Food and Things » chocolate

Recipe: White Chocolate Truffles with Cashews, Coconut and Drunk Raisins

Laura Weiss — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:00:24 +0000

Chocolate truffles. Photo: Ayala Moriel via flickr.

With Christmas and New Year’s coming up, you’re going to want to have a recipe for making a sweet treat—my vote is always for chocolate truffles—that’s rich and decadent. This one, White Chocolate Truffles with Cashews, Coconut and Drunk Raisins, from Chef Renee Marton, fits the bill:

WHITE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES WITH CASHEWS, COCONUT AND DRUNK RAISINS
© Renee Marton

INGREDIENTS
1 pound white chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz butter, cut in 8 pieces, and kept cool
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup single malt Scotch
½ cup cashews
½ shredded unsweetened coconut
Pinch salt
2 large egg yolks
Whole nutmeg, for grating

METHOD
1. Soak raisins in Scotch at least 2 hours before using. Strain raisins; chop coarsely and save the liquid.
2. Toast the coconut and cashews lightly in a pre-heated (350 ° F.) oven for about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the cashews, after they have cooled.
3. Heat the cream until very warm.
4. Chop the chocolate coarsely and put in food processor. While the food processor is running, add the cream and the butter. Process until you almost have a smooth paste – there will be little “dots” of white chocolate – that is what you want.
5. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl. Mix yolks with 7 TB of Scotch, and strain into the white chocolate ganache. Stir until well blended.
6. Add raisins, cashews and ½ of coconut, pinch of salt and pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
7. When well combined, place mixture in a plastic bag. Cut off one corner—one inch from tip. Squeeze dollops of truffle mixture onto parchment lined cookie sheets, and refrigerate until firm. (You can also drop by spoonfuls.) The truffles should be the size of very large marbles.
8. When the balls are firm, roll them quickly between your chilled palms to shape them into balls, then roll them in the leftover coconut. powdered sugar, etc.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Letting them come to room temperature for will bring out the flavor.
Yield: 30 to 35 truffles

Upper West Side: Jacques Torres Unveils Thanksgiving Chocolates

Laura Weiss — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:55:10 +0000

Want a change from those those holiday dessert staples, apple pie and its Thanksgiving twin, pumpkin? Jacques Torres, with a shop on Amsterdam Avenue, can supply you with chocolate bars packed with seasonal flavors. There’s a white chocolate one laced with apple pie filling and a dark chocolate morsel that’s enriched with a layer of pumpkin puree.

Photo: Chocolate Springs.

These somewhat odd confections showed up at last week’s Chocolate Show, the annual display of the chocolatiers’ art that takes place at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea.

Chocolate makers collected in the spacious hall from all over the world. There were the large commercial operations like Godiva, which was showing off its new line of cupcakes. And there were small artisanal outfits, such as 2 Chicks with Chocolate and Roni-Sue’s Chocolates, which boasts a location in the Essex Street Market.

Among the best chocolates I sampled at the show were the exquisite bars from Chocolate Springs, a Lenox, MA confectioner. Salty caramel chocolates are everywhere these days. But the ones from this Berkshire chocolate maker exploded with flavor. In fact, the distinctive taste of each ingredient shone through enhancing, rather than masking, the chocolate. Also sensational were Chocolate Spring’s passion fruit white chocolate ganache bars. Click here to order online.

The Best Coffee and Pastries? Try NY’s Macchiato Espresso Bar

Laura Weiss — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:03:38 +0000

Last Friday, I was lugging my computer down 44th Street just east of Grand Central on my way to catch the Hampton Jitney. I felt an urge for caffeine that could not be denied. You know the feeling. If you’re not inhaling coffee immediately–as in the next three minutes–you’re going to have yourself a good cry.

What’s your favorite coffee spot in NY?

Then I spotted Machiatto Espresso Bar, a coffee place that also serves up pastries and sandwiches. I’ve walked by it before, mostly on my way to catch the Jitney, which makes a stop at the corner of 44th and Third. But the scrum of coffee-craving suits crowding the place always kept me walking on by.

Last Friday morning around 9:30, I stopped in. Miraculously, Machiatto was relatively empty, so I ambled inside and ordered an iced coffee ($2.00/small, $2.75/medium, $3.75/large). Naturally, I needed something sweet to go along with my caffeine fix. So I had the pixieish barista snag a chocolate and hazelnut Danish for me ($2.75).

One bite and I was totally entranced by this buttery, flaky confection. Notably, it delivered an intense chocolate hit without being cloyingly sweet. “They’re homemade,” chirped the barista when I inquired after the provenance of these goodies that, truth be told, are more puff pastry than classic Danish.

Go for the coffee at Machiatto. It’s really good. Then throw calorie caution to the wind and throw yourself an impromptu party with their pastries. I haven’t tasted the other items on the menu–which include a yummy looking chocolate cigar–but I bet they’re mouthwatering as well. There are also sandwiches, including a tuna, turkey and egg salad, all priced between $7.50 and $8.95.

Macchiato

141 East 44th Street

New York, NY

212 867 6772

M-F 7 a.m. 6 pm , SAT 10a.m. – 2 p.m.

Upper West Side: Dog Days at Your Espresso Bar

West Village: Think Coffee Serves Up Great Java

Food Product Trends: Best Specialty Foods for 2009

Laura Weiss — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:08:39 +0000

Theo Chocolate is outstanding new food product nominee

Want to know what foods are considered trendy and innovative? Take a look at the list of finalists for the sofi™ Award for Outstanding New Product of 2009 given out by the the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade. They’re the folks who run the twice-yearly Fancy Food Show.

The winners will be announced at the the upcoming Summer Fancy Food Show in New York on Monday, June 29.

Among the 11 finalists are some items that tip the weirdness scale like tortilla chips with olives and capers. Then there are others that sound like they have possibilities, like organic blood orange soda–though I’d much rather dump the extra sugar and just eat a blood orange.

Here’s the list of finalists:

* Belle Chevre - Belle & The Bees Breakfast Cheese
* Chex Finer Foods – Laurel Hill Tortilla Chips – Olive and Caper
* Clotho Corp. - Haddrell’s of Cambridge Rewarewa Honey
* European Imports Ltd.- Cucina Viva Roasted Red Tomatoes
* Grafton Village Cheese Co. – Grafton Duet
* Koppert Cress USA – Mustard Cress Single Retail Unit
* New England Herbal Foods - Danielle Fruit Chips – Roasted Coconut
* Sonoma Syrup Co.™ – Acai Black Currant Superfruit Syrup™
* The Gracious Gourmet – Dilled Carrot Tomato Tapenade
* Theo Chocolate – Theo Limited Edition Collection
* Vinnedge Distributing Inc.- Vergnano Italian Organic Blood Orange Soda

For more information, click here.

Father’s Day: NY Beer and Chocolate Class

Laura Weiss — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:40:12 +0000

Father’s Day chocolate cupcakes. Photo by Sugar Daze (f/k/a LittleMissCupcakeParis) via Flickr.

What Dad doesn’t love beer and chocolate? You can pair the two in a special Father’s Day class. Or if your Dad is a cocktail maven, sign him up for a class on how to mix classics like the Grasshopper and the Pink Lady.

Take a look at these Father’s Day ideas:

Is that Chocolate in My Beer?

What: An afternoon of chocolate and beer. You’ll learn about the many varieties of cocoa beans and chocolate, how the Aztec and Maya discovered chocolate, and how to make your own chocolate bars from the bean. Learn all of this with Nat Bletter, who has studied and made chocolate for over 5 years.

In the class everyone will participate in making chocolate bars from scratch after a short talk on the history of chocolate with some tastings, and you’ll go home with recipes and a bar of chocolate.

Where: Jimmy’s No. 43 – 43 East 7th street (downstairs), Manhattan

When: Sunday, June 21, 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Who: Jimmy Carbone, owner of Jimmy’s 43, fine beer aficionado and originator of the Good Beer Seal of Approval will pair Nat’s homemade chocolate with a selection of artisanal beers.

How Much: Admission: Slow Food Members – $30
Non members – $35
Tickets: Available on-line only at BrownPaperTickets.com
Proceeds will go towards Slow Food NYC’s Harvest Time in Schools Program.

The Evolution of Cocktails Post Prohibition through Today

What: Prohibition was a boon to cocktail culture as we know it. But many of the era’s delicious concoctions have since fallen out of fashion. Rediscover iconic cocktails such as The Grasshopper, The Pink Lady, and others. In this hands-on workshop you’ll find out how to craft these historic libations while learning the fun, factual and mythical back-stories on the ghosts of cocktails past, and how their recipes have evolved over time.

Who: Mixologist Charles Hardwick of Blue Owl Cocktail Room

Where: Location: The Study, The Astor Center, 399 Lafayette St. at East 4th St. 212 674 7501

When: Sat, Jun 27th, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

How Much: $65.00. Click here for tickets.