Going Dutched

If you start off using the best ingredients, the proof is in the pudding; as is the case with my Chocolate Torta recipe; I use the Droste brand of cocoa which is dutched cocoa.

Dutched cocoa means the cocoa underwent a process that results in milder chocolate flavor notes by reducing acidity. The dutching process can also change the color from light red to brown to black. Dutched cocoa works well in chocolate desserts such as devil’s food cake or brownies.

My Torta Recipe requires just a simple whisk, spoon or spatula to do the job. Mix by hand + bake. Forty-five minutes later you’ll be savoring this delightful Italian Pastry!

George's Chocolate Torta

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 12 servings 

chefgeorgehirsch.com 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/3 cup sweet butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 egg white, beaten into whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan; set aside.

In small bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large bowl, combine cocoa and granulated sugar until blended. With wire whisk, beat in water, then melted butter, egg, egg white and vanilla until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. On wire rack, cool for ten minutes in pan. With small spatula, loosen cake from sides of pan. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Place on plate and sprinkle with confectioners sugar. To serve, cut into small wedges. 

Chocolate-Cranberry Bread Pudding Recipe

I like to use day-old French Bread in bread pudding because it has more flavor than the gummy white kind. Cinnamon-raisin bread, sweet rolls, even left over Irish soda bread can also be substituted for part of the bread. Puree some seasonal berries for a sauce or serve with a little chocolate sauce, spiked for festive gatherings.

Chocolate-Cranberry Bread Pudding Recipe

Makes 10-12 servings | From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series
@georgehirsch

3-4 cups cubed dry French bread
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberry, raisins, or craisins plumped in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
4 cups milk
8 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 Teaspoon nutmeg 

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, butter, and beat with a whisk until well blended. Slowly pour over the bread, cranberry/raisin, nut and chocolate mixture. Poke the bread so that it’s completely covered with the milk mixture and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  

Place a pan larger than the cake pan or skillet in preheated oven and place the pan holding the bead pudding inside. Immediately fill the outer pan with enough hot water so that it comes up one inch on the sides of the bread-pudding pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the water bath, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 additional minutes.

Remove the bread-pudding and allow to set for two hours before removing it from the pan.

Serve with warm fruit, vanilla or chocolate sauce.

chefgeorgehirsch.com 

Bean to Bar

Brooklyn New York's own Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory makes no ordinary chocolate bar. Wow. Not many chocolatiers still have the two brother's artisanal approach to this process; their hand picked cacao beans are roasted, ground up, processed, aged, tempered and packaged on premises. Mast Brother's bars have no golden ticket inside (not yet that is), but each is hand wrapped in that same "winning" gold foil lining with the opportunity to learn everything you can about creating great chocolate from the "Mast-ers". Available online or at the factory location.

Galani

Carnevale di Venezia has begun. No worries if you can’t make it there by sundown, Venice is the most magical city in the world - any time of the year. I am amazed at Venice's centuries old inner workings and how the most simplest of tasks even happen. Have you ever stopped and watched a truck making deliveries? Now, just imagine it all done via boat, no autos. What's not to love; the people, the art, the food, the vaporettos. Ahh, the Venice way of life.  

Venice Carnival Mask, image George Hirsch

The Carnival of Venice is the most internationally known festival outside of Fat Tuesday’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans. However the celebration in Venice, Italy is one of the oldest. This congregation of masked people, began in the 15th century, but the tradition can be traced back to the beginning of the 14th Century.

Venice Grand Canal, image George Hirsch

Historically, the streets of Venice during Carnival are full of people in masks, with no differentiation made between nobility and the common people. Generally, the costume worn was a cloak with a long-nosed mask. Also popular were masked couples, where a man and a woman would dress as allegorical characters. In the squares, street-artists and singers entertain with songs and music.

The gastronomy of Carnival was originally rich in fats with foods such as gnocchi, tortellini, lasagna and pastries; such as Galani. The purpose; use up all those forbidden foods like eggs, fat and sugar before the Lenten season began. Party, consume and repeat. 

galani

Galani, is also known as fried ribbons, bow ties or angel wings in the U.S. The ribbons of sweet pasta dough are fried and covered with sugar or honey. It takes on different names throughout central Europe including; chrusciki, krusczyk, frappe, frappole, sfrappole, flappe, cenci, crustci, donzelli, crostoli, galani in Veneto, lattughe, nastri delle suore, bugie, and gigi. No matter what you call them - they are addictive. 

Here's my recipe for Galani, aka Angel Wings.

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Tailgate Cookie

There's always plenty of good reasons for a tailgate — football, little league soccer games or supporting a local marathon race. Cap-off your tailgate menu with my Chocolate Brownie Cookies. You will surely see alot of smiling faces.

Chocolate treat, under 30 minutes - mixing and baking. But can you wait 24 hours? Probably not, but just save a few because these cookies actually taste even better a few days after baked. Eyes-go-wide open on the first bite. Try my recipe for yourself and you'll agree. For best results use this good quality Dutch cocoa, like Droste Dutch Cocoa or Bensdorp Cocoa; a Good Stuff Pick. Make enough to share.

Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Makes 3 dozen large or 6 dozen small 
George Hirsch Lifestyle | chefgeorgehirsch.com

1 1/3 cups butter
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 each eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2  teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped 
1 cup mini chocolate chips, semi sweet, or chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar one minute, or until creamy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating lightly after each.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk beating at low speed about 1 minute, or just until blended.

Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by heaping 2 Tablespoons spoonful on ungreased baking sheet. 

Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies will still appear soft and moist when baked, but firm up on cooling.

Cool slightly, then remove to cooling rack. About 3 dozen cookies.

Tip: Smaller cookies can be made using 1Tablespoon dough for each cookie, baking for 8 to 10 minutes.

chefgeorgehirsch.com