Chocolate Straws Recipes

CHOCOLATE STRAWS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees, or 350 degrees with convection. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry into a long rectangle, about 8 inches wide, turning over a few times to distribute the flour evenly. Patch any cracks with warm water and roll smooth.
• Combine chocolate and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
• Turn the pastry so the long side is facing you. Using a ruler or straight edge, trim off edges so the rectangle is smooth and straight. Cut the rectangle in half, top to bottom, into two smaller rectangles of equal size. Refrigerate for 20 minutes
• Brush both rectangles with melted butter. Sprinkle the chocolate-sugar mixture evenly over one rectangle and place the other on top, butter side down. Use the rolling pin to roll out and press the two layers together.
• Using a ruler (if desired), cut into strips about 8 inches long and 3/4- to 1-inch wide. Lift up a strip by the ends, gently twist it two or three times, and place on the prepared pan. Press the ends flat. Repeat, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between straws.
• Bake until light brown and crisp, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pans in the oven after 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

CHOCOLATE CURLS

Steps:

• Place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl with the vegetable shortening. Throw it in the microwave until the shortening is melted and hot, 30 to 45 seconds. Stir with a fork to combine thoroughly.
• Next, pour the melted chocolate over the underside of a clean cookie sheet. Then, with an offset spatula or a knife, spread the chocolate in a thin layer. Keep going until it's very, very thin. Then...and this is the key...stick it in the freezer for a few minutes.
• After a few minutes, check that the chocolate is ready by pressing it with your finger tip; it should leave the slightest mark, but not an actual depression.
• Next, get a somewhat sharp-edged spatula and begin to scrape the chocolate from the bottom of the pan. When the chocolate is just the right temperature, it'll curl instead of break. If it gets too soft, stick it back in the freezer for a minute.
• Pretty soon you'll have a bunch of fun little chocolate curls.
• Important: As soon as possible, transfer the curls to a cold pan or plate, and then stick them in the freezer to harden. Store in the freezer in a zip-top bag until you need them. Use them to adorn pies, cakes or platters of fruit. You'll feel instantly fancy!

CHOCOLATE STRAWS

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
• Pour melted chocolate onto the back of a clean 11-by-17-inch baking pan. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into a thin even rectangle, covering the pan.
• Place pan in refrigerator to chill until chocolate sets up slightly, about 15 minutes. Holding the pan vertically, score the chocolate down the middle with a metal bench scraper. Starting on the left side and holding scraper at a 45 degrees.angle, gently push away from you for about 2 1/2 inches, forming a curl or straw. Repeat making straws down side of pan and on the other side, for a total of twelve straws. If the chocolate gets too soft, chill 5 minutes. Store straws between parchment layers in an airtight container, refrigerated, until ready to use.

CHOCOLATE-ANISE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Finely grind anise in an electric coffee/spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Finely chop chocolate with anise and sugar in a food processor.
• Cut phyllo sheets in half crosswise to form 6 sheets. Cover with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a dampened kitchen towel. Place 1 sheet of phyllo with long side nearest you on a work surface (keep remaining sheets covered) and lightly brush lower half of sheet with butter. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of chocolate mixture lengthwise across center of sheet. Fold phyllo sheet in half, enclosing chocolate, and brush lightly with butter. Starting with chocolate side, roll up pastry tightly to form a 12-inch straw. Transfer straw, seam side down, to a baking sheet, then make 5 more in same manner.
• Bake straws in upper third of oven until golden, 12 to 14 minutes, and cool on a rack. Break in half to form 12 straws.

LOVE ME A VANILLA MILKSHAKE WITH CHOCOLATE PEANUT STRAWS

Steps:

• Special equipment: 2 thick straws
• Line a plate with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Heat the chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir very well. Continue to microwave in 20-second increments, stirring, until melted and smooth. While warm, using the back of spoon, coat one end of a straw with melted chocolate, making sure the chocolate sticks. Shake off any excess. Sprinkle the peanuts evenly over the wet chocolate and place onto the prepared plate; repeat for the second straw. Transfer the plate with the straws to the freezer to set, about 5 minutes. Place 2 glasses in the freezer to chill, 3 to 5 minutes.
• In the base of a blender, add the milk, vanilla extract, salt and vanilla ice cream and liquefy until smooth. Pour into the chilled glasses, top with whipped cream and serve with a dipped straw!

MANGO FOOLS WITH CHOCOLATE-ANISE STRAWS

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatin over juice in a small heatproof cup and let stand 1 minute to soften. Purée mangoes with sugar in a blender until very smooth and force through a sieve into a large bowl.
• Melt softened gelatin in cup in a pan of simmering water or in a microwave and stir into purée. Beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks and gently fold into purée.
• Chill fool, covered, at least 8 hours.

HOT CHOCOLATE STIRRERS

Steps:

• You will need:6 cupcake cases, pencil, pastry brush, 6 empty 47g fromage frais pots (washed and dried), 6 wooden lolly sticks, cellophane and string or ribbon for wrapping, 6 gift tagsPush a small hole in the middle of the cupcake cases with a pencil and put aside for later.
• Dip the pastry brush in the sunflower oil and paint a very thin layer of oil over the insides of the fromage frais pots.
• Put the chocolate in a bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-sec bursts until runny, stirring after each blast. Or melt it in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (get an adult to help you). If you're using different types of chocolate, you should melt them separately.
• Carefully pour the melted chocolate into the pots. Put a lolly stick in the middle of each and sprinkle your chosen decorations around it.
• Sit a cake case on top of each pot so that it covers the chocolate and the stick pokes through the hole. Put them in the fridge to set overnight.
• The next day, carefully pull the chocolates out of the pots and throw away the paper cases. Wrap each in cellophane tied with string and write a tag to read: 'Simply stir into hot milk.'

CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE CHIPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla, vegetable oil and milk. Blend in the flour mixture before stirring in the oats, frosted corn flakes and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Cut a strip of baking parchment and leave to one side. To melt the dark chocolate, fill a small pan with 2cm water and bring to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and rest it on top of the pan, ensuring the bowl isn't touching the water. Stir the chocolate to gradually melt it. Or, melt the chocolate in 20 second blasts in the microwave, stirring after each blast until melted. Put the melted chocolate in a small deep bowl.
• Gently hold the strawberries by the leafy top and dip into the chocolate. Tap off any excess chocolate and put on the parchment to set. If you have any leftover chocolate, pour it onto another strip of parchment and leave it to set, it can be used again.
• If you'd like to decorate the strawberries, melt the white and milk chocolate and drizzle lightly over the fruit.