Buckeye Balls

(Recipe from Connie Gaspar of Malone, NY)

Hand-Dipped Homemade Chocolates

This recipe is a special Christmas confection.  It was given to me by my mother-in-law, Margaret Guthrie, and is originally from the Ogdensburg Home Bureau.  Everyone seems to have their favorite flavors.  Ours are cherry, maple, orange, raspberry, strawberry and butter rum.  Allow at least 2  hours to do steps 5, 6 and 7. 


Ingredients:

4.5 - 5 cups chocolate chips/broken chocolate bars (I use combination of semi-sweet and bittersweet)

2 lb. confections sugar

1/2 lb. sweet unsalted butter

1/4 bar paraffin wax, grated -- I use a box grater. (Gulf Brand is good -- available in the canning department or in some craft stores -- check for FDA approval)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Strawberry

Directions: (My notes on time say:  3 hours for steps 1-5 and also allow 2 1/2 hours to do steps 5,6 and 7 -- leave plenty of time no matter how you do the steps, especially with  times in the refrigerator/freezer, which makes it much easier)

(1) Mix together sugar, butter and sweetened condensed milk; mix well.

(2) Divide into dishes for flavoring and coloring -- I do 5 or 6 flavors.

(3)  Flavor with extracts -- you'll need 1 tsp. or more flavoring per bowl, to taste-- flavors to use: almond extract (for cherry flavor), maple extract, orange extract, vanilla extract, strawberry extract, raspberry extract, for butter rum -- use both butter and rum extracts.)

(4) Cover dishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate dishes (an hour or more).

(5)  One-by-one, remove dishes from the refrigerator, and roll the candy mixture into about 1 inch diameter balls. Place on a cookie sheet covered with foil (I label the foil with the flavors to keep track).  Stick a toothpick into each ball; set completed cookie sheet in freezer while finishing the rest. Repeat process with the rest of the dishes, keeping the bowls refrigerated until ready to roll into balls.  Freeze balls with toothpicks for at least 10 minutes before dipping in chocolate -- makes the dipping process easier. (Note:  This is a very messy step, you will need to wash your hands and utensils after each flavor.  Refreeze balls if they are too warm to work with.)  

(6)  Melt the chocolate/chocolate chips with the paraffin wax shavings in a double boiler; stirring until the wax is melted and the chocolate mixture is very smooth.

(7)  One flavor at a time, remove candy balls from the freezer and dip the candy in the melted chocolate holding the toothpick and quickly dipping and then swirling back and forth to get rid of extra chocolate before returning to the foil covered cookie sheet. Fill hole caused by toothpick with a dab of chocolate.  Repeat process for all flavors, returning dipped chocolates to the refrigerator. 

(8)  Put the dipped chocolates into individual white candy cups.

(9)  Keep chocolates in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Bittersweet Chocolate on Sliced French Baguette

If you like chocolate croissants, you will like this.  Take a 1/2 inch slice of a French baguette, top with 2/3 of a square of bittersweet chocolate (such as 60% Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate).  Place on the lowest rack of the toaster oven.  Heat for a couple of minutes until chocolate melts and the bread will be slightly crunchy.  Remove from the oven, spread the chocolate smooth, and enjoy! Besides the taste, the best part is that it is only about 150 calories!

I

Favorite Chocolate Fudge

  
I'm not going to say that making fudge is tricky -- most of the time, the fudge will come out just the way you want it.  However, you have to be willing to work with it a little if it doesn't.  If you keep a few things in mind, this recipe can become a Christmas tradition, as it is in our family -- it is the best chocolate fudge!

(1) Atmospheric conditions --  try to cook this on a dry day!  You can make this recipe when it is cold or warm (using your candy thermometer as indicated in the recipe directions, Step 3), but probably should wait if it's a rainy day, humid, or low pressure (see Note at bottom of recipe).

(2)  This recipe requires a good candy thermometer (again, suggested temperatures are given in the directions, step 3),  and for consistent and best results, keep a glass of cold water next to your work area to check if the mixture has reached the soft-ball stage.  Change the water each time you perform the test so it is cold and fresh.  (What I am describing here is when you drop some of the hot mixture from a wooden spoon into the cold water.  If when you take the small piece out of the water,  it can be formed into a soft ball with your hands, then that is the result you want.  You may have to do this a few times as the mixture approaches the proper temperature.

(3) Here are some additional hints from 20+ years of making this recipe: 

Hint #1:  If you cook it too long it will turn hard when you test it in the water (hard ball stage) -- you do not want this, but may still be able to salvage the fudge by adding a tablespoon or two of heavy cream to the pot after the butter has melted, but before adding the vanilla extract and beating it.  In this case too, I would not wait for the mixture to cool to the recommended time or temperature -- I would do it right after the butter has melted. This has happened to me before, a couple of times -- and one time I actually broke off the end of a knife cutting into the fudge (it is still good to eat, just hard).

Hint #2:  If you do not cook it long enough and no matter how long you beat it, it does not turn from a hot fudge sauce consistency to something that will firm up, you can put it back into the pan and try reheating it to get the temperature up again.  In this case, I would also recommend adding a tablespoon or two of heavy cream to it while you are reheating it.  When you take it off the burner, you do not have to add more butter and vanilla (as you would have added them before), just let it sit and cool down again (20 minutes) and beat it again.  This time it will probably be a better consistency and will turn into fudge, or if the worse happens, you can always save it for hot fudge sauce -- although this worst case scenario has never happened to me. I did end up once with fudge the consistency of Tootsie Rolls, but don't remember the exact cause...it always tastes good at least!  

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar

6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (I prefer Ghirardelli)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 cup chopped nuts -- pecans or walnuts, optional 

1/4 cup unsalted butter (4 Tablespoons or 1/2 stick)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Butter an 8x8" baking pan, or other plate to pour fudge onto for serving. In a large, heavy saucepan (of at least 3-3/4 cups capacity), combine sugar and cocoa.  Add salt and mix well.  Add milk and corn syrup; mix well.

2.  Start cooking over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.  Attach candy thermometer to the pot and increase heat to medium-high.  Continue stirring with the wooden spoon.  The sugar crystals on the side of the pot can impart a grainy texture to the fudge, so if you must scrape the side of the pot, do it with a separate spatula that is dipped in a little water first. I think this helps a bit.

3.  Using a candy thermometer, cook until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (test for soft-ball stage in cold water, which will be approximately 236 degrees -- adjust to 234-236 during cold weather; 236-238 during warm weather). Remove the pan from the heat.

4.  Place the butter gently on the mixture in the saucepan and do not disturb.  Let sit for 20 minutes or until mixture reaches 110 degrees.

5  Add the vanilla (and chopped nuts, if desired).  Beat vigorously with the wooden spoon, periodically lifting spoonfuls of the mixture and letting them drop back into the fudge mixture and then continue beating.  This helps to make creamier fudge.  Beat until the mixture becomes very thick (not stiff) and just begins to lose its shine a little.

6.  Quickly spread the fudge in the buttered pan or plate and set aside to cool, about 15 minutes.

Notes:  Do not double this recipe.  Caution when cooking during humid, rainy weather or low pressure -- can cause "fudge disasters".  Try to cook on a dry day!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mostly adapted from the recipe on the package of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. I started using these chips in the cookies recently after it seemed that the Nestles Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and recipe that I have always used seemed to not be as good as they used to be. Was there a change in the formulation of Nestles Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips -- I don't know. Anyway, I use a combination of the Ghirardelli chips and the Nestles chips and like that variation of chocolate flavor and texture better than either of the chips alone. The perfect chocolate chip cookie is about the technique as well as the ingredients, and another key to getting the best results in consistency is in the mixing technique: (1) creaming the butter with the sugars very well before adding the other ingredients, (2) adding in the eggs by mixing at low speed and only until incorporated (so as not to beat air into the eggs which would contribute to a higher rising cookie), and (3) mixing in the dry ingredients gently and only until incorporated (thinks this creates a more tender cookie). I also like the way they bake using convection baking at 375 degrees and baking them after refrigerating the dough (at least 1 hour NOTE: can be refrigerated for a day or two before baking -- this allows you to make the whole recipe in small batches of dough, 1 or 2 dozen a time, so you can have fresh baked cookies when you want them. Alternatively, cold cookies can be reheated gently in the toaster oven to refresh their fresh-baked crispness and melted chocolate texture).

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) sweet, unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Nestles Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter with white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla well, until mixture is very light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed and only until incorporated after each addition. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients on low speed, mixing only until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Can be baked immediately by forming tablespoonful drops of cookie dough on the baking sheet and baking for 9 minutes (longer if not using convection baking), and reversing the sheet front to back 2-3 minutes before the 9 minutes is up. The rest of the dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated to be baked later. When ready to bake, cut off slabs of dough with a sharp knife, break into tablespoonful sizes and place on baking sheet. Bake as directed. Baking the cookie dough after refrigerating it like this also seems to improve the texture of the baked cookie.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1-16 oz. package of confectioners sugar (less 6 Tbsp.)
6 Tbsp. Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp. milk (may need to add a bit more, as necessary, for proper spreading consistency)
pinch kosher salt

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, with whisk beater attached, beat butter. Then add remaining ingredients and continue beating until well blended, and the frosting is a good spreading consistency. Spread on cooled cakes and cupcakes. (makes enough for 24 cupcakes).

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks)
9 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl cream brown sugar and butter thoroughly until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add cocoa, egg and vanilla; mix well. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt; mix lightly. Add some of the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, mix well and scrape the bowl. Then add some of the milk, mix well and scrape the bowl. Alternately add the dry ingredients with the milk, ending with the dry ingredients. Mix well and scrape the bowl after each addition.

Drop cookies by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until done.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Souffle

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks (at room temp)
6 egg whites (at room temp)
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (or other semi-sweet chocolate, chopped)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar (plus additional to coat souffle dish)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (plus additional to coat souffle dish)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Directions:

Butter a 1-1/2 quart large souffle dish and coat with sugar. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl beat egg yolks until well beaten and set aside. In a separate mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, but not dry, and set aside.

In a large saucepan heat the 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the flour to make a roux. Add milk, cream and sugar. Stir to boiling with whisk. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips. Add chocolate mixture to beaten egg yolks in the large mixing bowl. Stir in some of the stiffly beaten egg whites to the chocolate/egg yolk batter. Then gently, but thoroughly, fold in the remaining egg whites. Pour into the prepared 1-1/2 quart souffle dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately in individual bowls.

(Note: makes one large souffle to serve 4)