Recipe> Chocolate Fudge

Image: Chocolate Fudge

This has got to be one of the easiest desserts to make. It does not require any baking and gets done very quickly. It became an instant hit with my 9-year-old nephew Arnav who couldn't resist asking for more helpings. If a kid wants to have more of a dish you prepared, then you've passed the test. :)

Ingredients

• 350 gms - dark chocolate
• 400gms - condensed milk
• 2tbsp - butter
• 150gm - dry fruits (raisins, walnuts, almonds and pistachios)

Method

1. Place a pan on gas and mix all the ingredients except for the dry fruits.
2. Crush all the dry fruits (you can give it one small churn in the mixer grinder) and add it into the hot chocolate mixture.
3. Pour the entire mixture in an aluminium dish or in a rectangular glass bowl.
4. Allow it to cool before placing it in the refrigerator. Give it at least 2-3 hours to set.
5. Cut out cubes and serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or hot chocolate sauce, if you like.

Recipes> Homemade Chocolates

Image: Homemade chocolates

Image by: Darwin Bel

Text by: Tanya Munshi

If someone offers you gourmet chocolates, relish the chocolates but don’t throw away the plastic moulds. You can use them again to make your own chocolates. Here’s how –

Ingredients:

• 300 gms/ 1 bowl of cooking chocolate chunks 
  
• 100 gms/ 1/3rd bowl of coco butter
  
• 4 tsp – powdered sugar
  
• 1 small bowl – almonds, raisins, cashew all finely chopped
  
• Liqueur of your choice
  
• Mint oil
  
• Moulds 
  
• Colorful foil paper

Method:

1. In a microwave safe bowl add the coco butter and the chocolate chunks and heat them on low medium power for three to four minutes.
   
2. You can stop the heating process in between to check whether the chocolate and coco butter are melting and give a stir.
   
3. After completing the heating process, take it out from the microwave.
   
4. Now mix the melted chocolate and coco butter well and add powdered sugar.
   
5. Sift the sugar first, to prevent any lumps forming in the chocolate mixture.
   
6. Since we add coco butter, there is no need to grease the moulds.
   
7. Fill the moulds half with the liquid chocolate mix.
   
8. You can now add 1 drop of mint oil or a liqueur of your choice.
   
9. Now add some more melted chocolate on top.
   
10. For other flavors, you can simply fill the chocolate completely in the mould and add a cashew for one, a raisin for another and an almond for another. It is entirely up to you what kind of flavors and fillings that you desire.
    
11. Now place the chocolate filled mould in the deep freezer for 15 to 30 minutes.
    
12. Tap the moulds from the bottom and the chocolates will come out with ease.
    
13. You can wrap each chocolate with a different color foil paper, or simply serve it as an accompaniment with deserts. Better still, gift this to someone special.
    

Note – Never overheat the chocolate, else it becomes hard.

Published in CookingGoddess.com, on July 6, 2007
Link: http://www.cookinggoddess.com/category/Recipes/Homemade-Chocolates/