A Taste of Chocolate--February 6, 2015

W

wigs

Well-known member
I've spent the past week baking for this year's recent chocolate festival. It used to only take me 1 day to recover from such an endeavor, but in recent past years it requires 2 days to re-energize. DH tells me it undoubtedly has something to do with the fact that I will be going on Medicare starting this coming March 1, but I promptly told him to keep his VERY rational explanation to himself. lol! (Translation for all you youngsters out there==>I will turn 65 on March 14. Awk!)

Following is the list of what I made (in order of disappearance). I fixed 2 each of the first 6 desserts listed (all 6 were brand new recipes to me which I pulled from my "To Try" file); and I made four of the 7th, i.e., the Deep Dark Chocolate Cake. (This last one I've made multiple, MULTIPLE times over the years).

White Chocolate Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake

Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie

Milk Chocolate Cheesecake

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake

Meryl's Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cake

Chocolate Caramel-Pecan Tart

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

 
REC: White Chocolate Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake

White Chocolate Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake (picture with recipe are at 'www.dianasdesserts.com' web site)

Ingredients:
1 Chocolate Wafer Cookie Crumb Crust baked in a 9-inch** springform pan (see ingredients and recipe below)

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, or unsweetened frozen raspberries, defrosted and drained
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped (Callebaut or Baker's Premium preferred)
2 lb. (32 oz/907g) cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 cup fresh raspberries for serving with the cheesecake (optional)

Instructions:
Wrap the outside of the 9-inch** springform pan with a large piece of heavy aluminum foil and place in a large baking pan with at least 2-inch high sides. The springform pan will be watertight.

Puree the raspberries in a food processor. Use the back of a spoon to press the raspberries through a strainer to remove the seeds. Measure 1/2 cup strained puree into a small bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon sugar and the lemon juice. (Note from Wigs: I added 2 Tbsp sugar to the 1/2 cup puree.) Set the sauce aside and save any additional puree for another use.

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F (80 C). Place the white chocolate in a non-reactive ovenproof container and melt it in the oven, 8 to 10 minutes. As soon as the white chocolate is melted, remove it from the oven and stir it smooth. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 C). Set the white chocolate aside to cool slightly while you mix the cheesecake. Put the cream cheese in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and mix until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, mixing the batter smooth before the next addition of eggs and again after all of the eggs are added. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl twice during this mixing. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract. Mix in the whipping cream. Stir in the melted white chocolate. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Use a small spoon to drizzle the raspberry sauce over the batter, leaving a 1-inch plain edge. Dip the spoon gently into the batter and swirl some of the sauce into the batter, leaving some swirls of sauce on top of the batter in a marbleized pattern. Do not disturb the crumb crust. Put the cheesecake in the oven and pour hot water in the large baking pan to reach 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake about 1 hour or until you give the cheesecake a gentle shake and the top looks firm. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath for 1 hour on a wire rack covered loosely with paper towel. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Remove the paper towel and cool 1 hour more. The cheesecake should feel cool to the touch. Cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, at least 6 hours or overnight.

TO FREEZE:
Use a small, sharp knife to loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. Release the sides of the springform pan. Either leave the cheesecake on the springform bottom, or use the small, sharp knife to loosen the crust from the bottom of the pan. Slide the removable bottom of a tart pan under the crust and move the cheesecake to a serving plate or cardboard cake circle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then heavy aluminum foil. Label with date and contents. Freeze up to 1 month.

TO SERVE:
Defrost the wrapped cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight. Uncover the cheesecake and let it sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving. Fresh raspberries can be scattered on the individual serving plates.

Leftover cheesecake can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Makes 16 servings.

Chocolate Cookie Crumb Crust:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs, or chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa* (see note below)
1/3 cup butter, melted

Instructions:
In a medium bowl, stir together wafer crumbs, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and butter. Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 C) for 8 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

*NOTE: If using chocolate wafer cookies for crust, eliminate the cocoa from the recipe.

Caryn's notes (aka wigs): **1) I used a 10-inch cheesecake pan that was first wrapped in a baking bag (turkey size) and then wrapped in 2 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil. 2) I only used about 1/4 cup puree to drizzle on top of the batter before swirling and baking. I used any leftover puree to drizzle over individual plated slices of cheesecake along with a garnish of fresh whole raspberries and mint leaves. 3) I followed the Cooks' Illustrated method for baking in a water bath at 325 degrees until the internal temp of the cheesecake registered between 145 to 150 degrees F. Cake was then removed from oven and allowed to sit on a rack (while still in the water bath) for 45 minutes. Removed from water bath after 45 minutes and let cool to room temperature COMPLETELY before refrigerating.

http://dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipes.recipeListing/filter/dianas/recipeID/89/Recipe.cfm

 
REC: Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie

Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie (from Taste of Home--picture at link)

This pie combines the ingredients everyone loves in its classic cake cousin. It's so silky and smooth, you won't be able to put your fork down. —Anna Jones, Coppell, Texas

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/coconut-pecan-german-chocolate-pie#ixzz3RAObOyGW
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold lard
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

FILLING:
4 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped (I Callebaut milk chocolate)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

TOPPING:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 egg yolks
1 cup flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions
1.In a small bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in lard until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice.
3. Bake 11-13 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Remove foil and weights; bake 6-8 minutes longer or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 350°.
4. In a microwave, melt chocolates in a large bowl; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk in milk, egg yolks and vanilla; stir in pecans. Pour into crust. Bake 16-19 minutes or until set. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack.
5. Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.
6. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Cook 2-3 minutes or until mixture thickens and a thermometer reads 160°, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and vanilla; cool 10 minutes.
7. Pour over filling; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate 4 hours or until cold. Yield: 8 servings.

Originally published as Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie in Taste of Home December 2013

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/coconut-pecan-german-chocolate-pie

Notes from Wigs: 1) I used a deep-dish 9" pie plate with my favorite tweaked single pie crust recipe from the back of an old Crisco can==>
1-1/3 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Crisco (I use 1/4 cup Crisco + 1/4 cup unsalted butter)
3-4 Tbsp ice water

Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in Crisco (& butter) with pastry blender until mixture is uniform (mixture should be fairly coarse). Sprinkle with water, a tablespoon at a time; toss lightly with fork. When all water has been added, work dough into a firm ball.

Press dough into flat circle with smooth edges. On lightly floured board or pastry cloth, roll dough to a circle about 1/8" thick and about 1-1/2 inches larger than inverted pie plate. Pick dough up and gently ease into pie plate, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate; fold under to make double thickness around rim. Flute.
To bake without filling, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prick bottom and sides of crust with fork. Weigh crust down with foil or parchment & pie weights and bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pie weights and foil/parchment and bake an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
To bake with filling, preheat oven to temperature stated in recipe. Do NOT prick dough. Bake according to recipe.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/coconut-pecan-german-chocolate-pie

 
REC: Milk Chocolate Cheesecake

Milk Chocolate Cheesecake
(from December 2014/January 2015 Cook's Country magazine)

MILK CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
Serves12
Our favorite milk chocolate is Dove Silky Smooth Milk Chocolate. For the crust, use the entire Oreo cookie, filling and all. The cheesecake needs to be refrigerated for
at least 8 hours before serving,

16 Oreo sandwich cookies, broken into rough pieces
1 tablespoon sugar plus 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped & divided
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position & heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch nonstick springform pan.
2. Process cookies and 1 tablespoon sugar in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter and pulse until combined, about 6 pulses. Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan and press firmly with bottom of dry measuring cup into even layer in
bottom of pan. Bake until fragrant and set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees. (Two hundred fifty is correct--wigs) Combine 6 ounces chocolate
and cream in medium bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth,
60 to 90 seconds, Let cool for 10 minutes. In small bowl, whisk cocoa, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until no
lumps remain.
4. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat cream cheese and cocoa mixture on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low, add chocolate mixture,
and beat until combined. Gradually add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, scraping down bowl as needed. Add vanilla and give batter final stir by hand until no streaks of chocolate remain.
5. Pour cheesecake mixture into cooled crust and smooth top with spatula, Tap cheesecake gently on counter to release air bubbles. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil (taking care not to touch surface of cheesecake with foil) and place on rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, then remove foil. Continue to bake until edges are set and
center registers 150 degrees and jiggles slightly when shaken, 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack, then cover with plastic wrap 'and refrigerate in
pan until cold, about 8 hours, (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
6. To unmold cheesecake, remove sides of pan, slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, and slide cake onto serving platter. Microwave remaining 2 ounces chocolate in small bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 60 to 90 seconds. Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to small zipper-lock bag, cut small hole in corner, and pipe chocolate in thin zigzag
pattern across top of cheesecake. Let cheesecake stand at
room temperature for 30 minutes. Using warm, dry knife, cut into wedges and serve.

Drizzling Chocolate
We've found that a plastic zipper-lock bag with a corner snipped off is an effective tool for drizzling melted and
cooled chocolate. To create even drizzles, hold the
bag at least 8 to 12 inches above the cheesecake and swipe back and forth in long, smooth gestures, draping lines of chocolate over the cake.

Notes from Wigs: Again, I used the Cook's Illustrated method for baking in a water bath as I briefly described in the white chocolate cheesecake recipe listed in this thread.

 
REC: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake
Yield: about 16 servings

(See picture at URL--What a stunning presentation! Wigs)

Cake adapted from Baking Illustrated, frosting from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes, concept partly inspired by Pink Parsley.

Ingredients
For the cake:
1¾ cups plus 2 tbsp. (9 3/8 oz.) all-purpose flour
1½ cups (4½ oz.) unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pans
1 tbsp. instant espresso or coffee powder
1½ cups boiling water
¾ cup sour cream
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups plus 2 tbsp. (18 3/8 oz.) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1¼ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt

For the strawberry filling:
3 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and coarsely chopped, divided
4 large egg whites
1¼ cups sugar
3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the ganache and the garnish:
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups heavy cream
12 whole strawberries, rinsed and dried

Directions
1) To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter the edges of 3 8-inch round cake pans (I used 3 9-inch round cake pans) and dust with cocoa powder, shaking out the excess. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. (I sprayed parchment w/ PAM. Wigs) In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, espresso powder, and boiling water. Whisk until smooth; set aside to cool slightly. When cooled down a bit, whisk in the sour cream and vanilla. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually blend in the sugar and whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes more. Blend in the eggs one at a time. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; whisk to blend.

2) With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the sour cream mixture, beating each addition just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake the cake layers for about 30-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans during halfway through to ensure even baking. Transfer the baked cake layers to a wire rack and let cool in the pans at least 30 minutes before inverting onto the rack to cool completely.

3) To make the frosting, place half of the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Puree until completely smooth. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. (The bowl should be cool to the touch.) Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer – don’t worry, it will come together!) Blend in the strawberry puree until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once the frosting is fully blended and smooth, fold in the remaining half of the coarsely chopped strawberry.

4) To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand about 2 minutes. Whisk together until the chocolate fully melts and a smooth ganache is formed. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

5) Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Dip the whole strawberries in the ganache to coat evenly and transfer to the baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature until the ganache has set (or transfer the to refrigerator to speed up the process.) If desired, drizzle with a contrasting chocolate such as milk chocolate or white chocolate.

6) To assemble the cake, place one of the cake layers on a cake board or serving platter. Spread about one third of the strawberry frosting in a smooth layer on top of the cake. Spread a thin layer of the ganache over the strawberry frosting. Top with a second cake layer, followed by another layer of the frosting and ganache. Repeat once more with the remaining cake layer. Once the ganache has been spread on top, place the chocolate covered strawberries around the perimeter of the cake. Chill and allow the ganache to set fully.

http://www.annies-eats.com/2014/03/11/chocolate-covered-strawberry-layer-cake/

 
Proof once again that chocolate keeps us young! smileys/smile.gif Kudos on

a job well done for the chocolate festival.

 
REC: Chocolate Caramel-Pecan Tart

Chocolate Caramel-Pecan Tart
My inspiration for this dessert came from two sources:
1) Tish Boyle of Fine Cooking and 2) Brooklyn's Marlow & Sons as credited in Saveur magazine w/ thanks to Lana in FL for posting the latter.

In a nut shell (pun intended!), I used the crust recipe from Saveur; along with the Caramel-Almond layer recipe (I switched to pecans) and the Chocolate layer recipe both from Fine Cooking.

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks, preferably at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Make the crust: Heat oven to 350¢ª. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until mixture is pale and fluffy; mix in yolks and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Transfer dough to a 9" fluted tart pan (I used an 11-1/2" fluted tart pan and had plenty of dough for this larger size) with a removable bottom and press dough evenly into bottom and sides of pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Prick the tart shell all over with a fork and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

For the caramel-almond layer:

3/4 cup blanched whole almonds (I used 1 cup pecan halves. Wigs)
Toast the almonds on a baking sheet in a 350-degree F oven until golden, about 5 to 10 minutes, turning nuts over halfway through baking time. Remove from pan; let cool briefly; chop coarsely.

NOTE: Because I used a larger tart pan than was originally called for, I made and used about 2 recipes of the following for the caramel sauce along with 1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped. Wigs.

Caramel Sauce
1 recipe Basic Caramel per ingredients and instructions listed at http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/basic-caramel-how-to.aspx (i.e., 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water & 1 tsp lemon juice)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 oz (2 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt

Make the Basic Caramel recipe according to the directions at the above web site. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the 1/2 cup heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up furiously. Once the bubbling has subsided, add the 2 Tbsp butter and stir until completely melted. Whisk in 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, and the toasted nuts until the nuts are completely coated. Pour the hot caramel mixture into the cooled tart shell, using a heatproof spatula to scrape the pot clean and distribute the nuts evenly in the shell. Let cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until the caramel is completely chilled, about 1 hour.

I also doubled the following chocolate layer for my larger tart pan. Wigs:

For the chocolate layer
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 oz. (1 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

Put the chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Pour over the caramel layer and tilt the pan as needed to smooth the chocolate into an even layer that covers the caramel. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Serve the tart with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if you like.

You may find the 2 original recipes w/ pictures at:
1) http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/chocolate-caramel-almond-tart.aspx
2) http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Chocolate-Caramel-Tart

 
REC: Deep Dark Chocolate Cake (almost idential to cheezz's favorite)

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake with One-Bowl Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (from the back of a very old Hershey's cocoa can)

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-12 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
One-Bowl Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 round pans, 9x1-1/2 inches or 1 rectangular pan 13 x 9 x 2 inches. In large mixer bowl combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Remove from mixer; stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pan(s). Bake 25 to 35 minutes for round pans; 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in rounds 10 minutes, remove from pans. Cool completely. (Do not remove cake from rectangular pan.) Frost with One-Bowl Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. 8 to 10 servings.

One-Bowl Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine (softened)
Hershey's Cocoa--1/3 cup for light flavor
1/2 cup for medium flavor
2/3 cup for dark flavor
2-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup milk (I typically use chocolate milk. Wigs)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In small mixer bowl cream butter. Add cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

 
Pat, it'll either keep me young or else I'll die happy w/ chocolate on my lips! lol. I ended up w/

about 150 portions from the 12 desserts I made (that count excludes the 4 Deep Dark Chocolate Cakes as those went to a different vendor table than mine). I was completely sold out by 7 pm--the event started at 5 pm sharp. We only had 30 vendors participate this year--in the past there have been 35 to 38 so that's undoubtedly why I ran out of desserts so early.
I do all the slicing, garnishing and boxing at home, and that took me 4-1/2 hours Friday morning. Then I showered and got myself ready before packing my little Styrofoam boxes into iced down coolers which I promptly loaded into our station wagon. I was on site at 3 pm to begin unloading and hauling stuff inside prior to setting up and decorating my table. Customers began strolling by at 4:30 pm so they could check everything out prior to making their chocolate decisions and purchases. (I put 1 slice of each of my six choices on display so people can see what I have.) There is a lot of entertainment throughout the evening--live music was blasting or dancers were tapping or vocalists were crooning. I'd guess there were about 2,000 people in attendance this year.
Well, folks, I still have a kitchen that's not back in total order yet so had best get back downstairs and dive in again. I posted all my recipes while on a coffee break, and rest time is over!

 
You do superb tea parties like I've never dared attempt so I'm sure you could handle a chocolate

festival. It's a great chance for me to try out new recipes. All six were new for me this year. (I get to taste the crumbs and scrapings from my slicing knife. Smile.) Most of the new recipes I use have come from this site, and you posters have never steered me wrong! And if a recipe has not been directly from one of you, it was probably because someone here linked to a recipe--maybe even a savory item--and then I snooped around and found something chocolate on a "new to me" recipe site or blog.

 
I had never made this B4 & wanted 2 remember Meryl w/ it. I licked my rubber scraper clean &

thought it was delicious. I'm confident your guests will love it.

 
I thought it was an interesting twist on the old cake favorite--got lots of compliments on this pie.

 
Very impressive! That is a lot of work!!! For your chocolate consideration, there was a BA rec

a number of years ago, that had a rice crispy treat crust. I believe Barbara may have tried it. I was going to try it for a christmas eve party, but found something easier. Anyway, if I can find it, I will link. It may be right up your alley for chocolate festival 2016!!! : )

P.S. Please add your menu and link your recipes to the menus section. Such a helpful resource!

 
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