Cuisine

SWEET DREAMS It’s sweet, sinful and the ultimate comfort food. On July 7, which is World Day, celebrate your favourite confectionery with these delicious recipes.

Text AMANDA D’SOUZA

cross the world and across time, chocolate has delighted gourmands with its many flavours and forms. It can be Awhite, dark or a combination of the two; you can bite into it, drink it or simply lick it. Try these four different chocolate recipes for four different kinds of cravings. All images: Shutterstock.com All images: Cuisine

FOR THE SWEET-TOOTHED: CHEESECAKE

There is a lot of debate among chocolate connoisseurs about whether white chocolate qualifies as chocolate at all, since it doesn’t contain any . Instead, this white confection is made of , fat, milk solids and , and is considerably sweeter than regular chocolate. The debate rages on, but if you prefer lighter desserts, then this white chocolate cheesecake is for you. Add some fresh fruit to the mix, and you’ve got yourself a delight that’s bound to please even the most extreme debaters.

Recipe:  Crush 300 gm biscuits in a mixer until completely ground. Add 150 gm butter and whizz again until you have the desired consistency.  Grease and line the base of a 23 cm deep, loose-bottomed cake tin. Add the biscuit mixture to the cake tin and pat it flat. Leave to set in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes.  Melt 400 gm white chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl over a small pan of hot water on low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes until barely warm but still liquid.  Meanwhile, whisk 300 gm full- fat cream cheese and 250 gm mascarpone together. Add 300 ml double cream and keep whisking.  Finally, add the melted chocolate and whisk until just combined. Spoon the mixture over the cooled biscuit base, then smooth the top. Return to the fridge to cool for at least 6 hours until the topping is set. Decorate with fresh fruit and serve.

48 JULY 2019 GoAir.in Cuisine

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS : RUBY CHOCOLATE COOKIES If you love experimenting with new flavours, and staying on top of culinary trends, then, think pink. Try the newest cocoa variant: ruby chocolate, discovered by in 2017. It has a unique, fresh berry flavour and rosy hue, perfect for this delightful cookie recipe.

Recipe:  Preheat oven to 160°C.  Add 1 1/2 cups of melted butter to a large bowl along with 1 cup of powdered sugar. Blend until smooth using a mixer.  Then add 3 cups of flour and mix at low speed until blended well. The mixture should be crumbly and soft.  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, about 0.25 inches thick, and cut the cookies using a 2-inch round cutter.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until just done and slightly golden in colour.  Melt 1 cup of ruby chocolate chips in a hot water bath. Dip the cookies in this mix or squeeze it through a piping bag as icing and set on a piece of parchment paper to cool and dry.

FOR THE SOCIAL CHOCOHOLIC: CHOCOTINI At your next dinner party, skip the toil and trouble of complicated drinks and desserts. Raise a toast to Chocotini, which you can enjoy as a dessert drink or pair with savoury dishes.

Recipe:

 Blend 1 cup of cold milk, 1/4 cup of , 1 tablespoon corn syrup, and crushed ice in a blender, until smooth.  Pour some more chocolate syrup onto a small plate and some chocolate sprinkles onto another plate.  Dip the rim of each glass in the chocolate syrup and then in the chocolate sprinkles. Fill each glass to the top with the chocolate-milk mixture and serve. Cheers!

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FOR A SAVOURY TWIST: CHOCOLATE CHILI Who said chocolate is only for those with a sweet tooth? Surprise those saccharine naysayers with Chocolate Chili, a traditional Mexican savoury dish that incorporates chocolate in the best way. Smoky and spicy with just a hint of sweetness, this recipe will surely thrill your taste buds!

Recipe:  In a pot, over medium heat, add 1 cups of vegetable broth, 2 teaspoons tablespoon of olive oil, and then, 1 of ground cumin, and some salt. clove of minced garlic, 1 small finely  Bring to a boil over high heat and chopped onion, and 1 diced green then, reduce heat, cover, and simmer, capsicum. stirring occasionally for about 1 to 1.5  Cook until slightly softened, stirring hours until the mix thickens. occasionally, for about 5 minutes.  Finally, stir in about 50 gm  Add 2 diced tomatoes, about 450 gm bittersweet chocolate until it melts. chickpeas, 450 gm kidney beans, 5 Serve hot!

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