Cooking for Alan – Dinner #5 Dessert
If someone told me I could only have five or six different foods for the rest of my days, I would probably choose chocolate, coffee, wine, cheese, tomatoes and some type of animal protein. Dinner #5’s menu included all of these. You can find the recipes for the salad and soup in my last blog post. Today I’m highlighting dessert: Frozen Hot Chocolate. Click here for a link to the other two recipes.
MENU
Caprese Salad with Arugula and Spinach
16 Bean Pasta e Fagioli
Frozen Hot Chocolate
Frozen Hot Chocolate
Nothing from a powder or squeeze bottle can compare with this type of hot chocolate. You make everything from scratch and it tastes like you did. Taking the extra time to create your own ganache base to topping it with real whipped cream takes it from an ordinary drink to a very special dessert.
If you want to enjoy real whipped cream all you need is 3 or 4 minutes to whip some heavy cream with sugar and a dash of vanilla and you’re finished! The cream will whip quickest if you start with cold cream and a cold stainless bowl and whisk attachment. I usually toss the mixing bowl and attachment in the freezer for about 5 minutes…but since my freezer is completely full…I sat my bowl and whisk outside on my screened in porch for a few minutes.
The temperature was in the 30s this evening, making the outdoors a giant refrigerator/freezer. I’ve actually done this a bunch of times. During Fall and Winter whenever I need to quickly cool down a cake, cookies or ganache I just head outside to my screened in porch. Works every time.
While Alan and I both enjoyed this special treat, he did say that it might not hurt it to add a bit more Kahlua. Especially if you are fans of this delicious, coffee flavored liqueur from Mexico. Click here to go to Ina’s recipe on her website for the recipe.
The link to Ina’s recipe (above) doesn’t include a recipe for whipped cream. So here goes:
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pour the cream, sugar and vanilla in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat on high speed (using a chilled whisk attachment or beaters) until soft peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat or you’ll end up with butter!
