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Holidays
evoke gluttony. We gorge ourselves with succulent and seasoned
meats, red and pink. We stay up late (perhaps waiting for
a certain laughter?) cracking nuts and imbibing various
liquors, ciders, and ales. Early morning coffee sweeps the
sleep from our eyes as we bumble toward the flashing decorated
tree with shiny wrapped packages beneath its boughs.
Wait.
Where’s the chocolate? Certainly chocolate must be
included in this season of gluttony. And well it should
be. Here are two recipes that are sure to satisfy any chocolate-hound.
Serve Heather’s Hot Chocolate to the children (several
hours before bedtime, as chocolate increases rowdiness)
or mix with coffee to gain a double wallop of caffeine.
For a delightful desert that tastes like there’s more
effort to making it, try Heather’s Mocha Cheesecake
(as adapted from Ghirardelli, San Francisco’s famous
chocolate factory).
Heather’s
Hot Chocolate
I tried making hot chocolate with powders and syrups but
was not satisfied with the flavors. So I dug out the old
saucepan and started experimenting until I came up with
this recipe.
I
used 1 oz. of bittersweet chocolate per 2 cups of milk,
but you can adjust to your taste. Take a heavy saucepan
and melt the chocolate and milk in it over medium-low heat.
Stir constantly as the chocolate melts into the milk. When
the chocolate is almost completely melted, get a wire whisk
and whisk the milk while it is still heating. Try not to
bring the milk to a boil. If you desire, add a teaspoon
of vanilla, mint, or other flavoring just before serving.
Top with real whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
For
really rich hot chocolate, use half milk and half cream.
It’s a delicious way to meet your holiday calorie quotient!
Heather’s
Mocha Cheesecake
Crust Ingredients
1 ½ cups chocolate wafers, crushed
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup finely grated coconut (optional)
Topping
Ingredients
4–6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup strong coffee
Chocolate shavings (optional)
Chocolate-covered espresso beans (optional)
Filling
Ingredients
2 eight-oz. packages of cream cheese (softened)
½ cup sugar
3 eggs
4–6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
½ cup strong coffee
Heat
oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt the butter and mix
into it the crushed chocolate wafers and coconut. Press
mixture to create a layer on the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch
springform pan. Set aside. Using a mixer blend the cream
cheese with the sugar. Add the eggs. Take a heavy saucepan
and add to it the coffee and chocolate. Melt the chocolate
in the coffee over medium-low heat (be careful not to scorch
or boil the chocolate), stirring constantly.
When
the chocolate is melted, add it to the cream cheese mixture
and blend until smooth. Pour into pan and place back into
the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 or 40 minutes,
or until the cake is firm in the center. Leave the cake
in the springform pan and chill 1 to 4 hours or overnight.
Melt
the chocolate for the topping in the coffee, stirring until
melted. Add the sour cream to the melted chocolate mixture
and stir until blended. This mixture should be warm, but
not hot. Pour topping over cheesecake and chill an additional
2 to 4 hours or overnight.
Decorate
the cheesecake with the chocolate shavings and chocolate-covered
espresso beans, if desired.
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