Hear Ye! Hear Ye!  This is the sixth post in the second annual Love Rules! All Chocolate! All Month! celebration at LunaCafe OtherWorldly Kitchen. To check out the wonderful chocolate creations we debuted last February, as well as this year’s creations, be sure to visit the All Chocolate! recipe archive. Just click on any picture to go to the post. And do come back soon, as we are saving our pièce de résistance, LunaCafe Truly Chewy Bittersweet Brownies, for the last post of the celebration. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming:

Is there anything better in the world than a scoop of the richest vanilla bean ice cream  you can get your hands on and a generous topping of an equally rich dark chocolate sauce? Okay, maybe add a couple of perfect strawberries to that picture. And then, since we’re talking perfection here, how about a small handful of toasted almonds as well?

Well, that’s how this post started, innocently enough. I simply wanted a small amount of silky, lush, bittersweet chocolate sauce to go over a pint of Haagen Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream that was hanging out in the freezer, begging to be eaten.

The image of that uneaten ice cream came to me at the exact moment I saw a teeny-weeny jar of Fran’s Dark Chocolate Sauce at Zupan’s Market. And then in the very next moment, with the precious jar in my hand, almost on its way out of the store with me, I balked at the price. I must have stood there in the aisle looking at that jar in my hand for a full minute before finally putting it back on the shelf. I mean, seriously, it was almost $10. Probably worth every dime too, but in a rare fit of frugality, I just couldn’t fork over the cash.

Needless to say, by the time I got back to the OtherWorldly Kitchen, I was raring to chop me some chocolate. And chop I did. I chopped three pounds of chocolate in fact, and then started developing a sure fire formula for the best bittersweet chocolate sauce on this or any other planet. I was determined never again to be taunted and teased by a tiny jar of extravagantly priced chocolate sauce.

I felt heroic surrounded by all those saucepans of newly minted hot chocolate sauce, like Scarlet in Gone With the Wind: “As God is my witness, those beautifully packaged dark chocolate sauces are not going to entice me into spending the kid’s college fund. I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over I’ll never be without bittersweet chocolate sauce again nor any of my folk. If I have to chop chocolate for hours and hours as God is my witness I’ll never be without bittersweet chocolate sauce again.”

She said that, right?

P.S. Those three pounds of premium quality, bittersweet bar chocolate did not cost what you might expect. See bullet 2 below.

Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce Tips & Tricks

• A bittersweet chocolate sauce relies almost entirely on the quality of the bar chocolate used. Use the best you can afford, but there’s really no need to break the bank, especially of you are preparing one of the variations with auxiliary strong flavor notes.
• I have been very pleased with the quality of the 72% bar chocolate that Trader Joe’s carries. It is about half the cost of other premium bittersweet bar chocolate. A clerk at the downtown Portland, Oregon store recently told me that several noted, local pastry chefs come in weekly to buy large amounts of this chocolate.
• If bar chocolate is overheated as it is being melted, it may “seize,” meaning that it may begin to look grainy or curdled and lose its smooth, glossy finish. In a chocolate sauce, this issue can usually be reversed by adding additional liquid to the sauce and whisking rapidly. I have noticed that when I try to keep a chocolate sauce warm over barely simmering water for any length of time, it often becomes too thick and then begins to seize. A tablespoon or two of liquid (water is fine) always rescues the sauce.
• Many recipes call for melting chocolate in a bowl set over barely simmering water. I see no reason to go to this added effort if you have a microwave oven. Chop the chocolate and add it to a Pyrex bowl or large measuring cup. Microwave for 30 seconds and check to see if the chocolate is beginning to melt. If not, microwave for another 20-30 seconds. Stir with a dry spatula or chopstick. If needed, microwave further in 10-second increments, checking after each to see if the chocolate is melting. Remove the chocolate from the microwave before it is completely melted, and stir to melt the remainder.
• When making a chocolate sauce, rearrange the recipe if necessary so that the liquid ingredients are heated first. Then remove from the heat and simply stir chopped chocolate into the hot liquid until it melts and is incorporated.
• Adding butter to chocolate sauce is not absolutely necessary, but a little does lend a luxurious texture and mouth feel. The same can be said for cream and even milk to some degree.
• Most classic bittersweet chocolate sauces are simply heated, thinned (perhaps) chocolate ganache. Any chocolate ganache recipe can be turned into a chocolate sauce.
• During the ganache emulsification step, it is important to slowly combine the hot (but not too hot) liquid and chopped chocolate. Use a flexible spatula and stir slowly until the chopped chocolate is melted and emulsified. If you see tiny undissolved particles of chocolate even after most of the chocolate has melted, use whisk briefly to help the emulsion along. But don’t overdo it.
• If you want the nuances of your bar chocolate to come through most vividly, use water instead of cream or butter in the emulsion. The difference is striking.
• Likewise, if you want to emphasize the flavor of a particular fruit with the chocolate, use a fruit juice or puree, chocolate, and little, if any, cream or butter.
• Cream and butter soften the flavor of chocolate, which can be very nice if that is what you are after.

The Perfect Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce

This is a basic formula recipe with ten luscious variations. It gives you the ingredient parameters and process, from which you can explore a range of variations.

1½ cups liquid (water, coffee, fruit juice or puree, coconut milk, caramel sauce, or cream; or combination of two or more)
¼-¾ cup sugar (white, brown, or combination of both)
1-2 teaspoons herbs, spices, or flavored tea
¼-½ teaspoon fine sea salt

8 ounces premium quality bittersweet bar chocolate (70%-72% cacao), pistoles or finely chopped

Optional Ingredients
1 teaspoon vanilla or other extract (flavor note)
1-4 tablespoons corn syrup (body and silky mouth feel)
1-8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (richness and silky mouth feel)
1-2 tablespoons liqueur or liquor of choice (flavor note and kick)

1. In a 2-quart saucepan, bring the liquid ingredients, sugar, corn syrup if using, herbs or spices if using, and salt to a simmer. Remove from the heat. (If you are steeping fresh or dried herbs or flavored tea with the liquid with the intention to remove them after the flavor has been imparted, let the flavors meld for 30-60 minutes, strain, and then reheat the cream in a clean saucepan.)
2. Add the chopped chocolate to the hot (but not too hot) liquid, and stir slowly with a flexible spatula to melt and emulsify the chocolate and cream. If the chocolate does not want to combine thoroughly with the liquid, use a whisk to help it along.
3. If butter is being used, stir it until melted into the emulsion.
4. Stir in the vanilla or other extract and liqueur or liquor, if using.
5. Cool to room temperature and adjust the thickness by adding additional liquid if needed. Stir to combine.
6. Pour into a plastic container, seal tightly, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
7. Chilled ganache (which is the foundation for the sauce) is too thick to pour. To serve, bring to room temperature and thin with liquid to the desired consistency, or microwave until warm to the touch (30-60 seconds typically), as desired.

Makes about 3 cups sauce.

Variations

Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry, Strawberry or Blackberry Sauce

• At Step 2, add 2 tablespoons strained raspberry, strawberry, or blackberry puree with the chocolate, and stir to melt.
• At step 4, add 2 tablespoons corresponding liqueur, if desired.

Bittersweet Chocolate Rosemary Sauce

• At Step 1, steep ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves with the hot cream for 30-60 minutes. Strain and continue with the recipe.

Bittersweet Chocolate Jasmine Sauce

• At Step 1, steep ¼ cup jasmine tea leaves with the hot cream for 30-60 minutes. Strain and continue with the recipe.

Bittersweet Chocolate Espresso Sauce

• Use 1½ cups strong coffee or ½ cup espresso and 1 cup water for the liquid and increase sugar to 1 cup.

Bittersweet Chocolate Orange Sauce

• Use 1 cup orange juice and ½ cup water for the liquid.
• At Step 4, add finely grated zest of 1 large orange and 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, if desired.

Bittersweet Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce

• Use 2 cups of liquid.
• At Step 3, stir in 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, spoonful by spoonful. Do not add butter.

Bittersweet Chocolate Mint Sauce

• At Step 4, add 1 teaspoon peppermint oil and 2 tablespoons crème de menthe liqueur, if desired.

Bittersweet Chocolate Crème Fraîche Sauce

• Use 1 cup crème fraîche and ½ cup water for the liquid.

Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Sauce

• At Step 1, caramelize 2 cups sugar, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, and 3/4 cup water. Add 1½ cups water and whisk to combine.
• Cool the caramel syrup for 5 minutes and then proceed to Step 2.

Bittersweet Chocolate Almond Sauce

• At Step 4, add 1 teaspoon almond extract and 2 tablespoons almond liqueur, if desired.

Mexican Bittersweet Chocolate Chile Sauce

Oh, how I love this sauce. I use the more generous quantity to cayenne to give it a real kick and the optional tequila for added flavor dimension. Because only a modest amount of cream is used here, the chocolate nuances come through bright and bold. This is a stellar bittersweet chocolate sauce. It will be featured in an upcoming post titled, Fried Banana Split with Mexican Bittersweet Chocolate Chile Sauce & Strawberry Mint Salsa.

¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup water
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (or 1/2 teaspoon Starbuck’s Via Italian Roast Microground Coffee)
¼-½ teaspoon cayenne chile powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

8 ounces premium quality bittersweet bar chocolate (70%-72% cacao), pistoles or finely chopped

1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract (or other vanilla extract)
2 tablespoons tequila Blanco, optional

1. In a 2-quart saucepan, bring the cream, water, sugar, ancho chile powder, espresso power, cayenne chile power, and salt to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
2. Add the chopped chocolate to the hot (but not too hot) liquid, and stir slowly with a flexible spatula to melt and emulsify the chocolate and liquid. If the chocolate does not want to combine thoroughly with the liquid, use a whisk to help it along.
3. Stir in the vanilla and tequila, if using.
4. Cool to room temperature and adjust the thickness by adding additional warm water if needed. Stir to combine.
5. Pour into a plastic container, seal tightly, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
6. Chilled ganache (which is the foundation for this sauce) is too thick to pour. To serve, bring to room temperature or microwave until warm to the touch (30-60 seconds typically), and thin with warm water to the desired consistency.

Makes about 3 cups sauce.

Bittersweet Chocolate & Cocoa Hot Fudge Sauce

This bittersweet chocolate sauce has extra layers of flavor thanks to the addition of unsweetened cocoa and a lush, silky mouth feel thanks to a generous dose of butter. This is a heavenly chocolate sauce, sure top please every member of the family.

½ cup premium quality, unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or alkalized) (1¼ ounces)
¾ cup sugar  
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (or 1/2 teaspoon Starbuck’s Via Italian Roast Microground Coffee)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup milk

6 ounces premium quality, bittersweet bar chocolate (70%-72% cacao), pistoles or finely chopped

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a 2-quart saucepan, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, espresso powder, and salt.
2. Add just enough of the cream to create a thick paste and whisk until smooth. Then add the remaining cream and milk, and whisk until incorporated.
3. Bring the mixture just to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
4. Add the chopped chocolate to the hot (but not too hot) liquid, and whisk to melt and emulsify the chocolate and cream.
5. Add the butter and stir slowly until melted into the emulsion.
6. Stir in the vanilla.
7. Cool to room temperature and adjust the thickness by adding additional liquid if needed. Stir to combine.
8. Pour into a plastic container, seal tightly, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
9. To serve, bring to room temperature or microwave until warm to the touch (30-60 seconds typically), and thin with warm water to the desired consistency.

Makes about 3 cups sauce.

With this post, we kick off the second annual Love Rules! All Chocolate! All Month! celebration at LunaCafe OtherWorldly Kitchen. To check out the wonderful chocolate creations we debuted last February, be sure to visit the All Chocolate! recipe archive.

Beginning now, every post until the end of February will feature, you guessed it, CHOCOLATE. In fact, I’ve been covered in unsweetened and bittersweet chocolate, as well as cocoa, for many weeks now, trying to come up with the world’s best, truly CHEWY (not fudgy, not cakey) brownie. And finally, after many attempts, I succeeded. In all the testing, I also serendipitously hit upon a wonderfully silky, light, and luscious fudgy brownie that turned me, the swamp boogie queen of chewy brownie lovers, into a fudgy brownie convert.

But before we get to the brownies, let’s start this year’s celebration of love with an absolutely over-the-top breakfast indulgence, shall we? Just the kind of romantic tête-à-tête you might want to surprise your Honey with on Valentine’s Day morning.

If you make the Orange Caramel Syrup, Toasted Almond Praline, and chocolate egg batter in advance, you will need to disappear only briefly to the kitchen to brew the coffee and throw this divine medley together.

Oh, and it is so worth seeking out Cara Cara oranges. The flavor is wonderful and the coral-pink hue is beautiful with the dark chocolate and amber brown hues in this dish.

And, as every celebration deserves a mantra, I propose for this year: A little too much chocolate is just about right. On that note, and without further ado, I give you…

Bittersweet Chocolate Orange French Toast with Orange Caramel Syrup & Toasted Almond Praline

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (natural or alkalized)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup cream, cold
½ cup milk, cold  

2 ounces bar premium-quality bittersweet (62-%-75% cacao) bar chocolate, chopped (about ½ cup chopped)
finely grated zest of 1 Cara Cara orange
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon Starbucks Via Italian Roast instant coffee (or other instant espresso)
1/8 teaspoon orange oil (or ¼ teaspoon orange extract)

4 large eggs
1 large soft-crust loaf uncut brioche, sourdough or French bread, cut into eight, ¾-inch-thick slices
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Optional Garnishes
2 Cara Cara oranges, peeled and segments neatly removed
½ cup Orange Caramel Syrup (recipe below)
½ cup Toasted Almond Praline, crushed to coarse shards (recipe below)
powdered sugar in a shaker
1 cup lightly whipped and sweetened heavy cream

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk the cocoa, sugar, and brown sugar until all lumps are removed, and then slowly whisk in the cold cream and milk, a little at a time to ensure no lumps form.
2. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the cream mixture just to a simmer.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth. Then stir in the orange zest, vanilla, salt, instant coffee. and orange oil.  Let cool to room temperature.
4. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl, and whisk the eggs, one at a time, into the mixture. Cover and frig until ready to use, within two days.
5. When ready to serve, dip each slice of bread for a minute or so into the batter. The batter should permeate to the center of the slice. You can check by making a small cut in the slice. Soak for a minute longer if necessary. As you are ready to sauté each slice, lift the slice from the batter and let the excess batter drain back into the bowl for a few seconds.
6. In a nonstick skillet set over medium heat, melt ½-1 tablespoon of butter and sauté one or two slices of batter-soaked bread at a time, making sure not to crowd the slices. Sauté about 2-3 minutes per side, until both surfaces are nicely browned.
7. Serve immediately on a hot plate. If desired, accompany with Cara Cara orange slices, drizzle with Orange Caramel Syrup, dust with powdered sugar, top with crushed Toasted Almond Praline, and dollop with whipped cream.

Makes 1 2/3 cups custard (enough for 8 ¾-inch-thick slices bread); Serves 4.

Toasted Almond Praline

Praline is a delicious, lean (no butter or cream) caramel and nut brittle (usually broken into small shards or pulverized into a powder) that is often used in desserts. It’s easy to make and wonderful to have on hand.
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup water  
1 cup slivered almonds, light toasted

1. In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar and water and set over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the syrup clears. To prevent crystallization, do not rush this first step; use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to wash down the sides of the saucepan.
2. When the sugar is fully dissolved, raise the heat, bring the syrup to a boil, and stop stirring. Continue cooking until the syrup turns an amber color (almost the same color as dark honey). An instant-read thermometer will read 340° but color is the best indicator.
3. Add the sliced almonds and stir gently with a metal utensil.
4. Pour this mixture onto a buttered baking sheet and let cool to a nut brittle.
5. When hard and cool, break the brittle up into shards and serve as a garnish or pulverize in a food processor, in which case the mixture should be very fine.

Makes 1½ cups coarse shards or 1 cup powder.

Orange Caramel Syrup

This lean caramel syrup tastes purely of burnt sugar and orange. There is no butter or cream, which makes this syrup an excellent choice for pancakes,
French toast, bread pudding or even as a drizzle accompanying fresh Chevre and artisan crackers. I love having it on hand in the frig.

1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup water
2 cups orange juice, reduced to ¾ cup

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the syrup clears. To prevent crystallization, do not rush this first step; use a pastry brush dipped periodically in cold water to wash down the sides of the saucepan.
2. When the sugar is fully dissolved, raise the heat, bring the syrup to a boil, and stop stirring. Continue heating without stirring until the syrup turns a dark amber color. (An instant-read thermometer will test at 340° but the color indicator is just as reliable and easier to gauge.)
3. Carefully stir in the reduced orange juice, keeping your distance, as the mixture will rise up and splatter.
4. Now, over low heat, stir until the caramel and orange juice are blended, making sure to dissolve any resistant patches of caramel at the bottom of the pan.
5. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. If the sauce is a little too thick for your intended purpose, thin it progressively with a small amount of additional orange juice.
6. To store, refrigerate in a covered container. Reheat gently before serving.

Makes about 1¼ cups syrup.

I want to wrap up LunaCafe’s February 2009 Love Rules! All Chocolate! All Month! celebration with a really special dessert.

If you’ve been following along, you know that I’ve been covered in cocoa powder and melted chocolate all month. I discovered and perfected the world’s most delectable cookie, Bittersweet Chocolate & Toasted Walnut Cookies Perfecta Mundo, created Bittersweet Chocolate & Montmorency Cherry Morning Love Muffins, Mexican Hearts of Fire Cookies, Luscious White Chocolate & Raspberry Rose Petal Cheesecake, and Bittersweet Chocolate and Cabernet Butter Cake, and posted Northwest Chocolate Desserts 2008, a roundup of 19 chocolate desserts from some of the best pastry chefs in Portland and Seattle.

It’s hard to top all of these. So I asked myself what really important chocolate flavor pairing I didn’t explore for this year’s celebration. Caramel and bittersweet chocolate came immediately to mind, followed by fresh rosemary and bittersweet chocolate.

Then I asked myself what as yet unsung key dessert techniques deserved their moment in the chocolate limelight. Short-crust pastry, caramel sauce, praline, and ganache all tumbled out on the stage of my mind and took a bow. And that’s how these lovely little tarts came to be. Well, that bit of brainstorming and a fortuitous inspiration that occurred while I was admiring a freshly made batch of Burnt Sugar Sauce and Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache. What would happen if I combined them? You will discover that in the recipe below.

I first encountered the intriguing flavor combination of chocolate and fresh rosemary at Sahagun Chocolates in Portland, Oregon. It was LOVE at first bite. I couldn’t wait to start trying the combination out in desserts. This is the first and it’s sensational.

Burnt Sugar & Rosemary Chocolate Tarts

There is a fair amount of work involved in making these delicious tarts, but all of it can be done in advance. The tarts keep perfectly, covered in the refrigerator, for 2-3 days.

Chocolate & Toasted Almond Short-Crust Pastry

Bittersweet Chocolate Rosemary Ganache

Burnt Sugar Caramel Sauce

Optional Garnish

Toasted Almond Praline

lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream

small sprigs of rosemary

1. Prepare each of the key components above.
2. Dollop 1 tablespoon of the room temperature Burnt Sugar Sauce onto the bottom of each of the six, 4-inch tart shells.
3. Tip and rotate the shells to cover the bottoms with the sauce. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes to set the caramel.
4. Measure the remaining Burnt Sugar Sauce and add to a medium mixing bowl. Measure the same amount of Bittersweet Chocolate Rosemary Ganache and gently stir it into the Burnt Sugar Sauce. (You may have a little ganache remaining, which can be used for another purpose. The important thing here is to combine equal amounts of both the sauce and the ganache.) You now have Bittersweet Chocolate, Burnt Sugar & Rosemary Ganache.
5. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the ganache over the caramel in each pastry shell. Level with a small offset spatula.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve, covering lightly with foil after the ganache is set. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to let the ganache and caramel come to cool room temperature.
7. If desired, serve with Almond Praline, whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream, and small sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Makes six, 4-inch tarts.

Chocolate & Toasted Almond Short-Crust Pastry

This tender, crisp, delicious pastry falls in the category of French dessert pastry called Rich, Sweet, Short Crust Pastry. There is a high proportion of butter to flour and egg yolk is added as the liquid, rather than water. Because there is so much fat and so little liquid in this dough, it is sticky and a little difficult with which to work. However, as compensation, it can be rerolled almost endlessly without toughening. The baked pastry is almost a cookie.

1 cup King Arthur unbleached, all-purpose flour, approximately

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons finely ground lightly toasted almonds

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 8 pieces, left at room temperature for 10 minutes

½ cup powdered sugar

1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten

1. Sift the flour and cocoa together into a small bowl. Stir in the toasted, ground almonds. Reserve.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light in color.
3. Add the egg yolk and mix until well incorporated and light in color.
4. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture, and pulse the machine to incorporate. If the dough is too moist, add some or all of the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour mixture, and pulse briefly to incorporate.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl, shape quickly into a log, cut into 6 equal weight pieces, roll each of these into a ball, flatten each ball between sheets of plastic wrap, seal, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
6. Roll out each piece of dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to a 5-inch diameter.
7. Carefully peel the top layer of plastic wrap from the dough and position the dough in a 4-inch, nonstick, shallow, removable bottom tart pan, plastic wrap side up. Press the dough gently into the bottom corners and against the sides of the tart pan. Push the top edge in a bit to make a thicker edge and then press down against the top edge to cut off the excess dough. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and pull away the excess dough. (Excess dough can be chilled and rerolled.) Repeat for the remaining tart shells.
8. Set the tart pans on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and set the butter.
9. Bake at 400° for about 12 minutes, until the air is fragrant with chocolate and the pastry crusts appear dry and set on top.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
11. After cooling completely, store in an airtight container, or wrapped in foil, in a cool dry location for up to 3 days.

Makes six, shallow, 4-inch diameter, pastry shells.

Burnt Sugar Caramel Sauce

Oh, how I love this sauce. There just can’t be a better taste and texture experience in the world than caramel. This caramel is taken to just beyond the amber stage so that it has a deep, burnt sugar aspect.

Burnt Sugar Caramel Sauce can be served warm over ice cream, as an accompaniment to other desserts, or as in this recipe, spooned onto the base of a pastry shell, which is then covered with a ganache or stirred custard.

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/3 cup water

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a 4-cup glass measuring cup or bowl, add the cream and butter and microwave for about 1 minute, just until the butter melts. You may need to briefly whisk the mixture to incorporate and melt the butter. Reserve.
2. In a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, combine sugar, cream of tartar and water. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the syrup clears.NOTE To prevent crystallization, do not rush this step; use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to repeatedly wash down any sugar crystals from the sides of the saucepan. If the syrup comes to a boil before it has cleared, remove from the heat, and keep whisking until it clears.
3. When the sugar is fully dissolved, raise the heat, bring the syrup to a boil, and stop whisking. Continue heating without stirring until the syrup turns a dark amber color. Don’t go too dark, of course, or the sauce will taste bitter.
4. Remove from the heat and immediately and carefully (stand back and use a long handled whisk) pour in the hot cream mixture. The mixture will sputter and foam up, but the pan should be large enough to contain it. Continue whisking to incorporate the cream mixture and to dissolve any hard bits of caramel.
5. Whisk in the salt and vanilla.
6. Pour into a bowl (strain if you think it necessary) and let cool to room temperature.

Makes about 1½ cups.

Bittersweet Chocolate Rosemary Ganache

This bittersweet ganache is not for the faint of chocolate heart. However, we are going to combine this with Burnt Sugar Sauce, thus giving it some added sweetness.

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon corn syrup

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

4 ounces bittersweet bar chocolate, 70%-72% cacao, pistoles or finely chopped

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cream, corn syrup and rosemary just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let steep for at least 1 hour.
2. Put the chocolate in a glass mixing bowl and reserve.
3. After the rosemary has steeped for at least an hour, bring the cream mixture back to a simmer and then immediately strain it over the chocolate.
4. Whisk the chocolate mixture slowly until the chocolate is completely melted.
5. When the chocolate mixture registers 95° on an instant read thermometer, stir in the butter.
6. Let the ganache cool to room temperature.

Makes about 1 cup.

Toasted Almond Praline

Praline is a delicious caramel and nut powder that is often used in desserts. Store the powder in an airtight container; it will keep for months.

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/3 cup water

1 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped.

1.In a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, combine sugar, cream of tartar and water. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the syrup clears.

NOTE To prevent crystallization, do not rush this step; use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to repeatedly wash down any sugar crystals from the sides of the saucepan. If the syrup comes to a boil before it has cleared, remove from the heat, and keep whisking until it clears.

2.When the sugar is fully dissolved, raise the heat, bring the syrup to a boil, and stop stirring. Continue heating without stirring until the syrup turns a dark amber color. An instant-read thermometer will test at 340°.

3.Add the almonds and stir gently.

4.Pour this mixture onto a buttered baking sheet and let cool completely.

5.When hard and cool, break the praline up into pieces and either roughly chop or pulverize in a food processor.

6.Store at room temperature in a Ziploc freezer bag.

Makes about 1 cup.

Cabernet Sauvignon, the darling of red wine lovers everywhere, and premium bittersweet chocolate is a flavor pairing made in heaven. The combination is celebrated all over the country with Valentine’s Day events, which are touted as affairs of the heart, complete with romance, passion, red wine, chocolate, and roses—not necessarily in that order. This Valentine’s Day event on beautiful Whidbey Island sounds enticing, for example.

But this year, we’re opting for quiet relaxation in front of a blazing fireplace—at home. That doesn’t mean we aren’t going to celebrate LoveDay, however. In fact, I created this spicy little butter cake just for the occasion, which of course we have already eaten. But this cake is so easy to make, I’ll bake a repeat performance on Saturday. We ate the prototype with the dreamy chocolate glaze you see pictured above. For the second take, I plan to serve it with Crème Anglaise and Burnt Caramel Sauce as suggested below. Maybe LoveMan will bring my favorite flowers. I can hardly wait!

This simple butter cake is excellent plain, dusted with only a little powdered sugar, and sublime served with Crème Anglaise (custard sauce) and Burnt Caramel Sauce, both drizzled on the plate. It can also be coated with Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze for an elegant finish. If you opt for the glaze, don’t be tempted to taste it before coating the cake. You may end up alone in your favorite chair, with the glaze, a tattered copy of Wuthering Heights, and a spoon. Then later you will have nothing to adorn your cake.

Bittersweet Chocolate & Cabernet Sauvignon Butter Cake

This cake has a moist and tender texture, which I love. Plus, it’s beyond delicious. It’s one thing to drink a fine Cabernet while slowly savoring bittersweet chocolate, but altogether finer to combine the two with aromatic and elusive spices in this lovely cake.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, to brush pan

¼ cup sugar, to line pan

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened natural-process cocoa (NOT alkalized)

1 teaspoon ground ancho chile

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cool room temperature (1½ cubes)

1 cup extra-fine sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 extra large eggs, beaten lightly, cool room temperature

1/2 cup dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon or merlot

Garnish

powdered sugar

-or-

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

1.Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven with plenty of room above it and preheat the oven to 325°.

2.Brush a six-cup capacity bundt pan (or two 2½- to 3-cup capacity bundt pans) with melted butter. Pour ¼ cup sugar into the pan and tip the pan in all directions to coat evenly. Turn the pan upside down to remove any excess sugar that does not cling. (If you are using two smaller bundt pans, divide the butter and sugar between them.)

3.Over a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4.Using a mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter until smooth, and then add the sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl a few times with a flexible spatula.

5.While beating at medium speed, add the vanilla and mix to incorporate.

6.Add eggs, a bit at a time, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.

7.Beating at low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and a third of the red wine. Repeat twice more with the remaining dry ingredients and wine, scraping the bowl with a flexible spatula between additions.

8.Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top feels springy and a metal skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. The internal temperature of the cake at its thickest center should read 190º-195º. The temperature will continue to rise a few degrees after removing the cake from the oven, so don’t overbake. (If using two smaller bundt pans, bake for 20-25 minutes.)

9.Cool the cake on the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes or so. Turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

10.To finish, dust with powdered sugar.

Makes one cake; about sixteen 1/2-inch slices.

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

This glaze is so delicious that it is difficult to get it on to the cake before eating it all right out of the bowl. You’ve been warned.

SERVING NOTE Don’t refrigerate the cake after glazing. It will lose its beautiful shine in the refrigerator.

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (65%-72% cacao), pistoles (wafers) or chopped

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, cool room temperature

1.Put the chopped chocolate in a 4-cup glass measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute.

2.Remove from the microwave and stir with a wooden chopstick or other wooden utensil to melt the chocolate. If it won’t melt completely, return it to the microwave for 10-second intervals, just until it is smooth when stirred. If you overheat the chocolate, it will seize and turn grainy. If this happens, you must begin again with a new batch of chocolate.

3.When the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, add all of the room temperature butter and stir with a plastic spatula until it is completely absorbed and the glaze is smooth. If it won’t blend completely, return to the microwave for a few seconds and try again. When finished, the glaze will be glossy, smooth and slightly thickened. A temperature probe will register 80º-85º. The glaze should be thin enough to pour over the cake in a smooth finish. (In the picture at the top of this post, you can see that the glaze was a bit too thick. I had difficulty getting an even coating. Next time, I will not let it thicken quite so much.)

There’s More

Check out these additional CHOCOLATE recipes, which are part of the first annual Love Rules! celebration at LunaCafe (All Chocolate All Month):

Bittersweet Chocolate & Toasted Walnut Cookies Perfecta Mundo!

Mexican Hearts of Fire Cookies

Bittersweet Chocolate & Montmorency Cherry Morning Love Muffins

Luscious White Chocolate & Raspberry Rose Petal Cheesecake

Coming Soon

Smokin’ Hot Chocolate Pudding

Burnt Sugar & Rosemary Chocolate Tart