Chocolate Plum Pudding Food

CHOCOLATE CHIP WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, kosher salt, baking powder and baking soda together into a large bowl.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar in another large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. (Use the paddle attachment for a stand mixer.) Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredients and beat until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and walnuts by hand.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Use a 2-ounce ice cream scoop to scoop half the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart (you should have about 8 cookies, roughly 3 1/2-ounces each, per baking sheet). Sprinkle the flaky sea salt on top of the dough balls.
• Bake, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until the cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the middle, 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Store the cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE BABKA

Steps:

• Make the dough: Sprinkle the yeast over the milk in a liquid measuring cup; add a pinch of sugar and set aside until bubbly, about 7 minutes. Combine the flour, the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, the eggs, yeast mixture, salt, vanilla, nutmeg and lemon zest in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until soft and smooth, about 5 minutes. Knead in the butter in three additions, dusting the dough with flour if it's too sticky. Transfer the dough to a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down the dough, re-cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the fridge overnight.
• Make the filling: Heat the sugar, heavy cream and salt in a saucepan until scalding. Pour over the bittersweet chocolate chips, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and shiny. Let cool to room temperature.
• Make the topping: Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl; work in the butter with your fingers until the mixture is sandy and chunky. Stir in the mini chocolate chips; set the topping aside.
• Form the loaves: Cut the dough in half with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Using a rolling pin, roll each half into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the filling on both dough rectangles, all the way to the edges. Starting from a long side, tightly roll each rectangle into a log. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes. Unwrap the logs; cut each in half lengthwise with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Twist the halves together a few times, starting from the middle. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line with parchment, then spray the parchment. Place a dough twist snugly in each pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 1/2 hours.
• Finish and bake the babka: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush each loaf with butter and sprinkle with the topping. Bake until browned, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, make some simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan; simmer, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let cool. Pull the loaves out of the oven and immediately poke a bunch of holes in each with a wooden skewer. Pour 1 1/4 cups simple syrup evenly over the loaves.
• Let sit 10 minutes, then remove the babka from the pans, remove the parchment and let cool completely on a rack.

CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS

Steps:

• For the croissant dough: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, then whisk together. Add 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter and beat with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined and the butter is no longer visible. Add the milk. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together, then switch to the dough hook. Knead on medium-high until the dough comes together into a smooth but still slightly loose ball, about 5 minutes. Remove from the mixer, then pat into a rectangle and wrap in plastic wrap. Let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• When the dough is almost done resting, make a rectangle of butter! Smush the remaining 2 1/2 sticks butter together into a rustic rectangle and dust all over with flour. Place it between two pieces of parchment paper (or butter wrappers) and press or roll it into a 6-by-8-inch rectangle. Roll the dough on a floured work surface to about 10 by 20 inches. Lay the butter rectangle in the center and fold one end over the butter. Fold the second end over the top, like folding a letter. This is the first turn. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.
• For the chocolate croissants: Unwrap the dough and set one straight edge closest to you. Roll to about 10 by 20 inches and fold the short ends in to meet in the center, then fold closed, like a book. (This is the second turn.) Wrap and chill 30 minutes, then complete another book turn. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes after the third turn. Complete one more book turn. Wrap and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Beat the egg. Unwrap the dough and cut in half. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with half of the dough at a time, roll into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle and trim the edges with a pizza wheel to even it out. Cut into 6 rectangles by cutting it in half vertically, and then in thirds horizontally. Brush the rectangles with the egg wash. Lay a 1/2-ounce chocolate bar in the center of each rectangle, arranging it parallel to the short ends of the rectangle. Fold one end over the chocolate, and then the other end over that, again like a letter. Place seam-side down on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and cover the croissants loosely. Let rise at room temperature until light, puffy and increased in size by about half, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush the croissants generously with the egg wash. Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through, until puffed and deep golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE

Steps:

• For the truffles: Combine the chocolate, cream and butter in a small heatproof bowl set over simmering water and let melt. When almost melted, remove from heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in your flavoring of choice and refrigerate until thick enough to mound on a spoon, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Line a baking tray with waxed or parchment paper. Scrape the chocolate mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip. Pipe 8 (1-inch) mounds onto the prepared tray. Place 1 raspberry in the center of each chocolate mound and pipe a little more of the chocolate mixture to enclose completely. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• For the cake: Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or coat with vegetable spray, 8 oversize muffin cups (4-inches wide and 2-inches deep) or 1 1/4-cup custard cups. Line bottoms with rounds of waxed paper.
• In the top of a double boiler or a small heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt together the chocolate and butter, cool slightly.
• Meanwhile in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle or beaters, beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar on high speed until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Scrape in the chocolate mixture and, on low speed, beat until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the flour, using a rubber spatula. Spoon a little of the batter into each of the prepared cups, top with 1 truffle, and cover with the remaining batter. Arrange the cups on a baking tray and bake until the edges of the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the cups, 12 to 13 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes. Invert onto individual dessert plates and carefully peel off the paper. Serve warm. Spoon softly whipped cream or ice cream next to each cake and, if desired, garnish with a few fresh raspberries. Serve immediately.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Whip 1 cup of the heavy cream to soft peaks in a medium bowl (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Add the egg, egg yolks, sugar, espresso powder, vanilla extract, salt and 1 tablespoon water to a medium heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until the mixture is pale, hot to the touch and has almost doubled in volume, about 4 to 6 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, if necessary. Remove from the heat and continue whisking until cooled, about 2 minutes.
• Put the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and gently stir for about 3 minutes to cool slightly.
• Whisk the egg mixture into the melted chocolate in 3 additions until combined. (The mixture may get very thick.) Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions until it is fully incorporated. It is important that the chocolate mixture is not warm to ensure that it combines smoothly with the whipped cream without seizing up.
• Divide the chocolate mousse among four 4-ounce ramekins and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Top each chocolate mousse with whipped cream and serve. (For a softer texture, allow the ramekins to sit at room temperature while you whip the cream.)

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)
• Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
• Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
• Copyright 2003 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

MALTED CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE

Steps:

• Chill one 16-ounce serving glass (or two 8-ounce serving glasses) in the freezer.
• For the whipped cream: Combine the heavy cream and sugar in a large, deep bowl. Whisk vigorously by hand until soft peaks form, 30 to 60 seconds. Set aside.
• For the milkshake: Blend the milk and malted milk powder in a blender on high speed until the malted milk powder dissolves, 15 to 20 seconds. Add the chocolate ice cream and blend on high until creamy and thick, pushing down as needed, 20 to 25 seconds.
• Pour the milkshake into the chilled glass and top with the whipped cream. Garnish with a maraschino cherry if using and serve immediately.