Mexican Chocolate Sugar Crisps Food

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE SUGAR CRISPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream shortening and 1 cup sugar until fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg, corn syrup and melted chocolate. In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips., Shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in remaining sugar. Place cookies 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets (do not flatten). Bake until tops are puffed and cracked, 8-10 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool., To Make Ahead: Dough can be made 2 days in advance. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate., Freeze option: Freeze shaped balls of dough on baking sheets until firm. Transfer to airtight containers; return to freezer. To use, bake cookies as directed.

COFFEE ICE CREAM AND MEXICAN CHOCOLATE SUNDAES WITH CINNAMON-SUGAR TORTILLA CRISPS

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Whisk cream, 1/4 cup hot water, and espresso powder in heavy small saucepan to blend. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in cinnamon. (Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm sauce over low heat just until pourable before using.)
• For tortilla crisps:
• Mix butter, sugar, and cinnamon in small bowl to blend. Spread butter mixture evenly over tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Place wedges on 2 baking sheets, buttered side up, spacing apart. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover with foil; let stand at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake tortillas uncovered until crisp, puffed, and golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Place large scoop of ice cream in each of 8 dessert glasses. Drizzle warm chocolate sauce over. Stand 4 tortilla crisps in each glass. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired, and serve.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CHILE CAKE

Steps:

• Place chiles in a bowl with water to cover; let soak until slightly softened, about 15 minutes.
• Place 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Place chiles in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add almonds, cocoa powder, flour, and cinnamon; process until almonds are chopped. Add Greek yogurt. Mix chile mixture thoroughly into the bowl of melted chocolate to make the batter.
• Place egg yolks and egg whites into 2 different bowls. Place 3/4 cup sugar into the bowl of egg yolks; mix until fluffy and creamy. Stir carefully into the batter.
• Beat egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Add 6 tablespoons sugar gradually, continuing to beat until medium peaks form. Blend meringue carefully into the batter; pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cake cool, at least 20 minutes.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and 2 tablespoons butter in a bowl.
• Combine 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Pour over the bowl of chocolate; mix thoroughly. Let ganache cool, at least 15 minutes. Spread over the cake.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Beat white sugar, brown sugar, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer until thoroughly blended and creamy. Add egg; beat well. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, coffee, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a second bowl. Blend with a whisk until fluffy and no clumps appear. Alternate adding the flour mixture and 1 cup milk into the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3-full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 25 minutes.
• Beat butter in the bowl of the stand mixer; add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until creamy. Add 2 tablespoons milk; mix until frosting is creamy. Mix in 1/2 cup cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Fit a piping bag with a coupler and tip. Drop piping bag into a tall glass and fold edges down around the glass. Spoon frosting into the bag. Gather edges and twist together. Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes.

CINNAMON-SUGAR CRISPS ("BUNUELOS")

Steps:

• On a plate, mix the sugar and cinnamon. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep frying thermometer, inserted in the oil, reaches 350 degrees F. (If you do not have a thermometer, test the oil with a piece of tortilla, which should sizzle when it touches the oil and should brown in about 2 to 3 minutes.) One by one, fry tortillas until golden brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer the crisps to paper towels to drain. While still warm, transfer to cinnamon-sugar mixture, turn to coat and serve.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE-CHERRY ROUNDS

Steps:

• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth; cool.
• Combine flour and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat 1 3/4 cups sugar and butter in large bowl until light.
• Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla and chocolate.
• Gradually add dry ingredients, beating just until combined.
• Chill dough until firm, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.
• Place powdered sugar in shallow pan.
• Form dough into 1-inch balls.
• Roll each ball in sugar to coat; shake off excess sugar.
• Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Press 1 cherry half into center of each cookie.
• Bake until cookies puff and crack but are still soft, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.
• (Cookies can be prepared ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.).

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE DIP

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan, combine chocolate chips and cream. Using a whisk, heat and stir over medium-low heat until smooth, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cinnamon and cayenne. Cool slightly. Serve with fruit.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE SUNDAES WITH CINNAMON-SUGAR TORTILLA CRISPS

Steps:

• For sauce:.
• Whisk cream, 1/4 cup hot water, and espresso powder in heavy small saucepan to blend. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat.
• Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in cinnamon. (Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm sauce over low heat just until pourable before using.)
• For tortilla crisps:.
• Mix butter, sugar, and cinnamon in small bowl to blend. Spread butter mixture evenly over tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges.
• Place wedges on 2 baking sheets, buttered side up, spacing apart. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover with foil; let stand at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F Bake tortillas uncovered until crisp, puffed, and golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Place large scoop of ice cream in each of 8 dessert glasses. Drizzle warm chocolate sauce over. Stand 4 tortilla crisps in each glass. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired, and serve.