CHOCOLATE CHANUKAH LATKES: THESE ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK!

This week is the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah  (Hanukkah). This is a great food holiday! And, with 6 more days to go, you'll have plenty of time to make these Chocolate Chanukah Latkes. Hanukkah usually includes the traditional feast of Latkes (potato pancakes), served with applesauce and sour cream. These Chocolate Latkes are not what you think. When you read the recipe, you'll pretty quickly realize that you're really making cookies, but they do look a lot like latkes. Enjoy!

This recipe for "Chocolate Latkes" is from Chocolate Holidays by Alice Medrich. Alice Medrich is one of my chocolate heroes. You'll want to add this cookbook to your collection! 

CHOCOLATE CHANUKAH LATKES

Ingredients

4 large egg whites
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3 1/2 ounces dark (65-85% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
Dash 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Put some water in skillet and bring to low simmer.

Combine all ingredients in large heatproof mixing bowl, preferably stainless steel (ingredients heat up faster in stainless steel than in glass). Set bowl in skillet of barely simmering water and stir mixture, scraping bottom to prevent burning, until sticky and hot to touch.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of mixture about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie slightly with fingers to resemble miniature potato pancakes.

Bake until cookies feel dry on surface and edges and protruding coconut shreds are dark golden brown (despite chocolate color) and interior still looks like melted chocolate, 13 to 15 minutes. Rotate sheets from front to bake and upper to lower about halfway through. Slide parchment paper onto cooling rack. Cool cookies completely before removing from parchment.

***

You'll love these. So much fun and delicious!!!

Cartoon of the Day: Toy Story

 Happy Hanukkah!

Hanukkah Gelt Cookies! What to do with Chanukah Gelt!

The other day I posted a recipe for Home-made Chanukah Gelt. If you're celebrating Chanukah, you might have made that recipe--or plan to over the next week. Or, you will probably have a lot of Chanukah Gelt in the House. Either way, those  'Hanukkah Gelt' chocolate coins are great to use in this fun recipe for Hanukkah Gelt Cookies. (Note: Different spellings because the word is transliterated). And, since Hanukkah lasts for eight days, you'll have plenty of time to make these!

I was so pleased to fine this recipe that appeared in the Jerusalem Post last week. The other good thing about this recipe is that is gluten-free and vegan. However, check your chocolate coins for ingredients for the vegan element. 

Happy Hanukkah!

HANNUKAH GELT COOKIES

Ingredients
2½ cups almond flour (ground almonds)
½ cup of oil. 
A combo of coconut and olive oil
½ cup of natural sweetener of your choice  (maple and agave?)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
16 chocolate coins (parve or dairy) 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. 
Pour oil, vanilla, and sweeteners into a mixing bowl. Mix well with rubber spatula (best not to use an electric mixer). 
Add remaining ingredients (except coins), and mix well. 
Place bowl in refrigerator for about 10 minutes. 
Unwrap coils and prepare cookie sheet with baking paper. 
Roll dough into 1½ inch balls – do not flatten them!

Place on baking tray leaving 2 inches between them.  

Take chocolate coin and center on top of one of the cookies. Press down lightly till cookie ball flattens and you can see some of the batter around the coin. 

Repeat until all cookies have a coin on them. 

Bake for  8-9 minutes. 

Let cookies cool and set for 10 minutes before removing from tray.

CHOCOLATE SUFGANIYOT from Vosges Haut-chocolat: Chanukah

Chanukah (Hannukah, Hanukah) starts at sundown  tomorrow night, Thursday December 7, 2023 (not the date varies every year, as the holiday is celebrated on the lunar calendar. Chanukah is the Jewish Holiday of Lights that celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabees defeated the Syrian army in 165 BC and forced them out of Jerusalem. There was only enough oil for one day to rededicate the eternal flame, but the oil burned for eight days and nights. A miracle! So Hanukkah is celebrated for 8 days. Plenty of days and nights to make Hanukkah food such as Sufganiyot! 

Sufganiyot (singular: sufganiyah) is one of the special foods made during Hanukkah: deep fried donut balls stuffed with jelly or custard (for this blog that would be chocolate custard) and topped with sugar. Of course, you can also stuff them with dark chocolate! I didn't grow up with this tradition, but any food that's fried and stuffed is good in my book. Sufganiyot are really an Israeli tradition, but they've gained popularity in the U.S. 

There are many recipes for Sufganiyot. Go here for a yeasted Sufganiyot Dough recipe or here on Epicurious (remember to stuff with chocolate) or this recipe from Amanda Gold in the Chronicle.

I'm a huge fan of Katrina's Vosges Haut-chocolat blog, and she posted this fabulous recipe for Sufganiyot, chocolate filling, of course, in 2009. Be sure and visit her blog for insights. She, like I, thinks that Sufganiyot are a lot like Beignets. So you might want to check out this simple no frying, no yeast dough recipe I posted for Chocolate Beignets. Make them ahead and pop them in the oven when your guests get there.

Chocolate Sufganiyot from Vosges Haut-chocolat

Ingredients
3/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees)
1 envelope active dry yeast (1 scant tablespoon)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup for coating
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, separated
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (in place of margarine in original recipe)
peanut oil, for frying plus more for bowl
1/4 cup Vosges Haut-Chocolat Candy Bar

Directions
In large metal bowl, stir together warm water and yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt; mix until well combined. Add egg yolks and remaining 1 3/4 cups flour. Mix until combined, then knead dough in bowl until all flour is incorporated. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead a few minutes until smooth. Knead in butter until incorporated.

Transfer dough to a well-oiled bowl; turn dough several times to coat entirely with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

About 30 minutes before you’re ready to form doughnuts, remove dough from refrigerator to let come to room temperature. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into an 11 inch square about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2 inch cookie cutter (or a glass), cut out about 24 rounds, dipping cutter in flour as needed to prevent sticking. Re-roll scraps and cut out about 16 more rounds.

Line a baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg whites. Brush edge of a dough round with egg white, then mount 1/2 teaspoon chocolate bar pieces in center, or both. Top with another round and press edges to seal. Repeat process with remaining rounds. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; let doughnuts rise until puffy, 20 to 30 minutes.

Heat a few inches of oil in a large (4-5 quart) heavy pot until it registers 360 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer or a scrap of dough sizzles upon contact. Working in batches of 4 to 5, carefully slip doughnuts into hot oil. Fry, turning once until golden brown about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to paper towels to drain.

Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl. While doughnuts are still hot, toss them in sugar, turning to coat. Serve immediately.

HOMEMADE CHANUKAH GELT & CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE GELT

The Jewish holiday of Chanukah starts Thursday night and lasts 8 days, so there's plenty of time to make chocolate treats! Perhaps the most familiar Chanukah treat is Chanukah Gelt (money), a chocolate coin covered in gold foil. This tradition probably dates from the late 18th and early 19th century in Europe, when Jews figured prominently in chocolate manufacturing.

There are many chocolatiers who sell Chanukah Gelt, and some of it is very tasty, but if you want the very best, make your own!

The first recipe for Homemade Chanukah Gelt is from the  Oh Nuts! Sweet & Crunchy blog and is pretty traditional in appearance. This Chanukah Chocolate Gelt is fun to make with kids. Easy and quick.

The second recipe is for Chocolate Truffle Gelt. The truffles can't really be flattened like a coin, but you can individually wrap them in gold foil to mimic the gold coins. The truffles contain a bit of alcohol that helps to "cook" the yolks in the mixture. If you want to avoid alcohol totally, use one Tablespoon of orange juice, but it will slightly alter the taste and consistency.

And, you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy any of this Chanukah Gelt!

HOMEMADE CHANUKAH GELT 

Ingredients
8 ounces (about 1-1/3 cups) melting 'real' chocolate wafers (or dark or milk chocolate, chopped)
2 mini muffin tins
Gold luster dust
Clean food-safe paintbrush

Directions
Put chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a pot over a pot over simmering water.
Drop a spoonful of melted chocolate into 24 mini muffin cavities. Don't use a lot if you want them to look like coins.
Hit muffin pans against counter to level out chocolate and reduce “peaks” on top of chocolate. Refrigerate pans until chocolate is completely set, about 20 minutes.
Turn pans upside-down over clean surface, and flex to release the coins. If some stick in pan, knock on bottom of tin to dislodge the coins.
Use clean, dry food-safe brush and brush luster dust over the surface of coins. Luster dust and water do not mix, so don’t get any fancy ideas about mixing them together to make gold paint–you’ll just end up with a mess. Dry brushing works better.

If you don't want to use the luster dust, you can wrap the coins in gold foil and press a coin pattern (or not) into the foil (preferably while still a bit soft).

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE GELT

Ingredients
6 ounces dark or milk chocolate
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp coffee liqueur, cognac, or Grand Marnier
Dried sweetened cherries
Cocoa
Gold foil paper

Directions
Put chocolate in one quart bowl and place in saucepan filled halfway with hot but not boiling water. Over low heat, melt chocolate and stir to remove any lumps. Remove bowl of chocolate from hot water bath.
Cut butter into 4 pieces and whisk in, one piece at a time, until smooth.
Whisk in yolks until thoroughly combined. (Mixture might look grainy and separated. Don't worry about using raw yolks; the yolks will essentially be "cooked" by alcohol in liqueur.) Then whisk in the cognac or other flavoring.
Cover and refrigerate for hour, or until mixture is firm but not rock hard.
Working quickly, place heaping teaspoon of chocolate in hand. Press dried cherry into center of chocolate and shape into ball, about an inch in diameter, covering the fruit.
Roll truffle in cocoa. Place on plastic wrap-lined plate, cover with additional wrap, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes for dark chocolate and 15 minutes longer for milk).
To create "coins," wrap truffles in gold foil.

Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels: Hannukah

Hanukkah (aka Chanukah) starts tonight, and these fabulous Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels are perfect for the holiday. They are easy to make and delicious to eat!

A Dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. During Chanukah (Hanukah, Hanukkah), children play a game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will show when the dreidel stops spinning. Children usually play for a pot of 'gelt' -- chocolate coins covered in gold colored foil.

You won't be spinning these tops unless you want chocolate all over the floor, but making these Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels is a fun activity to do with children.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels. If you want to take it up a notch, make your own marshmallows or buy some high end marshmallows made with natural ingredients like those from Recchiuti. I usually use whatever dark chocolate I have, but you can use any good dark chocolate. For the white chocolate I use Green & Black's White Chocolate that's made with Madagascar vanilla. I also use Paul Newman's Own Organic pretzel sticks. They are a little long, so I snap them in half. Or, you can use a short lollipop stick.

Apologies for the poor calligraphy. Practice makes perfect, and I'm very out of practice. :-)

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS

Ingredients
12 chocolate kisses (I use Hershey's Kisses)
8 ounces melted dark chocolate
12 marshmallows (homemade or whatever you have)
12 thin pretzel sticks (I use Newman's Own)
2 ounces melted white chocolate (I use Green & Black)

Directions 
Dip bottom of chocolate kiss in melted semisweet chocolate. Press onto marshmallow; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 dreidels. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut small slit in bottom of each marshmallow or just one thin pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Dip dreidels in dark chocolate, and return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Fill plastic bag (or pastry bag) with melted white chocolate; cut a tiny opening in corner, and pipe Hebrew letters onto 3 sides of each dreidel. I used a pastry bag with a tip, but I should have practiced a bit first so I wouldn't have any drips.

Refrigerate at least 5 minutes or up to 8 hours before serving. 

 

CHOCOLATE SUFGANIYOT (DONUTS) for Hanukkah

Chanukah (Hannukah, Hanukah) starts Sunday night. Chanukah is the Jewish Holiday of Lights that celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabees defeated the Syrian army in 165 BC and forced them out of Jerusalem. There was only enough oil for one day to rededicate the eternal flame, but the oil burned for eight days and nights. A miracle! So Hanukkah is celebrated for 8 days. Plenty of days and nights to make Hanukkah food such as Sufganiyot! 

Sufganiyot (singular: sufganiyah) is one of the special foods made during Hanukkah: deep fried donut balls stuffed with jelly, or custard (for this blog that would be chocolate custard) and topped with sugar. Of course, you can also stuff them with dark chocolate! I didn't grow up with this tradition, but any food that's fried and stuffed is good in my book. Sufganiyot are really an Israeli tradition, but they've gained popularity in the U.S. 

There are many recipes for Sufganiyot. Go here for a yeasted Sufganiyot Dough recipe or here on Epicurious (remember to stuff with chocolate) or this recipe from Amanda Gold in the Chronicle.

I'm a huge fan of Katrina's Vosges Haut-chocolate blog, and she posted this fabulous recipe for Sufganiyot, chocolate filling, of course, in 2009. Be sure and visit her blog for insights. She, like I, thinks that Sufganiyot are a lot like Beignets. So you might want to check out this simple no frying, no yeast dough recipe I posted for Chocolate Beignets. Make them ahead and pop them in the oven when your guests get there.

Chocolate Sufganiyot from Vosges Haut-chocolat

Ingredients
3/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees)
1 envelope active dry yeast (1 scant tablespoon)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup for coating
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, separated
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (in place of margarine in original recipe)
peanut oil, for frying plus more for bowl
1/4 cup Vosges Haut-Chocolat Candy Bar

Directions
In large metal bowl, stir together warm water and yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt; mix until well combined. Add egg yolks and remaining 1 3/4 cups flour. Mix until combined, then knead dough in bowl until all flour is incorporated. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead a few minutes until smooth. Knead in butter until incorporated.

Transfer dough to a well-oiled bowl; turn dough several times to coat entirely with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

About 30 minutes before you’re ready to form doughnuts, remove dough from refrigerator to let come to room temperature. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into an 11 inch square about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2 inch cookie cutter (or a glass), cut out about 24 rounds, dipping cutter in flour as needed to prevent sticking. Re-roll scraps and cut out about 16 more rounds.

Line a baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg whites. Brush edge of a dough round with egg white, then mount 1/2 teaspoon chocolate bar pieces in center, or both. Top with another round and press edges to seal. Repeat process with remaining rounds. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; let doughnuts rise until puffy, 20 to 30 minutes.

Heat a few inches of oil in a large (4-5 quart) heavy pot until it registers 360 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer or a scrap of dough sizzles upon contact. Working in batches of 4 to 5, carefully slip doughnuts into hot oil. Fry, turning once until golden brown about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to paper towels to drain.

Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl. While doughnuts are still hot, toss them in sugar, turning to coat. Serve immediately.

HOMEMADE CHANUKAH GELT & TRUFFLES: Hanukkah

The Jewish holiday of Chanukah starts tonight and lasts 8 days, so there's plenty of time to make chocolate treats! Perhaps the most familiar Chanukah treat is Chanukah Gelt (money), a chocolate coin covered in gold foil. This tradition probably dates from the late 18th and early 19th century in Europe, when Jews figured prominently in chocolate manufacturing.

There are many chocolatiers who sell Chanukah Gelt, and some of it is very tasty, but if you want the very best, make your own!

The first recipe for Homemade Chanukah Gelt is from the  Oh Nuts! Sweet & Crunchy blog and is pretty traditional in appearance. This Chanukah Chocolate Gelt is fun to make with kids. Easy and quick.

The second recipe is for Chocolate Truffle Gelt. The truffles can't really be flattened like a coin, but you can individually wrap them in gold foil to mimic the gold coins. The truffles contain a bit of alcohol that helps to "cook" the yolks in the mixture. If you want to avoid alcohol totally, useone Tablespoon of orange juice, but it will slightly alter the taste and consistency.

And, you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy any of this Chanukah Gelt!

HOMEMADE CHANUKAH GELT 

Ingredients
8 ounces (about 1-1/3 cups) melting chocolate wafers (or dark or milk chocolate, chopped)
2 mini muffin tins
Gold luster dust
Clean food-safe paintbrush

Directions
Put chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a pot over a pot over simmering water.
Drop a spoonful of melted chocolate into 24 mini muffin cavities. Don't use a lot if you want them to look like coins.
Hit muffin pans against counter to level out chocolate and reduce “peaks” on top of chocolate. Refrigerate pans until chocolate is completely set, about 20 minutes.
Turn pans upside-down over clean surface, and flex to release the coins. If some stick in pan, knock on bottom of tin to dislodge the coins.
Use clean, dry food-safe brush and brush luster dust over the surface of coins. Luster dust and water do not mix, so don’t get any fancy ideas about mixing them together to make gold paint–you’ll just end up with a mess. Dry brushing works better.

If you don't want to use the luster dust, you can wrap the coins in gold foil and press a coin pattern (or not) into the foil (preferably while still a bit soft).

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE GELT

Ingredients
6 ounces dark or milk chocolate
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp coffee liqueur, cognac, or Grand Marnier
Dried sweetened cherries
Cocoa
Gold foil paper

Directions
Put chocolate in one quart bowl and place in saucepan filled halfway with hot but not boiling water. Over low heat, melt chocolate and stir to remove any lumps. Remove bowl of chocolate from hot water bath.
Cut butter into 4 pieces and whisk in, one piece at a time, until smooth.
Whisk in yolks until thoroughly combined. (Mixture might look grainy and separated. Don't worry about using raw yolks; the yolks will essentially be "cooked" by alcohol in liqueur.) Then whisk in the cognac or other flavoring.
Cover and refrigerate for hour, or until mixture is firm but not rock hard.
Working quickly, place heaping teaspoon of chocolate in hand. Press dried cherry into center of chocolate and shape into ball, about an inch in diameter, covering the fruit.
Roll truffle in cocoa. Place on plastic wrap-lined plate, cover with additional wrap, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes for dark chocolate and 15 minutes longer for milk).
To create "coins," wrap truffles in gold foil.

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS: Hanukkah

Hanukkah (aka Chanukah) starts tomorrow night, and these fabulous Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels are perfect for the holiday. Easy to make and delicious to eat!

A Dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. During Chanukah (Hanukah, Hanukkah), children play a game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will show when the dreidel stops spinning. Children usually play for a pot of 'gelt' -- chocolate coins covered in gold colored foil.

You won't be spinning these tops unless you want chocolate all over the floor, but making these Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels is a fun activity to do with children.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels. If you want to take it up a notch, make your own marshmallows or buy some high end marshmallows made with natural ingredients like those from Recchiuti. I usually use whatever dark chocolate I have, but you can use any good dark chocolate. For the white chocolate I use Green & Black's White Chocolate that's made with Madagascar vanilla. I also use Paul Newman's Own Organic pretzel sticks. They are a little long, so I snap them in half. Or, you can just use a short lollipop stick.

Apologies for the poor calligraphy. Practice makes perfect, and I'm very out of practice. :-)

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS

Ingredients
12 chocolate kisses (I use Hershey's Kisses)
8 ounces melted dark chocolate
12 marshmallows (homemade or whatever you have)
12 thin pretzel sticks (I use Newman's Own)
2 ounces melted white chocolate (I use Green & Black)

Directions 
Dip bottom of chocolate kiss in melted semisweet chocolate. Press onto marshmallow; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 dreidels. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut small slit in bottom of each marshmallow or just one thin pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Dip dreidels in dark chocolate, and return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Fill plastic bag (or pastry bag) with melted white chocolate; cut a tiny opening in corner, and pipe Hebrew letters onto 3 sides of each dreidel. I used a pastry bag with a tip, but I should have practiced a bit first so I wouldn't have any drips.

Refrigerate at least 5 minutes or up to 8 hours before serving. 

 

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS for CHANUKAH!

Hanukkah (aka Chanukah) starts Thursdy night, and these fabulous Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels are perfect for the holiday. Easy to make and delicious to eat!

A Dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. During Chanukah (Hanukah, Hanukkah), children play a game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will show when the dreidel stops spinning. Children usually play for a pot of 'gelt' -- chocolate coins covered in gold colored foil.

You won't be spinning these tops unless you want chocolate all over the floor, but making these Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels is a fun activity to do with children.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels. If you want to take it up a notch, make your own marshmallows or buy some high end marshmallows made with natural ingredients such as those from Recchiuti. I usually use whatever dark chocolate I have, but you can use any good dark chocolate. For the white chocolate I use Green & Black's White Chocolate that's made with Madagascar vanilla. I also use Paul Newman's Own Organic pretzel sticks. They are a little long, so I snap them in half. Or, you can just use a short lollipop stick.

Apologies for the poor calligraphy. Practice makes perfect, and I'm very out of practice. :-)

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS

Ingredients
12 chocolate kisses (I use Hershey's Kisses)
8 ounces melted dark chocolate
12 marshmallows (homemade or whatever you have)
12 thin pretzel sticks (I use Newman's Own)
2 ounces melted white chocolate (I use Green & Black)

Directions 
Dip bottom of chocolate kiss in melted semisweet chocolate. Press onto marshmallow; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 dreidels. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut small slit in bottom of each marshmallow or just one thin pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Dip dreidels in dark chocolate, and return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Fill plastic bag (or pastry bag) with melted white chocolate; cut a tiny opening in corner, and pipe Hebrew letters onto 3 sides of each dreidel. I used a pastry bag with a tip, but I should have practiced a bit first so I wouldn't have any drips.

Refrigerate at least 5 minutes or up to 8 hours before serving.

SUFGANIYOT: Doughnuts for Chanukah!

Chanukah (Hannukah, Hanukah) starts Thursday night. Chanukkah is the Jewish Holiday of Lights that celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabees defeated the Syrian army in 165 BC and forced them out of Jerusalem. There was only enough oil for one day to rededicate the eternal flame, but the oil burned for eight days and nights. A miracle! So Hanukkah is celebrated for 8 days.

One of the special foods at Chanukah time is Sufganiyot (singular: sufganiyah): deep fried donut balls stuffed with jelly, or custard (for this blog that would be chocolate custard) and topped with sugar. Of course, you can also stuff them with dark chocolate! I didn't grow up with this tradition, but any food that's fried and stuffed with chocolate cream is good in my book. Sufganiyot are really an Israeli tradition, but they've gained popularity in the U.S. 

I've posted recipes in the past for Sufganiyot, but here's a new recipe that my late friend B.K. Stevens wrote in 2016 for DyingforChocolate.com. Bonnie's actual donut is chocolate.

B.K. Stevens:

I know you've posted chocolate sufganiyot recipes before; I don't know if you've posted this one. It's very simple (no yeast), and the sufganiyot themselves are chocolate, rather than the filling. Unfortunately, I don't remember where I found the recipe--we've had it in our family cookbook for many years. I served these at a holiday party the other day, and people really seemed to enjoy them.

Sufganiyot 
(Israeli Jelly Doughnuts—for Hanukkah) 

Ingredients
vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for coating sufganiyot after frying
2 eggs plus
1 egg yolk
3 1/2 cups flour (recipe says unbleached, but we’ve used regular)
1/4 cup cocoa
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk strawberry jelly (not jam or preserves) •

Directions
Combine 1/4 cup oil, 1 cup sugar, eggs, and egg yolk in bowl and mix with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir into oil mixture alternately with buttermilk. Heat 2 to 3 inches oil in heavy, deep skillet to 340 degrees.
Drop batter by tablespoons (we use a small cookie scoop) into hot oil and cook in batches until doughnuts are evenly fried, about 2 or 3 minutes per side. Do not crowd pan.
Drain on paper towels. Roll in remaining sugar.
Fill with strawberry jelly. (We use an inexpensive plastic condiment container, with the tip cut off halfway down to make it easier to get the jelly out.)
Makes about 24 sufganiyot.

Homemade Hanukkah Gelt: Coins and Truffles

The Jewish holiday of Chanukah lasts 8 days, so there's plenty of time to make chocolate treats! Perhaps the most familiar form of Chanukah Gelt (money) is a chocolate coin covered in gold foil. This tradition probably dates from the late 18th and early 19th century in Europe, when Jews figured prominently in chocolate manufacturing.

There are many chocolatiers who sell Chanukah Gelt, and some of it is very tasty, but if you want the very best, make your own!

The first recipe for Homemade Chanukah Gelt is from Oh Nuts! Sweet & Crunchy blog and is pretty traditional in appearance. This Chanukah Chocolate Gelt is fun to make with kids. Easy and quick. Perfect for the Holiday!

The second recipe is for Chocolate Truffle Gelt. The truffles can't really be flattened like a coin, but you can individually wrap them in gold foil to mimic the gold coins. Each truffle contains less than 1/8 th teaspoon alcohol, that helps to "cook" the yolks in the mixture. One Tablespoon of orange juice can be substituted, but it will slightly alter the taste and consistency.

And, you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy any of this Chanukah Gelt!

HOMEMADE CHANUKAH GELT 

Ingredients
8 ounces (about 1-1/3 cups) melting chocolate wafers (or dark or milk chocolate, chopped)
2 mini muffin tins
Gold luster dust
Clean food-safe paintbrush

Directions
Put chocolate wafers in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a pot over a pot over simmering water.
Drop a spoonful of melted chocolate into 24 mini muffin cavities. Don't use a lot if you want them to look like coins.
Hit muffin pans against counter to level out chocolate and reduce “peaks” on top of chocolate. Refrigerate pans until chocolate is completely set, about 20 minutes.
Turn pans upside-down over clean surface, and flex to release the coins. If some stick in pan, knock on bottom of tin to dislodge the coins.
Use clean, dry food-safe brush and brush luster dust over the surface of coins. Luster dust and water do not mix, so don’t get any fancy ideas about mixing them together to make gold paint–you’ll just end up with a mess. Dry brushing works better.

If you don't want to use the luster dust, you can wrap the coins in gold foil and press a coin pattern (or not) into the foil (preferably while still a bit soft).

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE GELT

Ingredients
6 ounces dark or milk chocolate
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp coffee liqueur, cognac, or Grand Marnier
Dried sweetened cherries
Cocoa
Gold foil paper

Directions
Put chocolate in one quart bowl and place in saucepan filled halfway with hot but not boiling water. Over low heat, melt chocolate and stir to remove any lumps. Remove bowl of chocolate from hot water bath.
Cut butter into 4 pieces and whisk in, one piece at a time, until smooth.
Whisk in yolks until thoroughly combined. (Mixture might look grainy and separated. Don't worry about using raw yolks; the yolks will essentially be "cooked" by alcohol in liqueur.) Then whisk in the cognac or other flavoring.
Cover and refrigerate for hour, or until mixture is firm but not rock hard.
Working quickly, place heaping teaspoon of chocolate in hand. Press dried cherry into center of chocolate and shape into ball, about an inch in diameter, covering the fruit.
Roll truffle in cocoa. Place on plastic wrap-lined plate, cover with additional wrap, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes for dark chocolate and 15 minutes longer for milk).
To create "coins," wrap truffles in gold foil.

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS for Hanukkah

Hanukkah starts Sunday night, and these fabulous Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels are perfect for the holiday. Easy to make and delicious to eat!

A Dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. During Chanukah (Hanukah, Hanukkah), children play a game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will show when the dreidel stops spinning. Children usually play for a pot of 'gelt' -- chocolate coins covered in gold colored foil.

You won't be spinning these tops unless you want chocolate all over the floor, but making these Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels is a fun activity to do with children.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels. If you want to take it up a notch, make your own marshmallows or buy some high end marshmallows made with natural ingredients such as those from Recchiuti. I usually use whatever dark chocolate I have, but you can use any good dark chocolate. For the white chocolate I use Green & Black's White Chocolate that's made with Madagascar vanilla. I also use Paul Newman's Own Organic pretzel sticks. They are a little long, so I snap them in half. Or, you can just use a short lollipop stick.

Apologies for the poor calligraphy. Practice makes perfect, and I'm very out of practice. :-)

CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS

Ingredients
12 chocolate kisses (I use Hershey's Kisses)
8 ounces melted dark chocolate
12 marshmallows (homemade or whatever you have)
12 thin pretzel sticks (I use Newman's Own)
2 ounces melted white chocolate (I use Green & Black)

Directions 
Dip bottom of chocolate kiss in melted semisweet chocolate. Press onto marshmallow; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 dreidels. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut small slit in bottom of each marshmallow or just one thin pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Dip dreidels in dark chocolate, and return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Fill plastic bag (or pastry bag) with melted white chocolate; cut a tiny opening in corner, and pipe Hebrew letters onto 3 sides of each dreidel. I used a pastry bag with a tip, but I should have practiced a bit first so I wouldn't have any drips.

Refrigerate at least 5 minutes or up to 8 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE SUFGANIYOT FOR HANUKKAH

Chanukah (Hannukah, Hanukah) starts Thursday night. Chanukkah is the Jewish Holiday of Lights that celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabees defeated the Syrian army in 165 BC and forced them out of Jerusalem. There was only enough oil for one day to rededicate the eternal flame, but the oil burned for eight days and nights. A miracle! So Hanukkah is celebrated for 8 days.

One of the special foods at Chanukah time is Sufganiyot (singular: sufganiyah): deep fried donut balls stuffed with jelly, or custard (for this blog that would be chocolate custard) and topped with sugar. Of course, you can also stuff them with dark chocolate! I didn't grow up with this tradition, but any food that's fried and stuffed with chocolate cream is good in my book. Sufganiyot are really an Israeli tradition, but they've gained popularity in the U.S. 

I've posted recipes in the past for Sufganiyot, but here's a new recipe that my late friend B.K. Stevens wrote in 2016 for DyingforChocolate.com. Bonnie's actual donut is chocolate.

B.K. Stevens:

I know you've posted chocolate sufganiyot recipes before; I don't know if you've posted this one. It's very simple (no yeast), and the sufganiyot themselves are chocolate, rather than the filling. Unfortunately, I don't remember where I found the recipe--we've had it in our family cookbook for many years. I served these at a holiday party the other day, and people really seemed to enjoy them.

Sufganiyot 
(Israeli Jelly Doughnuts—for Hanukkah) 

Ingredients
vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for coating sufganiyot after frying
2 eggs plus
1 egg yolk
3 1/2 cups flour (recipe says unbleached, but we’ve used regular)
1/4 cup cocoa
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk strawberry jelly (not jam or preserves) •

Directions
Combine 1/4 cup oil, 1 cup sugar, eggs, and egg yolk in bowl and mix with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir into oil mixture alternately with buttermilk. Heat 2 to 3 inches oil in heavy, deep skillet to 340 degrees.
Drop batter by tablespoons (we use a small cookie scoop) into hot oil and cook in batches until doughnuts are evenly fried, about 2 or 3 minutes per side. Do not crowd pan.
Drain on paper towels. Roll in remaining sugar.
Fill with strawberry jelly. (We use an inexpensive plastic condiment container, with the tip cut off halfway down to make it easier to get the jelly out.)
Makes about 24 sufganiyot.

Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels for Chanukah

Hanukkah starts Sunday night, and these fabulous Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels are perfect for the holiday. Easy to make and delicious to eat!

A Dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. During Chanukah (Hanukah, Hanukkah), children play a game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will show when the dreidel stops spinning. Children usually play for a pot of 'gelt' -- chocolate coins covered in gold colored foil.

You won't be spinning these tops unless you want chocolate all over the floor, but making these Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels is a fun activity to do with children.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels. If you want to take it up a notch, make your own marshmallows or buy some high end marshmallows made with natural ingredients such as those from Recchiuti. I usually use whatever dark chocolate I have, but you can use any good dark chocolate. For the white chocolate I use Green & Black's White Chocolate that's made with Madagascar vanilla. I also use Paul Newman's Own Organic pretzel sticks. They are a little long, so I snap them in half. Or, you can just use a short lollipop stick.

Apologies for the poor calligraphy. Practice makes perfect, and I'm very out of practice. :-)

CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS

Ingredients
12 chocolate kisses (I use Hershey's Kisses)
8 ounces melted dark chocolate
12 marshmallows (homemade or whatever you have)
12 thin pretzel sticks (I use Newman's Own)
2 ounces melted white chocolate (I use Green & Black)

Directions 
Dip bottom of chocolate kiss in melted semisweet chocolate. Press onto marshmallow; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 dreidels. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut small slit in bottom of each marshmallow or just one thin pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Dip dreidels in dark chocolate, and return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Fill plastic bag (or pastry bag) with melted white chocolate; cut a tiny opening in corner, and pipe Hebrew letters onto 3 sides of each dreidel. I used a pastry bag with a tip, but I should have practiced a bit first so I wouldn't have any drips.

Refrigerate at least 5 minutes or up to 8 hours before serving.

Eight Nights of Hanukkah Donuts: Guest Post by Miri Ariel

Miri Ariel:
Eight Nights of Hanukkah Donuts

At Hanukkah in Jerusalem, you can find an assortment of donuts in all different flavors. Why the Donut for Hanukkah? Think oil. Hanukkah is a holiday that celebrates the miracle of the oil that was used to light the menorah. When the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem, they found a vessel of oil but it was only enough for one night. However, instead of lasting for one night, it lasted for eight.

Of the recipes to try, these are the author of “The Mohel From Mars: A Hanukkah Story,” Miri Ariel’s favorites:

1) Fluffy Oreo Cake Donuts 
http://www.thebakingchocolatess.com/fluffy-oreo-chocolate-cake-donuts/

2) Nutella Filled Donuts
https://veggiezest.com/2013/07/29/nutella-filled-donuts/

3) Tumeric Chai Donuts 
http://www.rainbownourishments.com/turmeric-chai-donuts-and-9-things-i-learnt-in-my-20s-as-a-foodie/

4) Baked Red Velvet Donut Holes
https://www.dashofsanity.com/baked-red-velvet-cake-donuts-holes/

5) Reese’s Filled Chocolate Donuts
https://www.sugarandsoul.co/reeses-stuffed-puff-pastry-donuts-recipe/

6) Maple Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Cream Filling
http://www.bakeaholicmama.com/2013/10/sea-salted-maple-pumpkin-doughnuts-with.html#.Wi7WDVWnGpo

7) Lemon Donuts with Rasberry Glaze
https://ashleemarie.com/lemon-donuts-raspberry-glaze-recipe/

8) Baked Smores Donuts 
https://realhousemoms.com/baked-smores-donuts/

***

Miri Ariel is the author of the #1 new release in Hanukkah books on Amazon, The Mohel from Mars. 

It follows Motti, a mohel, who discovers that he has another calling in life. In a modern retelling of the Hanukkah story, Motti lives a double life, by day as a mohel and by night as a Maccabee fighting the Greek space monsters known as Seleucids. 

Miri wanted to create an action packed story for Hanukkah that was both contemporary and fun. In a family of lawyers and doctors, Miri chose to be a writer and to follow her own path, just like Motti must choose to follow his in this unique and engaging Hanukkah story.

Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Dreidels for Hanukkah

Hanukkah starts this week, and these fabulous Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels are perfect for the holiday. Easy to make and delicious to eat!

A Dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. During Chanukah (Hanukah, Hanukkah), children play a game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will show when the dreidel stops spinning. Children usually play for a pot of 'gelt' -- chocolate coins covered in gold colored foil.

You won't be spinning these tops unless you want chocolate all over the floor, but making these Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels is a fun activity to do with children.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels. If you want to take it up a notch, make your own marshmallows or buy some high end marshmallows made with natural ingredients such as those from Recchiuti. I usually use whatever dark chocolate I have, but you can use any great dark chocolate. For the white chocolate I use Green & Black's White Chocolate that's made with Madagascar vanilla. I also use Paul Newman's Own Organic pretzel sticks. They are a little long, so I snap them in half. Or, you can just use a short lollipop stick.

Apologies for the poor calligraphy. Practice makes perfect, and I'm very out of practice. :-)

CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS

Ingredients
12 chocolate kisses (I use Hershey's Kisses)
8 ounces melted dark chocolate
12 marshmallows (homemade or whatever you have)
12 thin pretzel sticks (I use Newman's Own)
2 ounces melted white chocolate (I use Green & Black)

Directions 
Dip bottom of chocolate kiss in melted semisweet chocolate. Press onto marshmallow; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 dreidels. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut small slit in bottom of each marshmallow or just one thin pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Dip dreidels in dark chocolate, and return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Fill plastic bag (or pastry bag) with melted white chocolate; cut a tiny opening in corner, and pipe Hebrew letters onto 3 sides of each dreidel. I used a pastry bag with a tip, but I should have practiced a bit first so I wouldn't have any drips.

Refrigerate at least 5 minutes or up to 8 hours before serving.

Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels for Chanukah

You don't have to be Jewish to make these fabulous Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels.

A Dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. During Chanukah (Hanukah, Hanukkah), children play a game that involves spinning the dreidel and betting on which Hebrew letter will show when the dreidel stops spinning. Children usually play for a pot of 'gelt' -- chocolate coins covered in gold colored foil.

You won't be spinning these tops unless you want chocolate all over the floor, but making these Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels is a fun activity to do with children.

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels. If you want to take it up a notch, make your own marshmallows or buy some high end marshmallows made with natural ingredients such as those from Recchiuti. I usually use whatever dark chocolate I have, but you can use any great dark chocolate. For the white chocolate I used Green & Black's White Chocolate that's made with Madagascar vanilla. I also used Paul Newman's Own Organic pretzel sticks. They are a little long, so I snap them in half.

Apologies for the poor caligraphy. Practice makes perfect, and I'm very out of practice. :-)

CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHMALLOW DREIDELS

Ingredients
12 chocolate kisses (I use Hershey's Kisses)
8 ounces melted dark chocolate
12 marshmallows (homemade or whatever you have)
12 thin pretzel sticks (I use Newman's Own)
2 ounces melted white chocolate (I use Green & Black)

Directions 
Dip bottom of chocolate kiss in melted semisweet chocolate. Press onto marshmallow; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 dreidels. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut small slit in bottom of each marshmallow or just one thin pretzel stick into the marshmallow. Dip dreidels in dark chocolate, and return to baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Fill plastic bag or pastry bag with melted white chocolate; cut a tiny opening in corner, and pipe Hebrew letters onto 3 sides of each dreidel. I used a pastry bag with a tip, but I should have practiced a bit first so I wouldn't have any drips.

Refrigerate at least 5 minutes or up to 8 hours before serving.

Chocolate Sufganiyot for Hanukah: B.K. Stevens

Chanukah (Hannukah, Hanukah) starts Saturday night. Chanukkah is the Jewish Holiday of Lights that celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabees defeated the Syrian army in 165 BC and forced them out of Jerusalem. There was only enough oil for one day to rededicate the eternal flame, but the oil burned for eight days and nights. A miracle! So Hanukkah is celebrated for 8 days.

One of the special foods at Chanukah time is Sufganiyot (singular: sufganiyah): deep fried donut balls stuffed with jelly, or custard (for this blog that would be chocolate custard) and topped with sugar. Of course, you can also stuff them with dark chocolate! I didn't grow up with this tradition, but any food that's fried and stuffed is good in my book. Sufganiyot are really an Israeli tradition, but they've gained popularity in the U.S. 

I've posted recipes in the past for Sufganiyot, but here's a new recipe  from B.K. Stevens where the actual donut is chocolate! B.K. Stevens is a mystery author, so once again my worlds of chocolate and mystery cross. Thanks, Bonnie!


B.K. Stevens:

I know you've posted chocolate sufganiyot recipes before; I don't know if you've posted this one. It's very simple (no yeast), and the sufganiyot themselves are chocolate, rather than the filling. Unfortunately, I don't remember where I found the recipe--we've had it in our family cookbook for many years. I served these at a holiday party the other day, and people really seemed to enjoy them.

Sufganiyot 
(Israeli Jelly Doughnuts—for Hanukkah) 

Ingredients
vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for coating sufganiyot after frying
2 eggs plus
1 egg yolk
3 1/2 cups flour (recipe says unbleached, but we’ve used regular)
1/4 cup cocoa
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk strawberry jelly (not jam or preserves) •

Directions
Combine 1/4 cup oil, 1 cup sugar, eggs, and egg yolk in bowl and mix with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir into oil mixture alternately with buttermilk. Heat 2 to 3 inches oil in heavy, deep skillet to 340 degrees.
Drop batter by tablespoons (we use a small cookie scoop) into hot oil and cook in batches until doughnuts are evenly fried, about 2 or 3 minutes per side. Do not crowd pan.
Drain on paper towels. Roll in remaining sugar.
Fill with strawberry jelly. (We use an inexpensive plastic condiment container, with the tip cut off halfway down to make it easier to get the jelly out.)
Makes about 24 sufganiyot.

Chocolate Chanukah Latkes (Cookies)

With the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah  (Hanukkah) starting at sundown, I can't wait to have the traditional feast of Latkes, potato pancakes, with applesauce and sour cream. Be still my arteries.

If you read this blog, you know I often like to make things that look like things they aren't. Chocolate Latkes fit the bill. This recipe is from Chocolate Holidays by Alice Medrich.  Reading the recipe, you'll realize pretty quickly that they're really cookies, but they do look a lot like latkes. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE CHANUKAH LATKES

Ingredients:
4 large egg whites
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3 1/2 ounces dark (65-85% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla
Dash 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Put some water in skillet and bring to low simmer.

2. Combine all ingredients in large heatproof mixing bowl, preferably stainless steel (ingredients heat up faster in stainless steel than in glass). Set bowl in skillet of barely simmering water and stir mixture, scraping bottom to prevent burning, until sticky and hot to touch.

3. Scoop rounded tablespoons of mixture about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie slightly with fingers to resemble miniature potato pancakes.

4. Bake until cookies feel dry on surface and edges and protruding coconut shreds are dark golden brown (despite chocolate color) and interior still looks like melted chocolate, 13 to 15 minutes. Rotate sheets from front to bake and upper to lower about halfway through. Slide parchment paper onto cooling rack. Cool cookies completely before removing from parchment.