Chocolate is like a food group unto itself — at least at our house!
Get yourself some high cocoa-concentration dark chocolate and you’re totally justified in calling it health food! Of course, my kids like milk chocolate, which isn’t quite as healthful, but hey… everyone needs some endorphins and chocolate is a great way to get them.
The other week, I mentioned that I was trying out Jamie Geller’s chocolate pretzel tart recipe from her new cookbook, Quick & Kosher
Here’s her recipe, with a few small tweaks to make it my own.
Quick & Kosher Chocolate Pretzel Crust Tart
For crust:
- 4 cups whole pretzels (I used the thin sticks)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup melted pareve margarine
For filling:
- 2 cups pareve chocolate chips (
my favorites are the ones from Trade Joe’sso sad they aren’t dairy-free anymore)- 2 T sugar
- 1 1/2 c rice milk
- 2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350°F (180° C).
Crush pretzels into fine pieces in food processor.
Mix pretzel crumbs, sugar and margarine in a medium bowl. Press mixture into a 9-inch nonstick tart pan with a removable bottom. Use the bottom of a small juice glass to press the crust into the pan and make it even. Be sure to go up the sides of the pan, too.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Meanwhile, combine chocolate chips and sugar in a medium glass bowl. In a small saucepan, bring rice milk to a simmer (don’t let it boil). Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips, whisking constantly until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes.
Gently whisk eggs, one at a time, into the chocolate mixture. It should look glossy and shiny.
Pour into tart shell and bake for 15-20 minutes. (Mine took 50 minutes, so I’d say don’t be surprised if it’s not done after 20 minutes!) When done, the filling should be firm yet springy to the touch. If it starts to crack while cooking, remove it immediately from the oven.
Cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to eat. Serve with Rich’s whip topping – it helps cut the richness of the tart.
I’d love to hear about your favorite recipes with chocolate. If you have a blog, please feel free to use the Mr. Linky below to share a post. Alternatively, I hope everyone shares in the comments section. I’m excited for some chocolately inspiration.
This is very rich and very good!!! Rich chocolate truffle pie ( from http://www.facebook.com/l/6b55c;allrecipes.com)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1.5 cups heavy whipping cream ( I use rich’s whip)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 prepared chocolate cookie crmb crust ( I use the pareve crust from hen house)
1. Melt chocolate and 1/2 of the cream. Cool to room temperature stir in vanilla abs sugar. Set aside
2.in a sml bowl beat the rest of the cream until soft peaks form. Beat in chocolate mixture 1/3 at a time on high speed . Mix very well. Pour into crust.
3. RefrigerAte at least 8 hours e serving. ( it’s also good out of the freezer)
Parve Chcocolate Mousse (really good, but contains raw eggs)
4 ozs Unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
3/4 cup margarine (room temp)
1 cup sugar (superfine works best, if you don’t have superfine, take regular and put it through the food processor for a few minutes)
2 tsp Vanilla
4 Eggs
1: In a large mixing bowl cream the margarine
2: add the sugar, vanilla and melted chocolate. Beat until fluffy
3: Add eggs and beat for 3-5 minutes until smooth and thick
4: Refrigerate until serving
Oh, Mara, you’ve no idea how hard it is for me to limit myself to just two recipes…but I don’t want to take over your comment section!
This is what I’ve been making for dessert for Rosh HaShanah for the last few years, because of the honey:
Chocolate-Honey Tart
(adapted from Bon Appetit)
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
9 whole chocolate graham crackers (reduced-fat is fine)
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) margarine, room temperature, divided
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup whipping cream (pareve is fine; I’ve used soy milk, rice milk, even skim milk + 1 tbsp skim milk powder)
contents of 1 rosehip and hibiscus teabag
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 350°F.
1. Spray 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray.
2. Grind graham crackers with 3 tablespoons butter and honey in processor until fine crumbs form. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not up sides) of prepared pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Cool.
3. Bring cream and contents of teabag just to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Place chocolate in mixing bowl. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate. Whisk just until melted and smooth. Add cocoa powder and remaining 1 tablespoon margarine; stir until melted and smooth.
5. Pour chocolate mixture over crust in tart pan. Chill several hours.
6. Cut into wedges and serve.
*
And this is what my friends lovingly call “tequila cake.”
1 c margarine (I used nearly 1 small tub; I don’t ever use stick margarine)
10 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2/3 c sugar or Splenda
5 eggs or 1 1/4 c eggbeaters
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
dash cayenne pepper (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Grease the sides and bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Cut a circle out of wax or parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan; grease the paper. Wrap the pan in heavy-duty foil so none of the batter leaks out, unless your springform is awesome like mine and doesn’t leak.
2. Microwave margarine and chocolate together for 60 seconds, stir with a wooden spoon, microwave for 30 seconds, stir again until smooth.
3. Add sugar, stir with wooden spoon, and cool for a few minutes.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well with wooden spoon after each addition.
5. Add flour, chili powder, cinnamon, and cayenne if using. Stir well with wooden spoon.
6. Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cake should be mostly set, though the center may be a little bit jiggly.
7. Cool in pan 15-30 minutes; invert cake onto a plate and cool completely.
Make tequila glaze: whisk together 1.5 c powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp tequila, 2 Tbsp melted margarine. Pour glaze over cake either before cooling, or just before serving, as you wish.
This looks wonderful, and pretty easy! I have so many favorite chocolate recipes, I had a hard time picking just one. But I linked up to a banana bread that’s pretty healthy, and absolutely delicious. http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/2011/02/easiest-healthiest-yummiest-banana.html
Mmmmm…. Chocolate! Can’t wait to try these (I’m completely fascinated by the tequila cake).
Marnie & Rivki – feel more than free to link up / share as many chocolate recipes as you want. There’s no such thing as too much chocolate, IMHO!
I linked to Sourdough Brownie Bites with Rosewater http://nonrecipe.blogspot.com/2011/01/sourdough-brownie-bites-with-rosewater.html
I actually made this tart as well, but switched to a Susie Fishbein crust.
It also took longer to bake for me, though not 50 minutes.
I found that it does set up a bit more after removal from the oven.
Pics recipe and commentary here:
http://guesswhoscoming2dinner.blogspot.com/2011/02/food-photo-friday-susie-vs-jamie.html
Mara, Making your recipe tonight for this week’s Shabbat. It is looking yummy!