Getting ready for New Years one recipe at a time...

The gingersnaps with chocolate chunks were pretty good and gluten free, the truffles with cocoa nibs and coconut milk would have been better without the goat cheese and today...let's see...what will compliment french onion soup, turkey and cranberry panini sandwiches...I think menus at this time of year and ideas for a way to make each day warm up with flavor. 

Are you struggling to figure out how to keep your family coming back to the table to talk for at least 20 minutes before they go in different directions? I'm all about quick, pretty, easy and of course tasty.

Test out some ideas...

• tapas of spicy pieces of chicken, salsa with sharp cheese and olive tapanade and cauliflower or asparagus with  with hot chocolate and a little espresso splash for a change.
• breakfast turkey sausage wrapped with a crescent roll and slices of fresh fruit and a mini chocolate fondue in a small coffee cup or crock to dip.

Let me know how you do!

Connecting to joy with chocolate

I wanted to share this here first...chocolate and joy are synonymous. When you find a way to share and to connect with your family and friends through the experience of making cookies, doesn't it make sense?

That's what happened to me when my daughter made chocolate cookies for me as a Channukah gift. It was the best!

I posted the recipe she found on the 2theworldofchocolate blog

Popovers that melt in your mouth

Can you imagine it? Breakfast on the patio, popovers that are filled with organic strawberry jam, almond paste and a touch of garbanza flour and another batch were with flax seed, cracked pepper and fresh grated parmesan. It was so good with the hot tea, sitting listening to the birds and taking in the day. They were both from the recipe on the King Arthur gluten-free flour mix. I just adapted it by using the coconut oil and then my fillings/dustings.

I haven't disappeared, I'm experimenting. Trying new things, new ideas that include vegan options for baking and gluten free/wheat free. The popovers were a winner over the biscuits and corn bread. They were more like hockey pucks.

winter dessert is really cool

You know it's sort of like having a taste of both oreo ice cream and peppermint stick ice cream, all in one bite. Just crush the whole thing over your favorite bowl of ice cream, rice dream or tofutti and you're there!

Crushed peppermint stick, dipped in dark chocolate and the fun of the oreo

It was delicious! I had been hearing that Trader joe's oreos were really good so I needed to check them out. I discovered they were perfect for dipping in a dark chocolate (72%) and then rolling in different toppings. I chose a mix of crushed nibs, cinnamon and black pepper for one and crushed peppermint stick candies for the other. Perfect for a summer dessert because they had the joy of the chocolate and the adventure of chocolate flavors paired with other things. Easy too. Now when I sit still to upload pictures from my new camera tonight-you'll see how beautiful it looks too.

Have a great day

Garnishing desserts with fruit and flowers

Garnishing desserts with fresh flowers and plating them with fruit...it's so nice to have summer return. It was an amazing spring and I'm emerging from the Show with great memories and exciting plans for next year, already taking shape.
Let's figure out what to bake this week to go with a picnic...

experimenting and thinking out of the recipes

So much going on and so many recipes have been tried...goat cheese ganache with almond milk instead of cream, cocoa nibs with cinnamon and palm sugar...I'll post the recipes later, yet felt like I wanted to connect. Things are going great. Going to be part of the Bucks County Women in Business Gourmet Getaway with a version of the impish chocolate cupcakes. Fun!

Sweet and Savory this weekend...

It's time to experiment with the sweet and savory, yet I don't want to much sweet at all, so I thought I'd make a brunch recipe.

What do you think, Savory French toast with a fig balsalmic dressing(scroll all the way down to the savory section of the recipes with chocolate and you'll find it) ? The dressing has a little cocoa in it and thus the sweet appears on the scene. It's a nice balance to the goat cheese and the salt from the turkey ham or canadian bacon in there, it should be a winner. If you try it before me, tell me what you think.

Getting away for the weekend...sort of

It’s like a European Market as you wander through the aisle and appreciate the Artisanal quality goods of local business’. It’s warm with the lighting filtering in from the outside and the variety of things to buy is growing each weekend. When you’re done shopping you can go through to the River Arts Gallery and see what brings a lot of people to the area-inspiration and the creative spirit channeled into art of all kinds. It’s easy to imagine that you’re somewhere else when you’re in the Market, because it buzzes with energy and life.

Ok, here’s the other reason I’m going to be there. The Painted Truffle, is one of the Chocolatier featured at the third annual Bucks County Chocolate Show, and is also at the Stockton Market now. Tom Sciascia, Owner, is having a chocolate tasting. He’ll have cabernet cordials, sea salt caramels and hot chocolate. When his tasting at The Four Seasons got canceled due to the snow, he was ready to share even more with the locals at The Stockton Market. Where do I fit in? In the spirit of Valentines Day, I love to bake. The Chocolate Bar will have samples of the impish chocolate cupcakes with Chambourg and black current basalmic ganache that are featured at the Chocolate Lover’s Fantasy benefit for A Woman’s Place tonight, chocolate chunk cookie samples tomorrow and both days: tickets to the Bucks County Chocolate Show will be available for sale.

So if you feel the same way I do and just need a break from the winter cold, come warm up at The Stockton Market at 19 Bridge St, Stockton, N.J. next to River Arts Gallery (formerly Erico’s market). Spread the word!


Gretchen, The Chocolate Muse

It's easy, it's delicious and it's yours...

It's really cold, it's been hard to get out and shop or focus on the best way to show I care, so the recipes I've come up with helped solve the problem...

Starting out with a Naked Smoothie with raw cacao, a fritatta omelet with roasted potatoes in olive oil and crushed rosemary, and impish chocolate cupcakes with blackcurrent balsalmic ganache!

I'll be at the Stockton Market (19 Bridge Street Stockton, NJ next to River Arts Gallery) sharing some samples of the cupcakes and selling tickets to the Bucks County Chocolate Show. Pair it with a tasting from The Painted Truffle and buy some chocolates to go with your tickets...walk through the European style indoor market and pull together some other delights for your menu and it will be the most relaxing, memorable Valentines Day (or weekend if you prefer not to focus on Valentines Day).

Have to go to work-have a great valentines day and tell me how yours worked out.

It's hard to say what's the best feeling is when it comes to Valentines Day...maybe excitement, maybe apprehension. I avoid commercial Holidays and this one is no exception. I can overlook what's happened to February 14th because it's paired with one of my favorite things...chocolate.
So let's dip, let's bake, let's revel in all things chocolate. Impish chocolate cupcakes are on the way....come back tomorrow for the recipe.
What's your favorite chocolate delight in the middle of the winter?

Finding an oasis in the middle of a winter island

Fairchild Gardens was an oasis in the middle of a winter island. Yes there was chocolate at this island too, of course. There were some new products on the scene that I'm sure you'll see more of soon~at the Bucks County Chocolate Show I hope! L'Atelier Gourmet by Franck Monnier was food art and Ecuadorian Chocolate by Marco Paumino was the pure earth in a bar. There were lots of others in between that I'll tell you more about-like Oliver Kita, the Artisanal creations with a variety that is sure to delight any fan.

So we're moving into the Valentines Day marathon. What are you going to do? What type of recipes do you want me to find for you? It looks like Stockton Market (an indoor European style farmers market) is going to be a wonderful place to get things for your snowy weekend and of course to create a stress free Valentines Day. See you there!

The World of Chocolate is bigger than a kiss...

I love this expression and wondered what you thought about it...The World of Chocolate is bigger than a kiss...is it about Valentines Day or is it just about feeling good?

Visiting Fairchild Gardens Chocolate Festival

The adventures this past two weeks is about chocolate and some new faces. Fairchild Gardens brings people out who don't usually notice that they have a tropical garden in their backyard.
Ecuadorian Chocolate, L'atelier du chocolate, crepes express, Oliver Kita...it was a delicious day.
So when I came back to PA, my list of things to do is to reach out to so many of the Chocolatiers and welcome them to be part of the Bucks County Chocolate Show! Stay tuned to who gets added to the list.
In the meantime, baking for Valentines Day has begun and the flourless torte, European chocolate chunk cookies will fill the kitchen so that you can get your Party to Go. Visit Stockton Market in Stockton, NJ to visit me Valentines Day weekend.

Flying high with The World of Chocolate

It's been so much fun this week. The Candy and Gourmet Show on Sunday, baking and visiting Sand Castle Winery for a pairing recommendation. Also,

I've been testing ways to use red cocoa that Laurie gave me (Laurie's Chocolates) and began with vegan chocolate cupcakes. The recipe was from Desserts that Heal from Heather MacLean Walters, were light and moist. A total surprise~in a good way. I didn't have time to do frosting and felt they needed something...I confess I took a shortcut and I stuffed a truffle into their center so they had a heart. Does this mean I failed?
The pumpkin bread was great just the way it was-well I did change the whole recipe by incorporating tapioca flour, reduced the sugar and used almond milk. Then to dazzle the experience, I used the red cocoa to dust the bottom of the pan and it was a light and flavorful. Doubling the batch to keep the ratio's worked perfectly this time around and I think I'm in love with tapioca flour. It's so much smoother than rice flour and seems to be a equal substitute for pastry or regular flour. Have you tried it yet? I'd love to hear if you found the same results with your recipes.

Comforting with Chocolate

Whether it's chocolate decadence, crispy milk chocolate truffles or a recipe from Desserts That Heal, chocolate has the ability to comfort in a way that people think of chicken soup. It's something that reaches the soul quickly and with a passion that starts at your toes.

So as I've reached out to share chocolate with close friends that are now in mourning for their sister, tonight, I'll be baking a new recipe for the memory of Janie. Heather MacLean Walters Desserts That Heal with give me the inspiration in her recipe for Dark Mocha Cake. It seems to conjure up energy, rich thought and filling something inside with a cake that goes to places you need it to.
So let's see if my cake ends up looking like this...stay tuned and I'll post the recipe
tonight.

Wishing you a Happy New Year~Cheer!

The recipe came out great and was easy to make. It paired beautifully with the champagne that was garnished with pomengranite (sp), the dry bubbly and sweet dusted cookie. I especially liked the richness that the almond flour adds to the recipe without weighing it down.
As a treat, I only made part of the batter for New Years and then had some more, fresh the next day. They were soft in the center and light. What a nice afternoon pick me up. One thing I would suggest though is experimenting with the chile powder you use. I didn't have the right chile, yet even with what I added it gave a little warmth and depth to the cookie.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. My friend actually said it's one of the best I've made-easy and elegant-that's the way I like it.