Recipes with Chocolate

Victorians loved their chocolate. They considered it "a perfect food ... as wholesome as delicious."  Chocolate's health benefits were praised as being  "a beneficent restorer of exhausted power." Chocolate was said to "soothe both stomach and brain." These 100 year old recipes are sinfully delicious –  made with butter not margarine, whole milk and cream, and lots of sugar. Spoil your guests this holiday season with some absolutely delicious desserts.

GINGER, CHERRY, APRICOT and NUT CHOCOLATES

• White of 1 egg,

• 2 tablespoonfuls of cold water

• Sifted confectioner's sugar

• Almond or rose extract

• Preserved ginger

• Candied cherries

• Candied apricots

• Halves of almond

• Halves of pecan nuts

• 1/2 a pound of Baker's Chocolate

Use the first four ingredients in making uncooked fondant. (Caramel syrup is a great addition to this fondant, especially if nuts are to be used. Use three tablespoonfuls of syrup and one tablespoonful of water with one egg white instead of the two tablespoonfuls of water indicated in the recipe). Work the fondant for some time, then break off little bits and wrap around small pieces of the fruit, then roll in the hollow of the hand into balls or oblongs. For other candies, roll a piece of the fondant into a ball, flatten it with the fingers and use to cover a whole pecan or English walnut meat. Set each shape on a plate as it is finished. They will harden very quickly. Dip these, one by one, in Baker's Chocolate and set on an oil cloth.

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

Put the milk in the double-boiler, and place on the fire. Beat the butter to a soft cream, and beat the flour into it. Gradually pour the hot milk on this, stirring all the time. Return to the fire and cook for six minutes. Put the shaved chocolate, sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of water in a small pan over a hot fire, and stir until smooth and glossy. Stir this into the mixture in the double-boiler. Take from the fire and add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten; then set away to cool. When cool add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Pour the batter into a well-buttered earthen dish that will hold about a quart, and cook in a moderate oven for twenty-two minutes. Serve immediately with vanilla cream sauce.

VANILLA CREAM SAUCE

Beat to a cream three tablespoonfuls of butter, and gradually beat into this two-thirds of a cupful of powdered sugar. When this is light and creamy, add a teaspoonful of vanilla; then gradually beat in two cupfuls of whipped cream. Place the bowl in a pan of boiling water, and stir constantly for three minutes.  Pour the sauce into a warm bowl, and serve with the chocolate soufflé.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 1/2 cup of milk
  

• 3 ounces of Baker's Chocolate

• 1-3/4 cups of sugar

• 1/2 cup of butter

• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

• 1-1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

• 1-3/4 cups of sifted pastry flour

• 3 eggs

Grate the chocolate. Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the sugar. Beat in the milk and vanilla, then the eggs (already well beaten), next the chocolate, and finally the flour, in which the baking powder should be mixed. Pour into two well buttered shallow cake pans. Bake for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. Frost or not, as you like.

Excerpt from:
"Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes" and "Home Made Candy Recipes" published by Walter Baker & Co., Ltd.