Choca Blockas Recipes

CHOCOLATE SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine the water, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together in a saucepan over low heat; whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer. Remove from heat and stir the vanilla into the sauce. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE BABKA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. In a small saucepan, heat water to 120°-130°; stir into dry ingredients. Stir in eggs and yolk, orange zest and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight., Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each half into a 12x10-in. rectangle. For filling, in a microwave, melt butter and chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar, cocoa and salt. Spread filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam and ends to seal., Using a sharp knife, cut each roll lengthwise in half; carefully turn each half cut side up. Loosely twist strips around each other, keeping cut surfaces facing up; pinch ends together to seal. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans, cut side up. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°., Bake until golden brown, 35-45 minutes, tenting with foil halfway through baking. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine sugar and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Brush over warm babka. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

CHOCOLATE BABKA

Steps:

• Warm the milk and melt 1/4 cup butter in a glass or ceramic bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, or on the stovetop in a saucepan. Combine the bread flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour, yeast, and 1/4 cup sugar. Add the water, the milk-butter mixture, the egg, and the salt to the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Use the dough hook in a stand mixer on low speed or knead the dough by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add more bread flour, about 2 tablespoonfuls at a time (up to 8 tablespoons) to make a workable dough; too much flour can make the dough dry. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Make the chocolate filling and the streusel while the dough is rising. For the filling, stir together the finely chopped chocolate, the cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup chilled butter with a fork. To make the streusel, combine the confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; cut in 1/4 cup chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• When the dough has doubled, punch the dough down and cut it into two equal pieces. Loosely shape each piece into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll out one portion on a lightly floured surface to form a 15x4-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with half the chocolate filling, roll up to form a long log, and seal the seam. Attach the ends to form a circle and place the ring, seam-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Use a serrated knife or kitchen shears to cut slits at 1-inch intervals around the rings. Cover the rings with damp kitchen towels and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Brush the loaves with the egg wash, if desired. Sprinkle streusel on top. Bake the loaves for about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets to promote even browning, until the bread is a deep golden brown.

(HOT CHOCOLATE) COCOA BLOCKS

Steps:

• 1) Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• 2) Heat the cream and condensed milk over low heat until steaming.
• 3) Remove from the heat and add the chocolate; allow it to gently melt.
• 4) After about 10 minutes, return the chocolate mixture to low heat to completely melt the chocolate.
• 5) Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick and shiny.
• 6) Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan; shake the pan gently to level.
• 7) Set aside overnight to slowly set up.
• 8) Run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out onto a clean cutting surface.
• 9) Slice into 1 ¼" cubes. Heat a knife in hot water and wipe dry before each cut, for smoothest cuts.
• 10) Stick a wooden stick into the center of each block.
• 11) Wrap in waxed paper, parchment, or plastic wrap to store.
• 12) You can also add a few drops of flavoring oil (like hazelnut, coffee, or vanilla) to the mixture, or roll the blocks in cocoa or crushed candy canes, to kick it up a notch.

COCOA BLOCKS

Steps:

• Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Heat the cream and condensed milk over low heat until steaming.
• Remove from the heat and add the chocolate; allow it to gently melt.
• After about 10 minutes, return the chocolate mixture to low heat to completely melt the chocolate.
• Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick and shiny.
• Add a few drops of flavoring oil if you like; hazelnut, coffee, or vanilla are popular flavors.
• Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan; shake the pan gently to level.
• Sprinkle with cocoa, if desired.
• Set aside overnight to slowly set up.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out onto a clean cutting surface.
• Slice into 1 ¼" cubes. Heat a knife in hot water and wipe dry before each cut, for smoothest cuts.
• Stick a wooden stick into the center of each block.
• Roll in cocoa or crushed peppermint candy, if desired.
• Wrap in waxed paper, parchment, or plastic wrap to store.

CHOCO SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Sift together flour and cornstarch; set aside. Cream butter until smooth, then add white sugar, confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low until dough forms.
• On a floured surface, knead in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Shape dough into two equal parts, pat each into a 6 inch round, and transfer to baking sheet. Cut into wedges.
• Bake 25 minutes. Remove immediately to cool on wire rack. Melt remaining chips and drizzle over wedges.

CHOCO-COCONUT BARS

Steps:

• Blend the condensed milk and the vanilla together in a bowl. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, blending each time until smooth. Stir in the coconut. You should have a firm mixture. Pat the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan and chill until firm.
• Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high 1 minute at a time, stirring after each minute, until melted. Remove the pan from the refrigerator and cut the coconut mixture into 1 x 2 inch bars.
• Set each bar on a fork and dip into the chocolate, completely coating the bar. Let excess drip off, then set on waxed paper. Repeat for each bar. Bars will take several hours to air-dry; if you are in a hurry you can refrigerate the bars for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

CHOCA BLOCKAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275*F.
• Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper(or leave ungreased).
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape the bowl several times with a rubber spatula.
• Add the dry ingredients and blend on low speed for 10 seconds. Increase the speed to medium high and beat till fluffy, 2- 2 1/2 minutes. Scrape down bowl.
• Add the chocolate chips and nuts with several turns of the mixer, then mix by hand with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
• Measure out generously rounded tablespoonfuls of dough and roll them into balls with your hands.
• Place the balls 1 1/2" apart on cookie sheets, and press them down lightly to form a flat bottom.
• Bake the cookies until they are crunchy and golden, about 1 hour. To test for doneness, remove one cookie from the cookie sheet and cut it in half. There should be no doughy strip in the center. Allor the cookies to cool on a wire rack.
• Enjoy!