CHOCOLATE CINNAMON NACHOS: National Nachos Day

Today is National Nachos Day. Nachos are usually comprised of tortilla chips covered with melted cheese and jalapeno peppers and served as a snack. Nachos originally hail from Northern Mexico, but are considered a Tex-Mex dish. Sometimes Nachos are served with salsa or guacamole. Not these, of course.

Since this is a Chocolate Blog, let's make Chocolate Cinnamon Nachos! This recipe is very slightly adapted from Taste of Home. So easy, too. Be still my heart. You'll love this! Be sure and bookmark this recipe for Cinco de Mayo, too!

Chocolate Cinnamon Nachos

Ingredients
6 flour tortillas (8 inches)
7 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided
6 Tbsp sugar, divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate (or very dark chocolate), chopped
1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla extract
(Optional)1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Brush both sides of tortillas with 4 Tbsp butter. Combine 2 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over one side of each tortilla.
Stack tortillas, sugared side up; cut into 12 wedges.
Arrange in single layer on baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until crisp.
Meanwhile, in heavy saucepan, combine cream, brown sugar, and remaining butter and sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat; stir in chocolate and vanilla. Cool slightly.
Arrange half of tortilla wedges on large serving platter.
Drizzle with half of chocolate sauce.

Repeat layers.

PAIN AU CHOCOLAT (aka: Chocolate Croissant): Guest Post by Sarah Husmann

The weather has finally cooled, and I decided to try making Pain Au Chocolat again, otherwise known as Chocolate Croissant. The reason for making these when it’s colder is that the kitchen temp is cooler which helps keep the dough and butter cold when laminating. Lamination is the process of folding and rolling butter into dough over and over again to create super-thin layers. I ALWAYS have issues with this step, and my butter always leaks or bakes out leaving my Pain Au Chocolat flat with little to no flaky layers that one expects. I also previously made the mistake of making them when the kitchen was too warm.

I finally conquered the laminating process (for now.  LOL) and this batch of Pain Au Chocolat came out PERFECT! No leaking butter. Beautiful puffy, layers of flaky pastry. I also tried a different recipe. I’ve previously tried several others, but this one seems to be the winner. The only change to the recipe was I did an extra fold before rolling, cutting, and forming them.

https://bakingwithbutter.com/pain-au-chocolat-recipe-step-by-step/

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FYI: I got to taste these, and I have to say they were the best Pain au Chocolat that I have ever tasted. Thanks, Sarah!  - Janet

Homemade Tootsie Rolls: National Candy Day

Today is National Candy Day. O.K., I know every day is Candy Day, but to celebrate, have a truffle, candy bar, or your favorite 'penny' candy. Tootsie Rolls are my all-time favorite candies. They've changed their shape and cost over the years, but the taste remains the same. I've tried several different recipes for Home Made Tootsie Rolls, but this recipe is my favorite.

Note:
This recipe makes 80 -100 tootsie rolls, but you can roll them out bigger and cut them longer. Remember the 5 cent Tootsie Roll?

As always the brand of chocolate will make a difference. You also might want to substitute 1/2 cup DARK cocoa powder for the unsweetened chocolate. In that case, sift with the dry milk.

Powdered milk, by the way, is not instant milk powder, it's dehydrated milk. 

I also sift the flour. Not sure if it's necessary, but old habits die hard.

HOME-MADE TOOTSIE ROLLS
This recipe is adapted slightly from Elizabeth LaBau at About.com

Ingredients:
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp softened butter
3/4 cup powdered milk (not instant.. see note above)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2-3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Preparation:
Melt chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl or in double boiler over simmering water.
Once chocolate is melted and smooth, stir in corn syrup and butter, stirring until butter is melted. Stir in powdered milk and vanilla extract.
Add cup of powdered sugar and stir until incorporated. Once that sugar is mixed in, add second cup of powdered sugar and stir to mix. Dough will be getting stiff and might be difficult to stir more powdered sugar into candy.
Dust work surface with powdered sugar and knead the candy until smooth. If still very soft, knead in more powdered sugar until firm but not dry or crumbly. You might need up to 3 cups of powdered sugar total.
Once Tootsie Roll candy is smooth and firm but supple texture, break off palm-sized piece and roll into long, thin rope. Using sharp knife, cut it into small pieces and place on baking sheet. Repeat until you have formed all of Tootsie Roll dough into small pieces.
Depending on size of rolls, you should get 80-100 pieces.
Refrigerate tray of Tootsie Rolls until they firm up, about 1 hour.

Store Tootsie Rolls in airtight container in refrigerator for up to two weeks.
You can wrap them individually in waxed paper if they start to stick together because of condensation from refrigerator. 
Bring Tootsie Rolls to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE MAYO BLT SANDWICH: World Sandwich Day!

Today is World Sandwich Day, as opposed to National Sandwich Month which takes place throughout the Month of August and on other dates. A sandwich is defined as a food item made of two or more slices of leavened bread with one or more layers of filling, typically meat or cheese, with the addition sometimes of vegetables or salad. Sometimes mustard, mayonnaise, or butter is used.

I've posted may recipes for Chocolate Panini and Chocolate Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and the like, but I love this recipe that appeared in 2009 in the Recchiuti Chocolate newsletter. Michael has a dynamite Recipe for Brioche and Chocolate Mayo BLT. I love bacon and chocolate, and this is a subtle pairing. There's a Recipe for brioche that looks fairly easy, but if you can't wait, go out and buy a nice artisan brioche to use in this special BLT.

At the Cheese & Chocolate Taste Project, Recchiuti assembled his BLTs with his homemade brioche, applewood smoked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, fresh butter lettuce, a thick slice of heirloom tomato and this great Chocolat-y mayonnaise.

CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE

Ingredients
6 extra-large egg yolks
1/4 pound unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (I love Recchiuti chocolate!)
3 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions
Place yolks in a stainless steel mixing bowl.
Combine unsweetened chocolate and olive oil in double boiler and heat mixture to 115°F.
Begin beating egg yolks on medium speed for 1 minute, then increase speed to high and whip until doubled in volume.

Reduce speed to medium and add chocolate mixture to the yolks carefully, in fine stream. The yolks will start to emulsify and thicken. If mixture becomes too thick you may add a small amount of oil to loosen the mixture. Season to taste.

Note: This mayonnaise is meant for immediate use and will not keep well in the refrigerator.

Celebrate the day with this fabulous BLT!