Chocolate Recipes

While we will not be sharing any of our company recipes here, we would like to share other basic chocolate recipes that you can enjoy at home.  If you have a recipe you'd like to share please send it to us at info@thechocolateworks.com. Credit will always be given when recipes are shared.

Beverages

• Hot Cocoa

  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (chopped or ground finely)

  • 1 T sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 8 ounces milk

  • Whipped Cream

  • Chocolate Sprinkles

  This beverage can be made one of two ways.  Either by combining all the ingredients in a small saucepan on the stove and bringing to a light simmer until the chocolate is completely melted.  Stirring constantly.  OR....if you have an espresso machine you can also combine all the ingredients in a frothing pitcher and steam & froth the milk all at one time until the chocolate is melted and blended well with the milk.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with cocoa powder or chocolate sprinkles.

• Chocolate Martini

  • 4 ounces Vanilla Vodka

  • 1 ounce Chocolate Liqueur

  • 1 ounce Creme de Cacao

  • Freezing Martini Glass

  • Cocoa and Brown Sugar mixture (2:1)

  Pour vodka into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously.  Pour Chocolate Liqueur and Creme do Cacao into shaker with vodka and swirl (don't shake).  Tip the rim of the freezing martini glass into the cocoa and brown sugar mixture (the way you would with a marguarita into salt).  Strain the martini mixture into the martini glass.  Top this off with an After Dinner Mint Stick.

  Variations: Substitute Creme de Cacao with Orange Liqueur, or Mint Liqueur.

• Chocolate Chai

  • 8 ounces Liquid Chai Concentrate (liquid concentrate, can be found in specialty food stores) - actual amount may vary from manufacturer to manufacture.  Read the bottle to see how much is actually needed for 2 cups of liquid.

  • 8 ounces Steamed Milk

  • 2 ounces Chocolate Sauce (like Ghirardelli)

  • Sweeten to taste (keep in mind that the chocolate sauce has sugar in it already)

  • Whipped Cream

  Bring milk to a light simmer (if you have an espresso machine you can use the frothing wand and steam it to at least 160° F. Pour Chai Tea Mix and Chocolate Sauce into a large mug (large enough to hold more than 16 ounces of liquid).  Pour steamed milk over chai and chocolate sauce.  Using a small whisk blend well. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with a mixture of cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar.  Sweeten to taste.

Candies

• Mint Chocolate Bites

  • 1 pound dark chocolate

  • 1/2 pound green colored confectionary coating

  • 4 T unsalted butter

  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

  • 2 tsp vanilla

  • 1 tsp mint flavoring (peppermint and spearmint is a great combination)

  Line a baking pan with waxed paper.  Melt both kinds of chocolate in two seperate bowls.  In the microwave, melt on 30 second bursts at half power stirring between bursts until melted completely.  Add 3 T of the butter to the dark chocolate and 1 T of the butter to the colored confectionary coating.  Stir about 3/4 of the condensed milk into the dark chocolate and the other 1/4 into the colored confectionary coating.  Divide the vanilla the same way.  Add all of the flavoring into the colored confectionary coating.  Pour half of the dark chocolate mixture into the lined baking pan.  Pour all of the colored confectionary coating mixture over the dark chocolate and spread evenly (carefully).  Top this with the remaining dark chocolate.  Chill in the refrigerator until solid.  Turn pan upside down to remove.  Peel off the waxed paper.  Let it come to room temperature.  Using a heated sharp knife cut into bite sized squares.   Garnish with green colored sugar crystals, green jimmies, or green drizzle with green colored confectionary coating.

• Chocolate Dipped Cherries

  • Jar of Marrachino cherries (with stems)

  • 1 pound of Dark Chocolate

  • 2 T Vegetable Shortening

  • 1/2 pound of red confectionary coating

  Lay cherries out onto a paper towel so they can dry completely.  While cherries are drying melt chocolate and vegetable shortening in double boiler.  Dip cherries into chocolate and place on wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Drizzle with red confectionary coating.

  Variations: Rather than dipping cherries you can dip other items such as marshmallows, graham crackers, cookies, and anything else that stands still long enough.

• Rocky Road Bark

  • 1 pound milk chocolate

  • 2 T Vegetable Shortening

  • 1/2 bag mini marshmallows

  • peanuts

  Melt chocolate and shortening in double boiler.  When completely melted pour into a wax paper lined cookie sheet (make sure it is a large enough sheet to fit all of the mixture).  Mix in the marshmallows and peanuts (use as many peanuts as your taste allows).  Be sure all mallows and peanuts are covered with chocolate.  Place in refrigerator to solidify.  When solid remove from refrigerator and break apart. 

The recipes above call for vegetable shortening.  We have included this as an ingredient to help with the shine of the final product.  We temper all of our chocolate so we do not use shortening in any of our candies.  However, this is an easy method to ensure a nice pretty shine on homemade candies.

Desserts

• Easy Chocolate Lava Cake

  • Devil's Food Cake Mix

  • Soft Chocolate Ganache (1 pound chocolate chips, 3/4 C heavy cream, 1 T butter, 1 t vanilla)

  • Girhardelli chocolate sauce

  • Whipped Cream

  • Cherry

  Make Devil's Food Cake according to package using mini bundt pans.  For ganache, melt chocolate in microwave on 30 second bursts, heat heavy cream and butter and vanilla in microwave (do NOT add cold liquids to the melted chocolate).  Combine chocolate and cream mixture until well blended.  You can use a blender or mixer if necessary.  Place bundt cake upside down on dessert plate.  Pour chocolate ganache into center until overflowing (let it drip out over the top of the cake.  Top with whipped cream and then drizzle with chocolate sauce and top with a cherry.

• Easy Chocolate & Fruit Crepe

  • Recipe coming soon