Scharffen Berger Chocolate Adventure Contest Winners

I always look forward to the 2009 Scharffen Berger Chocolate Adventure Contest. I didn't enter this year. but over 1000 people did with incredibly inventive recipes. This year the contest listed some really fun and wacky foods that needed to be incorporated into the recipes.

Watch the Video of the Judges testing the recipes. It's quite fun. Go HERE.
And, the winners are:
FIRST PLACE
SWEET
Chocolate-Filled Pandan Dumplings
Karin Lazarus/NY

SAVORY
Smoky Cocoa-Dusted Pommes Frites with Peanut-Cumin Dipping Sauce
Edwina Gadsby/MT

SECOND PLACE
SWEET
Tropical Pandan Ice Cream with Raspberries and Thai Noir Sauce
Mary Shivers/OK
SWEET
Trio of Layered Panna Cotta
Melissa Smith/CA
SAVORY
Chicken (or Duck) Mesopotamia Moderne
Carolyn Kumpe/CA

I won't fool you, these recipes are not that easy, but the directions are great, and if you have the time, you'll really be pleased!

Here's the Recipe for First Place in the Sweet Category!

Chocolate-Filled Pandan Dumplings

Author: Karin Lazarus/NY
Category: Sweet
Servings: 6-8
Adventure Ingredients: Pandan leaf, Rice flour

8 pandan leaves, roughly chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour
2 teaspoons finely grated, fresh ginger
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
48 Scharffen Berger 62% cacao semisweet chocolate baking chunks
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (or substitute any oil you have on hand)

PREPARATION
1. Blend pandan leaves and coconut milk in a blender. Strain liquid into a bowl, discard the pandan pulp.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, ginger, sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons of the shredded coconut. Stir in the coconut milk-pandan mixture. Lightly knead the mixture for 1-2 minutes.

3. Break off a small piece of dough (keep the rest covered with a damp kitchen towel so it doesn’t dry out) into a 1 1/2 inch diameter dumpling, indent it with your thumb and insert 2 chocolate chunks. Pinch the sides to enclose the chocolate. Gently roll it once again to return it to a ball shape. Place on a plate dusted with rice flour. Repeat until you have approximately 24 dumplings.

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the dumplings. Gently stir the dumplings occasionally so that they don’t stick to the bottom. When they rise to the surface, about 1 1/2-2 minutes, turn the heat down to medium-high. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.

5. While the dumplings are cooking, lightly grease a baking sheet with the 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil. Using a slotted spoon, lift the dumplings out of the water and place on prepared baking sheet.

6. Combine the remaining shredded coconut with the powdered sugar in a wide shallow bowl. Roll the dumplings in the coconut mixture and coat evenly. Serve right away while the chocolate filling is warm and creamy.