Saturday, December 27, 2008

Balsamic Chocolate Truffles

Balsamic Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients
8 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (recommended: Valrhona)
1/4 cup cream
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Directions
Melt the chocolate and cream in a double boiler over hot but not simmering water. Place melted chocolate in a small bowl. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Cool the chocolate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours, until firm but moldable.
Use a teaspoon to scoop out chocolate. Use your fingertips to shape into balls about the size of a cherry. Set the chocolate balls on a parchment-lined tray.
Place the cocoa powder in a small shallow dish. Place 6 truffles at a time in the cocoa powder and roll the truffles around to coat, and return the coated truffles to the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining truffles. Place the truffles in a serving dish or airtight package.







This is how mine came out. if you like dark chocolate you'll love these. but if you don't you can always use sweeten cocoa. So...what do you think?

It was so much fun! My hands were so sticky.








Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Potato Bread Cinnamon Roll Recipes

Potato Bread Cinnamon Roll Recipe




In a mixing bowl:

Dissolve: 1 pkg. Dry Yeast (1 tsp)


In: 3/4 cup warm water


Stir in: 1/3 cup sugar


3/4 tsp. salt


1/3 cup soft shortening


1 egg


1/2 cup luke warm mashed patatoes


1 1/2 cups flour


Glaze recipe: 1/3 cup powdered sugar


2 tbsp. milk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the ingredients with the electric mixer until it passes the sheeting test. GRADUALLY ADD 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups unsifted flour, and stir until dough is stiff enough to knead. Note: Dough may be slightly sticky at this point. FLOUR your counter and knead the dough until it is smooth and blistery. Usually around 10-14 minutes. GREASE a bowl and grease the surface of the dough. cover with plastic wrap. Put in refrigerater for 24 hrs.


PUNCH dough and let rest for 5 minutes. ROLL dough out on a non-floured counter surface. roll in the shape of a rectangle. Melt 1/4 cup butter around the edge. PREPARE 1/2 cup of sugar with about 1 tsp. cinnamon. Judge by the color if youhave enough cinnamon. SPRINKLE mixture over the dough. ROLL up and pinch edges together, and cut with string. PREPARE PAN - grease bottom and sides of pand with shortening. bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, turn pan upside down on foil, mix glaze and drizzle over the cinnamon rolls while still hot. EAT AND ENJOY!!