White Chocolate

This post will be dedicated to all things white chocolate.  As much as I love dark and milk chocolate, I know not everyone can eat it or likes it.  So, here are my favorite white chocolate recipes.

White Chocolate Holiday Bark

Ingredients:

• 1 pound finely chopped white chocolate
• 1 1/2 teaspoons nut or plain oil
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 1/4 cups shelled pistachio nuts, toasted and papery coating peeled
• Equipment: Chocolate or candy thermometer

Directions:

Tempering the chocolate for the bark requires a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, improvise one by using a saucepan and a stainless steel bowl: Nestle the bowl into the saucepan, allowing a few inches of space to remain between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the saucepan. Keep an extra bowl of a similar size on hand to transfer the chocolate for cooling. Rest the chocolate thermometer on a towel. Line a baking sheet with foil.


Pour a couple inches of water into the bottom half of the double boiler and heat over medium-low to just below a simmer. Put the chocolate in the top half of the double boiler and set over the hot water. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. As the chocolate melts, check the temperature periodically to make sure it stays between 82 and 86 degrees F.

If it starts to rise above this temperature, quickly transfer the chocolate to the bowl on reserve and stir briskly to reduce heat. Return bowl to double boiler to maintain heat between 82 and 86 degrees F.

Remove bowl from over the hot water just before all the chocolate melts. Stir vigorously until the chocolate melts completely. Check temperature again. Stir in the oil until evenly blended. Chocolate is now tempered and ready to use. Keep within the 82 to 86 degree F range, returning bowl briefly to the double boiler if necessary.


Quickly stir the fruit and nuts into the chocolate. Spread chocolate mixture out on the prepared baking sheet so it's about 1/2-inch thick and the fruit and nuts are coated. Set bark aside at room temperature to harden. Break into angled pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.


White Truffles

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 7 ounces good white chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (ie: Baileys)
• 1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 6 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped

Directions:

Place the cream in a heat-proof bowl, and set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Cook until heated through. Using a wire whisk, slowly stir the white chocolate into the warm cream until completely melted. Whisk in the liqueur and vanilla. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until pliable but firm enough to scoop.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

With 2 teaspoons or a 1 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, make dollops of the chocolate mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll into rough spheres.

Place the chopped hazelnuts on a sheet pan and place them in the oven for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water.  Drizzle the melted bittersweet chocolate over 10 of the truffles. Roll the remaining truffles in the chopped nuts. Chill until ready to serve.



White Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vanilla whipped topping, for garnish
• Mint leaf, for garnish (optional)
• White chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Stir continuously until white chocolate chips have completely melted. Stir in the half-and-half, and vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until heated through.

Pour into mugs and top with a dollop of vanilla whipped topping and garnish with mint leaf and shavings (optional).


White Chocolate Cake with Fresh Raspberries

Ingredients:

For cake:

• 6 cups sifted cake flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 12 egg whites
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

For White Chocolate Mousse:

• 2 cups non-dairy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• about a tablespoon or two of mashed raspberries

For Buttercream Icing:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons cream
• Fresh raspberries

Directions

For cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease bottoms of 12-inch, 9-inch and 4-inch round pans and line them with parchment or wax paper. Sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Set aside.

With mixer at low speed, alternately add flour and milk to butter. Beat in vanilla. Gently fold in egg whites and pour into prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

For mousse: Melt white chocolate in double boiler or very carefully in microwave. Cool. Whip cream until soft peaks form. On low speed, pour in cooled, melted white chocolate.  Carefully mix in mashed raspberries (optional), to give it a pink color.  Or use food coloring if you'd like.

For buttercream: Cream together shortening and butter. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides often. Add milk and beat at medium speed.

To assemble: Spread raspberries over both the 12-inch and 9-inch layers of prepared cake. Top each with raspberries, approximately 1/2-inches apart. Place 9-inch cake layer on top of 12-inch layer. Place 4-inch layer on very top. Decorate with buttercream.


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