Chocolate Chipotle Truffle Pops Food

TRUFFLE POPS

Steps:

• For the ganache: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium stainless steel or glass bowl, combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the cinnamon. Refrigerate the ganache until very firm, about 2 hours. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or a round tablespoon measure, scoop the ganache into 18 (1-inch) round pieces and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Working quickly, with dry hands, roll the mixture into balls. Put a pop stick into each ball and freeze, stick side up, until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Add the 2 cups of chocolate chips to a medium stainless steel or glass bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted, about 4 minutes.
• Put the chopped nuts, mini-chocolate chips and chopped candy bars in 3 small bowls.
• Dip the pops in the melted chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to drip off, and then dip into the toppings until coated. Arrange the pops, stick side up, on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until the chocolate has set. Let the pops stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
• Store the pops, refrigerated, in an airtight container.
• Cook's Note: If the scooped ganache is too sticky to roll into balls, put the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to harden.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPOTLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary to evenly cream it. Add the sugars, sifted cocoa powder and chipotle peppers and mix again at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs, vanilla and water. Beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add slightly cooled melted chocolate and mix again, scraping bowl to evenly mix everything.
• Add the flour mixture, scraping sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. When well incorporated, add the chips and mix briefly, about 5 seconds.
• Refrigerate the dough in the bowl until cool and fudge-like, but not solid, for approximately 1 hour. You can use an ice cream scoop to create large, even sized cookies. These cookie-dough balls can also be frozen at this point, and baked right from the freezer whenever the need arises.
• When ready to bake, press the tops of the cookie dough-balls into the sugar, and then top with 2 to 3 pieces of dark chocolate chips. Place onto parchment-lined baking sheets, allowing space for the cookies to spread. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven when they are still a little underdone. Slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto a cooling rack and allow to cool before removing from parchment

CHIPOTLE-SALTED CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Heat the sweetened condensed milk, bittersweet and semisweet chocolates and the vanilla in a double boiler over medium-low heat until the chocolate is melted. Stir; the mixture will have a slight marshmallow texture. Remove from the heat, cover and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours.
• Roll the chilled mixture in balls, then roll in the melted milk chocolate to coat. Sprinkle with the chipotle salt.