Le Chocolat Chaud—Blissful Chocolate Therapy for the Masses

Growing up, hot chocolate was a sweet treat that was whipped together from a powdery mix and sipped too quickly after sledding. I never minded the burned mouth or the sticky mittens afterwards because hot chocolate was a superb treat, and it still is. These days, we’ve elevated our hot chocolate recipe. That’s not to say that we don’t have a jar of powdery mix stashed in the pantry for hot chocolate emergencies, but when time and ingredients permit, we indulge in Parisian-style hot chocolate. And it’s always worth the effort.

The first time I heard about le chocolat chaud, or Parisian hot chocolate, was while I was reading David Lebovitz’s book The Sweet Life in Paris for book club. After we finished the book, I wasn’t craving croissants or boeuf bourguignon—I wanted that darn chocolat chaud that he raved about. I decided to consult an expert, Carrie Vono—she’s the pastry chef at Alma and a beloved friend. Carrie offered to mix some up for my husband and me. As we sat at the bar, sipping the rich, bittersweet concoction, I gazed at Carrie and my husband’s smiling faces, and all was right with the world. I thought, for a minute, that chocolat chaud should be patented as some kind of therapy.

I finally asked Carrie for a chocolat chaud lesson, and she, being truly amazing, obliged happily. She said, “Do you have milk and sugar?” I said, “You betcha!” She said, “Perfect. I’ll bring the chocolate.” The secret to Carrie’s method is using high quality, bittersweet chocolate, and allowing additional cooking time after the chocolate has melted into the milk. The additional cooking time allows the mixture to thicken, creating that rich, smooth texture that sets chocolat chaud apart from its powdery counterparts.

Le Chocolat Chaud a la Carrie Vono of Alma

• 2 cups milk (whole milk is better)
• 5 ounces of high quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• Marshmallows (if desired)

1. Slowly heat the milk in a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Once the milk becomes warm, stir in the chocolate until it is melted and the mixture is steaming hot.
3. After the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the sugar.
4. Let the mixture simmer for about 3 minutes, while you stir constantly. Don’t let it come to a hard boil.
5. Pour into cups, garnish, and serve immediately.

Cross posted from: Le Chocolat Chaud—Blissful Chocolate Therapy for the Masses - Twin Cities Taste - January 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

MacGyvered Granola Recipe

In winter, I tend to stock up on oatmeal. When I’m at the store, I daydream about curling up with a warm bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and hickory nuts, and watching reruns of hometown hero, MacGyver (he’s from Roseville). These daydreams often come true.

But sometimes, even though I’m scowling at the frost on the window, I still want cold cereal. With that in mind, I decided to call on the spirit of MacGyver this week to make some granola—using only pantry supplies, no trips to the store for anything.

As I said, I always have a supply of oatmeal in the winter. This is the only ingredient that I deem necessary for this recipe. Everything else can be MacGyvered, depending on what’s in your larder. No maple syrup? No problem. Use warm honey or rice syrup instead. No canola oil? Use olive oil or melted butter instead. No brown sugar? You can MacGyver your own with white sugar and molasses.

This recipe is loosely based on Alton Brown’s granola recipe, but in the spirit of Mac, refuses to conform to it.

MacGyvered Granola

General Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats (or quick oats, or instant oats)
1 cup pecans (or slivered almonds, or walnuts, or NO nuts)
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut (or no coconut)
Heaping 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar (or white sugar and molasses)
1/4 cup maple syrup (or warm honey, or rice syrup, or agave syrup)
1/4 cup canola oil (or olive oil, or coconut oil, or melted butter)
3/4 teaspoon salt (don’t have any? leave it out)
1 cup raisins (or dates, or Craisins, or dried cherries, or chopped up dried mango)
1 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and powdered ginger (or allspice, or pumpkin pie spice, or cardamom, or mace)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

2. In a bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, spices, and brown sugar.

3. In a separate bowl, combine syrup, oil, and salt.

4. Mix wet and dry mixtures together, and pour out onto 2 baking pans. Spread evenly and cook for about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. When it’s golden brown and crunchy, it’s done.

5. Remove from oven let it cool. Mix in raisins (or other dried fruit). Package it up.

Need some inspiration? Say no more.

Cross posted from: MacGyvered Granola Recipe - Twin Cities Taste - January 2014 - Minnesota





[where: Minnesota, Food, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, 55418]