Chocolate Truffles

I love to "veganize" recipes.  I, like you, watch the Food Network and search the Internet for recipes to Pin.  This next recipe was based on a recipe from the Pioneer Woman on the Food Network.  Not all of her recipes, heck not most of her recipes are easy to veganize but this one was very easy to translate and made with ingredients I always have on hand.  The original recipe made them into Brownie pops.  I however made them into a grown up chocolate truffle so my daughter wouldn't want them.  Boy was I wrong.

 

Chocolate Truffles

 2 cups of powdered sugar

1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks of Earth balance butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 bags of Chocolate dream semi sweet chips

1 greased baking sheet

 

Sift together the sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt.  Drizzle in the melted butter while still hot, add the vanilla and stir to combine.  Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out 20 portions and use your hands to roll them into balls.  Place on the baking sheet and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

 

Using the double broiler method from my last post melt the chocolate chips down and let cool slightly. pour the melted chocolate over the truffles making sure they are all covered.  Allow the truffles to rest at room temperature before serving.

Now that you have a few of my favorite chocolate recipes, share them with your friends.  While your at it share the blog too!

Chocolate Almonds

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This week's chocolate delight came out of desperation.  My family and I were on a spending freeze to prepare for an upcoming vacation.  During this freeze we would only eat what we had in the house and nothing was to be purchased not even snacks. So one night we were ripping the kitchen apart trying to making something yummy appear.  We found my three ingredients and were able to make up a dessert that will long live on our list of favorites. So here is how we made something out of nothing.  To do this recipe correctly you will need to make a double broiler A double boiler (bain marie) is used to heat materials gently without burning or scorching them. It has many applications in science, industry, and cooking. You can purchase a double boiler, or make your own as follows.

 

What you’ll need:

Small to medium-sized pot
Ovenproof (Pyrex) glass bowl that will fit inside the pot without resting at the bottom

Directions:

• Fill pot about 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and fit the bowl into the pot. The bottom of the bowl should not reach the water (at least 2″ to 3″ space between the bowl and water is optimal). The intention is to heat the bowl with steam and not the water.
• Add the ingredients required and proceed as recipe instructs.

Something out of nothing Chocolate Almonds 

 

One bag of Chocolate Dream Semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup of Calfia Almond Milk

8 oz. of Unsalted Almonds or any nut that you have on hand

Greased Sheet pan

 

Over a Double broiler (A pot of boiling water and a bowl that fits over it) add the Chocolate chips and the Almond milk.  Once the chips melt add in the Almonds.  Mix well and using a tablespoon take scoops of the chocolate covered almonds and place them on the sheet pan in small piles.  repeat this method until all of the chocolate and almonds are used up.  Place the sheet pan in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens. 

 

They should look like this.

So if you have been following, you should have three of my favorite chocolate recipes.  I hope you've had a chance to try them.  If you have please send pictures to brownveggiemom@yahoo.com for a chance to be featured on my social media accounts.

My Love of Chocolate - Week 2

Cookies!

Who doesn't love a cookie?  Crispy ones, chewy ones, small or jumbo we all have our favorite.  Mine happen to be chocolate chip. Not just any kind but soft and chewy ones.  Trying to find a chocolate chip that was dairy free and delicious was a feat but alas I found them at Whole Foods.

These chocolate chips are dairy free, all natural and so yummy I can eat them right out of the bag.  One bag and a few other ingredients you probably already have on hand can get you 3 dozen of the dreamiest chocolate chip cookies ever.

 

Dreamy Chocolate chip Cookies

 

2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 sticks of earth balance buttery sticks ( room temperature)

1/2 cup of vegan granulated sugar

1 cup of ( packed) light brown sugar 

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 eggs worth of Ener-G egg replacer or flax egg

1 package of dairy free Chocolate Dream semi-sweet chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, whish together the flour and baking soda; set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the butter and both sugars; beat on medium until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla and egg replacer  Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute.  Add the flour mixture one cup at a time until combined.  Turn off mixer and pour in chocolate chips; using a wooden spoon gently fold in the chips.

 

 

Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

 

Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges about 8 minutes for chewy or 10 minutes for crispy. remove from oven and let cool for 1 to 2 minutes.  Serve warm or let cool completely and store in an air tight container.  They can last for 5-7 days but they won't.

My Love of Chocolate Month- Week 1

Chocolate.

What can I say about chocolate?  I can remember when chocolate and I became the best of friends.  It was during my freshman year of college when I came home for winter break with my friend Noah. My mother took us out to lunch at a place called the Italian Bistro.  I can't remember what we ordered to eat but I do remember Noah asking me to split the chocolate mousse with him for dessert.  At this time in my life I considered myself a salty snack lover preferring chips and pretzels and never ordered dessert.  But that day I agreed and let Noah order the mousse.  When it came to the table I remember frowning and looking at this brown blob and thinking "that could never be good" and boy was I wrong.  Smooth, creamy, sweet and delicious is what that mousse was to me and after that day I didn't see much more of Noah but chocolate and I have been together every since.

During my plant based journey I have been able to find some of the best dairy free chocolates from bars to chips to powders and can't wait to share them with you this month. 

My first pick is the Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder.  This dark rich powder makes a great vegan version of the chocolate mousse that started it all.  Paired with ripe avocado for creaminess and vanilla and maple syrup for sweetness you too will fall in love with this powder.

Ghirardelli Avocado Chocolate Mousse

1 large ripe avocado

1/4 cup or more to taste Grade B Maple syrup

1/4 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup vanilla flavored Almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

Add the peeled and sliced avocado to a high powered blender and mix until smooth.  Next add the other ingredients and mix until blended well.  Place in an air tight container and let cool before serving.  I like to serve mine with fresh berries and slivered almonds. 

As always I dare you to try it, like it and send me a picture to Brownveggiemom@yahoo.com.  Enjoy!