Earthly Eating

Chocloate gets better and and better everyday. Want to make your brownies, cakes and custards even tasties? Swtich to the new gourmet dark choclate baking bars. Made from premium cocoa beans, they tend to be high in cocoa butter (which improves texture) than what we’ve previously seen. It’s all a matter of personal taste, but the higher the percentage of cacao, the less sugar the choclate has, and the stronger the flavor. Unsweetened chcolate has a whopping 99% cacao; a dark chocolate candy bar you would snaock on has about 45%. Use the chocolates (which come in chips, chunks and bars) for rich cakes and pies more so than for chocolate chip cookies. Look for bars from Nestlé Chocolatier, Scharffen Berger or Ghirardelli, and while you are finding your new chocolate taste try these very chocolatey and very tasty recipes below.

• Chocolate Espresso Torte
Serves: 10

5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 lb. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into pieces plus more for the pan
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brewed espresso or double-strength coffee, cooled to room temperature
1 Tbs. sifted, finely ground espresso beans (from about 1 heaping Tbs. whole beans)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour plus more for the pan

Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with Pan Liners (parchment). Butter the parchment and lightly flour the pan, shaking out the excess.

In a small, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring frequently. Set aside.

Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the eggs, sugar, brewed espresso, ground espresso beans, and salt on medium-high speed until thick, at least 8 min. Turn the mixer to low and mix in the butter-chocolate mixture. Turn off the mixer. Sift the flour over the batter and fold until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 min. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 min. Set a plate over the torte and carefully invert the torte onto the plate; peel off the parchment. Flip the torte back onto the rack to cool completely before slicing.

• Chocolate Cakes with Soft Centers
Serves: 10

1/2 cup butter
4 squares bittersweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp. all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 450°F; butter and flour four 4-oz. ramekins.

2. In top half of a double-boiler set over simmering water, heat butter and choclate until chocolate is almost melted.

3. Beat eggs, yolks and sugart until light colored and thick.

4. Mix chocolate and butter, and slowly pour into egg mixture stirring constantly. Stir in flour until just combines.

5. Pour batter into molds and bake for 6 to 7 minutes. Cake centers will be quite soft. Invert molds on plates. Let sit 15 seconds. Unmold. Serve immediately with whipped cream. (Source: Some information pulled from RD 2007)
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves: 4

You can also add 2 green onions cut into 1/2″ pieces, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tsp. ground ginger and 2 tsp. soy sauce. Substitute uncooked curly noodles for egg noodles.

Happy Eating!