Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A 12 inch styrofoam wreath
• 2 large bags of Hershey kisses (in Christmas color wrap, if possible)
• 1 Roll of aluminum foil
• A low heat glue gun
• A medium sized red bow
• <Red satin ribbon to use as a hanger

Take the 12 inch styrofoam wreath and wrap it with aluminum foil. Make sure to cover the entire wreath, it is not recommended to have food, of any type, touch the bare styrofoam. Wrap the foil around the wreath tightly so that it stays in place.

Place a small amount of glue on the foil that you have wrapped around the wreath and one by one glue the kisses on the wreath. Make sure to put a kiss everywhere you see the foil to make the wreath look full.

Let it sit and dry. When dry, take your bow (they usually have wire attached to the middle for attaching) and tie it around the wreath at the bottom. If you don’t have enough wire to attach it, use some floral wire to lengthen the wire on the bow.

Now, take the satin ribbon. Cut the ribbon about 10 inches to make sure you have enough. Put the ribbon around the top of the wreath, front to back. Try to work it between the kisses even if it doesn’t look straight it will hang straight.

Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Hershey Kiss Wreath

Foodie Byte: Although the cake may not appear to be done, remove it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees F. It will continue to firm up as it cools.

Fabulous Flourless Chocolate Cake
Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs, cold
• 1 pound high quality bitter sweet chocolate, chopped coarse
• 1 pound high quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped coarse
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, cut into 16 pieces
• 1/4 cup strong black coffee or liqueur (optional)
• Confectioners’ sugar or unsweetened cocoa for dusting the cake (optional)

Preparation

1. Position oven rack to the lower-middle part of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper or waxed paper and grease the sides of the pan.
3. Beat eggs in a bowl of a standing mixer at high speed until the volume doubles, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter (adding the coffee, if using) in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on a instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. Fold a third of the egg foam into the chocolate mixture using a large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of the remaining foam, then the last of the foam, until the mixture is totally incorporated.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Set the roasting pan on the oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cake has risen slightly, the edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust has formed on the surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway into the center reads 140 degrees F, 22 to 25 minutes.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Recipe and image courtesy of The Food Channel

Post from: Blisstree

Fabulous Flourless Chocolate Cake

From now until the holidays, when you make an online purchase from one of my personal chocolate recommendations, Sucré in New Orleans, one dollar from every order goes directly to the Louisiana SPCA!

Sucré Executive Pastry Chef Tariq Hanna and his dog Bon Bon are making this holiday season even sweeter. Bon Bon knows what it is like to have a kind, caring owner and she wants all of her less fortunate furry friends have the same opportunity. This year, Bon Bon has convinced Sucre to give a portion of their holiday sales to the LA/SPCA. So shop now and give Bon Bon’s buddies something to bark about.

Also, readers of my other Blisstree blog, Chocolate Bytes, can indulge in the chocolate and holiday treats with even less guilt, as Sucré has given me two coupon codes to be used at checkout!

Make it a sweet holiday for you, your loved ones, and some pets in need!

[image: flickr]

Post from: Blisstree

When Chocolate and Pets *Do* Mix!

INGREDIENTS :
2 sheets of foil, about a cookie sheet long
3/4 cup of butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of mini-chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325°. Fold a sheet of foil in1 inch pleats to create the accordion look. Place on a cookie sheet pan. Do the same thing wiht the other foil.

Beat margarine, and sugar until light and fluffy, Add vanilla and eggs to beat.

Add the flour and salt and keep beating until everything is well-blended. Stir in the chocolate chips using a spatula.

Drop 1 rounded teaspoon of the dough into each pleats of the foil. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. The dough will spread to look get the shape. Remove them from the foil and cool completely.

Turn the pleated foil sheets for the following batch. Then turn it back again for the next batch.

You can substitute the chocolate chips with chopped walnuts.

I adapted this accordion treats recipe from a Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off Cookbook year 1996.

(Images : Dexie J Wharton)

Post from: Blisstree

Chocolate Chips Accordion Treats

Image: Hershey's

Post from: Blisstree

Congratulations!

Among the more than 100 recipes are fun things like Chocolate Tacos (chocolate tortillas filled with berries and sorbet), Watermelon and Feta Salad (dusted with chocolate!), a Lacy Singapore Omelet (filled with vegetables), and Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches with Coffee Carmelized Bananas. The book is divided into various cuisines–Asian, Mexican, American, French–and every page brings a new surprise.

“Chocolate for Breakfast” is available from most online and retail booksellers, including Amazon.com.

(photo credit: Lisa Ekus Group)

Post from: Blisstree

Chocolate for Breakfast

I sometimes have this recurring dream where I obsessively devour chocolate. I always have to find it, because there really isn’t any in the house, so I’ll go to a store and buy up all the best chocolate – like when I used to get the stoned munchies.

I’ll shove chocolate filled and iced donuts in my mouth, savoring the slippery cream, licking it off my fingers.

I’ll pile chocolate candies on the counter and be panting with my need to shove it in my mouth.

I’ll dream of deliciously pretty cakes and eating the whole thing.

In my dreams, eating the chocolate is strikingly similar to having an orgasm.

Heather from Chocolate Bytes: For the Love of Chocolate must have similar feelings or she wouldn’t be able to have so much to say about the yummy aphrodisiac.

Image Source: Newscom.com

Post from: Blisstree

Orgasmic Chocolate Bytes

Yes, it’s true, we’ve covered meaty topics such as employee/employer relationships, adversity during a presentation, the benefits and drawbacks of owning a small business — but most of the time, I wish I were on a perpetual coffee break.

Today is one of those days…join me for a little break?

Looking for THE perfect chocolate cupcake? Once again, Ina Garten to the rescue.

Even the name of it is perfect: Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes. How sexy is that?!

• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  1 cup sugar
  4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup (recommended: Hershey’s)
  1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  1 cup all-purpose flourFor the ganache:
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
  1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
  Candied violets, for decoration, optional
• Line muffin pans with 12 paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don’t overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don’t overbake! Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly in the pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Dip the top of each cupcake in the ganache. Decorate with candied violets, if desired. Do not refrigerate.

Go. Bake. Bring to the office and be loved. And if you find the freaking candied violets, you are not allowed back here…(I jest.) (No, I don’t.)

Image: flickr.com

Post from: Blisstree

Serious Blogging or Chocolate?!