DIY Chocolatey Gifts For The Holidays

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Amelie Rousseau, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Everyone’s favorite holiday sin (also know as homemade chocolate) is truly a gift of love. We’ll leave the truffles for the chocolatiers, and dive into a few recipes that kick Hershey’s to the curb. Most chocolate is achingly sweet, but it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. Sex your chocolate up with grown-up flavors for an elegant gift that no one can resist.

Homemade Nutella

Did you know Oregon produces more hazelnuts than any other state? Pick up some local hazelnuts and whip up this luxurious treat. Not only is it cost-effective and delicious to make, you also get to save the pandas by skipping the commercial brand’s heavy dose of rainforest-gobbling palm oil. Best of all, all you need are four ingredients to get started.

Roast 2/3 cup of unsalted hazelnuts in the oven at 350 F for 10 minutes, stirring the baking sheet every few minutes to prevent burning. Once they are nice and golden brown, dump the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend until a paste forms. Keep going until you have a peanut buttery texture, liquid but very thick. Then it’s time for chocolate magic. Over a stovetop double boiler, place 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, 3 oz of finely chopped unsweetened chocolate. Over the simmering water, stir until the chocolate has fully melted into the milk, then add it to the hazelnut paste and blend. Add 3 tbsp honey or agave for a sweeter version. Promise you won’t cut your tongue licking the food processor clean, ok?

Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Try a batch of caffeinated treats for the java lover in your life. Melt 12 oz. high quality chocolate chips (cacao content of 60-70%). Pour a 1/2 lb of your favorite roast into the melted chocolate and stir, coating each bean well. Pull out the beans with a slotted spoon and lay on a baking sheet. After they are slightly cool but still soft, toss the beans in a bowl with 2 cups cocoa powder. Pour this through a colander and sift out the excess cocoa powder. Let beans cool completely on a cookie sheet then package.

Savory Mole Poblano Sauce

What if your great aunt is diabetic and can’t eat sweets? Then take your chocolate in a savory direction with a bottle of mole poblano sauce. Known as the unofficial dish of Mexico, mole poblano combines chili peppers with the balancing richness of pure cacoa powder. Mole is an ancient word for a ‘mix’ of spices and thickeners, and each region and family has their favorite version. Traditionally served with turkey or shrimp, mole poblano is also fabulous on pulled pork, fried eggs or a tofu scramble.

Dig into David Lebovitz’ version of mole from his book The Sweet Life in Paris (Broadway Books, 2011) There are a Iot of ingredients in mole, so consider quadrupling the amounts and make some for all the savory-tooths on your list. Thanks to you, your recipient will pour the bottle over some chicken thighs and new potatoes in the slow cooker and have a feast awaiting his return from the office.

5 dried ancho dried chilies
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
¼ teaspoon each: cinnamon, ground cloves, dried oregano, powdered cumin, ground coriander, ground anise seeds
1/3 cup (55 g) sliced almonds
1-2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup (40 g) raisins OR diced prunes
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
freshly ground pepper
1 cup (250 ml) water (or more, as needed)
1 oz (30 g) unsweetened chocolate, melted

Remove the seeds and stems from the chilies and soak them in very hot water until soft, about 30 minutes or so. (Make sure they’re submerged by setting a lightweight bowl on top of the chilies.) When softened, puree the chilies in a blender. If the skins are tough, you may want to pass the puree through a food mill or strainer. In a small skillet, sauté onion in vegetable oil until soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add spices and herbs and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds, being careful not to let them burn. Add to the chili puree in the blender, the almonds, the cooked onions and garlic, tomatoes, raisins or prunes, sesame seeds, salt, pepper, water, and melted chocolate, then puree until smooth. Add additional water, if necessary, until the consistency is smooth and slightly pourable. Bottle, label, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.