Homemade Dark Chocolates

VALENTINES equals CHOCOLATES !

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATES equal 

I LOVE YOU !

treat your loved ones to something HOMEMADE from the heart.

chocolate CAN be a healthy indulgence.

BUT...you absolutely must

MOVE OVER TO THE DARK SIDE ! 

i am not a nutritionist, nor do i carry any reputable knowledge in the field, but I DO LOVE CHOCOLATE !  and...of course, i'm stretching it a bit to say chocolate is healthy, but it does carry a "SUPER-FOOD" status. there really are health benefits from the cacao nibs and the bitter seeds from which chocolate is made. 

DO YOU NEED A FEW REASONS TO GIFT DARK CHOCOLATE ?!

lowers blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, lowers heart risk, helps fatigue, super high in antioxidants

blah, blah and more blah...

i find it's EASIEST TO WORK WITH, and....

CHOCOLATES MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY

MAKE YOUR OWN CHOCOLATES !

buy some molds,  use some mini cupcake papers or pour it on a sheet pan and make some "bark".

NO ONE WILL TURN DOWN HOMEMADE CHOCOLATES

(Chip N' Chipotle Bar recipe found HERE)

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE...

TEMPER YOUR CHOCOLATE!

you want your chocolates to be nice and shiny?  go buy some molds like the ones shown... do you want it to hold up and not melt in hand?...be pretty for gift giving?  TEMPERING IS A MUST.  it is NOT hard to do.  i use the microwave method explained HERE.

here are a few flavors i have made...

always starting with 1 lb. GOOD "coverture"dark chocolate

UPDATE...shhhh...i did an experiment with Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate chips in a bag.  it works and the flavor is great.  some, MOST, chips won't work because they have stabilizers for baking.

DARK CHOCOLATE with South African flavors....

1 lb dark chocolate...TEMPERED

2/3 cup roasted salted peanuts

1/3 cup crystallised ginger, diced

1/4 tsp powdered ginger, 1/4 tsp cayenne

So African pepper blend from Trader Joe's

sea salt and more fresh pepper blend to finish

CUMIN CHIPOTLE COFFEE TOFFEE DARK CHOCOLATE BARS

(i used Cacao Barry Mexique 66% for this one)

1/2 cup toffee chips

1/4 cup crushed crushed coffee beans

1/8 cup cocoa nibs

1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp chipotle powder, 1/4 tsp chili powder blend, 1/2 tsp cumin...sprinkle with black salt.

TOASTED COCONUT CURRY GINGER DARK CHOCOLATE

1/2 cup unsweetened toasted coconut

1/3 cup crystallised ginger pieces

1/2 tsp Madras curry, 1/4 tsp cayenne, lime zest, dollop of vanilla bean paste.  finish with sprinkle of sea salt and a little coconut strands.

ROSEMARY BLACK PEPPER and POTATO STICKS

(i forgot to write this recipe down...my bad)

but i always use fresh rosemary that is dried in the toaster oven.  store bought just isn't as flavorful.  i also used crushed potato sticks that come in a can from Mother's Market and fresh ground pepper with sea salt finish.

when your chocolate is tempered at 90 F degrees, add your ingredients.  i like to keep my glass bowl inside another bowl with a towel inside to cradle and keep everything warm.  have a small hairdryer handy in case you need a blast of warm air to keep your chocolate at or around 90 F degrees.  pour or spoon your chocolate into molds of choice.  try to work fairly quick or you will lose you temper...in more ways than one. 

give the molds or tray a few knocks on the counter to release any bubbles and settle the chocolate.  sprinkle with salt, pepper, your extra what-evers.  set in the fridge for about 15-30 minutes and remove from fridge.  let them come to room temp before packaging for gifts.

THIS IS A MESSY JOB for 1st timers, BUT WELL WORTH THE GRATITUDE YOU WILL RECEIVE FROM YOUR INTENDED LOVED ONE.

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Pink Peppercorn Potato Chip Bar with Sea salt and Toffee bits

SPICY PINK PEPPERCORNS...
SALTY CRISP POTATO CHIPS
and SWEET CRUNCHY TOFFEE BITS

this is one of my favorite bars and i forgot to publish the post.  i've made so many bars in the last few months i can't remember them all.  i will post about the flavors in a few days...BUT... this post explains the way i temper chocolate.  it's quite easy once you get the hang of it.  it's possible to go from "plain disc-to-flavor bar" in about an hour.
i am not a chocolate expert, i have a regular kitchen like anybody else, no fancy equipment just a few molds and i use the simple microwave method.

TEMPER YOUR CHOCOLATE !!!!

i prefer the microwave method as seen here from Alton Brown.

BUT i have an adapted method without cocoa butter as noted below...

BIG NOTE... microwaves may vary.  you do not want this to happen too quickly.  you might lower the times by 5 seconds or need to power down your microwave a bit..... the point is small intervals of heat and stirring well in between to reach 115 degrees.  this will make for a good temper.

put approx. 3/4 of chopped chocolate in a glass bowl, set the remainder aside.  NOTE...i use a little less than 1/4 of the chocolate amount i am going to temper.

heat chocolate in glass bowl for 30 seconds...stir

heat again for 30 seconds...stir

heat for 15 seconds...stir

heat again for 15 seconds...stir

do this until 100 degrees

check temperature.  if it is 100 degrees stir and heat for 8-10 second intervals until it reaches 115 degrees for dark chocolate.  i only use dark chocolate.  the temperature is different for lighter chocolates.

at 115 degrees add the remainder of the chopped chocolate that you set aside...stir well to incorporate.

let it rest for a moment and stir again.  keep "gently" stirring until it reaches 90 degrees.  use a spatula to incorporate the sides so the whole bowl will be consistent.  it might take longer than you think, but do not rush this step.

90 degrees is the perfect temp to work with.

NOTE ABOUT TEMPERED CHOCOLATE USE......

(not really for this mix and pour recipe, but might be helpful if you are dipping or need it to stay tempered.

to help keep it at 90 degrees....keep your digital thermometer handy.  place the chocolate bowl inside a larger bowl with a kitchen towel inside.  this will keep it cozy and warm.  always remember to stir and keep the whole bowl/batch consistently 90 degrees.  ALSO... have a hair dryer handy.  if it starts to cool... blow a little hot air over the surface and stir at the same time.  not too much, just enough to keep it at 90 degrees.  ONE MORE....i have seen that you can also use a heating pad under the bowl, SET ON LOW.  i tried this once and it didn't seem to work.  maybe i own the wrong heating pad.  the element was not warming the bowl.

DARK CHOCOLATE
PINK PEPPERCORN  POTATO CHIP BAR with  SEA SALT and TOFFEE BITS

2 bars, 9.8oz. each, of Valrhona dark chocolate...chopped very well
1 cup Kettle One Salt and Pepper Krinkle Potato chips, crushed
1/2 cup toffee chips
3/4 tsp fresh ground pink peppercorns
flaked sea salt and fresh pepper for finish

NOTE...before you begin, cover your work surface.  chocolate can be a messy job.

once your chocolate is tempered, add in your ingredients.  add potato chips last so the salt doesn't mix in too much.  stir to incorporate.  pour into molds of choice.  work fairly quick or your chocolate temp will lower.  keep a hair dryer handy to give it a blast of hot air if necessary.  stir while using hot air.

NOTE...if you do not have molds, make "bark" OR use mini muffin cups, set them on a small tray or cookie sheet, spoon in chocolate.

tap and jiggle molds gently on the counter to level and get any bubbles out.  sprinkle with sea salt and red pepper flakes to finish.  put in fridge until set, about 15-30 minutes.  remove from fridge and let come to room temp before packaging.

if your chocolate has been tempered correctly it should stay nice and "snappy", not melt to the touch and package well for gifts or hidden chocolate stash.

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Easiest Homemade SCOBY for Homemade Kombucha

EASIEST HOMEMADE "MOTHER" SCOBY...

go out and buy a bottle of GT's ORIGINAL RAW KOMBUCHA

pour it into a sterilized 1 quart jar

cover with cloth or double paper towel, secure with rubber band

put it in a nice warmish place.

do not disturb the jar.

WAIT at least 2-3 weeks

(mine was in the jar for 24 days.  photo below)

DONE...proceed to brewing homemade kombucha

 raw GT scoby day 24

about 1/2 of the original kombucha liquid has evaporated...or been eaten? 

there seems to be a few layers in there.

SCOBY HOTEL

surprize!...3 scobys developed after 24 days

i thought i better put them in a hotel of some sort, so i added 2 cups tea sweetened with 1/8th cup sugar and put them in a new clean jar (along with the liquid they were growing in)  until i have time for another brewing...i already have 2 separate gallon jars brewing now....YIKES !

 it seems this looks like a super "clean" scoby...like it needs to grow some "ewe factor".  i will let you know what happens after the first brew...

UPDATE... 11-5-13

as you can see from the photo, i started this experiment 8-14-13.  then i moved them to a hotel for a few weeks.  on 9-17-13 i started the batch with the new scobys.  i put all three small discs in to brew.  within a few days the new larger baby scoby started to form.

I WAITED ABOUT 16 DAYS for the brew to finish...

IT WORKS !!!

I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BREWED A BATCH OF DELICIOUS KOMBUCHA FROM THIS EASY HOMEMADE SCOBY.

UPDATE 1-31-14

i have continued to this date to make 6 more DELICIOUS batches...

AND... my scoby hotel is more like a "RESORT"

in conclusion...there is no need to hunt down a scoby or pay for a kit with shipping and handling.  all you need is a little patience and a few bucks for a bottle of GT's RAW ORIGINAL KOMBUCHA

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Duck Tongues. Two ways. Slow Simmer and Oven Braised

DUCK TONGUES !

OFFAL DELICIOUS

YES, ducks do have tongues
YES, people DO eat them and...
YES...i DID go there.

SUPER FUN STRANGE
yet quite delicious

now i see why these are considered a bar-snack or dim sum nibble in the Asian culture.  once you give in and try one you'll find yourself with a pile of 20 or so bones that you've sucked clean.  aside from the "odd-bits" factor, they are quite unique and fun to eat.  i would say it's most similar to a chicken tail or "the Pope's Nose" as my colorful 108 year old Grandmother used to call it.
SO HERE WE GO....i cooked them two ways.  1/2 pound was slowly simmered in an Asian flavored duck stock and 1/2 was marinaded in sweet, spicy soy, ginger, star anise... then braised in the oven.  i think the slow simmer worked best for cooking, but the sauce from the braise was delicious for dipping.
next time i think i will combine the two somehow or maybe i'll try Chichi' Wang's version over at "The Nasty bits"
NOTE...this is a very "Americanized" version of duck tongues.  i do not have a wok, a pantry full of fabulous Chinese ingredients or the proper skills to throw together an authentic Asian-style duck tongues recipe, so this is what i came up with...AND IT WORKED.  i will definitely be having these again SOON.

inflation has hit the duck tongues market.  i remember when i first saw these about 2-3 years ago.  i had no idea what to do with them so i never bought them...too bad.  had i known they were this much FUN i would have purchased a bundle.  i think they were about 5.00$ a pound...now they are 16.99$ a pound

1st...you must rinse

photo above is the cold water bath

2nd...you must do a short pre-boil

put about 7 thin slices of ginger in a pot of water, a good pinch of salt and enough water to totally cover the tongues.  bring the water to a boil and throw in the tongues.  let them boil for 2-3 minutes.  remove them, drain hot water and put them in a cold water bath to stop the cooking.

now you can cook them as you please.

I EXPERIMENTED 2 WAYS...

MARINADE then OVEN BRAISE

FOR THE MARINADE...

1/4 cup soy

1 large T minced ginger
2 star anise

3 T brown sugar

1/2 T sambal chili garlic sauce

splash of shauxing wine

1 small scallion sliced

put tongues in marinade for 30-40 minutes.
strain tongues from marinade and put in oven safe dish.  save the marinade, but it must be boiled if you intend to use it as a sauce.

i poured some "Soy Vay" Hoisin Garlic Sauce over the tongues with a few crushed garlic cloves, a drizzle of sesame oil and added just a bit of stock so there was enough liquid to braise, but NOT boil.
(photo above is before adding the stock)
i had this in the oven, covered,  at 320 F for about 1/2 hour.  checked it at 1/2 hour.  they were still a bit chewy so i lowered to 300 F and continued for another 1/2 hour.
the end result was delicious, but i found that these tongues shrank just a bit...they were not as plump as the slow simmer batch. (example below)

slow simmer on left...marinade/braise right

2nd cooking method...
SLOW SIMMER IN ASIAN DUCK STOCK

i was lucky enough to have some duck stock in my freezer.
find the recipe for Asian flavored duck stock HERE
i suppose you could use homemade chicken stock, but i wanted to get the full "duck" experience.
to the stock i added a couple of star anise, a few ginger pieces, a short stick of lemongrass (tied and slightly pounded), a little bit of garlic chili sauce and a chopped spring onion to the simmer.

bring to a boil and then to a very slow simmer.  check on them until they are done to your liking.  i wanted them fairly soft so they were in for about an hour.

they are delicious straight out of the pot.  serve with or without sauce, over noodles or deep fry to make them crispy good.  mine never made it to the fryer, but i will try this next time.

here's the weird part....

this is what you will find inside the duck tongue

the tip is flubbery and edible if cooked long enough, the flat part is hard cartilage and there is a pebble size bone at the very end.

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Spicy Mexican Braised Pig Snouts

NOSE to tail

i suppose you are only here if you are TRULY into nose to tail eating...OR if this purely fascinates or disgusts you.

maybe just a LOOKY-LOO ?

BUT think of it this way...

THAT WHOLE PIG GAVE UP IT'S LIFE FOR YOUR SLICE OF BACON.

we need to think out of the box...away from the "chop"

i know here in So California there isn't a lot of enthusiasm, but

i'm trying to do my part...
piece by piece

WARNING...PUT YOUR GAME FACE ON !

i'm pretty good with "odd-bits", but this was a doozy.

i hate to say it, but the pre-boil stinks.  ooo boy, it's bad.  i mean it smells like a "pig sty"

not to worry...only the pre-boil smells.  it will go away.
it's always important to do a "pre-boil".

this is a skinny-dip in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.  since these are some odd bits, maybe someone did not take care of them as they would a prized tenderloin, so you need to pre-boil to remove any impurities, contaminates and what-nots...

cover your bits with water and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes.  remove from pot and toss the water.  clean your pot and start fresh.

ALSO...if there are any hairs that might have been missed, you can shave those off with a cheap razor or singe them off, as i do, with a brulee torch.

photo before going in oven

WHAT YOU'LL NEED....
2-3 snouts
3/4-1 lb. of pork shoulder cut into large pieces
1-2 large white onion, sliced thick
8-10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 small can chipotle in adobo sauce.
approx. 2 cups of homemade stock...i used turkey/chicken
cumin, coriander, mexican oregano, chili powder, pepper corns, fresh ground pepper and salt
liberally sprinkle your seasonings all over and inside the cavity of the snout and meat....
NOTE...there are no exact measurements here, just use your judgement.
pre-boil the snouts as mentioned above.
add thick sliced onions to the bottom of dutch oven.  i always use cast iron enamel.  stuff the inside of the snout with the chunks of pork shoulder.  arrange snouts as you wish.  i did it this way so the main part of the snout would not be submerged in the stock.  stick your crushed garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and chipotle peppers and adobo sauce evenly throughout.  i used about 1/2 a can...the broth was SPICY!

put in a 320 oven for the first hour.  take it out and check it.  lower heat to 300 F for another hour.  at this point i used a baster to remove some of the stock/juices.  (save this extra broth, you might need to add some back in.)  i wanted a braise, NOT a boil.  the onions will release a lot of juice.  you want the top part of your goodies showing so they will get a nice brown, golden roasty look (as shown below).

baste a few times when you do your peeking.   ALSO, make sure there is still some liquid in the bottom.  i think for the last hour i left the lid "ajar".  put back in the oven for approximately 1 more hour, but check it again in 1/2 hour.  baste again.  they should be very fork tender, but not falling apart and disintegrating.
NOTE...if you really are interested and would like a little more info, please leave a comment with your questions.

this is what it looks like after approx.  3 hours.

straight out of the oven these are quite delicious.
IMAGINE PORK BELLY ON STEROIDS

melt in your mouth fatty gelatinous skin with a fine layer of meat  and chunks of "confit-style" pork shoulder cooked inside the fatty nose.  it's very hard to describe, but definitely a nose-to-tailers delight.

PERFECT FOR STREET TACOS...

cut into bite size pieces and sear in a hot skillet

a little chopped white onion and cilantro

a squeeze of fresh lime with some pickled jalapeno.

wrap in a fresh corn tortilla

when in DOUBT...

make a TERRINE de SNOUT

i had no idea what on earth i was gonna do with 3 huge pig snouts.  there's no way anyone in this house would join me and as you can see they do not shrink much in the cooking.  i ended up making 2 small "Terrine de Snout" (gave one away) and froze a whole snout in the spicy viscous broth for future use.  if serving cold, your terrine might need more salt.  cold terrines usually need extra flavor.  do a taste test.  remember to put the tip of the snout down first if you want the shock value presentation shown in photos.
IF YOUR GOING TO MAKE A "SNOUT TERRINE" YOU BETTER MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A SNOUT TERRINE!
keep the shoulder meat tucked into the snout cavity and press the larger pieces of extra snout in and around the main piece.  pour a little broth into the terrine and press down to eliminate overflow.  put something flat over the top and weight it down.  i use a brick covered in tinfoil and a baggie.  put this in the fridge until it is set.  serve cold in thin slices with charcuterie OR cut off what you want and sear in a pan (it will break apart, but who cares?).  add to noodles, make tacos,  add to soup, fry it up and make snout chicharones?

ANYWAY YOU TRY IT WILL DEFINITELY BE EXPERIENCE...
GO AHEAD...I DARE YA
CROSS THIS ONE OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST!

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The "Billionaire Burger", Foie Gras, Francois Payard and The Cosmopolitan

THE BILLIONAIRE BURGER

from Holstein's at THE COSMOPOLITAN

Kobe beef, a healthy slab O' FOIS GRAS sliding off gruyere cheese and onion marmalade.

oh...did i mention the TRUFFLE mayonnaise ?...

NEED I SAY MORE ?

a side of FOIE GRAS

from  STK, at the Cosmopolitan

i suggest you get a side of FOIE GRAS on anything you order...
and get one TO-GO ! i did

it's illegal in California so i had it EVERY DAY...

i ordered the 7oz filet medallion...beautiful, like "butta"
with a side of foie gras, of course, and asparagus with orange-jalapeno sauce.
too bad i didn't have room for the soy glazed pork belly, the apple glazed kurobuta double pork chop or the foie & waffles.
next time...

absolute chocolate heaven

Francois Payard's Patisserie 

definitely worth a trip over to Caesar's Palace

YES, it was as good as it looks

Payard's Flourless Chocolate Cookie

 crunchy meringue on the outside with chewy dark chocolate walnut brownie inside.

i have made these many times (recipe HERE with a 2nd version HERE), but nothing was like having the real thing.  i must admit...mine are not  THIS good.

PARIS !... ROME ! ... FLORENCE ?

no...just another adventurous day in Vegas

HOLSTEIN'S...party of ONE please...

my "solo" GET-AWAY

at THE COSMOPOLITAN...

clean, crisp, modern chic, comfortable, surprisingly quiet, spectacular AND DELICIOUS !

"A ROOM WITH A VIEW"

i lucked out with some help from fabulous people and got a huge room with 2 plasmas, a kitchenette, Asian style bath and private balcony...

the Asian style bath was an absolute treat after a long day of walking and shopping

the Bellagio fountain show right outside my balcony

beautiful spa and fitness rooms...
a must after all the indulgent food adventures.

and finally, remember that "To-Go" side O' FOIE GRAS ?...

my farewell Sunday brunch...1/2 kobe burger (i couldn't possibly eat the whole thing), butter lettuce and popcorn.  i'll take these "left-overs" any day.
popcorn on a burger, yum...who knew?

AND the other 1/2 of that chocolate treat.
not a great photo, but you can see the oozing deliciousness on the inside.  YUM!

just ONE more day, just one more burger, one more trip to Payard's
AND... another side of foie.  please

okay...here's another shot of that burger and perfectly seared plump foie gras !

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