Aztec Hot Chocolate Patties

Writer's block.  Two tiny words, one ginormous barrier to sharing this amazing recipe with you!  It's not that I don't have recipes to write up, or loads of enthusiasm to share them with you, it's just that I don't have much to say right now.  We're kind of in our own little week-day routine here.  Get up, bike to work, work, bike home, make dinner, eat dinner, water garden, read or watch TV, sleep, repeat.  It's pleasant and, to be honest, I kind of like it.  It has allowed me to enjoy the little things lately--the daily swelling of the watermelons in the garden, the dahlia in the front that is just starting to bloom, the fact that we finally bought finials for the curtains rods... Unfortunately though, our little routine doesn't translate into reading excitement on your end.  Luckily, the recipe I'm about to share with you is exciting.  In fact, I would consider it to be tremendously exciting. 

The recipe is a few months old now.  I developed it for a retirement party in the spring.  The person who retired is awesome and a chocolate connoisseur, so handcrafted chocolates and candies at the party were a must. 

 

It's been a while now, but I'm pretty sure the idea for these popped into my mind and I volunteered to make them before I even had a recipe written down.  Luckily, the recipe I managed to come up with was outstanding.  The center is nice and creamy with a pleasant chocolate and cinnamon flavor, and the hot pepper flakes provide just enough warming heat to leave you wanting more.  
 

So, crank up your AC (or wait for cooler weather since chocolate candies are easiest to make in cooler environments), pull out some chocolate, and get started making the best chocolate-covered patties you will ever eat.

 

Notes:
I let these dry for several hours before I froze them so that the centers wouldn't be too wet/runny.  That being said, if you’re in a rush, you probably could get by without drying them.  I used very hot crushed pepper flakes (Indian style) from Penzeys Spices to top these.  The cocoa powder I use is high fat cocoa powder, also from Penzeys Spices.  The dark chocolate I used was the red wrapped dark chocolate bar from Trader Joe's.  I recommend making these on a cooler day or in an air-conditioned kitchen.  When you dip the patties, melt 6 ounces of chocolate first.  If you end up needing more chocolate, you can use the additional 2 ounces.  If you don’t have a double boiler (a pan that perfectly rests on top of a slightly larger pan so you use the steam from boiling water in the bottom pan to gently warm the ingredients in the top pan), you can make this in a heat-proof bowl set over boiling water, or just use a medium-sized saucepan by itself; just make sure that you pay close attention so you don’t burn anything.  Also, don’t get any water or steam in the dipping chocolate because it will cause it to seize (become grainy and unusable).  By far though, the least stressful way to melt chocolate is to use a double boiler.  I only pull a few undipped patties out of the freezer at a time because it is easier to dip them if they are frozen.  You don’t want the patties to linger in the chocolate for too long because the warm chocolate will melt them.  Be sure to sprinkle on the hot pepper flakes while the chocolate is still wet.   

Ingredients:
2½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup coca powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
a pinch of finely ground black pepper   
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons plus 3 teaspoons water
½ teaspoon vanilla
6-8 ounces dark chocolate
1-2 teaspoons hot pepper flakes, optional

Sift, Mix, Pipe, Dry, Freeze:
Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and set aside.  Sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and black pepper, and set aside.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine the honey and the water and mix until the honey is fully dissolved in the water.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add the sugar mixture in fourths, scraping the beaters and bowl well between each addition.  The mixture should be relatively stiff, but pipeable.  If it is runny, add additional powdered sugar.  If it seems too dry, add a bit more water, a half teaspoon at a time.  Line a large drinking glass with a piping bag or a large Ziplock bag (the cup will support the bag while you fill it with the mixture).  Scrape the mixture into the prepared bag.  Close the bag and snip off one of the bag’s corners.  Pipe the mixture into quarter-sized discs on the prepared baking sheet.  Once all of the discs are piped, use the back of a spoon lightly moistened with water to smooth out the curly-cue on top of each disc.  Allow the discs to rest on the countertop for 3-4 hours so they can dry out a bit.  After drying, place the tray in the freezer for at least an hour, or overnight, so the patties are frozen before dipping.

Dip, Sprinkle, Refrigerate:
Once the patties are frozen, assemble a double boiler.  Place 6 ounces of chocolate in the top pan, and heat until the chocolate is fully melted.  While the chocolate melts, line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and set aside.  Once the chocolate is melted, remove the pan from the heat, and set up your dipping area.  Place the prepared cookie sheet next to the melted chocolate.  Pull about 6 patties from the freezer.  Drop one of the patties into the chocolate, and swirl it around with a fork until it is covered.  Lift the patty out of the chocolate and tap the fork on the edge of the pan several times to remove any excess chocolate.  Transfer the coated patty to the prepared pan.  You may need to use a toothpick or fork to slide the patty onto the prepared cookie sheet.  After dipping 3 to 4 patties, sprinkle a few hot pepper flakes on the tops of the patties while the chocolate is still wet.  Repeat with the remaining patties, pulling out more from the freezer as you need them.  If you run out of chocolate, melt the additional 2 ounces of chocolate.  Once all of the patties are dipped and sprinkled with hot pepper, place the pan in the fridge to set the chocolate.  Once set, remove the pan from the fridge, and carefully transfer the patties to an airtight container, placing wax paper between the layers.  Store them in the fridge, and bring to room temperature before serving.  Resist the temptation to eat them all. 

 

Pin It