Chocolate Bundles W Chocolate Ganache Food

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Heat the heavy cream and the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place the semisweet chocolate in a 3-quart stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth.
• CHOCOLATE MINT XXX'S
• The fantasy begins by placing the chopped chocolates in a medium-size bowl. Heat the cream, sugar, and chopped mint in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar; bring to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream through a medium-gauge strainer into the bowl of chopped chocolate. Discard the mint. Use a whisk to gently stir until the cream and chocolate come together in a smooth and glistening pool. Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet with sides and use a rubber spatula to spread the chocolate to the edges. Refrigerate for 40 minutes remove the chocolate mint mixture from the refrigerator and transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Line a clean baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the mint leaves on the baking sheet. Form the kisses by piping about 1 tablespoon of chocolate mint mixture onto each leaf, creating a spiral conical shape, about 1- inch high for each kiss Refrigerate the kisses for 30 minutes until firm. Store the kisses, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a hour remove the chocolate mint mixture from the refrigerator and transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Line a clean baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the mint leaves on the baking sheet. Form the kisses by piping about 1 tablespoon of chocolate mint mixture onto each leaf, creating a spiral conical shape, about 1- inch high for each kiss. Refrigerate the kisses for 30 minutes until firm. Store the kisses, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

CHOCOLATE BUNDLES W/ CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Bundles: Preheat oven to 350 F. Unfold puff pastry and cut the sheet into 2 (4 by 4 inch squares). Beat eggs and cream to create egg wash. Brush pastry squares w/ egg wash. Place 2 kisses and 1 mini candy bar in the center of each pastry square. Repeat w/ remaining kisses and mini-bars. Pull corners of the square up around the chocolate, brushing edges w/ more egg wash, if necessary, to create a secure bundle. Brush exteriors of chocolate bundles w/ more egg wash. Repeat w/ remaining bundles. Place bundles on a sheet pan lined w/ parchment paper. Bake for about 35 min or until golden brown. Ganache: In a sauce pan bring heavy cream to a boil. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and pour hot cream over top. Whisk until smooth. Puddle ganache onto a plate and place 1 bundle on top. Top w/ whipped cream and additional ganache if desired. Serve bundles garnished with strawberry slices and mint sprigs.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Cook the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan with the sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring continuously until the sugar is melted. Bring to the boil, then quickly remove from the heat, pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth and glossy. Use straight away or leave to cool down a little until thick enough to spread on a cake. Alternatively, leave to cool completely, then beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy and spread on a cake.

GANACHE, SOFT FILLING FOR CHOCOLATES ETC...

Steps:

• To make chocolate cases: melt 200g ( 7 oz) chocolate over a pan of warm water, do not overheat, when three quarters of it is melted, remove from heat and stir vigorously, this should distribute the heat and melt the remaining chocolate without it getting too hot and going "grainy".
• Take a small teaspoon of melted chocolate and " paint" the inside of your mini muffin paper or the insides of your silicone ice block forms. If coverage is a bit skimpy don't panic. these set in the fridge in minutes and a second coat is easier and works better than trying to get one very thick coat. Put them in the fridge to harden. Reserve enough of your chocolate to cover the bottom of your forms once they have been filled with the ganache filling.
• Put butter and cream in a saucepan and bring to boil, stirring all the time.
• Remove from heat and add chocolate and liqueur.
• Stir well until smooth (heat of mixture will melt chocolate) leave to cool a little, then let cool.
• Use as soft filling for chocolates and tartes.
• This does thicken up over time, and good chocolate is never refrigerated, just kept in a cool dry place. If these are refrigerated the filling gets very firm over time.
• By now your ganache filling mixture should be cool enough to put into the chocolate cases, using a piping bag or a teaspoon, fill them with the ganache, (but not quite to the very top of the chocolate case) Then put them back into the fridge for a while, and once set a little solid, put a "top" of melted chocolate on them to seal them closed and refrigerate until the top too is solid. I like to keep these in the fridge for a least a few hours or somewhere nice and cool overnight before I try and get them out of the forms.
• If using mini muffin papers, peel away the papers from the chocolates (this can be fiddly, don't press too hard as you peel them or your chocolate will break), If using the silicone ice cube forms, GENTLY easy the chocolates out of the forms, they will just pop out -- plate up and amaze your guests with these divine triumphs !

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Making the Crust:.
• Before you start, preheat your oven to 300*F.
• Place the 18 cookies in a blender and pulse until finely crushed. Once you have your crumbs, press them all along the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9" springform pan.
• Melt the 12 oz. of semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave, being sure to stir them at 20 second intervals until they are completely smooth and melted. Set this aside for now.
• Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating at medium speed just until they have combined.
• Next, add in the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating at low speed just until combined after each addition.
• Now go find the chocolate you melted and add into your mixing bowl slowly, beating it at low speed until it is just combined.
• Pour this chocolaty mixture into your cookie crumb crust, slide it into your preheated 300 degree oven, and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes.
• If it jiggles a bit, and you can touch the top with your finger and it feels somewhat firm, your cheesecake is done baking. If it is still too jiggly, bake it for about 15 more minutes and then check it again.
• Now, with the cheesecake still in the oven, turn it OFF. Let the cheesecake stay in the oven for 30 minutes, with the door closed.
• Remove your cheesecake to a wire rack and let it cool completely. When it is completely cool, cover and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
• Take your cheesecake out of the fridge and remove the sides of the springform pan. Place your cheesecake on a serving platter if it suits you.
• Pour your 3/4 cup of whipping cream into a saucepan on the stove and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Remove from heat, and stir in the chocolate chips. Keep stirring, and as it comes together, switch to your whisk, stirring until it is completely combined and smooth as silk. Let this cool slightly.
• Now, pour your ganache over the cheesecake and spread out evenly. Return to the refrigerator and refrigerate until it is firm.
• Once it is ready, you can either eat it right out of the refrigerator or let the cheesecake sit out until it is room temp before enjoying.