All things Chocolate

[jewels]

A friend posted this great looking recipe and although I haven't tried it, I just had to share.

Please do the same and share any great recipes that involve chocolate, whether you've tried it or it just looks amazing!

Dark Chocolate Caramel Nutella Twix Bars

Makes 12 bars

Ingredients:
24 – square caramel candies, cut in half
24 – 4 inch pretzel sticks
1/3 cup Nutella
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips or your favorite type of chocolate
optional: sea salt

Directions:
Place caramel halves on a plate in a single layer. Microwave the caramels for 8 seconds, just until they are pliable but still firm. With two pretzels side by side in the palm on the hand, line four caramel halves along the pretzel from one end to another. Gently pushed the caramels down using a thumb and index finger to bind the caramel to the pretzels. Repeat this with all the pretzels and caramels. Spoon the Nutella into a sandwich bag and cut the tip off. Pipe a pea sized bead of Nutella on the non caramel side of the pretzels. Carefully spread the Nutella across the top surface with the back side of a utensil handle. Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe container and microwave for 1 minute and stir until smooth. If necessary, microwave for an additional 30 seconds to get the chocolate smooth. Place the pretzel (Nutella side up) on a fork and carefully dip the pretzels in the chocolate rocking the pretzels side to side to get the pretzel bars completely coated. Lift the bar from the chocolate and allow any excess chocolate to drip off. Place bars on plate or board lined with parchment paper. Place the board in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes accelerator the chocolate to harden and set up.

If you prefer a more salted chocolate caramel candy bar, sprinkle a little bit of sea salt along the top of each chocolate bar after dipping them in chocolate and before placing them in the refrigerator to set.

The full story and source can be found here.

[iFishVideos]

That sounds like some excellent munchies food! Thanks

[Jetée]

Stareos (from the Stars restaurant in San Francisco) | photo+recipe provided by ChrissyJ

cooking instructions   click to show 

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Cookies:
8 ounces cold sweet cream butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
Pinch salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

The filling:
1 cup mascarpone
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the chocolate shortbread:
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for 15 seconds, using the paddle attachment. Add the flour, salt, and cocoa powder and continue mixing on low speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until the dough comes together. It will look dry just before it comes together.

Put the dough on a lightly floured board and roll it out 1/4 inch thick. With a 2-inch star cutter, cut out the cookies. Chill them for 1 hour in the freezer. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cookies so they are not touching on the pan.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Bake the shortbread for about 1 hour, until firm.

To make the filling:
Combine the mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.

To assemble:
Spread about 1 tablespoon of the mascarpone cream filling on 18 of the cookies. Put the remaining uncoated cookies on top of the creamed cookies, making a "sandwich".

[TLTE!]

[jewels]

Mmmm, those sound good. Mascarpone sandwich?

[snowy]

This looked yummy, so yummy I want to make it for my birthday:



Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Tart
Serves 8 to 10
Active time:30 min Start to finish:2 3/4 hr (includes cooling)

September 2008
A triple layer of crumbly crust, a truffle-like interior, and an almost patent-leather-shiny glaze make this tart the chicest take on chocolate we’ve come across in a long time.

For more recipes inspired by the City of Light, visit our Paris City Guide.
For crust
9 (5- by 21/4-inch) chocolate graham crackers (not chocolate-covered), finely ground (1 cup)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

For filling
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
9 oz bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

For glaze
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 3/4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon warm water

Equipment: a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep) with removable bottom

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Stir together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes.

Make filling:
Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.
Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

Make glaze:
Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water.
Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

Cooks’ note: Tart is best the day it is made but can be made, without glaze, 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before glazing.

[Charlatan]

I made this amazing Chocolate Guinness Cheesecake a few weeks ago for Easter dinner. Not only was it easy to make it was excellent. Completely blew away my guests.

Closet Cooking - Chocolate Guinness Cheesecake



Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Guinness

Directions

Mix the graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, sugar, and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
Melt the chocolate in the cream in a double boiler.
Cream the cream cheese.
Mix in the sugar, chocolate, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and Guinness.
Pour the mixture into the spring form pan.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 60 minutes.
Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 60 minutes.
Let it cool completely.
Chill the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.