Valentine's Day Treats: Easy Chocolate Fondue

I think Fondue should be called Fun-due because what's not fun about dipping stuff in melted chocolate? It's simple, romantic, indulgent, and delightful... all on a stick! Well, on a skewer. But the point is that in less than 15 minutes, you can create a quick and elegant party for two (or twenty) that looks as gorgeous as it tastes. 

Prep all of your dippers; almost anything tastes good in chocolate. Suggestions: strawberries, pineapple chunks, marshmallows, cookies, pretzels, apple slices, bananas, biscotti, orange sections, and graham crackers. I like to put some on skewers to create a little sculpture. Then place the remaining ingredients on a platter or in bowls.

Photos: Arden PhotographyEasy Chocolate Fondue

1 cup whipping cream

3 semi-sweet chocolate bars (4 ounces each) chopped (I like to mix in some bittersweet also)

2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur* (I like hazelnut, orange, raspberry, or coffee)

*Substitute 2 tablespoons strong coffee OR simply add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if you don't want to use liqueur.

Add the chocolate to a heat-proof bowl over a double boiler (a heat-proof bowl placed over a simmering pot of water) Keep the water simmering, not boiling as not to burn the chocolate. As the chocolate begins to melt, stir in the whipping cream, a little at a time. After it is incorporated, stir in the liqueur.

Transfer to a fondue pot if you have one, If you don't use a heat-proof dish (like Pyrex) with a tea light or votive candle under the dish to keep the chocolate melted. A dish that is not heat-proof, such as porcelain or ceramic will crack.

NOTE: The dish will get very hot so make sure the candle is not too close to the dish and take extreme care when handling!!

Update on Friday, February 11, 2011 at 9:11PM by Martie Duncan

Jodie on Facebook asked about white chocolate fondue. Make it the same way. Just sub chopped white chocolate for the dark chocolate.

Homemade Chocolate Truffles

I made these for our Girls' Night In party a few years ago. When people see the photos, they always ask for the recipe. Truffles can be very expensive so these make a wonderful homeade holiday treat!

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Makes: 25-30  

2 cups 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Options:

¼ teaspoon orange zest with ½ teaspoon orange liqueur

¼ teaspoon strong coffee or espresso with ½ teaspoon coffee liqueur

Directions
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the chocolate chips. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and pour into a shallow bowl.

Cool, cover, and refrigerate the mixture until firm, at least 2 hours.

Use a very small ice cream scoop, a melon baller, or very small spoon to roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in cocoa. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

You may also roll truffles in finely chopped chocolate, finely chopped toasted nuts or coconut, or Confectioner’s sugar.

Party Bite: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

Perfect for the holidays! Make up a batch of these with leftover pumpkin or pie filling for the day after Thanksgiving, a triim the tree party, or any other reason you have to get-together this holiday season. Both kids and adults will love these... the crystallized ginger garnish makes them taste just like the holidays!

PUMPKIN SPICE CUPCAKES WITH GINGER CREAM CHEESE ICING

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes w/ Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting on Villeroy & Boch French Garden PlatterMakes 24 cupcakes

3/4 cup butter, softened

2-1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup buttermilk

For the icing:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups Confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½  teaspoon crystallized ginger, grated

¼  teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin. Combine the flour, pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and ginger; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the Confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, ginger, and cinnamon; beat until smooth. If you are going to dip or pipe the icing onto the cupcakes, it also helps if the icing is slightly stiff so you may need to add more Confectioners’ sugar to achieve desired results. Grate a little crystallized ginger onto the top of the cupcakes as garnish.

Rustic Apple Crostata Recipe

EASY RUSTIC APPLE CROSTATA

Most people are so afraid of pie crust. I grew up with a mom who was a pie-making machine. It is in my DNA. For those of you who love a homemade pie but don't think you can make a crust, try this one. I promise it is no fail and so easy! This crust works for any number of fruits but apples and peaches work best. A couple of tips: make sure to keep the dough chilled and use fruit that is not too juicy. If you use peaches or berries, you will need to increase the amount of flour in the filling to help it from having too much liquid.

Makes 1 crostata that serves 5-6 depending on how large you cut the slices

FOR THE CRUST

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar plus 1 teaspoon, reserved

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced into cubes

2-3 tablespoons ice water (plus a few drops more if the dough seems dry )

FOR THE FILLING

3 large semi-tart apples 

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced into small pieces

TO FINISH

1 egg and 1 teaspoon water, beaten well

2 tablespoons Apricot presesrves, warmed-reserve for later

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the pastry: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine the dry ingredients. Add the butter, a little at a time, pulsing between additions until the butter is like little bb's or peas. Next, with the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube but stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto a well-floured piece of plastic wrap and gently form into a round. Don’t over handle or over mix because your dough will be tough. Wrap the round with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

For the filling: Peel, core and slice apples into 8-12 slices. Put the apple into a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Next, add the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Add the cold butter. Mix all of the ingredients together until the apples are well coated. Set aside.

Assembly: When you are ready to make the crostata, flour a rolling pin. Flour your work surface. Open up the plastic wrap and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle. Wrap the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Work quickly so the crust stays chilled. 

Turn the apples out onto the crust, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all the way around.  Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.

Use a pastry brush to gently brush the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle the reserved 1 teaspoon sugar over the dough. 

Bake the crostata for 22 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove and brush on the warmed preserves. Put back in the oven for 5 minutes more or until crust is a deep golden brown. Allow to cool at least 7 minutes before cutting. Just before serving, you can dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with warm caramel sauce that you make it or purchase, or top with a scoop of ice cream.

Caramel Sauce is so easy to make and there are several ways to make it. I typically put a cup of sugar into a skillet or saucepan that is not dark like cast iron or non-stick. You need to be able to determine the color of the caramel because it will burn quickly. Over medium high heat, let the sugar heat and start to melt. Swirl the pan frequently once the melting process begins to help the melting process.  Don't stir it. Just keep the pan moving and continue to swirl it. Once most of the sugar has melted, lower the heat. Using a fork, whisk in a tablespoon of room temperature butter. Add a few tablespoons of heavy cream, a little at a time until you get the consistency you like. Make sure to whisk constantly. The mixture will bubble up so be very careful as the caramel will burn easily and is very, very hot.

You can also make this with peaches but if they are really ripe and juicy, use a little more flour in the filling!

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Holiday Cookie Recipes: Kelly's Favorite English Toffee Cookies

I soooo love it when my friends and our readers send me their favorite recipes--- because I know they're going to be really, really good! I get all of the benefit of a great new recipe without all of the work perfecting it. Kelly, my website designer, longtime co-worker, friend, and the busy mother of two beautiful boys, sent me her favorite holiday cookie recipe--- and I just popped my first batch in the oven. Try these for your Christmas Eve party or take a batch to the office. They smell delicious! Can't wait to give them a try!Thanks Kelly!

Kelly's English Toffee Cookies

1 Cup Butter (unsalted) room temperature

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg Yolk

2 Cups Flour (all-purpose)

1 Tsp. Vanilla

1 Large Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar (broken into small pieces) for the top

1 Cup Chopped Nuts OR 1/2 Cup Crushed Candy Canes

Kelly's adorable boys, Camden & TuckerDIRECTIONS: Combine butter, brown, sugar, egg yolk, flour, and vanilla in a bowl. Pat into a greased 15x10 jellyroll pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Remove and add the chocolate pieces over the top. Return to the oven for a few minutes until chocolate softens. Remove and spread the chocolate over the top. Add chopped nuts or the crushed candy cane for garnish. Place in the refrigerator for an hour. Cut into 1.5 inch squares.

                                      HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Need more recipes? Here are some good, tried and true recipes for your holiday get-togethers!

COCKTAILS

Hot Apple Pie Toddy                    Hot Buttered Rum  

Oatmeal Cookie Martini               Pralines & Cream Martini 

OTHER EASY FAVORITES:

Endive Leaves with Herbed Goat Cheese

Tipsy Tomatoes, Mini BLT's, and Caprese Kabobs

Pickled Citrus Shrimp

Butternut Squash Soup

Apple Tart with Pomegranate Carmel Sauce