modeling Chocolate

Chocolate Clay (Modeling Chocolate)

Ingredients

• *10 ounces semisweet chocolate (coarsely chopped chunks or chips)
  1/3 cup light corn syrup

*Note: the chocolate can be substituted with almond bark, or colored candy disks to create different colored flowers

Instructions

1. Using Microwave: In a shallow bowl, melt the chocolate in microwave (be careful so that the temperature does not exceed 100 degrees F.) for 2 minutes; stir. If chocolate is not completely melted, return to microwave for 30 seconds at a time and stir until smooth.

2. Using Double Boiler: Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water and stir until melted.
5. 2. Add corn syrup to the chocolate and mix well (scrape all the corn syrup into the chocolate with a rubber spatula).
6. Using a rubber spatula, stir and fold mixture, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl well, until no shiny syrup is visible and the mixture forms a thick ball.
8. 3. Pour mixture onto a waxed paper sheet and spread with the spatula until it’s about 1/2-inch thick; let it sit and stiffen, uncovered, for about 2 hours.
10. Use at once or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
12. Your Roses or bows will harden after a few days at room tempurature and can be saved by storing in a cool, dry place.
15. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS NOT TO TOUCH THE CLAY TOO MUCH. IT GETS VERY STICKY AND BECOMES HARD TO HANDLE!

Almond Roca

This has to me my favorite recipe of ALL TIME! I totally mean that. If Heaven doesn't have Almond Roca, then I don't want to be there.

(My tip, I like to use a thermometer and wait till it hits 300 degrees rather than listen for crackling and looking for color.) It has always worked for me though.) I got this recipe originally from Here but there are tons out there. I put chocolate chips on top and sprinkle it with almonds too. try it, you won't be disappointed.-Heather

Almond Roca Recipe

Use an inexpensive chocolate such as Hershey's. It has low cocoa butter content. If you use a premium chocolate with a high cocoa butter content, unless you temper the chocolate first (look up directions online), the cocoa butter may separate into white streaks as the melted chocolate cools.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/2 lb butter (2 sticks - NO substitutes!)
• 1/2 lb. slivered almonds (2 cups)
• 1/2 lb. bar of regular Hershey's dark chocolate (7 oz okay)

Method

Do not attempt to make this on a humid or rainy day. Do not double the recipe, make one batch at a time.

1 Melt butter with sugar, syrup and water in a pan (such as a large non-stick frying pan) on medium to medium-high temperature. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon. When butter is melted, add the almonds.

2 When mixture comes to a rolling boil, set your timer for a minimum of 10 minutes and keep stirring (no more than 15 minutes). The mixture will thicken and turn darker in color. The almonds will roast. Keep stirring and cooking until you hear it crackle. If you don't cook it long enough it will not harden, so keep stirring and listen for the crackling sound.

Elise's note: I have found it very hard to distinguish between the boiling sound and the crackling sound in this recipe. A better guideline for me is by color. When the mixture turns a warm amber color, at about 11 or 12 minutes into the boiling, that's the time to pour it out. Wait too long and it will burn.

If you try to make this, please read all the comments listed below. It's actually trickier than one would think.

3 When the mixture crackles, pour the mixture out onto a large cookie sheet and spread it as thin as possible with a fork. While it is still hot, break up the chocolate into chunks and distribute it over the almond mixture and let it melt. Spread it evenly on the top.

4 Let it cool to room temperature. When cool you can lift the whole thing off the pan and break into small pieces.

Decadent Triple Layer Mud Pie

3 Squares Bakers Baking Chocolate (Semi Sweet)
1/4 Cup Canned Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Oreo Pie Crust (6 oz)
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
2 Cups Cold Milk
2 Small Packages Chocolate Jello Instant Pudding
1 8oz Tub Cool Whip (Thawed)

Melt chocolate in microwave or in double boiler and then mix with condensed milk until well blended. Pour into crust and sprinkle with pecans. Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire wisk for 2 minutes until blended. Mixture will be thick. Spoon 1 1/2 cups pudding over pecans in crust. Add 1/2 the Cool Whip to remaining pudding. Stir until blended and spread over pudding in crust. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Refridgerate for 3 hours before serving.

I like it better without the nuts so I leave those out. It is really easy and oh so yummy!

Cake Balls

Red Velvet Cake Balls
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
Wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)
I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It's easier to work with when it's hot.
I found this recipe on bakerella.blogspot.com so you can check out the step by step pictures there if you want to.

Spinach Pizza

I made up this recipe with the help of another recipe, so some things may have to be tweaked a little bit to your liking, but I think it tastes great. (This is not a low-fat pizza, but it does have spinach, so that's good.)

1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/4 c. flour
2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 pkg. cooked spinach
1 pkg. mozzarella cheese (however much you like on top)

Melt butter in saucepan, add flour. Slowly mix in milk (will be thin). On medium/low heat, stir constantly until it thickens. Add salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese and melt. You can either add the spinach in the sauce mixture or put it on top of the sauce on the pizza, whichever you prefer. I use mom's pizza dough recipe. So I roll out the dough, put the sauce on, spinach, and then mozzarella cheese. Cook 425 degrees for 15 min.

-Ali

Yummy "Ranch Fingers"

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. :)
-heather

Pork Chops

Ok, this one is kind of funny because I was at work today and this repair guy came in to fix some cabinet locks and when he was done he came into my office and started gabbing about these great recipes he's come up with, ha ha. He wouldn't stop or leave until he wrote down this pork chop recipe for me. It sounds really good and is, aparently, quck and easy, so I thought I'd post it up quickly :)

2 pork chops seasoned lightly with Montreal Steak seasoning, browned, chopped, and set aside.
Combine 1 1/2 C milk, 1/4 C minced onion, 1 1/2 C blue cheese dressing in the pan that the chops were browned in and heat to a simmer. Add a couple dashes more of the steak seasoning.
Meanwhile, boil egg noodles (however many you want) and drain when cooked.
Combine all and enjoy!

Let me know how this one turns out if you try it.
Amber