Mother's Day Fudgy Brownies

Who doesn't love Brownies? Mom does, for sure. Here's a great recipe from Scharffen Berger for Mother's Day Fudgy Brownies!

One hint: Stir hard until the batter is smooth and glossy and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Great advice!

Mother's Day Fudgy Brownies!

Ingredients 
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for the pan
8 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves
1/2 cup 62% Scharffen Berger Chocolate, chopped into chunks

Directions
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
Cut an 8 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper.
Lightly butter 8 by 8 by 2-inch pan and line  with the parchment, allowing to extend evenly over the opposite sides.
Butter parchment including paper on sides of pan.
Put chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over pot of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
With large rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat sugar and salt into chocolate mixture. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour and mix vigorously until batter is very glossy and pulls away from the sides of bowl.
Break nuts into large pieces over batter and fold in.
Fold in extra chocolate chunks.
Pour batter into prepared pan and tap pan bottom on countertop to level batter.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until skewer in center comes out moist but clean.
Cool in pan oncooling rack for 10 minutes.
Remove brownies from pan using parchment “handles,” and cool completely on rack before cutting into 2-inch squares.

Cacao Nib Rub for Tri Tip: National Barbecue Day!

Today is National Barbecue Day! I love cacoa nibs (or cocoa nibs) in my salads for crunch, and I throw them into cookie dough sometimes, too. Dry rubs are great for Tri Tip, and I've posted a few recipes before, usually using cocoa, but this recipe from Scharffen Berger for Cacoa Nib Rub is easy and terrific, and you have that added crunch. This Dry Rub for Tri Tip is perfect for Barbecue Day.

Cacao Nibs are roasted cocoa beans separated from their husks and broken into small bits. Nibs add crunchiness and subtle chocolate flavor to baked goods and savory dishes. They make a great substitute for roasted nuts or chocolate chips, without added sweetness.

This DRY RUB adds an unexpected, sophisticated flavor to your favorite grilled items. The nibs offer a slightly nutty, earthy flavor with slight chocolate overtones. Recipe is for a Tri-Tip, but skirt steak and flank steak work just as well. The rub can stay on the meat overnight, or can be patted on a few hours before grilling.

Scharffen Berger Cacao Nib Rub for Tri Tip

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Scharffen Berger Cacao Nibs
2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground (dry) mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 2.5 pound tri tip roast (fat cap left on)

Directions
To make the rub, combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle. Grind until the nibs break into particles about the size of coarse cornmeal. Use immediately or store in a tightly covered jar for up to one month.
Rinse and pat the roast dry with paper towels. Generously cover the meat with the rub and wrap in foil or saran wrap. The roast can marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove the roast from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. In the meantime, fire up the grill. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking, with the coals to either side. Place the meat on the grill, fat side up, not directly over the coals. The internal grill temperature should be between 275 and 300 degrees F. Grill the meat for 40 minutes. Check the temperature with an instant read thermometer. For medium rare meat, remove from grill when the thermometer reads 125 degrees F. Let the roast sit, loosely covered with foil, for several minutes before slicing.

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CHUNK COFFEE CAKE: National Coffee Cake Day!

I am a sucker when it comes to Sour Cream Coffee Cake, so I was thrilled to find this recipe for Sour Cream Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake on the Scharffen Berger website. I know I've posted other Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipes, but I love this one, especially for the Chocolate Streusel Topping! I use a Bundt Pan, so it looks great, too! You can use whatever chocolate you like, but since the recipe is from Scharffen Berger, I list it as the chocolate. And just so you know, there's no coffee in this coffee cake. LOL!

Happy National Coffee Cake Day!

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CHUNK COFFEE CAKE

Ingredients 

For Batter 
16 Tbsp unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp pure vanilla
5 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch bits, or a scant cup of SCHRAFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate Baking Chunks

For Streusel Topping 
 2 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease Bundt pan generously and dust with flour. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy in electric mixer (using paddle attachment if using electric mixer). Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla extract.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with sour cream. Fold in chocolate pieces. Set aside.

To Make Streusel 
Melt 2 ounces of chocolate in top of double boiler or in bowl placed over pan of simmering water, stirring frequently until melted. Remove bowl from heat and mix in toasted walnuts until coated. Mix in sugars and cinnamon.

Pour half batter into prepared pan. Top with half streusel mixture. Cover with remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel mixture.
Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
Cool on a cake rack.
Unmold and serve warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Seed Cocoa Nib Brittle

I love this recipe. It's so easy to make, and it's a great snack. I always say you should check different chocolate sites for recipes and news, and I'm glad I did. Iound this recipe on the Scharffen Berger site. It's from Arnon Oren, of Oren's Kitchen, Berkeley. Arnon recommends serving this crushed and sprinkled over a salad of endive, roasted beets and goat cheese. Wouldn't this make a great Thanksgiving Salad? Of course, you can always just crack it and eat it!

Pumpkin Seed Cocoa Nib Brittle

Ingredients
1/4 cup SCHARFFEN BERGER Cacao Nibs
1/4 cup hulled raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions
Coarsely chop nibs and strain through small strainer. Removing dustier pieces will make clearer brittle.
Toast pumpkin seeds in  small skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until they begin to pop, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove seeds from  skillet, and set aside.
Line baking sheet with Silpat or brush  with butter.
In medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and cream of tartar and bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Lower heat to medium low, cover, and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan lid and brush any sugar crystals from sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Continue simmering for 3 to 5 minutes, or until syrup begins to color. Watch closely, because caramel can quickly burn. Test color of caramel by drizzling a few drops on white plate. When color is medium to dark amber, remove pan from heat and stir in nibs, pumpkin seeds, and cayenne.
Working quickly, pour mixture onto prepared pan and spread as thin as possible with heatproof spatula or wooden spoon. Allow brittle to cool completely, then break into small pieces.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake

I am a sucker when it comes to Sour Cream Coffee Cake, so I was thrilled to find this recipe for Sour Cream Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake on the Scharffen Berger website. I know I've posted other Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipes, but I love this one, especially for the Chocolate Streusel Topping! I use a Bundt Pan, so it looks great, too! You can always use whatever chocolate you like, but since the recipe is from Scharffen Berger, I list it as the chocolate.

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CHUNK COFFEE CAKE

Ingredients 

For Batter 
16 Tbsp unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
5 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch bits, or a scant cup of SCHRAFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate Baking Chunks

For Streusel Topping 
 2 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease Bundt pan generously and dust with flour. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy in electric mixer (using paddle attachment if using electric mixer). Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla extract.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with sour cream. Fold in chocolate pieces. Set aside.

To Make Streusel 
Melt 2 ounces of chocolate in top of double boiler or in bowl placed over pan of simmering water, stirring frequently until melted. Remove bowl from heat and mix in toasted walnuts until coated. Mix in sugars and cinnamon.

Pour half batter into prepared pan. Top with half streusel mixture. Cover with remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel mixture.
Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
Cool on a cake rack.
Unmold and serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Savory Barbecue Sauces: Memorial Day

When I was growing up barbecues at my house were mostly on holidays: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day. My Dad would don his Westinghouse apron and hat and fire up the grill. I still have my Dad's apron, but not the chef's hat. Very nostalgic--and retro. Wish he were still with us. I miss him every day. He'd love these barbecue sauces and this list of Barbecue Crime Fiction.

If you're planning a Memorial Day barbecue today, you'll want to check your stock of dark chocolate. I've posted several chocolate barbecue sauces and chocolate rubs before, but here are two more. Both use Hershey's products-- #1 Hershey's Special Dark Syrup and #2 Scharffen Berger Dark Chocolate, but you can use what you have and enjoy best!

The first recipe is from The BBQ Report. I use a different Dark Chocolate Sauce from an artisan chocolate company, but you can always use Hershey's. The flavors will be different, but both would be good. Season your meat with some cocoa powder (unsweetened) for double chocolate goodness.

#1 CHOCOLATE BARBECUE SAUCE

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark syrup (or another)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp hot sauce

Directions
In sauce pan saute onions and garlic in olive oil, cooking until tender.
Stir in lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, and hot sauce.
Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes and reduce heat.
Stir in ketchup, vinegar, and Hershey’s Syrup.
Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

#2 CHOCOLATE BARBECUE SAUCE

From the Hershey's Website comes this amazing and much more complex Chocolate Barbecue Sauce recipe, utilizing Scharffen Berger 82% dark chocolate (Scharffen Berger is owned by Hershey's). Recipe adapted from Chef Ken Gladysz at the Hotel Hershey.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon sweet butter, soft
4 each garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Spanish onion, diced small
2 each Roma tomatoes, stem removed, diced small
1 1/2 oz. dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons ancho chili powder
4 oz. apple cider vinegar
8 oz. barbeque sauce
14 oz. vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 oz. SCHARFFEN BERGER 82% dark chocolate
2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

Directions
Melt butter in small sauce pan over medium heat.
Add garlic and onion, sauté 5 minutes until golden brown.
Add tomatoes, stir, and sauté an additional 5 minutes.
Add sugar and chili powder, mix well, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add vinegar, reduce for 5 minutes, mixture should have a paste consistency.
Add sauce, stock, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a slow simmer for 30 minutes.
Add SCHARFFEN BERGER chocolate and cilantro; allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove sauce from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
Puree sauce, transfer to a clean container and cool.
For best results, refrigerate for 12 hours before using.

Scharffen Berger Mother's Day Brownies

I did a Chocolate Tasting the other day and one of the Chocolates I used was 62% Scharffen Berger. That's not quite as dark as I like for an eating chocolate, and I had a lot left over. (I prepared for 100), but I had about 40. So what do do with the 'leftover' chocolate? Since it was Scharffen Berger Chocolate, I was thrilled to receive a Scharffen Berger Mother's Day email featuring Robert Steinberg's Fudgy Brownies recipe. How great is that for timing!

Now Robert Steinberg used a 70% Cacao Bittersweet Scharffen Berger Chocolate, and I probably would have, too, but since I had at least 8 ounces of 62% I substituted. I also added the rest of my chopped chocolate in chunks for just a bit more chocolate in the brownies. I can never have too much chocolate! One hint that Robert Steinberg gives about this recipe: Stir hard until the batter is smooth and glossy and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Great advice!

So here's the adapted recipe for:

Scharffen Berger Mother's Day Fudgy Brownies!

Ingredients 
6 Tbsp sweet butter, cut into cubes, plus more for the pan
8 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves
1/2 cup 62% Scharffen Berger Chocolate, chopped into chunks

Directions
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
Cut an 8 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper.
Lightly butter 8 by 8 by 2-inch pan and line  with the parchment, allowing to extend evenly over the opposite sides.
Butter parchment includingpaper on sides of pan.
Put chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over pot of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
With large rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat sugar and salt into chocolate mixture. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour and mix vigorously until batter is very glossy and pulls away from the sides of bowl.
Break nuts into large pieces over batter and fold in.
Fold in extra chocolate chunks.
Pour batter into prepared pan and tap pan bottom on countertop to level batter.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until skewer in center comes out moist but clean.
Cool in pan oncooling rack for 10 minutes.
Remove brownies from tpan using parchment “handles,” and cool completely on rack before cutting into 2-inch squares.

The Chocolate Adventure Contest: Scharffen Berger

Explore your adventurous side for a chance to win $25,000. Scharffen Berger® chocolate and TuttiFoodie.com invite you to enter the seventh annual Chocolate Adventure Contest.

Create an original recipe for any kind of bar—from brownies and blondies and seven layer bars to cookie-based bars, ice cream bars, chocolate bark—even handcrafted candy bars. 

The Challenge: Combine Scharffen Berger chocolate with one or more of 12 “adventure ingredients” in your recipe to Create a Bar!!! Entries accepted from October 1, 2013 through January 2, 2014.

The Adventure Ingredients:
 
Bourbon
Turbinado Sugar
Fresh Pomegranate
Hibiscus
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Peppercorns (Any Type—Black, Red, Green)
Pandan Leaf or Pandan Leaf Extract
Coconut Milk, Cream, Butter or Oil
Oat Flour
Carrot
Sesame Seeds (Black or White)
Fresh Croutons or Crostini

Entries will be judged based on creativity, taste, ease of preparation and whether the recipe reflects a spirit of adventure.

Judging panel includes some of the country’s foremost baking and chocolate experts: John Scharffenberger; Alice Medrich, award-winning cookbook author and chocolate expert; Matt Armendariz, food photographer and owner of MattBites blog; and Angie Dudley, owner of Bakerella blog and creator and author of Cake Pops.

For additional information about the The Chocolate Adventure Contest 2013 please visit www.ChocolateAdventureContest.com.

Scharffen Berger Contest

I'm an adventurous chocolate person, are you? Now's your chance to create an innovative recipe for any course or drink using Scharffen Berger Chocolate and at least one of the adventure ingredients (see below) and submit it to the Chocolate Adventure Contest. You might win $10,000... the grand prize in each category.

Last year, Frank Price, our resident chocolate teambuilder, entered a terrific recipe for African chocolate stew which he's perfected over the years. He was in Peace Corps in the Ivory Coast, so it was a natural. Alas he didn't win. I'm sure he'll try again.

Here are the basics of the Chocolate Adventure Contest:

There are two categories: Sweet and Savory. You can create recipes for one or both categories.

Each recipe must include Scharffen Berger chocolate—with anywhere from 41% to 99% cacao—and at least one of our enticing adventure ingredients (see below). This year, the adventure ingredients are from countries along the cacao-belt.

Recipes will be judged on creativity, taste, ease of preparation and whether the recipe reflects a spirit of adventure. Review the Official Contest Rules here.

PRIZES: TWO GRAND PRIZES

$10,000 for the winning recipe in both the Sweet and Savory categories as well as a delectable, custom selection of Scharffen Berger® chocolates. The recipes will be featured on chocolateadventurecontest.com, ScharffenBerger.com and TuttiFoodie.com

TWO SECOND PLACE PRIZES

Second-place prize in both the Sweet and Savory categories. Winners receive a signed copy of Demolition Desserts by Elizabeth Falkner, Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich, and The Essence of Chocolate, by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg as well as a delectable, custom selection of Scharffen Berger® chocolates. The recipes will be featured on chocolateadventurecontest.com, ScharffenBerger.com and TuttiFoodie.com.

Deadline for contest is January 3, 2010. Get cooking and mixing!

ADVENTURE INGREDIENTS

Fresh mint (any varietal)
Crystallized ginger
Pandan leaf
Banana leaf
Sumac
Raw honey
Cacao nibs
Fresh or whole dried chili pepper
Malbec
Peanut butter
Black-eyed peas
Rice flour
Papaya
Cumin
Paprika (any varietal)
Smoked sea salt

Have a look at the past winning recipes Here.

Hershey to Close local Scharffen Berger and Joseph Schmidt facilities

Even as Hershey's profits are up 51%, the chocolate giant has decided to close down two local manufacturing plants, Scharffen Berger and Joseph Schmidt, part of their Artisan Confections Co, and consolidate production at out of state facilities. This comes as quite a blow to local chocolate aficionados. Although Hershey already makes the majority of its Scharffen Berger products in its newly upgraded plant in Robinson, Ill, the plant closures will affect about 150 employees from both facilities.

A Hershey spokesman said "We will continue to source the world's best cacao to create our rich and distinct chocolate. We will maintain the highest quality standard for all our artisan productions." This did not provide me and many other fans of the high quality chocolate feel any better. Both brands have created a strong legacy and helped increased the popularity of high-end, gourmet chocolates around the country.