Chocolate Straws Food

CHOCOLATE STRAWS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees, or 350 degrees with convection. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry into a long rectangle, about 8 inches wide, turning over a few times to distribute the flour evenly. Patch any cracks with warm water and roll smooth.
• Combine chocolate and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
• Turn the pastry so the long side is facing you. Using a ruler or straight edge, trim off edges so the rectangle is smooth and straight. Cut the rectangle in half, top to bottom, into two smaller rectangles of equal size. Refrigerate for 20 minutes
• Brush both rectangles with melted butter. Sprinkle the chocolate-sugar mixture evenly over one rectangle and place the other on top, butter side down. Use the rolling pin to roll out and press the two layers together.
• Using a ruler (if desired), cut into strips about 8 inches long and 3/4- to 1-inch wide. Lift up a strip by the ends, gently twist it two or three times, and place on the prepared pan. Press the ends flat. Repeat, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between straws.
• Bake until light brown and crisp, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pans in the oven after 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
• Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the egg, egg yolk, sour cream, oil, vanilla and 1/2 cup hot water and whisk until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Scatter the sliced strawberries on top and gently press them into the batter.
• Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.
• Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto a wire rack. Flip the cake back over and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Once the cake has cooled, put the semisweet chocolate and the white chocolate in separate small microwave-safe bowls. Microwave the semisweet chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring well with a rubber spatula between each, until completely melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Drizzle the cake with the melted chocolate. Repeat the melting and drizzling process with the white chocolate.
• Garnish the top edge of the cake with the whipped cream. Cut the remaining 5 whole strawberries in half lengthwise and place the pieces cut-side down around the edge of the cake.

CHOCOLATE STRAWS

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
• Pour melted chocolate onto the back of a clean 11-by-17-inch baking pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into a thin even rectangle, covering the pan.
• Place pan in refrigerator to chill until chocolate sets up slightly, about 15 minutes. Holding the pan vertically, score the chocolate down the middle with a metal bench scraper. Starting on the left side and holding scraper at a 45 degrees.angle, gently push away from you for about 2 1/2 inches, forming a curl or straw. Repeat making straws down side of pan and on the other side, for a total of twelve straws. If the chocolate gets too soft, chill 5 minutes. Store straws between parchment layers in an airtight container, refrigerated, until ready to use.

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

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Cut a strip of baking parchment and leave to one side. To melt the dark chocolate, fill a small pan with 2cm water and bring to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and rest it on top of the pan, ensuring the bowl isn't touching the water. Stir the chocolate to gradually melt it. Or, melt the chocolate in 20 second blasts in the microwave, stirring after each blast until melted. Put the melted chocolate in a small deep bowl.
• Gently hold the strawberries by the leafy top and dip into the chocolate. Tap off any excess chocolate and put on the parchment to set. If you have any leftover chocolate, pour it onto another strip of parchment and leave it to set, it can be used again.
• If you'd like to decorate the strawberries, melt the white and milk chocolate and drizzle lightly over the fruit.