolks, mixing to blend. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes or until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove pan from heat and immediately strain sauce through fine-mesh sieve into metal bowl set into larger bowl filled with iced water. Stir sauce for 10 to 15 minutes or until cool. Stir in nutmeg and Cognac. Remove bowl of crème anglaise from bowl of iced water. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble. (Sauce may be served warm or cold over soufflé.)

Make chocolate soufflé:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Butter 1-quart soufflé dish, leaving 1/4" near rim unbuttered. Dust with granulated sugar, tapping out excess.
Place chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50% power) 1 minute. Stir. Microwave 1 minute more or until chocolate softens. Stir until smooth. Cut butter into small pieces and whisk pieces, a few at a time, into chocolate. Whisk in nutmeg and Cognac.
Lightly whisk egg yolks in medium bowl. Gradually add warm chocolate and whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and set aside.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar in medium bowl just until frothy, using electric mixer at medium speed. Gradually add sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until whites are stiff, but not dry. Fold half of beaten whites into chocolate and then fold in remaining egg whites.
Turn mixture into soufflé dish and smooth top. Bake 30 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Serve immediately with crème anglaise and sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.

Raspberry White Chocolate Trifle

Even a genius knows that any 'Chocolate Trifle' is not to be reckoned with. Here is a lovely recipe for Raspberry White Chocolate Trifle from the DVO RECIPE CENTER,with Melanie and DVO Enterprises President, Daniel Oaks Jr. Click on the link above to view the complete video. Here is the recipe!

3 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided

12 ounces high-quality white chocolate chopped

1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

7 ounces lady fingers

1 cup raspberry jam, melted, divided

1 1/2 12-ounce packages frozen raspberries, divided

2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries

3/4 cup sliced almonds

Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Beat 2 1/2 cups cream and 1/2 teaspoon extract in large bowl to soft peaks. Fold in white chocolate mixture.
Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts. Mix in 3/4 teaspoon extract; remove syrup from heat. Quickly submerge 1 biscuit in syrup; shake excess back into pan. Place dipped biscuit in bottom of 14-cup trifle dish. Repeat with enough biscuits to cover bottom of dish.
Spread 1/3 of melted jam over biscuits in dish. Top with 1/3 of partially thawed berries with juices. Spread 1/3 of whipped chocolate cream over. Repeat layering with dipped biscuits, melted jam, partially thawed berries, and whipped chocolate cream 2 more times. Mound fresh berries in center of trifle. Sprinkle almonds around edge. Cover and chill at least 5 hours and up to 24 hours.

The Rules Of Chocolate

1. If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

2. Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

3. The problem: How to get two pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.

4. Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less.

5. If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

6. If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don't they actually counteract each other?

7. Money talks. Chocolate sings.

8. Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger.

9. Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

10. A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?

11. If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?

~Author Unknown