To Die For Hot Chocolate Food

TO DIE FOR HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• 1. Stir together all ingredients in a a LARGE bowl (preferably one with a lid for freshness). I use a tupperware layer cake saver as my bowl and the bottom as my lid. It takes some time to really get all this incorporated well, but make sure you do!
• 2. For each individual serving put 1/3 cup mix in a large (minimum 8 oz, but more along a 10 oz) coffee cup, add mix before adding either water or milk, heat to desired temperature and stir until chips melt, add extra marshmallows on top or whipped cream. We prefer to use milk because it is richer and creamer.
• 3. This is great as a gift for friends or neighbors in decorative tins or glass jars for Christmas. Be sure to include on your gift tag how much is needed per serving. ENJOY! If you put this in an airtight container it will last approximately 1 yr.

HOT CHOCOLATE TO DIE FOR

Steps:

• These amounts are for 1 cup.
• Combine in double boiler the milk chocolate, butter, and vanilla.
• Stir till melted and smooth.
• Add the half-and-half. Add this very slowly and do not boil.
• Serve over a handful of mini marshmallows and garnish with a bit of nutmeg.
• Variations: substitute dark semisweet chocolate or white chocolate.
• Try adding some liqueurs--Kahlua to go with the milk chocolate; Cointreau (goes with the dark chocolate); or peppermint Schnapps with the white chocolate.

CHOCOLATE CAKE TO DIE FOR

Steps:

• Bake cake according to directions.
• Immediately after baking, poke holes all over cake with end of wooden spoon (like aerating your lawn).
• Pour can of condensed milk on top of the cake (filling in the holes as much as possible--I often use a spatula to scrape condensed milk that has gathered at the edge of the pan into the holes).
• Melt jar of hot fudge and pour that over the cake (covering the top of the cake with fudge, but again, filling in the holes as much as possible. I also use a spatula here to scrape hot fudge that has gathered at the edge of the pan into the holes).
• Before serving, top cake with Cool Whip and crushed Score or Heath Bar. (optional, but covers up the holes to make the cake look more presentable).

WARM DARK CHOCOLATE TORTE (A DESSERT TO DIE FOR!)

Steps:

• -----TOMAKE THE CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM-----.
• Place the cornstarch in a small nonstick saucepan.
• Whisk in ¼ cup of the milk until smooth, and then whisk in the remaining ¾ cup milk.
• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan, and then add the bean.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg, egg yolk, and sugar.
• Beating constantly add a small amount of the milk mixture to the egg mixture to temper it.
• Beating constantly, add the egg mixture to the milk mixture in the saucepan.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until the mixture has thickened.
• Strain through a very fine sieve into a clean bowl.
• Mix in the grated chocolate.
• (NOTE: In other recipes, the sauce may be used/served warm or chilled. Store any extra, unused sauce, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days).
• -----TOMAKE THE WARM CHOCOLATE TORTE-----.
• Spray 4 (4-oz.) ramekins with nonstick spray.
• Lightly dust the interior of the ramekins with confectioners’ sugar.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Place the egg whites in a medium bowl.
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy.
• Gradually add 3 tablespoons of superfine granulated sugar and beat on high speed until the whites are stiff and shiny.
• Fold in the pastry cream.
• Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
• Pipe the mixture into the prepared ramekins, piping in a spiral motion to fill the ramekins halfway.
• Divide the berries over the meringue.
• Pipe 2 additional circles of meringue over the berries.
• Place the ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the meringue is just set.
• Serve warm.