Heavenly Chocolate Barsincredible Food

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE DELIGHT

Steps:

• Filling: In a heavy saucepan combine 1 cup of the chocolate and whipping cream. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Cover and chill for 45 to 60 minutes or until nearly set. Lightly grease and cocoa powder 6 (3/4-cup) souffle dishes. Divide chilled chocolate filling evenly between dishes. Place dishes in baking pan, set aside.
• In a double boiler over low heat, stir butter and remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and let cool. Set aside.
• Batter: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, and Armagnac on high speed for 5 minutes or until thickened and lemon-colored. With mixer on medium speed, beat in melted butter-chocolate mixture until combined. Sprinkle flour and cocoa powder over the chocolate mixture, beat on low speed until combined. Divide batter evenly among the dishes. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the cakes feel firm at the edge. Cool in dishes for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a knife, loosen cakes from side of dishes. Invert onto dessert plates. Sift cocoa powder onto plates, dust cakes with powdered sugar and serve with Spun Sugar Halos.
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture caramelizes, about 15 minutes. Drop syrupy mixture onto waxed paper in a circular "halo" and cool before peeling off waxed paper backing. Place halos on top of cakes as garnish.

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE BARS...INCREDIBLE!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Mix crumbs and butter; press into 13x9-inch baking pan.
• Bake 8 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to 350°F.
• In small saucepan, melt condensed milk and 1 cup chocolate chips, with vanilla.
• Spread mixture over prepeared crust; add remaining chocolate chips, then the nuts, and press firmly.
• Bake 25-30 minutes.
• Let cool before cutting!

HEAVENLY HASH BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F
• Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, or line with parchment and grease the parchment.
• To make the crust:
• In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, salt, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in the flour.
• The dough will seem very dry, and won't seem to want to become cohesive at first. Just keep beating, and it'll eventually come together.
• Press the dough into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with your fingers or a mini rolling pin (pastry roller).
• The dough will feel stiff, but just keep pressing on it until you've covered the bottom of the pan.
• Prick the dough all over with a fork; this will keep it from bubbling up as it bakes.
• Bake the crust for 35 to 40 minutes, until it's golden brown around the edges and beginning to brown on the top.
• Remove it from the oven, and loosen the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or a table knife.
• Make the topping while the shortbread begins to cool.
• To make the topping:
• Place the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan.
• Heat in the microwave, or over low heat on a burner, till the cream is steaming and barely beginning to form bubbles.
• Remove from the heat, and stir.
• The chocolate will gradually form a lump in the center of the bowl, then will start to expand as it absorbs the cream.
• Eventually the chocolate and cream will become one; keep stirring till it's very smooth.
• If all the chocolate doesn't seem melted, reheat very briefly, and keep stirring.
• Spread the warm chocolate atop the cookie crust.
• Sprinkle with the marshmallows, then the pecans.
• Immediately use a knife, or a baker's bench knife, to cut the bars into squares.
• You'll find it useful to run the knife under hot water and wipe it off every several cuts, to keep drag to a minimum.
• The reason you're cutting these bars immediately (admittedly, a somewhat messy proposition), is that if you wait till they're cool the bottom crust is more difficult to cut.
• Cover the pan, and place the bars in the refrigerator for about an hour, to set the chocolate.
• Remove from the fridge, and use a spatula to transfer the bars from the pan to a serving plate.