CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PUMPKIN COOKIES
Prep time: 15 min – Cooking time: 20-25 min
- 8 oz pumpkin, seeded
- 1 stick (1/2C) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2C superfine sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4C old-fashioned oatmeal
- 1C self-rising flour
- 3 1/2 oz Chocolat Vitale Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
- confectioners sugar for dusting
1. Grease two baking sheets. Cut away the skin from
the pumpkin and finely grate the flesh.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in the grated
pumpkin, then the egg, oatmeal, flour, and chocolate chips.
3. Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture on the baking sheets and
flatten them slightly with the back of a spoon.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for about 20-25 minutes
until risen and pale golden. Leave on the baking sheets for
2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Dust lightly with the confectioner’s sugar.
Makes about 25 cookies
MOLTEN LAVA CAKE WITH CHAMBORD TRUFFLE CENTER
- 8 oz semi-sweet Chocolat Vitale
- 1/3 cup Chambord
- 8 oz butter
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 whole eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ½ cup flour
Preheat oven to 400° F. Beat egg yolks, eggs and sugar. Set aside. Melt chocolate with the butter in a double boiler. Let cool to room temperature before incorporating egg/sugar mixture and Chambord into the chocolate. Fold in flour and mix thoroughly. Generously butter 8 (6 oz) baking cups, fill with chocolate mixture and bake for 8 – 12 minutes. Cakes should be firm around edges but soft in the centers. Let stand 1 minute. Unmold carefully and serve immediately. Center should be liquid.
CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
- 4 cups milk
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 12 ounces semisweet Chocolat Vitale
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 loaf white bread, crusts trimmed
- 1 pint heavy cream, whipped
Whisk the milk, eggs, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Add the butter and Chocolat Vitale and heat over low heat, stirring only until the butter and chocolate melt. Stir in the vanilla. Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread slices in a 3 layers. Pour the chocolate sauce over the bread. Cover the plastic wrap and place another baking dish on top to weigh down the bread. Set aside for 1 hour to allow the bread to absorb the sauce. (Can be made to this point up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate.) Heat over to 325 F. Remove the top baking dish and plastic. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Serve warm with whipped cream.
CRÈME BRULEE
TIME: Prep: 15 min. / Cook: 30 min. / Chilling: 2 hours
Serves 6
- 5 ounces Chocolat Vitale
- 7 egg yolks
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 ½ cups whipping cream
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 handheld electric mixer
- 6 individual gratin dishes or ramekins
Preheat the over to 250 F.
Melt the Chocolat Vitale in a microwave oven or in a bowl over hot water, then leave to cool slightly. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar using the electric mixer until the mixture is pale. Add the melted chocolate, then the cream, beating constantly. Pour the mixture into the individual gratin dishes or ramekins and bake for about 30 minutes. Keep a close eye on them – the creamy mixture should be firm at the edges but not yet set in the middle. Remove the ramekins from the oven and leave to cool before placing them in a refrigerator for several hours. Just before serving, set the over to broil, sprinkle the cream-filled ramekins with brown sugar, caramelize them under the broiler, and then return them to a cool place.
LUSCIOUS COGNAC CHOCOLATE FONDUE
To serve chocolate fondue properly, you must have a way to keeping it warm and in reach of all diners. A ceramic fondue pot is ideal – but don’t use a metal fondue pot here, as it gets too hot for chocolate. According to tradition, if you drop your bread or fruit into the fondue you must kiss the person opposite you. Serves 4 to 6.
- 1 cup heavy cream or crème fraiche
- 10 oz. Chocolat Vitale Semisweet morsels, finely chopped
- Pinch salt
- 1 to 3 Tb. Cognac, or other brandy, rum or liqueur
- Brioche, soft crusty country bread, or baguette, cut 1″ cubes
- Fresh fruit for dipping
Bring cream and 2 tablespoons water just to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove pan from heat, add Chocolat Vitale Semisweet morsels and salt, and whisk until smooth. Add Cognac, if using, and whisk until blended. (Fondue can be cooled and refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Gently reheat before using.) Transfer fondue to a ceramic fondue pot and keep warm over very low heat. Serve with bread and fruit or dipping ingredients of your choice.
HANK’S HOT FUDGE ICE CREAM SUNDAES
Serves 4.
- 4 brownies (your own or store-bought)
- 1 pint chocolate ice cream
- 5 ounces Chocolat Vitale
- 1 ounce milk
Arrange brownies on 4 serving plates. In a medium saucepan, prepare Hank’s Hot Fudge by stirring Chocolat Vitale into milk over medium heat. Top brownies with scoops of ice cream and drizzle with the hot fudge. Add a generous dollop of whipped cream to each sundae, and serve immediately. For a thinner fudge consistency, add another half ounce to full ounce of milk.
CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU
A great classic, bordering on the commonplace as a result of all the pale industrial imitations that have overrun our supermarket shelves. So to give a bit of moral support to tiramisu, here’s a recipes that’s more than a classic – with a Chocolat Vitale twist, of course!”
Serves 6 – Prep time: 30 min. – Chilling time: 5 hours
- 6 eggs, separated
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 pound mascarpone cheese
- 1 glass of amaretto liqueur or marsala
- 1 cup warm, strong coffee
- 30 ladyfingers
- 7 ounces Chocolat Vitale
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 serving dish or 6 individual bowls
- 1 handheld electric mixer
Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is pale. Incorporate the mascarpone and continue to beat. Whisk three egg whites into stiff peaks and fold unto the mascarpone, egg, and sugar mixture. Add amaretto to the coffee. Briefly soak the ladyfingers in this mixture and arrange in a the bottom of the dish(es). Melt the Chocolat Vitale in a microwave oven or in a bowl over hot water. Cover ladyfingers with the creamy mixture, then top with a thin layer of melted chocolate. Repeat this procedure to create a second layer. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to chill for at least 5 hours in the refrigerator. Sprinkle with cocoa powder before serving. Transfer fondue to a ceramic fondue pot and keep warm over very low heat. Serve with bread and fruit or dipping ingredients of your choice.
COCONUT FOG
Ingredients:
- Tea Vitale Green Coconut Rooibos
- Monin Vanilla Syrup
- Milk of your choice (full fat regular milk works the best)
Heat milk and froth using foamer/frother. Place tea leaves in a tea strainer and steep right in the hot milk.
Sweeten to taste with syrup or your favorite sweetener.
Tastes like a milky pina colada – enjoy!
COLD BREWED CHAI
Choose from one of our three chai blends, Masala Chai, Organic Rooibos Chai, or herbal Cinnamon Chai, to spice up your summer.
Cold brew your chai to reduce tannins and bringing out the flavor of the spices: use about 2 T tea blend per quart of water. Steep overnight or about 8-10 hours, and remove tea bag or strain the solids.
In a glass of ice, blend two parts strong tea with one part milk (or milk alternative) and sweetener of your choice. If you have a home milk frother, top with some milk foam.
Turn any leftover tea into ice cubes to strengthen your next batch.
SUMMER HIBISCUS TEA
Our Berry Hibiscus blend is naturally caffeine free, and makes an amazing cold drink.
Hibiscus is known for its anti-oxidant properties, and is thought to relieve high blood pressure, high cholesterol, as well as digestive, immune system, and inflammatory problems.
Cold-brew or sun-brew to keep the heat down.
Place tea and cold water (about 1 T per 8oz water) in jug, let sit overnight in refrigerator or leave in a sunny place until it develops a bright color.
Add aromatics of your choice, such as sliced fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise, orange peel, allspice, or lemongrass.
Sweeten with simple sugar syrup, or whatever you prefer.
Lasts up to a week in the refrigerator
We like a splash of sparkling water and lime.
CHOCOLATE MARTINI
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. vodka or vanilla vodka
- 1½ oz. clear créme de cacao
- A pinch of Chocolat Vitale
(Add a half teaspoon of Cointreau of triple sec to add a slight orange flavor, if you’d like).
Stir together vodka and créme de cacao with ice in a cocktail shaker until cold. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish each with a pinch of Chocolat Vitale.
BICERIN
Drink your dessert! Bicerin (beech-eh-REEN) was a favorite drink of café society in Turin, Italy in the 19th century, and it is still enjoyed there today. Serves 4 to 6.
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups strong brewed coffee
- 3 oz. Chocolat Vitale Semisweet morsels, finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons sugar or to taste
Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, pour coffee into a heatproof pitcher or glass measure and whisk in Chocolat Vitale Semisweet morsels and sugar until smooth. Whisk in hot milk. Taste and add more sugar if desired.