Fountain of youth ~ the chocolate continues to flow...

Okay, so it's still not really the fountain of youth, but chocolate always makes me think of being a kid so I'm still hoping they were connected. Here are a couple more recipes to get us more in the mood for Joy's upcoming Chocolate round-up.

CHURCH COOKIES
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Jumbo egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• Melt chocolate until smooth. Set aside.
  
• Beat egg whites with salt until foamy.
• Gradually add sugar and keep beating until stiff peaks form.
• Add vinegar and vanilla.
• Add chocolate and nuts.
• Drop onto greased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.
• Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• Bring water to a boil and add butter.
• Sift sugar, cocoa, flour and salt together.
• Add dry ingredients to saucepan and cook until thick, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and stir vanilla in.
• Serve immediately.
• Refrigerate leftovers and reheat as necessary in microwave.

CHOCOLATE BALLS
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Jumbo egg
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  
• Cream sugar and butter together.
• Add the egg, chocolate, salt and flour, mixing well with beater.
• Form into walnut size balls.
• Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet 10-12 minutes. DO NOT over bake.
• Sift powdered sugar over the cookies while still warm OR for more decadence allow cookies to cool and coat in white chocolate almond bark.

CHOCOLATE VELVET & COFFEE CREAM FROSTING
This is a great looks and tastes like you worked all day (but you didn't) dessert to serve at buffet or holiday.
CHOCOLATE CREAM
8 ounces sweet chocolate
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 envelopes KNOX unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

• Melt chocolate pieces with 1 1/2 cups milk in a double boiler.
• Dissolve the gelatin into the remaining milk.
• Beat the chocolate mixture until smooth.
• Add in the gelatin mixture, sugar and salt.
• Cool mixture until it begins to thicken.
• Add in the light cream, vanilla, almond flavoring and whipped heavy cream.
• Mix until smooth.
• Rinse Bundt pan in COLD water.
  
• Pour mixture into Bundt pan.
• Chill until firm.

FROSTING
2 teaspoons instant coffee, finely ground twice
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
shaved sweet chocolate

• Sprinkle the coffee over the cream.
• When coffee has dissolved add the vanilla and whip the cream stiff, adding the sugar as you beat.
• Unmold the chocolate cream onto a flat platter.
• Pour the coffee cream over top and garnish with shaved chocolate.
  

♥