Chocolate Toffee Puffs Food

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE

Steps:

• Line a sided sheet pan with a silicone baking mat, or oil it well with vegetable oil (or use a heavyweight nonstick sheet pan).
• Pour the sugar into the center of a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Pour the water around the edge of the pan and wait to allow the water to moisten the sugar. (You can draw a clean finger through the center of the pan to allow some water to seep in.) Add the corn syrup and bring to a boil. Add the butter and boil until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F.
• Turn off the heat and whisk in the cocoa; then stir in the nuts. Quickly pour the mixture onto the center of the prepared pan and let it spread out - it may not reach the sides of the pan. Set aside to cool at room temperature until hard. Using your hands (I wear gloves to avoid fingerprints), pry the toffee out of the pan and break into large pieces. Store in an airtight container. The toffee will keep well for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED TOFFEE

Steps:

• Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or greased parchment or wax paper.
• In a large sized heavy-bottomed sauce pan, with a candy thermometer attached, bring all the ingredients, excluding the chocolate, to a boil over medium low heat.
• Continue to cook and stir the mixture until it reads 275 degrees F on the candy thermometer.
• The mixture will be much thicker. Stir constantly until it reaches 315 degrees F, which will happen pretty quickly. Remove it from the heat and stir until very smooth, just a few seconds.
• Pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Using a spatula, spread the toffee out, working quickly because the toffee will set fast.
• Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, VERY GENTLY (you don't want to cut so deep that it actually reaches the bottom or you may destroy your silpat) score the toffee into bite sized pieces.
• You should get about 72 pieces. Again work quickly so the toffee doesn't set before you are done.
• Allow the toffee to sit until it is room temperature and then break apart the pieces.
• Melt the chocolate over a double boiler until perfectly smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to just above room temperature. If the chocolate is too hot it will run off the toffee and not give you a nice coating, if it is too cold it will be too thick to work with.
• Set up a second baking sheet with a sheet of parchment or wax paper.
• Drop a piece of the toffee into the chocolate. Use a fork to flip the toffee over to coat the other side.
• Lift the covered toffee from the chocolate and shake gently to allow the excess to fall away.
• In order to get a nice smooth bottom, you want to scrape the bottom of the fork on the edge of the bowl, before laying it on the parchment to harden.
• If you want to sprinkle with toasted nuts and sea salt, this is the time.
• Continue dipping until they are all covered in chocolate. Allow them to sit out in a cool spot to set up or you can set them in the refrigerator for a few minutes until they are firm.
• Fill decorative bags as gifts for Valentine's Day.

PAN-BANGING PECAN SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with foil.
• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Beat on low until just combined. Add the chopped chocolate toffee bars and pecans and stir to combine.
• Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop leveled mounds of cookie dough evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets. Roll each mound into a ball. Transfer 1 baking sheet to the freezer and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the frozen baking sheet to the oven (meanwhile, transfer the second baking sheet to the freezer) and bake until the edges have melted and the center is still domed, about 10 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and bang it firmly on a work surface until a small ripple forms around the outer edge. Return it to the oven and bake until the center puffs up, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and bang it again firmly on a work surface until the edges are rippled and golden brown and the center is soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining baking sheets, freezing the third baking sheet for 20 minutes while the second baking sheet is in the oven.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Beat egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Combine powdered sugar, cocoa, and candy bars in a small bowl, and mix well.
• Fold half of cocoa mixture into egg whites (egg whites will deflate quickly).
• Fold in remaining cocoa mixture until smooth. Drop the egg mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Bake at 350° for 15 minutes (puffs will be soft in center).

STUFFED CHOCOLATE PUFFS

Steps:

• For the mousse: Chill a bowl and the beater of an electric mixer in the freezer for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a double broiler, melt the semisweet and bitter chocolate over simmering water until hot. Stir in the cinnamon. Remove the double boiler insert, holding the melted chocolate, from the saucepan. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes.
• In the frozen mixing bowl, whip the cream to firm peaks. (Do not overbeat.)
• With a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate, 1/4 at a time. (Mix just enough to get the chocolate incorporated into the whipped cream.) Set aside in the refrigerator.
• For the cream puffs: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a medium size heavy saucepan, combine the milk, butter and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the flour all at once. Mix quickly with a wooden spoon until a ball forms on the spoon and the flour is evenly moistened. Transfer to a bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Place the cream puff dough in a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe out 6 round puffs on a parchment lined baking sheet. With a finger dipped in cold water, flatten the point on top of each puff. Drop the pan on the counter to set the puffs. Bake the puffs until puffed and golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer, or until puffed, golden, and done. Set aside to cool on a rack.
• For the assembly: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with the Chocolate Mousse. Split the puffs in half lengthwise and fill them with the mousse. Using the tips of your fingers, drizzle melted chocolate (about 3 ounces melted over hot water) across the tops of the filled cream puffs.

TOFFEE CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F Line a jelly roll baking pan with non-stick foil.
• Spray a very large metal mixing bowl with cooking spray.Fill with the cheese puffs and set aside.
• Combine brown sugar,margarine, and corn syrup in a medium high saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, reduce to low, and cook five minutes, stirring often. Watch carefully that it does not boil over.
• Remove from heat and stir in Baking soda. It will foam for a bit and turn creamy in color.
• Immediately pour mixture over the cheese puffs. Use two large spoons to toss thoroughly to coat.Spread out on the prepared baking pan and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to separate. When done, stir one last time to separate. Pour onto parchment paper and spread in a single layer to cool.
• Seal these snacks tightly to store.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE TOFFEE CRUNCH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking parchment paper. Evenly pour cereal in an even layer in pan, clustering cereal tightly. Set aside.
• In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar, stirring until well blended. Heat to boiling; cook about 5 minutes or until dark golden brown. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle over cereal; using spatula, spread evenly over cereal.
• Bake 10 minutes. Cool 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir melted chocolate and peanut butter until well blended. Drizzle over cereal; spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with pretzels and peanuts. Press into chocolate mixure.
• Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Remove from pan; cut into 5 rows by 4 rows. Cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles.