Chocolate treats perfect for your Valentine

    It’s probably safe to say that most couples celebrating Valentine’s Day will include chocolate, whether as a gift or as a dessert.
    Although chocolate is a tasty treat when eaten by itself, it’s also delicious when used in traditional desserts such as tortes, tarts and cakes.
    To make these dishes special, use small baking pans to create individual servings, then place them on a dusting of cocoa or powdered sugar on a plate. Garnish with fresh fruit slices, whipped cream or ice cream.
    Desserts don’t have to be complicated. Try something easy, such as strawberries dipped in melted chocolate.
    Chocolate can be used in cookies that are delicious as they are or dipped in a fondue to create a decadent treat. You could also dip biscotti, fresh and dried fruits and small pieces of cake or marshmallows in a chocolate fondue.
    Garnish a dessert with chocolate shavings or curls. Use a vegetable peeler with a long narrow blade and a chunk or bar of chocolate to make curls.
    When selecting a chocolate, remember this simple rule — the better tasting the chocolate you elect to use the better the chocolate dessert.
    Buy chocolate you’ve had a chance to try first. Place a piece on your tongue and allow it to slowly melt. If it coats your mouth with a smooth, velvety feel that’s a good sign you’re eating an excellent piece of chocolate.
    Today, many bittersweet and semisweet chocolates contain much more chocolate liquor than in the past. That requires adjustments to some recipes not designed for them. If using chocolate with more than 60% or 70% cacao in a recipe that doesn’t call for this type of chocolate, follow this general rule — use 25% to 35% less chocolate than called for and add up to 1-1/2 teaspoons more granulated sugar for each ounce of chocolate in the original recipe.
    Chocolate is best stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. If kept in a refrigerator, it should be tightly wrapped and allowed to come to room temperature before being used.
    Make sure there isn’t any water on the surface when you use the chocolate, because it will cause the chocolate to seize.
    And take care when melting chocolate not to burn it. Chocolate is a delicate treat, and it needs to be treated gently.
    Following are some Valentine’s dessert recipes from Ghirardelli chocolate.

ghirardelli.com

Chocolate Truffle Cookies With Sea Salt

1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups 60% cacao bittersweet baking chips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup 60% cacao bittersweet baking chips
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt

    In a heatproof bowl over a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Turn off the stove and let chocolate sit over warm water.
    Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, place sugar and eggs and combine thoroughly with a whisk. Slowly add the warm chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Add vanilla extract and mix. Stir in flour mixture. Cool a few minutes, then stir in chocolate chips. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
    Scoop rounded tablespoons of batter onto a baking tray. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with a pinch of sea salt. Bake in a 350-degree oven for seven to eight minutes, until the outside looks slightly cracked.
    For a chunky cookie, add one of the following — 3/4 cup toasted pecans or pistachios, 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger or 1/3 cup sweetened coconut.

Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets

14 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 cup fresh raspberries
1 pinch salt

    In bowl of food processor, process butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Add cocoa and process until smooth. Add flour and pulse until crumbly.
    Divide dough into six equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
    Remove one disk at a time from refrigerator and roll out into a six-inch circle between two pieces of plastic wrap. If dough gets too soft, refrigerate until firm before continuing.
    Remove top sheet of plastic wrap and invert dough over a 4-1/2-inch nonstick tartlet pan with removable bottom. Keeping plastic wrap on top side, press dough into bottom and sides of pan. Trim the excess dough, then carefully peel off plastic wrap.
    Repeat with remaining dough to make six tartlet shells. Refrigerate shells at least 30 minutes.
    Prick bottom of tartlet shells all over with fork. Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 15 minutes, until dough looks dry. Cool completely in pans.
    In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to simmer. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let sit until chocolate melts, then whisk gently to combine. Cool to room temperature, then pour 1/3 cup chocolate mixture into each tartlet shell. Refrigerate tartlets at least one hour, until filling is firm.
    Carefully remove tartlets from pans. Arrange raspberries decoratively on top of filling.
    Recipe also makes 1 large tart. Use an eight-inch nonstick tart pan with removable bottom.  To make smaller tartlets, press dough into muffin tin compartments lined with paper or foil muffin cups. Remove muffin cups after filling and chilling tartlets.

Milk Chocolate Truffle Cream Pie

8 ounces milk chocolate baking bar
1 cup pecans
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons brown crème de cacao

    Combine four ounces of chocolate, broken into pieces, and pecans in the bowl of food processor or blender. Process until mixture looks like a crumb crust. Press crumbs into an eight-inch pie plate or four individual custard cups or stemmed sherbet glasses.
    In small heavy saucepan, melt remaining chocolate broken into pieces with cream on low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Do not boil. Add crème de cacao. Chill at least two hours, until very cold.
    Beat until thick and creamy. Spread into crust. Chill one hour. Garnish with additional whipped cream around edge and grated milk chocolate, if desired.

Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
2 ounces white chocolate baking bar
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for pan
8 large eggs, cold
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

    Melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips over double boiler until smooth, then cool slightly.
    With a hand mixer or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip eggs and salt on medium speed about five minutes, until doubled in volume. Gently fold whipped eggs into melted chocolate, one-third at a time. Pour batter into a buttered 9-by-2-inch round cake pan that’s lined in the bottom with parchment paper.
    Place pan in a water bath. Bake in a 325-degree oven about 40 minutes, until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center.
    Remove pan from water bath and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
    To remove cake, dip the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan in warm water and run a thin metal spatula around the inside of the pan. Invert onto a plate to unmold, then remove parchment paper.
    Bring heavy cream to a simmer and pour over milk chocolate chips. Stir gently until smooth, then cool slightly. Pour ganache over top of cake and spread with an offset spatula to evenly cover. Chill cake about 30 minutes, until ganache sets. To garnish, grate white chocolate bar on top of cake.

Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Waffles

1 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, large
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups whole milk
1-1/2 cups 60%  or 72% cacao baking chips or semi-sweet chocolate baking chips

    Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
    In a large bowl, whisk together unsweetened cocoa, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add eggs, oil, and milk, then whisk until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips until incorporated.
    Lightly grease waffle iron and ladle one cup batter onto the center of the waffle iron. Close the top and cook until the waffle is crispy on both sides. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cooking time. Repeat with remaining batter.
    Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

Bittersweet Chocolate-Coated Truffles

8 ounces 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bar
2 tablespoon butter, chopped
2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 tablespoons liqueur
2 teaspoon peanut oil

    In double boiler, melt four ounces broken chocolate, stirring constantly, or microwave chocolate for 2-1/2 to three minutes on medium. Remove chocolate from heat and blend in butter.
    Stir in cream, then liqueur. Combine with chopped nuts or candied fruit, if desired.
    Chill 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick enough to hold a shape. Drop by heaping teaspoon or onto foil-lined baking pan. Shape round, if desired.
    Cover and freeze 20 to 30 minutes, until firm.
    Melt four ounces chocolate as above. Remove from heat, and stir in oil. Cool to 85 to 90 degrees. Dip cold, firm truffle into melted chocolate, holding with a fork and covering with several coats of chocolate. Place each onto foil-lined baking pan. Decorate top with nuts or candied fruit and chill at least two hours. Roll in ground chocolate and cocoa, if desired.
    Place in airtight container and store in cool, dry place to age for several days.
    For a variety of truffles, make using liqueurs such as Grand Marnier, amaretto, Kahlua, or creme de menthe.

Flourless Chocolate Brownies

1 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup whole almonds or 2/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

    If using whole almonds, place in a food processor with the rice flour and pulse until nuts are finely ground. If using almond flour, mix it with the rice flour. Set aside.
    Place chocolate, butter and salt in the top of a large double boiler over barely simmering water. Stir frequently until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl and let cool five minutes.
    Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Stir in the eggs, one at a time. Add the almond and rice flour mixture and stir until moistened, then mix briskly, about 40 strokes. Stir in the walnuts or pecans if using.
    Scrape batter into the a pan that’s lined across the bottom and halfway up the sides with parchment paper. Spread batter evenly.
    Bake in the lower third of a 325-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the brownies are slightly puffed all over and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out moist but clean.
    Cool the pan on a rack. Run a knife along the unlined sides of the pan to detach the brownies., then lift the edges of the parchment paper to remove the brownies. Cut into squares.