It's a Bittersweet Chocolate World

"Whoa! Now that's bittersweet." A rather appropriate first reaction to my first sip of bittersweet drinking chocolate during my first trip to Bittersweet Cafe in Oakland.

I had heard about Bittersweet Cafe and their drinking chocolate when I returned from Italy this summer, and was looking forward to my first visit to this chocolate destination. Though my first Bittersweet sampling was different than what I had previously enjoyed in LaVerna and at Ghirardelli, I was not disappointed.

My experience with drinking chocolate up to that moment had been in the "classical" tradition, which is sweet and creamy and made with milk. Bittersweet drinking chocolate is made in the French and Belgian tradition, with the darkest chocolates, and finished with water, rather than dairy making it vegan! Thus, the liquidity of this European-style chocolate drink is similar to coffee - not as smooth and creamy as the classical style - and while more watery in texture, it is far from watery in taste.

Though this warmed chocolate delight was served without a spoon, I asked for one so to slowly savor each sip. As I gently joined the light brown froth, which filled the cup to the brim, with its rich dark contents below, the intense smell of fresh ground chocolate filled the air. When the chocolate brew first enlightened my palate, the initial bittersweet bite was unexpectedly expected. I knew that this would not be a sweetened chocolate drink, but I was surprised by the deep earthy flavor, which I had previously enjoyed only in a good chocolate bar.

I asked the chocolate baristas the percentage of cacao in their Bittersweet drinking chocolate. They did not know but guessed it was about 72%, with four types of dark chocolate used. The classical drinking chocolates I was familiar with had only 53-58% cacao.

Cacao percentages refer to the total cacao content in a chocolate, which is everything derived from the cocoa bean. The three cocoa components are: (1) chocolate liquor = the unsweetened chocolate, which contains no alcohol and is a smooth liquid made of the ground up center (nib) of the cocoa bean; (2) cocoa butter = the fat of the cocoa bean which is not a dairy product, making all dark chocolate vegan; and (3) cocoa powder - the cocoa solids resulting from pressing cocoa butter out of chocolate liquor.

72% cacao in Bittersweet drinking chocolate means that the remaining 28% is made up of sugar, vanilla, and other ingredients. Since higher cacao content indicates that the chocolate is less sweet with a more intense chocolate flavor, knowing the cacao percentage helps the chocolate connoisseur select a chocolate to satisfy their cravings - milk, sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet. Though research on the health benefits of chocolate and higher cacao content continues, it is still best, I believe, to consume chocolate, like everything else, in moderation.

After gracefully sipping my first spoonful of Bittersweet drinking chocolate, I wanted to slurp the rest of it down. It was so good, so addicting. I decided however to slow it down, enjoy the experience, and savor each spoonful as I sat by the cafe window, read for my thesis, and relished the intense chocolate flavor of my afternoon treat. It took me an hour to get to the bottom, and because I believe it is a crime to waste good chocolate, I licked the bottom of the cup clean! (I have no shame when chocolate is at stake.)

While the Oakland location on College Ave near the Rockridge BART station is not too far from school, I plan to check out the San Francisco and Danville locations and to try their other drinks, which include Spicy drinking chocolate, which comes with a kick of pepper and a hint of cinnamon and rose, as well as "The Classic." Bars, pastries, and t-shirts are also featured in the store as well as online.

With an ambiance conducive for studying and quiet conversation, Bittersweet Cafe is a great place to spend an afternoon. At $3.95 plus tax for an excellent cup of an intense chocolate delight, the price is also reasonable.

In some ways my looming unemployment is a blessing. It will definitely limit my drinking chocolate consumption this semester for everything is best in moderation, including chocolate.

Bittersweet Deception

There's something about chocolate and liquor that I've really come to enjoy this past year. It's not so such liquor with chocolate, as in a good red wine paired with a rich dark chocolate. It's more liquor within a chocolate dessert that I appreciate. For me, the smooth floral notes of the alcoholic spirits embrace the sharp bittersweet nature of the chocolate, forming a rich dessert harmony for the palate that makes my spirit soar.

After successfully making warm bittersweet mousse, I've been debating what my next study break bake (or "study bake") should be. Liking booze with my chocolate, Alice Medrich's Bittersweet Deception seemed a perfect candidate and I am glad to say, it did not disappoint. I was not only impressed with the overall taste composition of this low fat (yes, low fat) dessert. I was totally blown away by the fact that I could recreate it -- in spite my issues with the liquor. (And no, I was not sipping it along the way. )

According to Alice, the "deception" in this dessert is the fact that it is low in fat (no butter or cream) but rich in taste. It is truly a "dense, moist, melt-in-your mouth bittersweet chocolate dessert." The cognac in the recipe rounds out the richness and makes this nearly flourless cake a truly divine delight.

Being the first time I've really made a chocolate cake from scratch, I proceeded to line up all the ingredients I would need. I didn't have a single 5 oz 70% bittersweet bar as the recipe called for so I used one 3.5 oz with 56% cacao and one 1.4 oz with 70%. I cut out about 1 tablespoon of sugar to compensate, following suggestions Alice gives in her book, Bittersweet. It seemed to work.

I've never finely chopped chocolate before, and learned that my mom's big chinese cleaver works much better than the small paring knife and the medium utility knife I first used. The third knife was the charm.

After combining the 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, and pinch of salt in a small sauce pan with 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, I continuously stirred the cocoa mixture over medium heat to prevent scorching as Alice directed. But I began to wonder how I would know when this very liquidy concoction was simmering, and ready for the final timed 2 minutes before I would need to remove it from the heat. It took a while -- stirring and stirring, but I soon noticed the mixture thickening. I began stirring faster and after 2 minutes, I could tell it was starting to glob. It was done, and I immediately poured it over the chopped chocolate and began to stir. It now came time to whisk in the 1 teaspoon of vanilla (no problem), and then the 2 tablespoons of cognac.

Uh-oh. Problem.

Now my parents aren't into liquor. There is a little cabinet in the dining room where the spirits are kept. The bottles have been there for God only knows how long. While she was still living, my grandmother (dad's mom) would often have a little sip of something before retiring for the evening. She passed away over 15 years ago. The booze is old, I know. But being in an unopened bottle and baked in a cake, the cognac, I figured, wouldn't be a problem. It unfortunately was.

Screwing off the lid, I discovered that the cork was so old it had disintegrated from the top and was stuck in the neck of the bottle! As I see the chocolate out of the corner of my eye starting to cool and I need to whisk the cognac NOW -- what to do? Use another liquor maybe? No. Alice specifically says cognac or rum, and I know there is no rum in the house. Alice also does not list the alcohol as optional, meaning that it probably is essential for the deceptively rich taste in this surprisingly low-fat dessert.

I grab a cork screw to see if it would help. It didn't get the cork out, but it did drill a hole through the cork's center so that I could see into the bottle. As I poured to measure out the necessary one tablespoon, little bits of cork came floating out onto the spoon. I eventually was able to skim off the cork bits, add the cognac to the chocolate mixture, and whisk it in. Breathe a sigh of relief.

The two eggs, egg white, and 1/2 cup sugar did double in volume after beating on high for about 5-6 minutes as Alice noted, creating a foamy liquid froth that was easily mixed 1/3 at a time into the chocolate. I had done this with the mousse and found myself getting the hang for this folding action.

My mom had picked up some baking parchment so I could cut a circle for the bottom of the 8 inch pan. With the sides greased, and the batter poured, it was into a baking pan which I filled with BOILING water. (I learned from my mousse experience.) 350 degrees for 30 minutes, and the cake was crusty on top and the surface sprung back when gently pressed. Well, sort of. I gave my chocolate creation a few more minutes so it would have a better "spring" rather than be a simple "sprungk."

After a cooling and a few hours in the fridge (Alice says overnight but I couldn't wait), I unmolded it, while my mom taught me how to lightly dust it with powdered sugar.

And with the first bite, I was hooked. It was rich and dense, moist and decadent, with a deep bittersweet bite that was underscored by the cognac which seemed to intensify the chocolate and to meld the flavors together so to raise this cake to a new level of royal richness. It's hard to describe, but boy, was it good.

The cognac created a rich flavor profile so that this low-fat chocolate dessert tasted deceptively bad for you. That is the "Bittersweet Deception."

The liquor in this dessert made it soar over the top, as the spirits with the chocolate made my soul sing with another dessert success. I'm getting the hang of this chocolate baking thing, and learning a few things too. Next time, check the booze before I begin.

And may be sample a little too!

The 2009 "Perfect" Chocolate Cake

She said she was intimidated in making her chocolate cake for me. She said my standards were too high, but for Christmas this year, my cousin Janeen baked the "perfect" chocolate cake and wins the prize for the best chocolate cake of 2009.

While Buca di Beppo's Double Dark Chocolate Cake was in the running for the "perfect" prize this year, Janeen's creation takes the cake in not only being VEGAN (as Buca's was not), but also having a ganache that is not overly sweet, which was one of my only criticisms about Buca's near-perfect chocolate dessert.

A vegan adaptation of three recipes, Janeen was able to make the appropriate substitutions to create a cake that has the dense moist quality I like, the deep bittersweet chocolate taste I appreciate, and the rich but not overly sweetened ganache I expect in an excellent chocolate cake. The cake on its own was outstanding, with a fantastic frosting and filling which was a delectable delight on its own, but was the perfect complement for the cake. The ganache did not overpower the cake but enhanced each bite with harmonious cocoa-ed notes.

With a deep rich dark brown color, the cake was "subtly" bittersweet. In other words, it didn't have a sharp bittersweet bite, yet it also did not have the sickly sweetened sugariness that some cakes possess. It was a perfect blend of bittersweet sweetness that would please the taste palates of both dark chocolate and milk chocolate lovers. Truly a rare find in a chocolate cake.

There was a unique depth of chocolate flavor in Janeen's cake that I've never tasted before. At first, it took me off guard, but with each bite, I was addicted as I enjoyed the way the ganache frosting highlighted the chocolate subtlety in the cake. I had three slices, and with each slice, I kept trying to find words to express the subtleties in the flavors I was experiencing. It was simply an excellent cake on its own but raised to a new level of heavenly delight by the ganache frosting which was also vegan.

While bittersweet chips would add a bite to the cake which my dark chocolate palate appreciates, overall the cake was excellent - no complaints - and most importantly, Janeen's cake was a crowd pleaser, even among those who don't like chocolate cake! Everyone in the family, especially the non-vegans, enjoyed it and were impressed by how rich and delicious vegan chocolate desserts could be.

Janeen said, "It's so strange that people think because it doesn't have animal products that it will taste bad." How wrong they are! Janeen's cake proves that you can enjoy an excellent chocolate cake and be kind to animals as well, and for that Janeen wins my prize for the "perfect" chocolate cake of 2009. CONGRATULATIONS JANEEN!

In search of my chocolate elixir

It might have been the divine mystique of La Verna, but that one cup of Italian-style drinking chocolate in the summer of 2009 became my chocolate elixir. It sparked a quest in me to find a drinking chocolate at home that would rival that Tuscan moment.

My journey for the "perfect" drinking chocolate has brought me to many places, and more often than not, I've been disappointed. Even in North Beach San Francisco, the places I visited did not serve an Italian-style drinking chocolate, but instead featured an American hot chocolate, made from powder, and most often, branded "Ghirardelli."

Nothing against Ghirardelli, mind you, as it is a San Francisco tradition, and thus, it was my first stop to find a drinking chocolate after returning from Italy. At the time, I was still a novice in drinking chocolates, but my palate knew what it was desiring. Ghirardelli's "Decadent Drinking Chocolate" may have had a pleasant bittersweet bite, living up to its description as "intense chocolate flavor in every rich velvety sip," but this American cup of chocolate was not "it." It lacked the rich dense texture and balanced depth of chocolate flavor for which I longed. And for $4.95 a cup, it felt like a big tourist rip-off.

It was in Oakland, at Bittersweet Cafe, that I found my first drinking chocolate in the states that began to revile in taste what I enjoyed in Italy. Made with water rather than milk, this was more "European" than "Italian," but it had a balanced bittersweet chocolate bite that I enjoyed, even though it lacked the thick consistency for which I longed. For a local place with locations (at the time) in Oakland and San Francisco, this was very promising at $3.95 a cup, though out of the way for me to get to regularly. Though I enjoy a cup of their standard Bittersweet (and have a frequent buyer card to prove it), I knew I would continue to search until I found a place that was "just right."

At Oaxacan Kitchen in Palo Alto, I discovered a different kind of drinking chocolate that I have come to also enjoy - Mexican-style drinking chocolate, which adds cinnamon and often chili, reflecting the origins of chocolate. Experts believe that the Olmec people in Mesoamerica were the first to crack open a cocoa pod from a cacao tree around 1200-200 B.C.E. The Aztec and Mayan civilizations inherit this "food of the gods" and use cocoa beans to make a drink known as "chocolatl," which is said to mean, "bitter water." The beans were dried, crushed, mixed with water, and flavored with chili or vanilla, served on special occasions -- hot for Mayans, and cold for Aztecs.

The version of Mexican drinking chocolate at Oaxacan Kitchen was served warm, infused with cinnamon, and accompanied by chocolate ice cream and a "to die for" flourless chocolate cake. While the drinking chocolate was creamy, it was a bit too subtle in its milky chocolate flavor for my tastes. The cinnamon was nice, but a dash of chili or cayenne would definitely have enhanced the flavor profile and would have added the spice it needed.

With a friend in town in the fall of 2009, I had the opportunity (or excuse) to check out a few more chocolate places in San Francisco on my hunt for a good drinking chocolate. On the San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour, I was exposed to many new fine international chocolate destinations that I didn't know existed downtown.

On our 3-hour tour which began at the Ferry Building and ended near the Powell Street BART station, we visited two places that offered drinking chocolate. The first was Leonidas in the Crocker Gallery on Post Street. To be honest, it has very watery and weak in chocolate taste. Not a repeat performance for me, though the truffle from this Belgian chocolate company was very nice.

The other place on our tour that served drinking chocolate was Cocoa Bella in the Westfield San Francisco Centre on Market Street. After sharing about my disappointment at Leonidas, the chocolate barista assured me that their drinking chocolate would definitely suit my chocolate palate. Because it was getting cold and this was our last stop, I decided to order a spicy drinking chocolate for the road. Made with milk and spiced with cayenne, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, it had a smooth slightly creamy texture and a nice kick that needed to be slowly sipped. The flavor was fine (what I had expected at Oaxacan Kitchen but didn't get), yet it was not rich and thick, and found me still not totally satisfied. I probably should have ordered their "classic" with dark chocolate instead.

On our way to the car after our chocolate tour, my friend wanted coffee. Being near Philz, I knew this is where we needed to go. While I wasn't planning on ordering anything, the barista, Jacob, hearing of my drinking chocolate obsession, made up a cup of their hot chocolate "on the house" to demonstrate that they do serve a good chocolate, not simply an overly sweetened hot cocoa. Though already on a slight chocolate high, this third drinking chocolate ended up being the day's best. Though not thick and creamy in texture, it was a balanced bittersweet brew. The fresh sprig of crushed mint added a wonderful depth to the already rich dark chocolate flavor.

When Philz opened in Berkeley, just blocks from my school, I would make periodic stops for their "hot chocolate." While not exactly what I crave in a "drinking chocolate," it does satisfy my palate, especially when my first choice in Berkeley isn't open! At Cioccolata di Vino, the owner, Rebecca, uses her homemade chocolate ganache as the base for her "drinking chocolate," which she then infuses with a touch of vanilla. It is wonderful, and though not rich, thick, and dark like I savored in La Verna, the Italian cafe atmosphere of this little local restaurant, does satisfy my spirit on many levels, especially when she allows me to study there in the afternoon and enjoy her chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven. (It's hard to believe, that with all my visits there, I don't have a picture of me and a cup of her drinking chocolate!)

To be sure, during the first six months of my quest, I did locate some good quality drinking chocolate in the San Francisco Bay Area. Though nothing was "perfect" when compared to my experience in La Verna, I felt satisfied -- satisfied, that is, until January 2010 when my drinking chocolate tastes went on an international tour. Three weeks in New Zealand and Australia changed my expectations and standards, and you'll find out how in my next blog post tomorrow. The drinking chocolate search continues.

Warm Bittersweet Mousse

With a thesis to complete, I've not had the time to blog about chocolate as I would like. I have a shlew of stories to tell about my month long chocolate travels in New Zealand and Australia last month. The chocolates "down under" were fabulous and I have the pictures to prove it. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to post and comment on the 100+ shots I took, but I am getting there.

For Christmas I received Alice Medrich's book, Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate. It has been an excellent study break and a wonderfully inspiring book. I've never really baked with real chocolate before. My experience cooking with chocolate has been for the most part, "Open box and bake." That is until today.

With my thesis writing coming along, I decided I deserved a break and decided to try making my first chocolate dessert from scratch. It would be my reward for working hard. And besides, the ramekins and candy thermometer I had ordered arrived yesterday. Alice had inspired and now, Alice would be my mentor as I attempted to create her Warm Bittersweet Mousse.

Mousse, which simply means "foam," is a classic French dessert, which, in its most elemental form, is elegantly smooth and creamy, with all its flavor coming from the chocolate. While a French chocolate mousse can be a dense foam or a light foam, it is definitely not the overly sweetened chocolate pudding-like, gelatinous "dessert-in-a-dish" which it has become in America.

I've never really been a big mousse lover because of that, but after the awful chocolate mousse we had on our New Zealand cruise last month, I knew I wanted to experience the pure beauty of an excellent one. I also had all 5 ingredients that the recipe required, and I knew I needed to use up the half-bag of Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips leftover from the chocolate silk pie I made for New Year's Eve. Thus, with cookbook in hand (or actually, the cookbook was on the table), I began.

Rather than tackle a traditional mousse based on the original French style, I decided to go with the warmed version because it required less egg skill. "Albert's Mousse," as the "non-baked" version is called, calls for a constant stirring of eggs in a bowl, on a skillet of "not-even-simmering" water so to prevent them from scrambling. I knew that for me the risk of chocolate scrambled eggs would be there. Thus the "baked" version seemed more promising as the oven would heat the eggs and solve the salmonella situation.

Thankfully, Alice's recipe was easy to follow, for even a beginner like me. When the smell of the 6 ounces of chocolate began to melt into the 1/4 cup of coffee on my home made double-boiler, I knew this was going to be a delicious delight, especially after the 1 1/2 tablespoons of brandy was added and I licked the spoon. The 3 eggs and 3 tablespoons of sugar did beat up into a "softly whipped cream" after 4 minutes on high. And as 1/4 of the eggs were gently folded into the chocolate a little at a time, I was surprised at how simple this was. The hardest part was scooping the mousse into the ramekins without making a mess, and making all 6 of them even.

Once the ramekins were filled, I felt like I was home free as I placed them into a baking pan. Excited that I had gotten this far without any mishaps, I unfortunately didn't read the next set of directions carefully and failed to fill the baking pan with BOILING water. (At least I remembered the water!) After 15 minutes, the estimated time the mousse needed to be baked at 325 degrees to reach 155 , I inserted the thermometer and found the raw looking mousse at only 74 degrees. Uh-oh! Going back to the recipe, I found my error, and simply waited another 15 minutes for the water to heat up and cook the mousse. Though it looked good, I discovered that 15 was a little too long as the thermometer read 170 degrees! ACK! I baked them too long. Would that be the demise of my first dessert?

After letting them cool for about 10 minutes, the time for the taste test had arrived. My mom took the first bite, and her widened eyes said it all as she exclaimed, "It's so smooth!" And it was. I had not overcooked it. The dense texture was still foamy, and the mousse had a rich bittersweet flavor, with the coffee adding that wonderful depth and extra bite that I like. Not sure what the brandy added however.

Alice writes, "Baking transforms chocolate mousse in wonderful subtle ways, deepening its flavor and making it more melt-in-your-mouth." And after thoroughly savoring each bite, I do agree. It was wonderful. It was easy. And I have a few more ramekins covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for me to savor and enjoy over the next few days.

But for now, it's back to the books, back to the thesis, and back to planning my next study break bake. What will be the next chocolate diversion Alice will lead me to? Stay tuned.

Happy Birthday Jesus Cake

Every year for Christmas, I've been making a cake with my nieces and nephew to celebrate Jesus' birthday, the true reason for the season. In previous years, it's been a boxed cake which the kids would help me make, adding the eggs, water, and oil to the packaged mix, frosting with the overly sweetened store bought stuff, and then decorating with sprinkles, of course.

This year, my sister, who was cooking the Christmas meal, suggested we bake the cake from scratch. Following her recommendation and online recipe search, we enjoyed a flourless chocolate cake by Tyler Florence of the Foodnetwork. She and the girls baked while I took pictures.

Here's the recipe for the Chocolate Cracked Earth, our 2009 Happy Birthday Jesus Cake:

1. Separate 9 large eggs and whisk the egg yolks with 3/4 cups and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar until light yellow in color.

2. Put 1 pound bittersweet chocolate and 1 stick unsalted butter into the top of a double boiler, and heat over (but not touching) about 1 inch of simmering water until melted.

3. When chocolate is melted, whisk a little of the mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep the eggs from scrabling from the heat of the chocolate - then whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture.

4. Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form, and fold into the chocolate mixture.

5. Pour into a buttered 9-inch spring form pan, and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

6. Cake is done when the top starts to crack. Inserted toothpick should come out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Let stand 10 minutes then remove sides of the pan.

7. After the cake is cooled, dust with confectioners' sugar and decorate. (Optional: Serve topped with 2 cups heavy cream whipped until light and fluffy.)

For reasons we are unsure of, the cake "fell". We think it needed a bit more baking time. Thus, from the side, our cake looked like 2 big chocolate cookies with a chocolate filling. Though it looked a little flat, it was definitely not flat in taste. Having used 60% cacao bittersweet chips, our cake had a nice deep dark bittersweet bite, with rich subtleties in the chocolate flavoring. With a deep dark brown color, it had a wonderful chocolatey aroma, and was moist, slightly crumbly.

There was a unique texture to the cake, however. With 9 eggs in the recipe (definitely NOT vegan), it had a souffle quality which was different from most flourless cakes I've had. The cake was not dense, it was not light. It was simply different - hard to describe - a uniquely dense souffle; a smoother lighter brownie. Words don't quite capture it.

Overall, it would be a cake to try again, especially for dark chocolate lovers. I enjoyed it. It was fairly easy to make, used few ingredients, and was gluten-free. With a definite bittersweet bite, the whipped cream is a must however for those who prefer a sweeter chocolate profile. This was not your typical overly sweetened, out of the box chocolate cake.

Though I think the kids missed licking the pre-made frosting from the spoons this year, I enjoyed this year's cake better than the box. What's most important however is that our Christmas tradition continues as we work together to bake a cake for Jesus, spend time together as family, and celebrate the gift of love God gave us in Christ. Happy Birthday Jesus! You are the reason for the season.

"Bowled" Over by Hot Chocolate

The sun had warmed the winter chill but with cloud cover in the afternoon, the air turned cold again. Spring had not yet sprung. I heard good things about Guerilla Cafe's Spiced Hot Chocolate, and with a cool afternoon breeze and a paper to write, I decided to allow a little hot chocolate to warm up the creative juices.

A small little coffee stop on Shattuck, Guerilla Cafe has a wonderfully cool, inviting eclectic personality. "Coffee, arts, and vibes" are its buzz words, and with an assortment of menu items and drinks from morning till evening, it is a wonderful place for writing, reading, day dreaming, or simply meeting up with friends. Unfortunately, it doesn't feature any chocolate desserts.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered the Spiced Hot Chocolate. My preference is a thick and creamy, bittersweet chocolate with chili flakes and cinnamon to warm it up and kick it up a notch. Served in a little espresso cup with a spoon and for me, it is perfect.

When my hot chocolate arrived, I was surprised and totally overwhelmed because what I received was not a CUP of spiced hot chocolate, but a BOWL -- a bowl "as huge as my face" (as one of my old co-workers would have phrased it.) No pepper flakes but you could see the swirl of chili spice powder which formed an "S" on the top. I asked for a spoon and began to stir before realizing I needed to take a picture (thus, the "S" is a bit blurred in the picture below).

I took my first sip. Hmm... Though it didn't have a strong chili kick, it definitely was a nice mild blend of warm spices. Unfortunately, it was not a bittersweet chocolate but a milk chocolate blend. In fact, it tasted more like milk than chocolate. And the spoon was totally unnecessary because it was not thick and creamy but simply milky. In other words, pick up bowl and gently sip. And that is what I did.

This was not an example of a fine drinking chocolate like I experienced in Italy or at Bittersweet, or even Ghirardelli. This was simply a hot cocoa, blended with milk and spices to give it a gentle kick. A nice warm treat for a cold afternoon.

Though disappointed with the milky chocolate flavor of this spiced hot chocolate, I was amazed with the size of the bowl, the generous portion, and the wonderful vibe of the cafe. The experience definitely warmed up those creative juices because I cranked out a book review in record time. Not a bad afternoon.

Overall assessment: 3 cacao beans (out of 5)
If you like your hot chocolate milky and mild (with a kick of spice), you'll be "bowled" over by the Spiced Hot Chocolate at Guerilla, especially its size. While it was "nice," it was far from my preferred little cup of thick and creamy, bittersweet drinking chocolate. I am learning there is definitely a difference.
(review date: 2010_03-09)

Happy 4 Pudding

Two years ago I discovered that my birthday (June 26th) coincides with National Chocolate Pudding Day.  And so, for the past 2 years, I've tried my hand at vegan chocolate pudding; and for the past 2 years, I've not been a big fan of my attempts.  The raw pudding with avocado wasn't bad, but it was a bit odd and something I've had no desire to try again.  The low-fat pudding with tofu last year was healthy, but it lacked the dark chocolate punch I enjoy.

To be honest, after sampling last year's offering 364 days ago, I've not had any desire to try a new chocolate pudding.  This year's birthday chocolate pudding, however, is changing my mind about chocolate pudding as a dessert of choice.  It is a dessert I'd make again and serve to friends.  It is simple (the hardest part was getting the peanut butter off the spoon and into the pot)!  It takes about 4 minutes to make, has only 4 ingredients, easily serves 4, and rates 4 (out of 5) on the yummy scale.  And it's vegan!

Through the year I collect chocolate pudding recipes for this birthday tradition.  And for this year, the 4 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding posted by Food Doodles stood out.  I have come to love chocolate and peanut butter, and most important, I had all the ingredients I needed -- sort of. 

Knowing my taste pallet and being limited by my pantry, I adapted the recipe by using bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao) and soy milk, rather than semi-sweet chips and almond milk.  The recipe is flexible enough so that you could use almost any chocolate chip or nut milk you enjoy or have on hand.  In terms of the nut milk, while soy worked well as a substitute for almond, I don't know if coconut milk would work as it tends to be more watery and not as creamy as soy or almond.  If you try coconut, let me know how it turns out.  (And for you non-vegans, I have a feeling that cow milk would work too.)

First, I poured 1 1/3 cups of soy milk into a medium sauce pan and added 5 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter.  On low heat, I melted the peanut butter, whisking it smooth, then added 1 cup of bittersweet chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.  I stirred continuously until the chips were melted, then removed from heat and whisked the chocolatey mixture until smooth.

The aroma of the dark chocolate was very pronounced and I couldn't wait until I finished ladeling the mixture into four 5-oz. ramekins so that I could licked the pot clean (which of course I did!)  The taste matched the smell as the warm pudding has a wonderful dark chocolate bite which is rounded out by the subtle taste of peanut butter. I was curious to see if the cooled "finished" pudding would have the same richness.  I would need to wait 1-2 hours to see as I covered the ramekins and placed them in the fridge to cool.

Though chocolate and peanut butter may cause you to think, "Reese's Peanut Butter Cup", this Chocolate Peanut Butter pudding elevates that classic to a new adult dessert level.  The bittersweet chocolate and unsalted natural peanut butter I used create a mature chocolatey bite that is not sugary sweet, but richly satisfying for the true chocoholic.  The texture is thick and creamy with a decadence that melts in your mouth.  There is a guilty pleasure with each bite, but with no added sugar, eggs, whole milk, or cream, this pudding is almost good for you.  Or at least, you won't miss all the fattening ingredients in a traditionally rich pudding.

While this recipe is very similar to my Chocolate Silk Pie recipe, the peanut butter adds a new undertone, and with a more "milk to chocolate ratio", the pudding is less dense and more silky on the tongue.  It is an excellent chocolate pudding for adults who like chocolate and peanut butter -- like me!  And thus, it is a perfect chocolate pudding for vegan-me as I celebrate another birthday.  Happy Happy to me!

The ingredients:

• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or semi-sweet or combination, depending on your preferences and what you have available)
• 5 T smooth peanut butter (use a natural unsalted peanut butter with no extra sugar if you can)
• 1 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or soy)
• 2 t pure vanilla extract

The directions:

1. In a small pot over medium heat whisk together the almond milk and peanut butter. Heat till the peanut butter melts.
2. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla and whisk until chips are melted.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk until everything is smooth.
4. Scoop into individual bowls or four 5 oz. ramekins and cover. The pudding will be runny, but will firm up in the fridge.
5. Chill at least one hour (or until firm) and serve cold.    

* A special thanks to my friend Tony for taking the more professional, up-close shots of this pudding (the first and last photo in this blog).  We had fun "food-styling" this dessert!

Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Walnut Cookies

The best breaks in life are free. With the thesis crunching in, time is a precious commodity. But thanks to my cousin, I was able to break, bake, and enjoy some homemade chocolate cookies, without having to do more than pop open the lid and scoop. It was almost as easy as "open box and bake." And the results - definitely much more delicious, though a bit crunchier than I would have liked!

My cousin Janeen (who won my 2009 "perfect" chocolate cake contest) was telling me about some of her recent baking experiences. There was a new VEGAN recipe she wanted to try from Veganomicon by Moskowitz and Romero. "Chocolate Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies" sounded yummy, veganly perfect, and not being shy when it comes to chocolate, I of course volunteered to be her guinea pig.

Since Janeen lives about 30 minutes away, sampling a fresh cookie from her is a challenge. But because my parents are in her area on Sundays to visit our grandmother, it worked out that they could be the cookie couriers. Rather than baking the cookies, Janeen decided to send the raw dough and let me bake them fresh and enjoy them hot from the oven because when it comes to home baked cookies, there is really no better way to enjoy them.

With the rain coming down this afternoon, thoughts of warm, fresh-baked cookies filled my mind. A perfect day to bake and to take a break from the thesis. And with Janeen already having done the hard part in assembling the dough, I just needed to form the dough into one inch balls, flatten them on the pan, and bake.

Now my mom isn't really much of a baker and supplies are a bit scarce here. "I have a non-stick pan for you to use," she said. With a high learning curve in baking, I consented, warmed the oven to 350 degrees and began to place the cookie dough on the dark non-stick cookie sheet. Though a bit oily, the dough was a deep dark brown with a wonderful chocolate smell, packed full of walnut and chocolate chips. I was so ready to eat the raw dough but I resisted.

(Come to think of it, I could have eaten them raw as there are no eggs and thus no salmonella fears to contend with. Next time...)

Soon the smell of warm baking cookies filled the air, and at the end of the allotted 10 minute baking period, the cookies came out of the oven looking wonderfully appetizing. My mom and I were both ready to get at them, but we let them cool, and my mom was patient as I took my pictures. In no time, however, the taste test began.

The cookies were still slightly warm and had a wonderful deep chocolate-flavor. "Not very sweet," my mom said. And personally, that's how I like them as the bittersweet undertones lifted the rich subtle sweetness in the chopped walnuts and the chocolate chips. There was however a clear crunch to the cookie, and an "almost burnt" taste that lingered. While my preference is moist and chewy cookies, my mom loves crunchy cookies (along with nuts and chocolate) and so for her, it was a perfect combination. She loved them.

For me, I adored the taste combination and the fact that they are VEGAN. I would, however, have preferred a chewy, fudgy texture. Now if I had listened to Alice, I would have known better.

In her book Bittersweet (my new Bible on chocolate baking), Alice Medrich notes that "cookies will have the best flavor and texture if they are baked on sheets lined with parchment paper, or even wax paper, which insulates them just enough but still allows the cookies to be a little crusty on the outside and soft within." She goes onto to write, "Pans with dark surfaces (even if they are non-stick) tend to scorch rich chocolate cookie bottoms before the centers are cooked." There is my answer. I baked these rich chocolate cookies on my mom's non-stick dark pan and the pans scorched the bottoms.

Alice knows best. And I know better now.

But in any case, the cookies were (and still are) excellent. What makes them better is that the ingredients were blended and sent with love by my cousin, and baked fresh and enjoyed with my mom. And I learned something about baking too.

Overall, it was a wonderful baking break on a rainy day. Now it's back to the books, until the next chocolate adventure when the baking plan will be Alice's Bittersweet Deception. "Cake," she writes, "doesn't really begin to do justice to this dense, moist, melt-in-your-mouth bittersweet chocolate dessert." Definitely, my kind of indulgence. When the thesis editing is done, the baking will begin. Stay tuned

A Slice of Sicily in San Pablo

Who would have thought that you could savor authentic Sicilian chocolate in the San Francisco suburb of San Pablo? Yet that is what La Strada serves in its Chocolate Fondant.

While their tiramisu and other desserts are made on site, this local neighborhood restaurant, according to our server, imports this three-layered chocolate cake (along with its Tartufo di Cioccolato) directly from Sicily. And that is a good thing for people like me who desire a deep dark chocolate cake that is not overly sweet, made in good European tradition.

While many American chocolate layered cakes are covered with a too-sweet chocolate frosting, the Chocolate Fondant is covered with a beautifully bittersweet chocolate ganache. A rich subtly-sweet chocolate cream complements the layers of cake, which surprisingly are moist and full of rich chocolate flavor, which are almost good enough to stand solo as a dessert itself. The cake is rimmed with chocolate flakes and drizzled lightly with a bittersweet chocolate sauce. The taste of good dark chocolate pops with each bite. No sweet saccharin here – only the real stuff.

While others in my dinner party thoroughly enjoyed the Tartufo di Ciococolato, I definitely preferred the cake over this traditional Italian ice cream dessert. Filled with zabaglione cream, covered with chocolate gelato, hazelnuts, and cocoa powder, and accented with raspberry sauce, the Tartufo had too much going on for my taste palate and lacked the dark chocolate pop I crave.

While the vegan Fettuccine ai Carciofi was very good, with its artichoke hearts, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic, the dessert is what made the meal.

Overall assessment: 4.5 cacao beans (out of 5)
Enjoy your pasta but save room for the Chocolate Fondant – a rich dark bittersweet delight, as Sicily is deliciously served up in San Pablo.
(review date: 2009_11-10)

Looks can be Deceiving

To be honest, I've been a bit disappointed with the quality of chocolate desserts I've sampled around Berkeley. Nothing has been stellar. Nothing has stood out. Nothing has enticed me to return and indulge again. Nothing, that is, until Cioccolata Di Vino, a Dessert and Wine Cafe, on Shattuck near Hearst.

While most of the places I've checked out have been cafes or bakeries, Cioccolata Di Vino is a restaurant which makes their own desserts, and features Italian-influenced cuisine with a "tantalizing menu of desserts and savory small plates, complemented by our carefully selected wine list." The atmosphere is designed to "create a warm environment that will foster social interaction and communication among friends, loved ones, and neighbors over delicious food and wonderful wine." Opened late afternoon through the evening, it became the perfect place to meet up for dessert with some friends who are preparing for marriage.

Checking their menu and website before meeting up, I knew this place looked promising as I looked forward to something dense, dark, and decadent. My plan was to order "Torta al Cioccolato Liquefatto." There is something about Italian named desserts that simple ooze with indulgence, but the description of this torta as a "warm, luscious molten lava cake topped with fresh whipped cream" also helped my dessert drool to begin.

One of the other chocolate desserts I had considered was the "Torta di Cioccolato e Polenta," described as a "chocolate polenta cake with finely chopped almonds, topped with fresh whipped cream and sliced almonds." Thus, I was very relieved when my friends decided to order that along with "Tortina di Limone," a "bright and flavorful lemon tart served with lemon thyme-infused whipped cream." They also ordered a vanilla hot chocolate.

I was rather disappointed when our desserts arrived. Service was not very good, and it was confirmed when my molten lava arrived with melted cream spewing over the sides. It had been sitting for awhile before arriving at our table. It simply did not look very appealing.

I have learned however that with desserts, appearances can be deceiving. Some of the most beautiful cakes I've seen have been some of the worst cakes I've tasted. And this melted mess ended up being one of the most seductive chocolate desserts I've had since my travels in New Zealand and Australia earlier this year. (I've not yet blogged about them but you can see the pictures here on Flickr.)

Though whip cream was literally everywhere, when my spoon cut open the cake, a rich dark warm chocolate oozed out. The outer layer of the cake had a bit of crisp crunch that was a nice offset in texture to the moist bittersweet cake which lay beneath and the chocolate liquid within which seemed to keep oozing. There was a gentle chocolate bite to the cake which provided a wonderful balance to the semi-sweetened lava center. It was warm and luscious, and I savored each bite. I was sad when it was gone. If it were not for the fact that I was sitting in a nice Italian restaurant, I probably would have picked up the plate to lick it clean. This was a divine chocolate experience.

While the Torta al Cioccolato Liquefatto oozed with rich chocolate indulgence, the Torta di Cioccolato e Polenta crunched with a unique chocolate pleasure. I've never had chocolate in polenta before but it was very good. There is a quality to a corn cake, which gives it a bit of a grainy edge but that texture pairs well with the bittersweet taste of the chocolate and the crunch of the almonds. I had a small taste, but would have loved to indulge in a little more.

In fact, I would love to indulge a lot more in both the lava and polenta cakes. And while we're at it, let's throw in the "hot chocolate" which is a beautiful drinking chocolate with a dark bittersweet bite, as well as the "Tortina di Cioccolato e Mandorle," their chocolate and almond tart which we did not order. Cioccolata Di Vino is definitely a place to which I am returning. Currently it is the site for the "our thesis is done celebration" I'm having with a classmate who gave up chocolate for lent. Her plan is to finish the thesis by Easter so we can indulge. Trust me, we will.

And in case you're wondering about the "Tortina di Limone," it too was a winner in my book. Tart and tangy, the fresh lemon sang loud and strong in this number.

I have a feeling that with most any dessert on the menu, you won't be disappointed. Of course these dessert delicacies at $6.95 are a bit more expensive than the ones in the local cafes, but they are worth it. They may look like a melted mess, and the service may not be so great (it took forever to get water refilled and to finally get our check), but the experience and the depth of flavors make up for it. With good friends and good food, you really can't go wrong at Cioccolata Di Vino. Simply sit and savor the experience. Just don't be in a rush to go.

Overall assessment: 4.7 cacao beans (out of 5)
If you're looking for a good dessert, I believe this is THE place in Berkeley. For those who like their chocolate desserts full of chocolate and not other sugary fillers, their chocolate selections offer deep rich flavors and texture . Yet for a place called "Cioccolata," I would have expected more than just three chocolate desserts. In spite, this is a place you'll want to return with friends to enjoy good food and fellowship.
(review date: 2010_03-12)

Conversations in chocolate

I was in a chocolate awe this afternoon, and it had nothing to do with what I ate.

In connection with "Good Foods Month," I received an email about a panel discussion on chocolate careers featuring five of the Bay Area most accomplished chocolate professionals. Though I can't say that a chocolate career is in my future, I had the time, and I was curious about what they were going to say. Thus, I registered and spent about 90 minutes at the San Francisco Art Institute, the host site, listening and learning about what it takes to be in the chocolate business and the challenges these seasoned professionals face as entrepreneurs and women.

One reason I wanted to attend was to hear Alice Medrich (pictured right), my chocolate mentor through my study bake attempts last year. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring one of my growing collection of Alice's books for her to sign and to be the total groupie. And I forgot to bring my camera thus needed to use the camera function on my old (not smart) phone to take pictures. Thus I have blurry shots.

Another person on the panel I wanted to hear was Penelope Finnie (pictured left in the picture below), owner of Bittersweet, one of the few places in the Bay Area that serves a dark bittersweet cup of drinking chocolate. Because I have since sampled other types of drinking chocolate or "cioccolata calda" in Italy (and need to review more of them on this blog), I was able to talk with her and suggest she offer a thick European-style chocolate at their cafe, which I do love. She said she's heard this suggestion before and will consider it. I mentioned that I have been trying some samples of drinking chocolate which I picked up in markets while traveling in Italy, and she said to email her if I find one I like. I plan to, and hope to see a thick drinking chocolate at Bittersweet sometime soon!

Other members of the panel included Thalia Hohenthal (pictured left in the center), food scientist at Guittard Chocolate Company, Zohara Mapes (pictured left on the right), chocolatier at TCHO, and Kathy Wiley, owner of Poco Dolce.

Topics this distinguished group of chocolate professionals shared about included:

• how they first decided to enter the business,
  
• what an average day looks like,
  
• how their love of chocolate influences their choice of foods,
  
• how they are breaking ground as women in a male dominated field,
  
• what they think of the new "art" in chocolate with new flavor pairings,
• how they describe chocolate as tasting is a big part of what they each do,
• what they would suggest for someone looking to turn their "passion" into "profit"

While there were many stories shared of the hard work and dedication needed to succeed and the challenges faced including tasting after tasting after tasting, one thing I appreciated from the Q&A time was Thalia's 6 point rating of chocolate. It is:

• yum yum yum
• yum yum
• yum
• yuck
• yuck yuck
  
• yuck yuck yuck

For Thalia there is no zero, no middle ground when it comes to chocolate. You must decide one way or the other - yum or yuck. Alice agreed and confessed that she tends to not have an extensive vocabulary to describe chocolate and tends toward the "yum or yuck" scale. Rather than use standard chocolate descriptions as found in the media (like "fruity" or "floral"), she believes it is more valuable to have a kid's vocabulary when it comes to chocolate because it moves quickly to the bottom line - whether you like it or not. And that's important because chocolate is such a personal thing.

I appreciate this, because personally I too do not yet having an extensive vocabulary in my ability to describe chocolate. My taste pallet is not well develop and I don't have the words to describe what I taste. I simply know if I like something or not. It's nice to know that I have a chocolate professional like Alice in my corner. That's why she continues to be my chocolate hero.

More Mousse-Adventures in Baking

There was something about the simplicity of having only three ingredients that intrigued me. But after another chocolate baking experience that left me scratching my head and asking, "what went wrong?" I think I've learned my chocolate "study bake" lesson -- Alice does know best.

With the thesis out of my hands and in the hands of readers, and before diving into another round of papers, I decided to rest my weary brain by breaking with some baking.

My mom had a solid 7-oz. milk chocolate Hershey kiss which needed to be used, and on-line, I found a simple recipe for Milk Chocolate Mousse cupcakes that looked easy and required the exact amount of chocolate I needed to use. Stepping away from my beloved Alice and her Bittersweet recipes yet again, I thought this would be a breeze "study bake" with only 3 eggs, 1/8 cup plus 1 T flour, along with the 7-oz. of chocolate. Little did I know.

My mom wasn't sure when she received this enormous chocolate kiss as a gift. It had been sitting around for a while, and I wondered if it had "bloomed."

Chocolate "blooms" when it develops a gray appearance. This discoloration does not indicate spoilage but is only a cosmetic effect which occurs as the cocoa butter in the chocolate separates, floats to the surface, and crystallizes. Bloom doesn't effect taste; it just doesn't look very pretty.

When I unwrapped the chocolate kiss, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it still had that brown Hershey kiss color. I was expecting it to be discolored, which is the reason I thought to use it, but nonetheless, into the make-shift double boiler it went.

Now if this was an Alice recipe, it would probably have read -"melt chopped chocolate in a double boiler." But since this was NOT an Alice recipe, and since I am still an ignorant amateur in baking with chocolate, I placed the solid chunk of chocolate in the double boiler, over simmering water.

Imagine Jeopardy music if you will, because it took a LONG time for those 7 ounces of chocolate to melt. It wasn't until a few minutes into this melting ordeal that I realized that chopping it first would have cut the time down considerably.

The Family Circle recipe for these Milk Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes indicates that prep time is 5 minutes, with total time being 19 minutes. I didn't set an official time, but it took at least 10 minutes to get the chocolate melted! So much for a short and simple "study bake". Oh Alice, I miss you.

As the block melted down, I kept expecting the milk chocolate to become more liquidity, similar to the dark chocolate melting I have grown accustomed to. Unfortunately, it never achieved that consistency. Now if this were an Alice recipe, she would have mentioned that milk chocolate melts differently than dark and because of the milk fat, doesn't attain the smooth satiny flow I've grown accustomed to working with.

After a long while of continuous stirring so as to not burn the chocolate, I figured this is the way this chocolate will be and I decided to continue on with the next recipe step. "Stir eggs and flour into melted chocolate with wire whisk or wooden spoon." Sounds easy enough.

However, as I incorporated the eggs into the melted chocolate, I began to see yellow and quickly realized the eggs were beginning to cook. The chocolate was too hot! If this were an Alice recipe, she would have indicated the proper chocolate temperature and I would have stuck in my thermometer and added the eggs at just the right time. But no.

Instead of looking like a cupcake batter, my concoction was beginning to look like chocolate scrambled eggs! I quickly added the flour and continued to furiously whisk. I don't have a picture of what this looked like, because I needed to keep beating the ingredients before the eggs really cooked up solid. Who knows what would have happened if I stopped to take a picture?

With the chocolate cooled and ingredients incorporated, I laded the lumpy yellowy batter into the lined cupcake tins, and baked at 325 degrees. For baking time, the recipe says, "12 minutes or until sides of cupcakes are set but centers are still liquid." After 10 minutes, I checked and realized I had no idea what I was looking for. How do I know the sides are set and centers are liquidy? Alice would have provided better indication on how to determine doneness. I decided to simply pull them out of the oven after 12 minutes and let these cupcakes be what they will be.

As soon as the suggested 10 minute cooling period was done, I grabbed one, peeled off the liner, and broke it open. To my disappointment, no liquid. And after a first bite, I don't know why the chocolate custard taste of this cupcake surprised me. This warm dense and doughy cupcake was definitely more egg-like than mousse-like in both consistency and taste. There was nothing light, airy, or fluffy about this Milk Chocolate "Mousse" Cupcake.

It wasn't bad. Yet it wasn't very good either. It was a bit odd and I was disappointed. And as my mom said, "They are sweet." And sweet they were, especially in comparison to all the bittersweet chocolate desserts I have been attempting.

I am definitely learning my lesson. Alice knows best. It is back to bittersweet baking I go. Or maybe, rather than baking, I'll just go back to eating and reviewing chocolate. There are definitely less disappointments in that department.