Raspberry Chocolate Gypsy Bundles Food

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Add freeze dried raspberry to a food processor and grind into a fine powder. Let the raspberry powder settle before opening the food processor and transferring it to a bowl with the white chocolate melting wafers.
• Heat cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat until simmering but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and raspberry powder. Let sit for a few minutes, then stir with a spatula in even round stroke until the chocolate completely dissolves and the raspberry powder is completely incorporated.
• Refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour to let the truffle filling harden but still workable. Use a small ice cream scoop to portion the truffle filling into 13 pieces.
• Roll each portion into a ball, place them on a parchment line baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Melt the dark chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a simmering pot of water, stirring with a spatula. When almost all of the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat and continue to stir until it melts completely and smooth.
• Dip the bottom of a truffle into the melted chocolate and place it on the tip of a fork. Use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate over the top to cover it completely.
• Allow the excess to drip off before placing it back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the truffles. Drizzle excess melted chocolate over the top of the truffles and sprinkle some crushed freeze dried raspberry for decoration.
• Place the baking sheet back into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the chocolate to harden completely.

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Toss together chocolate chips, baking chips and pecans. On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry sheet into a 12-in. square; cut each sheet into quarters, making four 6-in. squares. , Place squares on ungreased baking sheets; top each with about 1/3 cup chocolate mixture. Lightly brush edges of pastry with water; bring together all corners, pinching seams to seal., Bake until golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly. Puree frozen raspberries with 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a food processor. Strain to remove seeds., To serve, dust pastries with confectioners' sugar. Serve with raspberry sauce and, if desired, fresh berries and additional chips.

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In another large bowl, beat butter with sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in liqueur. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk in two batches. Beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in melted chocolate.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through front to back and top to bottom, until a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around edges, then invert onto rack. Remove parchment and let cool completely, about 25 minutes. With a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so they're level.
• Filling: While cakes are baking, stir together 3 cups raspberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over high, stirring frequently and mashing with the back of a spoon, until mixture comes to a boil, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and clings to spoon, 7 to 8 minutes more. (You should have 1 1/3 cups.) Let cool 30 minutes. Stir in 2 cups raspberries, reserving remainder.
• Spread half of filling over one cake. Top with second layer; spread remaining filling over top. Top with final layer, cut-side down. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining raspberries.

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BROWNIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking parchment. Put the chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.
• Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Sieve over the flour and cocoa, and stir in. Stir in half the raspberries, scrape into the tray, then scatter over the remaining raspberries. Bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins or, if you prefer a firmer texture, for 5 mins more. Cool before slicing into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE COVERED RASPBERRY

Steps:

• In a cocktail shaker, add the raspberry liqueur, bourbon, chocolate liqueur, heavy cream, and ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass.
• Garnish with a fresh raspberry and serve.

RASPBERRY-CHERRY CHOCOLATE POPPERS

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 12-cup silicone mini muffin pan
• Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan and warm it gently over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let sit for about 2 minutes, then stir with a whisk, working from the center of the bowl outwards, until the ganache mixture is smooth and well incorporated.
• To a 12-cup silicone mini muffin pan, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon Pop Rocks in each cup. Divide the ganache evenly among the cups and press the raspberries on top. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
• Just before serving, unmold the tarts and sprinkle with a few of the gold stars.

RASPBERRY-CHOCOLATE GYPSY BUNDLES

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a non-air-cushioned baking sheet. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit. Lightly butter the baking sheet, and stick on paper.
• Place the 12 phyllo-dough sheets on a clean dry surface. With a sharp knife, cut the sheets in half widthwise so that you have 2 stacks, each measuring 8 by 11 inches. Combine the stacks. Cover with a damp towel. As you take sheets of dough from the stack, re-cover to keep them from drying out and becoming unusable. (Avoid getting them wet, because that makes them stick together.)
• Make six sandwiches of the phyllo dough sheets by lightly brushing one sheet of dough with melted butter, covering that with another sheet of dough, buttering that, adding another sheet, buttering that, and finishing with a fourth piece of phyllo. If there are a few tears or gaps in a sheet, just layer over them with another piece of dough. Less butter on the outer edges of the dough allows them to hold their shape better.
• Put 1/4 cup raspberries in the center of each sandwich. Top berries with a piece of chocolate. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. To form bundles, gather up the edges of each dough sandwich with one hand, gently twisting the extra dough into a topknot on top of the fruit and chocolate. Leave the ends of the dough sticking straight up. Place on baking sheet. Brush bundles with any remaining butter. Bundles can sit for up to an hour before baking.
• Bake 20 minutes.
• Remove to cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MERINGUE TART

Steps:

• Make the tart dough: Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add egg and pulse just until a crumbly dough comes together. If the dough seems dry, drizzle in a teaspoon or two of water. Press dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight (or up to 5 days).
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 3/8-inch thickness (about an 11-inch round). Place dough into a 9-inch tart pan, folding the extra dough in over the edges to build up the sides. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork; chill in freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 48 hours. (Cover lightly with plastic wrap if freezing for more than a couple of hours.)
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the tart crust with foil, and fill with baking weights or dried rice or beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights and continue to bake until shell is light golden, another 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries and sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until berries break down, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in lemon juice and use a fork or wooden spoon to mash raspberries to a purée.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and egg. Slowly add 1/4 cup of hot raspberry purée to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Slowly drizzle the egg-raspberry mixture back into the saucepan with remaining purée, whisking constantly to keep eggs from cooking. Turn the heat to medium-low, and add butter and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 7 to 9 minutes.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing hard on the solids, into a bowl. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then whisk briefly to smooth.
• Pour raspberry filling into the tart shell. Bake until filling is set (it should jiggle only slightly in the center), about 14 to 22 minutes. Remove tart from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Start preparing the meringue: Using a blender or food processor, blend the freeze-dried raspberries until you get a fine powder speckled with seeds. (The seeds won't break down so don't even try.) Set aside 1 tablespoon of raspberry powder for garnish. Combine cocoa powder with remaining raspberry powder to use for the meringue.
• Place chocolate in heatproof bowl, and melt in microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth. Set aside. (Or you can melt the chocolate in a pot on the stove over low heat, stirring constantly.)
• Fill a medium pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. In a large metal bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set the mixing bowl with the egg white mixture into the pot above the water, and whisk constantly by hand until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm (160 degrees on an instant thermometer) and has thickened and lightened in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-low speed and gradually increase speed to high, until mixture is thick and fluffy, and stiff peaks form, about 5 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to overbeat.
• Sprinkle raspberry-cocoa mixture on top of meringue. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in mixture 2 to 3 times to halfway incorporate, but remains very streaky. (Do not overmix.) Drizzle melted chocolate into meringue and gently fold until just combined and still streaky. Take care not to deflate the meringue very much. (It will deflate somewhat.)
• Spread the meringue over the hot filling, making sure it meets the edges of the crust. Using a knife or spatula, swirl in a design. Bake until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Allow to cool completely and sprinkle the top with a little of the reserved raspberry powder. (Save the extra to perk up oatmeal, smoothies and peanut butter sandwiches.)

CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY POTS

Steps:

• Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Bring a little water to the boil in a small saucepan, then place the bowl of chocolate on top, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Leave the chocolate to melt slowly over a low heat.
• Remove the chocolate from the heat and leave to cool for 10 mins. Meanwhile, divide the raspberries between 6 small ramekins or glasses.
• When the chocolate has cooled slightly, quickly mix in the yogurt and honey. Spoon the chocolate mixture over the raspberries. Place in the fridge to cool, then finish the pots with a few chocolate shavings before serving.

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CUPS

Steps:

• Place the chocolate chips in a small microwavable bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 15 seconds, until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Spoon 3/4 teaspoon melted chocolate into one foil cup (1-inch wide by 3/4-inch high).
• Use a small flat paint brush to spread the chocolate evenly over the bottom and sides.
• Repeat with the remaining cups, place them on a plate and refrigerate for 3 minutes or until the chocolate is firm.
• Spoon 3/4 teaspoon jam into each chocolate-lined cup.
• Tap the bottom of each cup on the counter to settle jam.
• Reheat the remaining melted chocolate in the microwave for 10 seconds on high.
• Stir and repeat microwaving until the chocolate is completely smooth.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoon melted chocolate over the top of the jam in one cup.
• Use the brush to spread the chocolate to the sides so that it seals in the jam.
• Repeat with the remaining 11 cups.
• Refrigerate 3 minutes or until the chocolate is firm, or allow the chocolate to firm up at room temperature, about 3 hours.

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE PUFF

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the chips and pecans.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry sheet into a 12-in. square.
• Cut in half lengthwise and widthwise, making eight 6-in. squares.
• Spoon the chip mixture in the center of each square.
• Pull all corners together below the tips of the corners, forming a pouch.
• fold the corner tips down.
• Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake at 425° for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool.
• In a food processor or blender, puree raspberries and confectioners' sugar.
• Strain and discard seeds.
• Spoon raspberry sauce onto dessert plates; top with pastry pouches.
• If desired, garnish with raspberries and chips; dust with confectioners' sugar.