CHOCOLATE & ANIMAL CRACKERS: Recipes and History: National Animal Crackers Day

Happy National Animal Crackers Day! The original animal crackers of my childhood didn't have a lot of flavor, but even now when I think of them I remember their unique taste during zoo and circus visits. Those trips were always exciting, and animal crackers were an important part of the experience. I remember the red cardboard boxes with pictures of animals in cages (the new packaging has them roaming free) and little flat strings to carry your box.

Today there are many different brands of animal crackers -- vegan, chocolate, chocolate covered, covered with icing and sprinkles, and so many more. There are the original Barnum's Animal Crackers, and I really like Barbara's (all natural) Snackimals Double Chocolate and Snackimals Chocolate Chip.

Want to dress up your store-bought Animal Crackers today to celebrate National Animal Cracker Day? Dip the animal crackers in Chocolate:

Chocolate Dipped Animal Crackers

Melt a good dark chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water or in the microwave.
Dip animals and let cool on waxed paper.
You can either dip most of the animal (and use forks or special dipping tools) or just dip the feet as I did with the Walker Scottie Dogs with Muddy Boots. I like Trader Joe's Animal Crackers for chocolate dipping.

Want to get fancier? Healthy Happy Life (Lunchboxbunch.com) has a Chocolate-Covered Vegan Animal Cookies post with great photos and recipes.

There's even a Website devoted to Animal Crackers: www.animalcrackers.net/  Here you'll find a variety of recipes for animal crackers such as Homemade Animal Crackers, Oatmeal Animal Crackers, Classic Animal Crackers, Cheese Animal Crackers, Chocolate Animal Crackers, and many others. Animal Crackers have been a snack since the mid nineteenth century. Today they are made by numerous well known companies, such as Keebler, Nabisco, or the Stauffer Biscuit Company. Although store bought varieties can be great, you might want to try some homemade animal crackers.

COCOA ANIMAL CRACKERS
Recipe adapted from AnimalCrackers.net

Ingredients
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Cup Organic Toasted Rolled Quick Oats
1/2 Cup Softened Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Baking Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
3/4 Cup of Cold Whole Milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In blender, mix organic toasted rolled quick oats, with flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and kosher salt.
Pulse until base mixture is completely ground up into delicate powder, and color and texture are even and consistent.
Pour this mixture into mixing bowl, and stir in cold whole milk and softened real butter. Stir until dough becomes stiff, adding any extra milk if you need to.
Roll animal cracker dough into ball on clean flat surface, then flatten out into quarter inch thickness.
Using animal cracker or other cookie cutters, make as many shapes as you can with dough.
Place your finished shapes on lightly greased baking sheet. Cook for ten to fifteen minutes, or until crackers are crisp.
Cool on wire rack for half an hour.

Waiter, there's an Animal Cracker in my soup! Animal Crackers make a great starch for soups and stews.  I've posted a recipe for a great Chicken Mole Polano made with Animal Crackers.  Or try this recipe for White Chocolate Mole with Animal Crackers.

Want a sweet chocolate soup with Animal Crackers? O. K., this is more of a dessert. This recipe was originally found on the Hershey's Cocoa Box.

CHOCOLATE SOUP WITH ANIMAL CRACKERS

Ingredients
3/4 cups half-and-half
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp cocoa
1 egg yolk

Directions
Heat half-and-half. Pour into bowl, leaving about 1/4 cup in saucepan or cup.
Add sugar, vanilla, cocoa to pan and mix until it is a syrup. Add egg yolk and stir over low heat. Gradually stir in preheated half-and-half. Stir until blended and thick. Pour into bowl.
Top with animal crackers.

Here's a link to several other Cocoa Soup recipes. All go well with Animal Crackers!

Enjoy this video clip of Shirley Temple singing Animal Crackers in my Soup!

ICELANDIC COCOA SOUP aka Kakósúpa: National Soup Month

January is Soup Month.  Several years ago, my friend Louise over at Months of Edible Celebrations (sadly Louise passed away and her website was taken down) sent me a link to Cocoa Soup. The thickening agent is what makes this a soup and not a steaming hot cup of cocoa. So here's a recipe to warm you up today.

Icelandic Cocoa Soup, Kakósúpa, although it uses potato or cornstarch, is not all that thick. Nevertheless, it has a different texture and taste from regular drinking cocoa. Give it a try. The savory Cocoa Black Bean Soup definitely has a different flavor with the addition of the cocoa.

According to the website Gestgjafinn, Sweet Dessert Soups are common in Iceland and Northern Europe. This unusual dessert soup often surprises visitors to Iceland, who will not encounter it at restaurants but may be served it in private homes.

Icelandic Cocoa Soup

Ingredients
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups water
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon potato starch or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch of Salt

Directions:
Mix cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan.
Add water gradually and stir until smooth.
Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add milk, reheat to boiling point and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Mix potato starch or cornstarch with a little cold water, stir into soup, and remove from heat.
Salt to taste and serve.
Serve with crushed zwiebacks.

For a fancier version, use 3 ounces dark chocolate (55-75% cacao) instead of cocoa powder and serve soup with whipped cream instead of zwiebacks.

Caribbean Chocolate Soup: Sweet or Savory

The other day I mentioned that there will be a Caribbean Chocolate Soup available for tasting at the Berkeley Chocolate and Chalk Art Festival. Got me thinking of various recipes I've posted for Chocolate Soups (Cocoa Soups). I'm sure the one that's going to be available at the festival will be savory, and below I have a link to a recipe for a savory Caribbean Chocolate Soup.

But... I really like sweet soups. This recipe for Chocolate Soup With Caramelized Bananas is by chef Jacques Torres (posted on FabFood). He developed it for Le Cirque 2000. The chocolate and bananas fit the bill for Chocolate Caribbean Soup! This dessert consists of a hot chocolate soup over caramelized bananas and topped with a spectacular meringue crown. What could be better?!! It's not that difficult, looks fabulous and tastes divine. Definitely more elegant than a chocolate covered banana on a stick!

FROM JACQUES TORRES ABOUT THE RECIPE:

The clients at Le Cirque love chocolate desserts, so I am always trying to come up with new ones. One year, Kris and I went to Disney World. She insisted I try a frozen chocolate covered banana and, quite frankly, I questioned the concept. Well, I loved it! I didn't think Sirio would be too pleased if I served bananas on a stick at his restaurant, so here is the version I adapted for the dessert menu.

JACQUES TORRES' CHOCOLATE SOUP WITH CARMELIZED BANANAS

Ingredients

• For the Caramelized Bananas:
• 4 large bananas, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• For the Soup:
• 4 cups whole milk
• 10 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• To finish the Soup:
• 7 large egg whites
• 1 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

Directions

1. Prepare the caramelized bananas:
2. Heat heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. If it starts to smoke, it is too hot and you need to run it under cool water, dry it, and start again. When it is warm, sprinkle tsugar into pan. Try to keep  sugar in  even layer to allow all to caramelize at same time. As soon as sugar begins to melt, start moving pan over the burner to keep sugar from burning. Tilt pan from side to side so melted sugar runs over unmelted sugar. Cook until all of sugar is a light golden brown. Chef Torres usually adds a tablespoon of butter at this stage because it makes the caramel smoother. Add bananas and rum and spread evenly in pan. When cooking with alcohol, there is always the chance of it catching on fire, so be very careful when adding rum. Continue to cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and bananas are soft but not mushy; they should still hold their shape. Remove from theat and pour caramelized bananas onto plate. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool for about 20 minutes. Covering hot bananas with plastic wrap keeps the caramel from drying as it cools.
3. Prepare Chocolate Soup: Pour milk into 2 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add chopped chocolate and stir until well combined and Chocolate has melted. Bring mixture to boil again, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and set aside while you prepare soup bowls.
4. The bowls Chef Torres uses hold 4 1/2 ounces. Use any oven-safe bowls. Place one large spoonful of caramelized bananas in bottom of each soup bowl. Bananas will give texture to soup, so be generous. Cover bananas with hot soup, filling each bowl three-quarters full. Set soup bowls on baking sheet and place in refrigerator until chilled, about 2 hours. Soup will set and thicken, allowing it to support the meringue; chill well before topping it.
5. To Finish Soup: Place egg whites in medium-size mixing bowl and whip with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and make French meringue by adding the powered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and whipping whites to stiff but not dry peaks.
6. Place meringue in large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip. Remove soup from refrigerator and pipe tmeringue onto tops in a decorative pattern. Place soup bowls in deep roasting pan or baking dish and fill with warm water to come one third of way up side of bowls. Let stand for about 30 minutes to warm soup. If you do this before you serve dinner, the soup should be ready to be browned by the time you have finished eating.
7. Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove soup bowls from warm water bath and place them on  baking sheet. Place in oven just until meringue begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Soup should not get hot. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
8. Great Tip: When you cut Chocolate, start at one corner and always cut on an angle. Don't try to cut big pieces, because it is too difficult. If you cut on an angle, it will be easier and safer. This way, you do not have to cut so much surface at one time.
9. Place diced bananas in medium-sized mixing bowl with rum and toss to coat. Set aside to let macerate at room temperature while you prepare the caramel. Chef Torres tops the warm soup with meringue to add another layer of texture and enhance visual appeal. You can skip this step if you prefer.

I tend to think, though, that the recipe for Caribbean Chocolate Soup that will be served at next week's Chocolate and Chalk Art event in Berkeley will be more like this recipe from Maricel Presilla on Gourmet Sleuth. 

CARIBBEAN CHOCOLATE SOUP

Ingredients

1 ounce cacao nibs
1 chile guajillo
4 plum tomatoes (about 10 ounces), stemmed
1/2 white onion (about 3 1/2 ounces)
4 garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon aniseed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon brown loaf sugar (preferably Colombian panela or Mexican piloncillo), grated or demerara natural brown cane sugar
2 pounds calabaza (or Caribbean pumpkin, acorn, or hubbard squash) peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
8 cups well-flavored chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce dark chocolate (preferably 58.5 percent or 60 percent cacao content)

For Garnish:
1 cup Mexican cream or creme fraiche
1 cup cubed Manchego cheese
Kekchi Cacao-Chile Balls, recipe follows

For Directions on how to make this Caribbean Chocolate Soup, go here. 
Also directions for making Kekchi Cacao-Chile Balls!

Chocolate and Animal Crackers: National Animal Crackers Day!

Today is National Animal Crackers Day. The original animal crackers of my childhood didn't have a lot of flavor, but even now when I think of them I remember zoo and circus visits and the unique taste. These trips were always exciting, and animal crackers were an important part of the experience, as that was the only time I ate them.  I remember the red cardboard boxes with pictures of animals in cages (sad now, but I didn't think about that then) and little flat strings to carry your box.

Today there are many different brands of animal crackers--vegan, chocolate, chocolate covered, covered with icing and sprinkles and so many more. There's the original Barnum's Animal Crackers, and I really like Barbara's (all natural) Snackimals Double Chocolate and Snackimals Chocolate Chip.

Want to dress up your store bought Animal Crackers today to celebrate National Animal Cracker Day? Dip the animal crackers in Chocolate:

Chocolate Dipped Animal Crackers/Muddy Boots

Melt a good dark chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water or in the microwave.
Dip animals and let cool on waxed paper.
You can either dip most of the animal (and use forks or special dipping tools) or just dip the feet as I did with the Walker Scottie Dogs with Muddy Boots. I like Trader Joe's Animal Crackers for chocolate dipping.

Want to get fancier? Healthy Happy Life (Lunchboxbunch.com) has a Chocolate-Covered Vegan Animal Cookies post with great photos and recipes.

There's even a Website devoted to Animal Crackers: www.animalcrackers.net/  Here you'll find a variety of recipes for animal crackers  such as Homemade Animal Crackers, Oatmeal Animal Crackers, Classic Animal Crackers, Cheese Animal Crackers, Chocolate Animal Crackers, and many others. Animal Crackers have been a snack since the mid nineteenth century. Today they are made by numerous well known companies, such as Keebler, Nabisco, or the Stauffer Biscuit Company. Although store bought varieties can be great, you might want to try some homemade animal crackers.

COCOA ANIMAL CRACKERS: 
Recipe adapted from AnimalCrackers.net

Ingredients:
1/3 Cup of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Cup of Organic Toasted Rolled Quick Oats
1/2 Cup Softened Real Butter
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Baking Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Cup of Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt
3/4 Cup of Cold Whole Milk

Directions:
Preheat  oven to 350 degrees.
In Blender, mix organic toasted rolled quick oats, with flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and kosher salt.
Pulse until base mixture is completely ground up into delicate powder, and color and texture are even and consistent.
Pour this mixture into mixing bowl, and vigorously stir in cold whole milk and softened real butter. Stir until dough becomes stiff, adding any extra milk if you need to.
Roll animal cracker dough into ball on clean flat surface, then flatten it out into a quarter of an inch thickness.
Using animal cracker or cookie cutters, make as many shapes as you can with the dough.
Place your finished shapes on lightly greased baking sheet. Cook for ten to fifteen minutes, or until crackers are crisp.
Cool on wire wrack for half an hour.

Waiter, there's an Animal Cracker in my soup! Animal Crackers make a great starch for soups and stews.  Last year I posted a recipe for a great Chicken Mole Polano made with Animal Crackers.  Or try this recipe for White Chocolate Mole with Animal Crackers.

Want a sweet chocolate soup with Animal Crackers? O. K., this is more of a dessert. This recipe was originally found on the Hershey's Cocoa Box.

CHOCOLATE SOUP WITH ANIMAL CRACKERS

Ingredients
3/4 cups half-and-half
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
2 tsp cocoa
1 egg yolk

Directions:
Heat half-and-half. Pour into bowl, leaving about 1/4 cup in saucepan or cup.
Add sugar, vanilla, cocoa to pan and mix until it is a syrup. Add egg yolk and stir over low heat. Gradually stir in preheated half-and-half. Stir until blended and thick. Pour into bowl.
Top with animal crackers.

Here's a link to several other Cocoa Soup recipes. All go well with Animal Crackers!

Enjoy this video clip of Shirley Temple singing Animal Crackers in my Soup!

Cocoa Soup: National Homemade Soup Day

Today is National Homemade Soup Day.  Last year for National Soup Month (January), my friend Louise over at Months of Edible Celebrations sent me a link to Cocoa Soup. The thickening agent is what makes this a soup and not a steaming hot cup of cocoa. I was amazed to find so many cocoa soup recipes including Black Bean Cocoa Soup. So here are a few recipes to warm you up today.

Icelandic Cocoa Soup, although it uses potato or cornstarch, is not all that thick. Nevertheless, it has a different texture and taste from regular drinking cocoa. Give it a try. The savory Cocoa Black Bean Soup definitely has a different flavor with the addition of the cocoa.

According to the website Gestgjafinn, Sweet Dessert Soups are common in Iceland and Northern Europe. This unusual dessert soup often surprises visitors to Iceland, who will not encounter it at restaurants but may be served it in private homes.

Icelandic Cocoa Soup

Ingredients
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups water
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon potato starch or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch of Salt

Directions:
1 Mix the cocoa powder, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan.
2 Add the water gradually and stir until smooth.
3 Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
4 Add the milk, reheat to boiling point and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
5 Mix the potato starch or cornstarch with a little cold water, stir into soup and remove from heat.
6 Salt to taste and serve.
7. Serve with crushed zwiebacks.

For a fancier version, use 3 ounces dark chocolate (55-75% cacao) instead of cocoa powder and serve soup with whipped cream instead of zwiebacks.

Want something savory?

Black Bean Cocoa Soup with Lime Zest
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
2 tablespoons DARK cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups canned black beans
grated zest of 1 lime

Directions
1. Place olive oil in medium saucepan and add onion.
2. Saute on low heat until onions are caramelized, about 15 minutes.
3. Add garlic, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add vegetable broth, cocoa powder, and cumin. Stir well.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the black beans.
7. Add lime zest.
8. Cook for aabout 20 minutes over low heat.

Cocoa Soup: National Soup Month

January is National Soup Month, and my friend Louise over at Months of Edible Celebrations sent me a link to Cocoa Soup. The thickening agent is what makes this a soup and not a steaming hot cup of cocoa. I was amazed to find so many cocoa soup recipes including Black Bean Cocoa Soup. So here are a few recipes to warm you up during January.

Icelandic Cocoa Soup, although it uses potato or cornstarch, is not all that thick. Nevertheless, it has a different texture and taste from regular drinking cocoa. Give it a try. The savory Cocoa Black Bean Soup definitely has a different flavor with the addition of the cocoa.

According to the website Gestgjafinn, Sweet Dessert Soups are common in Iceland and Northern Europe. This unusual desssert soup often surprises visitors to Iceland, who will not encounter it at restaurants but may be served it in private homes.

Icelandic Cocoa Soup

3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups water
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon potato starch or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch of Salt

Directions:
1 Mix the cocoa powder, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan.
2 Add the water gradually and stir until smooth.
3 Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
4 Add the milk, reheat to boiling point and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
5 Mix the potato starch or cornstarch with a little cold water, stir into soup and remove from heat.
6 Salt to taste and serve.
7. Serve with crushed zwiebacks.

For a more fancy version, use 3 ounces semisweet chocolate instead of the cocoa powder and serve the soup with whipped cream instead of zwiebacks.

Want something savory?

Black Bean Cocoa Soup with Lime Zest

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
2 tablespoons DARK cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups canned black beans
grated zest of 1 lime

Directions
Place the olive oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Saute on low heat until onions are caramelized, about 15 minutes.Add the garlic, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes.Add the vegetable stock, cocoa powder, and cumin. Stir well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the black beans. Add the lime zest. Cook for approximately 20 minutes over low heat.