Through serendipity I suddenly found myself in one of the best Christmas markets in Paris. Tiny chalets twinkling with holiday lights lined the tourist-filled street, selling everything from crafts to sausages and cheese. After spotting a long queue at the chocolate chaud (hot chocolate) booth, I couldn't resist the urge to practice my French and warm up a bit. More
Okay, let me get this straight. It's Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and you've bellied up to Serious Eats for more? Either you're not an American or you're an exceptionally good one. In any case, winter has almost arrived and with it? Hot cocoa season. More
This pie is filled with a creamy pumpkin mousse that's happy to chill out in the fridge until you're ready to serve it. More
Aldea's Brian Block makes this delectable variation on the classic Negroni, using Punt e Mes Italian vermouth, Aperol, and cocoa-nib infused gin. More
To be perfectly honest, I enjoy this syrup best with only 5 ounces of brown sugar. The lower sugar version makes a deep, rich, sophisticated chocolate syrup. But not "Hershey's Syrup." The absolute hallmark of Hershey's is its sweetness, so to stay true to your childhood memories, stick with 9 ounces. More
Like adding a splash of balsamic vinegar, incorporating cocoa powder into this jam intensifies the flavor of the raspberries and provides depth and richness. Besides, what goes together better than berries and chocolate? This simple-yet-luxurious jam is practically begging to be slathered on fresh croissants, and it tastes pretty swell on a peanut butter sandwich, too. More
Like adding a splash of balsamic vinegar, incorporating cocoa powder into this jam intensifies the flavor of the raspberries and provides depth and richness. It's practically begging to be slathered on fresh croissants, and it tastes pretty swell on a peanut butter sandwich, too. More
Beets may sound like an unlikely candidate for an ice cream, but they share chocolate's earthy, fruity sweetness, enhanced all the more so by roasting them first. Mixing beets with chocolate and churning them into ice cream dampens their funky qualities; this ice cream tastes more of marshmallow than vegetable, with only the subtle aftertaste of chocolate. More
Some of this has been covered in previous posts, but it can't hurt to have some chocolate terms you can comfortably throw around. Here are the basic ones—feel free to add yours in the comments! More
They're showing up in more places than ever: baked in fancy restaurant desserts, folded into ice cream, and even lining the shelves of grocery stores. But their exact origin and nature is still something of a mystery to many people. I'm talking about cocoa nibs. What are they? Bits of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cacao bean. They're extremely good for you, and have an intense chocolatey taste, but aren't sweet at all. More
