In Italian, the word “biscotto” means “biscuit” or “cookie.” More specifically, biscotti are named according to their original method of baking. The root words “bis” and “cotto” literally mean “twice” and “baked.” When Italians first created biscotti in the region of Tuscany many centuries ago, they were careful to bake the cookies twice, in order to allow the cookies to develop their signature crisp texture. Over the years, these methods became standard practice. Bakers shape the dough into a log, bake it, evenly slice it into cookies and then bake the cookies again.
The first biscotti were made as a portable and durable food for Roman soldiers and travelers. They were made with traditional almond flavoring during the Renaissance and, at the time, it was also popular to dip them in an Italian dessert wine called Vin Santo, a practice that remains common in Italy today. Many people outside of Italy prefer to dip biscotti in coffee or hot chocolate to soften them before eating them. The range of flavors that these cookies come in has also expanded hugely since their creation and can include walnuts, orange zest and anise. Some types are coated with icing or glazed with chocolate, but the most traditional ones do not have a frosting or coating.
It’s relatively easy to bake these cookies. The basic recipe includes flour, sugar, eggs and sometimes butter or olive oil, along with nuts, spices or fruits. There is no one perfect way to make biscotti. Some recipes call for eggs only, which is the traditional method, while others include butter or oil. The choice is yours; just keep in mind that those made with butter or oil will have both a softer texture and a shorter shelf life.
Here are my two favorite recipes.
Cherry Pistachio Biscotti
Makes about 36 biscotti
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted pistachio nuts
- 1 cup dried tart cherries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, plus 1 egg, lightly beaten, for brushing the tops of the dough
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Reserve one baking sheet for later when you bake the biscotti slices.
Place pistachios in a single layer on a third baking sheet and toast the nuts in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just golden. Remove the nuts from the pan and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix toasted pistachios, cherries, sugars, baking powder and flour.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla extract until well blended. Add to the flour mixture. Stir a few times.
Work the batter together with lightly floured hands. The mixture will be sticky, but persevere. Keep squeezing the batter with your hands, until a dough starts to form. Once the dough is firm, form a ball. Divide the ball into 2 equal pieces.
On a lightly floured surface, place one piece of dough and, using your hands, roll into a log shape that is approximately 8 inches long and 2 inches wide. If it’s sticky, simply dust your palms with more flour. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. Place the two logs on one baking sheet. Brush the loaves all over with 1 lightly beaten egg.
Bake for 40 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through, or until the tops of the loaves are shiny and deep golden. Cool on a rack for about 20 minutes before slicing.
Place a loaf on a cutting board. Using a large serrated knife, cut 1/2-inch-thick slices, either straight or on the diagonal. Use a sawing motion to prevent crumbling. If the cookie is crumbling, then let it cool a few more minutes. Don’t let it rest too long, however, or it could become too hard to slice.
Place slices on their sides on the baking sheets. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees F and bake the biscotti for 20 minutes, until toasted and crisp. Turn the biscotti slices over and rotate the pans after ten minutes.
If you desire, you can turn off the oven and let the biscotti stay for up to an hour. The longer they stay in the oven, the harder they will become. Remove the pans from the oven and cool the biscotti completely before storing in an airtight container, preferably a tin, which helps keep them crisp. Stored properly, biscotti will last up to a month.
Lightly Toast the Nuts
Form the Batter
Shape into Logs
Brush with Egg
Bake the Logs
Cool and Slice Logs
Bake Slices
Cool Twice Baked Slices and Store
Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
Makes about 36 biscotti (3/4-inch-wide cookies)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups toasted hazelnuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons espresso powder
- 4 large eggs, plus 1 egg, lightly beaten, for brushing the tops of the dough
- 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
Directions
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Reserve one baking sheet for later when you bake the biscotti slices.
Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a third baking sheet and toast the nuts in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just golden. Remove the nuts from the pan and set aside to cool. Chop the nuts into large pieces.
In a large bowl, mix toasted hazelnuts, chocolate chips, sugars, baking powder, cocoa, flour, cinnamon and espresso powder.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs and coffee liqueur. Add to the flour mixture. Stir a few times.
Work the batter together with lightly floured hands. The mixture will be sticky, but persevere. Keep squeezing the batter with your hands, until a dough starts to form. Once the dough is firm, form a ball. Divide the ball into 2 equal pieces.
On a lightly floured surface, place one piece of dough and, using your hands, roll into a log shape that is approximately 8 inches long and 2 inches wide. If it’s sticky, simply dust your palms with more flour. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. Place the two logs on one baking sheet. Brush loaves all over with 1 lightly beaten egg.
Bake for 40 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through, or until the tops of the loaves are shiny and deep golden. Cool on a rack for about 20 minutes before slicing.
Place a loaf on a cutting board. Using a large serrated knife, cut 1/2-inch-thick slices, either straight or on the diagonal. Use a sawing motion to prevent crumbling. If the cookie is crumbling, then let it cool a few more minutes. Don’t let it rest too long, however, or it could become too hard to slice.
Place slices on their sides on the baking sheets. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees F and bake the biscotti for 20 minutes, until toasted and crisp. Turn the biscotti slices over and rotate the pans after ten minutes.
If you desire, you can turn off the oven and let the biscotti stay for up to an hour. The longer they stay in the oven, the harder they will become. Remove the pans from the oven and cool the biscotti completely before storing in an airtight container, preferably a tin, which helps keep them crisp. Stored properly, biscotti will last up to a month.
The most common Valentine’s Day symbols are the heart, particularly in reds and pinks, and pictures or models of Cupid. Cupid is usually portrayed as a small winged figure with a bow and arrow. In mythology, he uses his arrow to strike the hearts of people. People who have fallen in love are sometimes said to be “struck by Cupid’s arrow”. Other symbols of Valentine’s Day are couples in loving embraces and the gifts of flowers, chocolate, red roses and lingerie that couples often give each other.
To celebrate this lovers’ holiday Italians give each other flowers, plan romantic dinners and present each other with chocolates, much like in the United States. The renowned Italian chocolate maker, Perugina celebrates this day by making a special edition of the Baci chocolate candies with a shiny red wrapper and a sweet red cherry and liquid center rather than the traditional hazelnut one. These chocolates are always a favorite and inside the foil wrapper there is a “love note” with a romantic phrase.
In some countries like Vietnam, there is a different way to celebrate it. Couples wear the same style and/or color of clothes.
Japan has its own interesting way, too. For them, there are two Valentine’s Days. On February 14th, girls give dark chocolate to the boys they like. On March 14th, boys give cookies or white chocolate to the girls they like.
In some parts of the Dominican Republic and El Salvador friends and family play games.
In Spain only people in love get and give presents. Friends or family don’t exchange notes or presents.
All over the world people celebrate Valentine’s Day by expressing love to sweethearts, spouses and special ones. However, customs and traditions of celebrating the festival vary in different countries due to social and cultural differences.
So where did the idea of giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day come from? From the moment chocolate was discovered it was considered valuable, divine and decadent, so what better gift to give a woman? The first chocolate candies (as we know them today) were invented in the 1860s by Cadbury, who was also the first to market them in a heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day.
The brilliance of marketers have certainly helped sales and popularity, but its aphrodisiac effect is surely one of the dominating factors underlying its status as a gift of choice. In addition to the aphrodisiac effects, research suggests that there are many more health related benefits. A healthy component of chocolate is its high level of antioxidant polyphenols. These are the same compounds found in red wine, fruits and vegetables that are touted for their heart-healthy and disease preventing qualities.
A chocolate’s taste, its smoothness and its aroma takes over one’s senses. As a matter of fact, there are few foods that people feel as passionate about as chocolate, a passion that goes beyond a plain old sweet tooth. For the true chocoholic, just thinking about chocolate can evoke a sensation of pleasure. Chocolate is mood-enhancing and, when eaten in moderate amounts, it is harmless to your health.
Chocolate Tiramisu
Ingredients
Serves 10.
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese), room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 24 ladyfinger cookies (from a 7-ounce package)
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix cocoa powder with 1 1/2 cups very hot water until dissolved; set cocoa mixture aside.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, place 1/4 cup cream and chocolate; microwave in 1-minute increments and stir until melted. Cool to room temperature.
Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to a mixing bowl; add cheese and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until blended. Add remaining cream; beat filling until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Spread 1 cup of chocolate filling in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish. One at a time, dip 6 ladyfingers in cocoa mixture, then arrange in a single layer in the bottom of the dish; spread with 1 cup of chocolate filling. Repeat with three more layers, ending with filling.
Cover tiramisu and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days). Dust with cocoa powder or shaved chocolate before serving.
Chocolate Cakes with Apricot-Amaretto Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup apricot jam, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Amaretto
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° F and line 4 muffin cups with paper liners. In a medium heatproof glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine the chocolate chips with the butter, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth.
Remove the bowl from the saucepan and let the chocolate mixture cool slightly. Whisk in the whole eggs and the egg yolks.
Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups. Bake for 10 minutes, until set around the edges and soft in the center. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the apricot jam with the Amaretto until smooth.
Invert the cakes onto plates and remove the paper liners. Spoon the apricot sauce around the cakes and serve.
Dark Chocolate Bark with Roasted Almonds
Ingredients
- 1 pound dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent cacao)
- 1 1/4 cups roasted whole almonds
- 3/4 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a sharp knife, finely chop the chocolate. In a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, heat the chopped chocolate, stirring occasionally, until it is about two-thirds melted; do not let the bowl touch the water.
Remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir the chocolate until it is completely melted and the temperature registers 90° on a candy thermometer. If the chocolate has not melted completely and is still too cool, set it back over the saucepa of simmering water for 1 or 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly; do not overheat.
Stir the almonds and seeds into the chocolate and spread onto the prepared baking sheet in a 1/2-inch-thick layer, making sure the nuts and seeds are completely covered in chocolate. Refrigerate the bark for about 10 minutes, until hardened. Invert the bark onto a work surface. Remove the parchment paper, break into 25 pieces.
MAKE AHEAD The broken bark can be stored in an airtight bag or container at cool room temperature for up to 10 days.
Chocolate Oat Cookies
Yield: 2 dozens
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup ground almonds (or nuts of choice)
- 1 1/4 cups ground oats (grind in a blender)
- 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1 pinch salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine ground almonds, ground oats, flour, cocoa, salt and chocolate chips in a mixing bowl.
Combine maple syrup and oil and mix with the dried ingredients until well combined and forms a dough.
Scoop out heaping teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes; cookies should be just set. Remove to a cooling rack.
Chocolate Sherbet
Ingredients
- 7 ounces 60-percent-cacao chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups water
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pomegranate seeds (optional)
Directions
In a medium saucepan stir together chopped chocolate, sugar, water and cream. Bring to boiling, whisking constantly. Boil gently for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cover and chill overnight.
Freeze mixture in a 1-quart ice cream freezer according to manufacturers directions. Store in the freezer for a few hours before serving.
To serve, scoop into small glasses or dishes and garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Related articles
- The Best Hot Chocolate (sugarnspicebyradhika.wordpress.com)
- Blueberry and Chocolate Overnight Oatmeal (breakfastdramaqueen.wordpress.com)
- Valentine’s Day Chocolate Indulgence Week: Mom’s Chocolate Pudding (slipnotdesigns.wordpress.com)
- http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2013/02/07/valentines-day-dinner-menu-for-two/
Etymologists trace the origin of the word “chocolate” to the Aztec word “xocoatl,” which referred to a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans. The Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means “food of the gods.” Many modern historians have estimated that chocolate has been around for about 2000 years, but recent research suggests that it may be even older.
In the book, The True History of Chocolate, authors Sophie and Michael Coe make a case that the earliest linguistic evidence of chocolate consumption stretches back three or even four millennia, to pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica. Anthropologists from the University of Pennsylvania recently announced the discovery of cacao residue on pottery excavated in Honduras that could date back as far as 1400 B.C.E. It appears that the sweet pulp of the cacao fruit, which surrounds the beans, was fermented into an alcoholic beverage of the time.
It’s hard to pin down exactly when chocolate was born, but it’s clear that it was cherished from the start. For several centuries in pre-modern Latin America, cacao beans were considered valuable enough to use as currency. One bean could be traded for a tamale, while 100 beans could purchase a good turkey hen, according to a 16th-century Aztec document. Both the Mayans and Aztecs believed the cacao bean had magical or even divine properties, suitable for use in the most sacred rituals of birth, marriage and death. According to Chloe Doutre-Roussel’s book, The Chocolate Connoisseur, Aztec sacrifice victims who felt too melancholy to join in ritual dancing before their death were often given a gourd of chocolate (tinged with the blood of previous victims) to cheer them up.
Sweetened chocolate didn’t appear until Europeans discovered the Americas. Legend has it that the Aztec king, Montezuma, welcomed the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes with a banquet that included drinking chocolate. Chocolate didn’t suit the foreigners’ tastebuds at first –one described it in his writings as “a bitter drink for pigs” – but once mixed with honey or cane sugar, it quickly became popular throughout Spain.
By the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe, believed to have nutritious, medicinal and even aphrodisiac properties. But it remained largely a privilege of the rich until the invention of the steam engine made mass production possible in the late 1700’s.
In 1828, a Dutch chemist found a way to make powdered chocolate by removing about half the natural fat (cacao butter) from chocolate liquor, pulverizing what remained and treating the mixture with alkaline salts to cut the bitter taste. His product became known as “Dutch cocoa” and it soon led to the creation of solid chocolate.
The creation of the first modern chocolate bar is credited to Joseph Fry, who in 1847 discovered that he could make a moldable chocolate paste by adding melted cacao butter back into Dutch cocoa. By 1868, a little company called Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England. Milk chocolate hit the market a few years later, pioneered by another name that will sound familiar– Nestle.
In America, chocolate was so valued during the Revolutionary War that it was included in soldiers’ rations and used in lieu of wages. Chocolate manufacturing is more than a 4-billion-dollar industry in the United States and the average American eats at least half a pound per month.
The main types of chocolate are milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate. These types of chocolate may be produced with ordinary cacao beans (mass-produced and cheap) or specialty cacao beans (aromatic and expensive) or a mixture of these two types. The composition of the mixture, origin of cacao beans, the treatment and roasting of beans and the types and amounts of additives used will significantly affect the flavor and the price of the final chocolate.
One ounce of chocolate
The higher the cacao (kuh-KOW) content number, the less sugar. Vanilla and lecithin usually make up less than 1 percent.
Dark Chocolate
Sweetened chocolate with high content of cocoa solids and no or very little milk may contain up to 12% milk solids. Dark chocolate can either be sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet or unsweetened. If a recipe specifies ‘dark chocolate’ you should use semi-sweet dark chocolate.
Sweet Dark Chocolate
Similar to semi-sweet chocolate, it is not always possible to distinguish between the flavor of sweet and semi-sweet chocolate. If a recipe asks for sweet dark chocolate you may also use semi-sweet chocolate. Contains 35-45% cocoa solids.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate
This is the classic baking chocolate which can be purchased in most grocery stores. It is frequently used for cakes, cookies and brownies and can be used instead of sweet dark chocolate. It has a good, sweet flavor. Contains 40-62% cocoa solids.
Bittersweet Chocolate
A dark sweetened chocolate which must contain at least 35% cocoa solids. However, good quality bittersweet chocolate usually contains 60% to 85% cocoa solids depending on the brand. If the content of cocoa solids is high and the content of sugar is low, the chocolate will have a rich, intense flavor. Bittersweet chocolate is often used for baking/cooking. If a recipe specifies bittersweet chocolate do not substitute with semi-sweet or sweet chocolate. European types of bittersweet chocolate usually contain very large amounts of cocoa solids and some of them have quite a bitter taste.
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Unsweetened Chocolate
A bitter chocolate which is only used for baking. The flavor is not suitable for eating. Use it only if a recipe specifies “unsweetened chocolate”. It contains almost 100% cocoa solids and about half of it may be fat (cocoa butter).
Milk Chocolate
Sweet chocolate which normally contains 10-20% cocoa solids (which includes cocoa and cocoa butter) and more than 12% milk solids. It is seldom used for baking, except for cookies. An ounce of milk chocolate can contain 75 percent less cacao and twice as much sugar as the darkest chocolate.
White Chocolate
Chocolate made with cocoa butter, sugar, milk, vanilla and sometimes other flavorings. It does not contain any ingredients from the cacao bean and, therefore, has an off-white color. In some countries white chocolate cannot be called ‘chocolate’ because of the low content of cocoa solids. It has a mild and pleasant flavor and can be used to make Mousse, Panna Cotta and other desserts.
Here are some healthy recipes without too many calories to indulge your chocolate sweet tooth:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup refrigerated egg substitute or 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or Eagle Brand Ultra Grain flour
- 1 1/4 cups regular rolled oats
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces or chunks
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
In a small bowl combine raisins and boiling water; set aside.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine peanut butter and butter; beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar or sugar substitute, egg product, cinnamon, vanilla and baking soda. Beat until combined. Add the flour; beat until smooth. Stir in the oats.
Drain the raisins; stir raisins and chocolate pieces into oat mixture.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake about 12 minutes or until lightly browned, reversing pans in the oven after six minutes.
Transfer to wire racks; let cool.
Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
16 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 3/4 cups fat-free milk
- 28 ounces of reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
- 18 ounces of fat-free cream cheese, softened
- 18 ounces lowfat sour cream
- 1/3 cup sugar or sugar substitute equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- Chocolate curls (optional)
Directions:
In a medium bowl stir together finely crushed graham crackers and melted butter until crumbs are moistened. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Cover and chill while preparing filling.
In a small saucepan sprinkle gelatin over milk; let stand for 5 minutes. Heat and stir over low heat just until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool for 15 minutes.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheeses until smooth. Beat in sour cream, sugar and vanilla until well mixed; gradually beat in gelatin mixture. Divide mixture in half. Gradually stir melted chocolate into half of the mixture.
Spoon half of the chocolate mixture over chilled crust in pan; spread evenly. Carefully spoon half of the white mixture over chocolate mixture in small mounds. Using a narrow, thin-bladed metal spatula or a table knife, swirl chocolate and white mixtures. Top with remaining chocolate mixture, spreading evenly; spoon remaining white mixture over chocolate mixture in small mounds and swirl again. Cover and chill about 6 hours or until set.
To serve, using a small sharp knife, loosen cheesecake from side of springform pan; remove side of pan. Cut cheesecake into wedges. If desired, garnish with chocolate curls. Makes 16 slices.
Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare as directed, except cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
Chocolate-Amaretto Pots de Creme
Yield: 6 individual pots de creme
Ingredients:
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute equivalent to 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
- 2 ounces sweet dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder
- 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten, or 1/4 cup refrigerated egg substitute (see tip)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon amaretto
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 recipe Whipped Coffee-Almond Topping (below)
- Shaved chocolate (optional)
Directions:
In a heavy small saucepan combine milk, sugar, whipped topping, chocolate, margarine, cocoa powder and coffee powder. Cook and stir over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture boils and begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
Gradually stir about 1/3 cup of the hot chocolate mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Return the yolk mixture to the remaining hot chocolate mixture in the saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes; remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla, amaretto and almond extract. Pour chocolate mixture into six small heatproof cups or pots de creme cups. Cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight or until set.
Spoon the Whipped Coffee-Almond Topping on top of individual servings. If desired, sprinkle with shaved chocolate. Makes 6 individual pots de creme.
Tip: If you use egg substitute, the mixture will be softer set.
Whipped Coffee-Almond Topping
- 1 teaspoon amaretto
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder
- Several drops of almond extract
- 1/4 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping
In a small bowl stir together amaretto, vanilla, instant espresso coffee powder and several drops of almond extract, stirring until coffee dissolves. Fold in frozen light whipped dessert topping.
Hazelnut-Mocha Torte
Yield: 16 slices
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts or walnuts, toasted
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 cups refrigerated egg product or 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- Chocolate curls (optional)
White Mocha Filling:
- 18 ounce container frozen fat-free whipped dessert topping, thawed
- 2 ounces white baking chocolate (with cocoa butter), chopped
- 1 tablespoon instant sugar-free, fat-free Suisse mocha or French vanilla-style coffee powder
- 1 tablespoon fat-free milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8 x 1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Set pans aside. In a medium bowl combine nuts, flour and baking powder; set aside.
In a blender or food processor, combine eggs and sugar; cover and blend or process until combined. Add nut mixture. Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth, scraping side of container occasionally. Divide batter between the prepared pans; spread evenly.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate. Spread top with half of the White Mocha Filling. Top with remaining cake layer and remaining filling. Loosely cover. Chill frosted cake for 2 to 24 hours. If desired, garnish with chocolate curls. Makes 16 slices.
White Mocha Filling:
In a small saucepan combine white baking chocolate, instant coffee powder and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of the whipped topping (whipped topping will melt). Cool mixture about 5 minutes. Fold melted mixture into remaining whipped topping.
Tip: To toast nuts, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the nuts in a shallow baking pan. Bake about 10 minutes or until toasted. Cool nuts slightly. If using hazelnuts, place warm nuts on a clean kitchen towel. Rub nuts with towel to remove loose skins.
Mocha Cream Puffs
Makes 20 cream puffs
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 recipe Mocha Filling (see recipe below)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat an extra large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine the water, butter, coffee crystals and salt. Bring to boiling. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until a ball forms that doesn’t separate. Cool for 5 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth. Drop into 20 small mounds onto prepared baking sheet. Bake about 25 minutes or until brown.
Cool on wire rack. Split puffs; remove soft dough from insides.
Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip or a spoon, pipe or spoon Mocha filling into cream puff bottoms. Add cream puff tops.
Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare and bake cream puffs; cover and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Prepare Mocha Filling as directed; cover and chill for up to 2 hours. Fill cream puffs just before serving.
Mocha Filling
- 1/2 of an 8-ounce carton lowfat vanilla yogurt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals
- 1/2 of an 8-ounce container thawed light whipped dessert topping
In a medium bowl combine yogurt, cocoa powder and instant coffee crystals. Fold in thawed light whipped dessert topping. Cover and chill until serving time.
Fudgy Almond Cookies
Makes 36
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 egg whites
- 1/3 cup plain lowfat yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 ounces white chocolate baking squares (with cocoa butter)
- 1/2 teaspoon shortening
- 36 whole almonds, toasted
Directions:
In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
Add brown sugar, espresso powder and baking soda; beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally.
Add egg whites, yogurt and almond extract; beat until combined. Beat in cocoa powder.
Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill dough for 1 to 2 hours or until easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheets.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or just until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.
In a small saucepan combine white chocolate and shortening; heat and stir over low heat until melted and smooth.
Spoon a little melted white chocolate on top of each cookie. Press an almond on top of the white chocolate on each cookie. Let cookies stand until white chocolate is set.
Related articles
- “They’re Selling Chocolate!” (laurenelisabetta.wordpress.com)
- Home Baking- Raw Cacao Truffles (mrandmrsvegan.wordpress.com)
- Healthy Expressions 17: “Showtime Healthy Chocolate” (gocooking.wordpress.com)
- New Technology Cuts Chocolate’s Fat Content In Half (huffingtonpost.com)
- Bitter-Sweet Vegan Chocolate Truffles (healtherella.wordpress.com)
- http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/09/26/the-cuisine-of-italy-turin-the-chocolate-city/
Turin (Torino in Italian) is an interesting and often overlooked city in the Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) region of Italy. It is in the northwest section of the region between the Po River and the foothills of the Alps. The city is famous for the Shroud of Turin, Fiat auto plants, Baroque cafes and architecture and its arcaded shopping promenades and museums. Turin hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics because the nearby mountains and valleys are a huge attraction for winter sports. This hilly region bordering France and Switzerland is, also, ideal for dry farming grapes which are deep-rooted enough to withstand periods of dry weather.
The Piedmont region has some of the best food in Italy. Over 160 types of cheese and famous wines, like Barolo and Barbaresco, come from here, as do truffles, the very expensive mushroom. Turin has some outstanding pastries, especially chocolate ones. Chocolate for eating, as we know it today, (bars and pieces) originated in Turin. The chocolate-hazelnut sauce, gianduja, is a specialty of Turin.
Lights of Turin
Turin derives its name from the Celtic word tau, meaning mountain, and was founded almost 2400 years ago by a Celtic tribe, the Taurini. The Taurini conquered much of France and part of Spain before heading into what is known today as Italy. In Italian torino means “little bull”. The bull is still part of the city standard (flag) to this day.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Turin, which was always prized for its fertile land and access to the Po River, was conquered by various barbarian tribes including the Goths, Lombards and Franks, who established the city as an earldom in the 8th century A.D.
However, when the Savoy family dynasty conquered the city in the year 1280, the city would finally begin its rise to prominence. The history of Turin for the next 600 years is tied to that of the House of Savoy. The Savoys are also credited with bringing art, culture and architecture to Turin. The Savoys certainly spared no expense to make Turin beautiful. However, despite their best efforts to ‘Italianize’ the city, Turin’s layout is often compared to Paris more than any other Italian city.
The Savoys would reign over Italy until Benito Mussolini’s Fascists took over the country at the beginning of the 20th. century. By this time, Turin had turned its attention to industry and is, still, one of the world’s greatest automobile centers.
Candy Shop in Turin
Turin has been producing chocolate for over three centuries. The origins of the city’s chocolate-making art can be traced back to the year 1678, when Madame Reale, who was then the Queen of the Savoy state, granted the first ever “license” to Turinese chocolate maker Giò Antonio Ari to make chocolate. Thus began the city’s closest relationship with chocolate, which continues until this day. The chocolate varieties created by Turinese chocolatiers are truly special and include several specialties, like the traditional Gianduiotto, which is shaped like an upturned boat and crafted out of sugar, cocoa and hazelnut paste; the Baci di Cherasco (Cherasco Kisses) which are made with dark chocolate and hazelnuts; the Alpino which contains a liqueur cream and is named after the hat worn by the Italian military regiments; and the Bicerin, which is a truly decadent layered hot chocolate coffee drink.
Gianduia – chocolate and hazelnut candy
The chocolate most associated with Turin is gianduia. However, long before they started putting hazelnuts in chocolate, Turin was a major player in the world of European chocolate. Turin chocolatiers began selling chocolate in 1678, almost 200 years before the first Gianduia candy bar entered the chocolate scene in Turin. Gianduia, a blend of milk chocolate and ground hazelnuts, was invented due to the high cacao prices and problems with supply. In order to extend their supply of cacao, chocolatiers added hazelnuts that were, and still are, in abundance from the local Langhe area. One of the most popular combinations of chocolate and hazelnuts, worldwide, is Nutella. Ferrero-Rocher, located in the nearby city of Alba, began producing the popular spread in 1945. First is was called Giandujot, then Supercrema, then Cremalba. In 1964 it became Nutella.
Almost every chocolatier and sweet shop in Turin has a local version of the spread, using just as many variations as its numerous names. These artisanal versions are more likely to actually use Piedmont hazelnuts and less likely to have palm oil or preservatives that come with the mass produced spread in the rest of the world.
Here are just a few types of chocolate candies made in Turin:
Nocciolati – Nocciolati are gianduia chocolate bars with whole roasted hazelnuts throughout. These, along with other chocolate variations, decorate many chocolate storefront windows in Turin. They are sold by weight, usually the etto (100 grams). Nocciolato fondente is a dark chocolate bar with hazelnuts; nocciolato latte is milk chocolate with hazelnuts, and nocciolato bianco is white chocolate. Little bite-size versions are nocciolatini.
Cremino – In 1911 to launch its Fiat 4, the Turin-based auto manufacturer held a contest for Italian chocolatiers to create a chocolate in honor of the new car. “Il Cremino” made by Aldo Majani in Bologna won. For many years it was known as the Cremino Fiat. A square shape, it is layers of chocolate, initially four layers, but now made with three-layer. Two of the layers are gianduia chocolate. The middle layer varies in flavor and can be hazelnut cream, dark chocolate or coffee cream, to name just a few.
Tris di Nocciole – A classic in chocolate shops in Turin, they are simply three roasted hazelnuts covered in chocolate. You can find them in all three chocolate variations; dark, milk and white.
Tartufi (truffles) – Although they are a specialty of Turin, you can find truffles all over the world. Named after the expensive fungus they resemble, these balls of ganache, sometimes with a little liquor added to the ganache, are traditionally rolled in cocoa powder.
Rochers – Ferrero-Rocher (the company that also makes Nutella) introduced these “rocks” to the world in 1982. Many chocolatiers in the city make them. If you love chocolate and hazelnuts, this is a dream combination. Generally, they start with a chocolate-covered hazelnut at the center; gianduia cream encases it. A very thin wafer is wrapped around the gianduia cream, separating it from the final coating of milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts.
Healthy Chocolate Inspired Recipes From Turin, Italy
Italian Mocha (Bicerin)
Bicerin derives from an older drink, called Bavaresia, which was popular in the XVII century; unlike bicerin, it was stirred. Bicerin made its appearance in the 1840s, and enjoying a bicerin at the caffé in the morning soon became a ritual in Turin. Bicerin, a sinful drink, is prepared from coffee, cocoa, and whipped cream. A little goes a long way — the word bicerin means little glass — and, if you like it, you’ll be joining august company: Alexandre Dumas, Italo Calvino, Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso were all bicerin fans. The caffés of Turin keep their versions secret, but you might try it with this recipe, if you can afford the calories, if not use the second recipe, which is a healthy, tasty adaption:
Ingredients for Hot Chocolate
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
- 2 cups very strong coffee
- 1 tablespoon powdered coffee creamer (optional)
Directions
1 Heat the milk to boiling.
2 Reduce heat and whisk in chocolate and sugar.
3 Heat mixture to boiling while stirring continuously.
4 Remove from heat and whisk in coffee and creamer (if using, it thickens the drink a bit).
5 Add topping, see below
Ingredients for Bicerin Topping
- 1 part freshly made espresso
- 1 part freshly made hot chocolate, see above
- 1 part heavy cream
Directions:
Place a cocktail shaker in the freezer until well chilled, at least 10 minutes. Fill a large heatproof glass with very hot tap water and set aside.
To serve: empty glass and dry. Layer ingredients in the glass by placing shot of espresso in the bottom and then, while slightly tilting the glass, slowly pouring in hot chocolate.
Remove shaker from freezer, add cream, and shake vigorously until frothy, at least 20 times. Spoon shaken cream on top of hot chocolate and serve immediately.
Tip: For an alcoholic bicerin, add 1 part coffee-flavored liqueur to the hot chocolate before layering it.
Cioccolata Calda (Hot Chocolate Italian-Style) – Healthy Version
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons frozen fat-free, whipped topping, thawed
Directions:
1. Mix the cocoa powder and sugar together in a small saucepan. Stir the 1 1/2 cups milk into the saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Place over low heat; slowly bring the mixture to a low simmer.
2. Whisk the 2 tablespoons of milk together with the cornstarch in a small cup; slowly whisk the cornstarch slurry into the cocoa mixture. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the hot chocolate reaches a pudding-like thickness, 2 to 3 minutes. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon of whipped topping.
Chocolate Fondue
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Pound cake, toasted and diced for dipping
- Assorted fruit, for dipping
Directions:
In a large microwavable bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Microwave on medium (50 percent power) 2 minutes; whisk until smooth.
Meanwhile in a small saucepan, heat water, milk, and honey over medium-high heat just until small bubbles appear around edge of pan. Whisk milk mixture into chocolate mixture until smooth. Serve fondue with cake and fruit.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup sugar (or 2 tablespoons sugar alternative, such as Truvia)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1/4 cup Frangelico (hazelnut-flavored liqueur)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
- 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted
Directions:
Combine the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, salt, and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Heat milk over medium-high heat in a small, heavy saucepan until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Place the milk mixture back in the saucepan and cook over medium heat until very thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly.
Spoon mixture into a medium bowl, and add liqueur, vanilla, and chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts.
Place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes or until mixture is cool, stirring occasionally.
Remove bowl from ice. Gently fold in one-third of the whipped topping. Fold in remaining topping. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. Sprinkle with hazelnuts.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup mousse and 1 teaspoon hazelnuts)
Chocolate Chip Biscotti 
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large egg whites and 1 large egg or 3/4 cups egg substitute
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Hershey’s)
- 3/4 cup unsalted sliced almonds
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, flaxseed, soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Set aside.
Combine sugars, egg in an electric mixer bowl; beat at high speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir on low speed until combined. Fold in chocolate and almonds with a spatula.
Turn dough out onto a floured board and divide dough into 3 equal portions. (I use a scale to weigh the dough.) Roll each portion into a 6-inch-long roll. Arrange the roll, 3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Shape each into a 6 by 1-inch log. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until firm. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
3. Remove rolls from the baking sheet; cool 20 minutes on a wire rack. Cut rolls diagonally into 30 (1/2-inch) slices. Return slices, cut sides down, to the baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325°; bake 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen (serving size: 1 biscotti)
Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup amaretti or chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (See brands below.)
- 2 tablespoons butter or trans-free margarine, melted, such as Smart Balance
- 2/3 cups sugar (or 1/3 cup sugar alternative for baking)
- 3 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, divided
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) fat-free cream cheese
- 1 cup light sour cream
- 3 eggs or 3/4 cups egg substitute
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 2 tablespoons fat free half-and-half
- 1 cups fresh raspberries + 1 tablespoon sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9″ springform pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine the cookie crumbs and margarine in a bowl and mix together. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Melt 2 cups of the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler, taking care to keep the water from touching the bottom of the pan containing the chips. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, and remaining 2/3 cup sugar or 1/3 cup sugar alternative with an electric mixer until smooth. Slowly beat in the flour, almond extract, and coffee granules. Add the melted chocolate and beat on high speed until well incorporated.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife or thin metal spatula around the edge of the sides to loosen the sides but do not remove the cake from the pan. Place pan on a rack and let cool for 45 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
6. When the cake is chilled, melt the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler and stir in the half-and-half. Cool slightly and pour onto the top of the cake. Spread with a spatula to the edge so that some of the chocolate runs down the side of the cake. Chill until ready to serve.
Toss the raspberries with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Serve with cake.
Related articles
- Grand Tour, Turin – a taster (alangent.wordpress.com)
- Wine Regions, Festivals and Interesting Sites in Piedmont Italy (vinoconvistablog.me)
- DIY Nutella [Nutella] (lifehacker.com)
