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A 'Unique' Chocolate Recipe

My friend belongs to a dinner club and always invites me I just don't have the space to host so I don't throw myself in there as a full host. They have one scheduled for next week end and the theme is "Chocolate". I hate to bring just another dessert. I just don't know of anything else that includes chocolate!

Any advice appreciated!

Comments (14)

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I have a flourless chocolate torte that was originally posted here, probably 4-5 years ago. It is rich and wonderful and easy to make. I can post it if you are interested. It does take a pound of good quality chocolate.

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    When I hosted a Chocolate Themed covered dish, I made chili with chocolate as an ingredient. Googling will give you numerous recipes for chocolate chili.

    Here's a link below.
    Have fun.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Chocolate Chili Con Carne

  • Related Discussions

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Here is an especially good ice cream recipe:

    Chocolate Ice Cream

    Ingredients
    3/4 cup sugar
    1 cup milk
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
    3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
    2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
    2 cups heavy cream
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 2 tbsp Frangelico)

    Directions
    1. Combine sugar, milk, salt, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer. Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Gradually stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid and return to the saucepan. Heat until thickened, but do not boil. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chopped chocolate until chocolate is melted. Pour into a chilled bowl, and refrigerate for about two hours until cold, stirring occasionally.
    2. When chocolate mixture has completely cooled, stir in the cream, and vanilla (or your favorite liqueur). Pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. You can add in more Frangelico (or Amaretto) near the end of the freezing time.

    This is my favorite pie recipe:

    Chocolate Hazelnut Bavarian Cream Pie

    This recipe uses melted chocolate.

    Ingredients:

    4 tsp gelatin
    2-1/2 tbsp cold water
    2/3 cup milk
    2-1/2 oz. Bittersweet chocolate
    1/4 cup sugar
    5 egg yolks
    1/8 tsp salt
    1 cup hazelnuts, toasted
    1 tbsp Frangelico
    1-1/4 cups whipping cream

    Directions:

    Place a bowl and beaters in the freezer for the whipping cream, to be used later.
    Soak the gelatin in the cold water in a small container.
    Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
    Measure the milk in a Pyrex liquid measuring cup, and microwave it 45 seconds on high, or until it is scalded. Add to the chocolate and stir to blend.
    Combine the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat until blended. Add the milk & chocolate mixture slowly, stirring constantly, so that the eggs do not cook. Return the mixture to the double boiler and cook until it begins to thicken. This will take a few minutes, probably about 10-12.
    Stir in the gelatin and mix until dissolved.

    Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and combine them with the chocolate mixture, and add the Frangelico. Chill the entire mixture until about to set, which should take about 30-40 minutes or so, depending on your refrigerator. You do not want it to be too stiff, and so you should check it often, if it appears to start to cool. If it gets too stiff, you will have to warm it slightly by returning it to the double boiler with hot (but not boiling) water in the bottom, or you can float the bowl in a larger bowl of warm to hot water and stir until it is a good consistency.

    Remove the bowl and beater from the freezer, and add the whipping cream to the bowl. Whip the cream until stiff, and fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour the combined mixture into an 8" pie pans with cookie (or graham cracker) crust and one dessert cup. Chill thoroughly (at least 12 hours) before serving.

    Yield: one 8" pie and one dessert cup, or one 9" pie. I like to have a little bit of the pudding without the pie crust.

    A very simple dessert would be to add chocolate or Mocha liqueur to vanilla ice cream. I like Khalua's Mocha liqueur the best. Soften the ice cream by leaving it out for 10-15 minutes, and then stir in about 1/4 cup liqueur per quart of ice cream. Put the ice cream into a container and store it in the freezer. If you have not let the ice cream get too warm, it should refreeze fine in the freezer. It's easier to mix in smaller batches.

    Lars

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Chocolate martinis

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    This is wonderfully decadent.

    Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

    Chocolate - Pate Du Chocolate With Creme Anglaise
    =================================================
    4 ounces semisweet chocolate
    1/2 cup butter
    5 egg yolks
    1/2 cup granulated sugar
    2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    1-1/2 cups whipping cream

    Creme Anglaise (recipe follows)

    Toasted sliced almonds
    . Melt chocolate with butter; let cool. In bowl, beat egg yolks with
    sugar until thick and pale in colour; beat in cocoa. Beat in cooled
    chocolated mixture Whip cream and fold into chocolate mixture. Turn
    into 8 X 4 inch loaf pan lined with plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate
    for 2 hours. To serve unmould pate and remove plastic wrap. spoon Creme
    Anglaise onto dessert plates. Top each with 1/2 inch slice of chocolate
    pate. Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

    Creme Anglaise

    5 egg yolks
    1/3 cup granulated sugar
    2 cups hot milk
    1 tsp vanilla.

    In bowlw beat egg yolks with sugar until thick and pale in colour;
    gradually whisk in hot milk. Transfer to very heavy saucepan; cook over
    medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or
    until thickened slightly and sauce coats the back of a spoon. Be
    careful not to boil. Stir in vanilla. Strain through fine sieve into
    bowl. Let cool; cover and refrigerate until chilled or for up to 1 day.
    Makes about 2 cups.

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Another who is saying...there will be lots of desserts because that's all people think of.
    I would do a chicken mole...
    There's a link below to a Paula Deene recipe...I've not tried it but can it be bad?? LOL!
    You could make it in bite sized pieces on a skewer for an appetizer....to go with the chocolate martinis!
    Linda C

    Here is a link that might be useful: chicken mole

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    When you said "I hate to bring just another dessert", did you mean that you did not want to bring any dessert or that you wanted to bring an extra-special dessert? Personally, I do not like any chocolate dishes that are not considered desserts, and I especially dislike mole, although I am probably in the minority there. I like pumpernickel bread with cocoa in it, however, and so you might consider making that. I linked to a recipe below, but I omitted the sugar and used pumpernickel flour instead of rye.

    Lars

    Here is a link that might be useful: German pumpernickel recipe

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I was wondering the same thing Lars. I took it to mean that she wanted to bring a spectacular chocolate dessert. I would assume that the main course was being handled by the host. I'd confirm before bring a main dish.


    Ann

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I was wondering too. I decided to be classified as "unique" it should be something other than dessert; that's why I offered the savory dish.

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I would do chocolate dipped strawberries-Google Sherri's Berries and copy those designs.

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    " I hate to bring just another dessert. I just don't know of anything else that includes chocolate! "

    I interpreted that to mean that she wanted something other than a dessert recipe.

    chicken bites in mole sauce makes a lovely appetizer....or cincinatti chili.....and I have seen a black bean soup containing cocoa...or of course a rustic rye bread with chocolate.
    Good luck.
    Linda c

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I still think that she should check with the host and find out what is needed. Appetizer? Main course? Dessert? My experiences with Dinner Clubs is that the host normally provides the main course. More organized than a Pot Luck where anything goes.

    Ann

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I once went to a party that was to be all chocolate,all attending were chocolate lovers.The father of the host was in town on a visit. He had the good sense to put out a tray of cheese and crackers. After eating nothing but chocolate all evening everyone appreciate something different. We were all feeling a little sick.

  • 15 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    The Essence of Chocolate is a book by John Schaffenberger and Robert Steinberg. It has recipes for the chocolate martini, chocolate liqueur, lots of baked goods and sweets, but also baked beans, roasted chicken, chili marinated flank steak, roasted squash with nib vinaigrette, goat cheese with nibs, spinach and walnut salad with nib vinaigrette, three bean chili, tortilla soup, cocoa coated nuts, even a "non-recipe" suggesting putting nibs in a pepper grinder to mill the nibs on a slice of melon or a bowl of raspberries or strawberries with a splash of balsamic. Chocolate, in it's various forms, can be a part of any course. You can do something that isn't sweets, sticks to the theme and is still a refreshing change.