Chocolate three ways – Reverse Menuneering

Do you want to know how to make those luscious items you read on menus? Shift into reverse and bring that menu home!

Date night… a time to get away, just Keith and I, for a gastronomic experience like no other. Oh, and I guess it’s nice to spend some adult time too, renewing our relationship without the interference of a four-year-old. Who am I kidding? It’s totally about the food!

This past weekend, Keith and I revisited one of our favorite haunts: Chloe, an american bistro. It’s a typical bistro atmosphere: slightly noisy and crowded, yet still somehow romantic, plus they have live jazz music, so you really can’t beat it for a night out. The meal was lovely; I had the mussels special for an appetizer, served in a traditional broth with tomatoes but also some Great Northern Beans, which was a perfect addition. I had the duck breast for dinner, sitting on a bed of potato hash and duck confit, topped with a variety of dried fruits and drizzled with honey. Perhaps I’ll reverse menuneer that meal someday, but this post is all about the chocolate….

Picture this — you’ll have to, since it was too dark in the restaurant for us to take a photo! — a rectangular tray with a slice of flourless chocolate cake, dusted with powdered sugar, on one end, and two homemade truffles, again with the sweet dusting of sugar, on the other end. Sandwiched in-between is a demi tasse cup brimming with Mexican hot chocolate (my new favorite drink!), so thick and dark and rich that you almost need a spoon to drink it.

Honestly, I could have just had the Mexican hot chocolate and been quite satisfied; the other two offerings were just too sweet for me and didn’t nourish my chocolate cravings. However, you can put together this pretty tray at home — and dare I say make it tastier?

First off, I don’t think Chloe’s cake was completely flourless, although it came close. Who doesn’t prefer a flourless chocolate cake? You can try this timeless classic of a flourless chocolate cake recipe from Gourmet magazine, and if you want to get Chloe-like results, dust with powdered sugar instead of cocoa powder. You could also opt for the ooey-gooey, almost silky outrageous brownies that Ina Garten has generously shared with chocoholics everywhere. From the bottom of my rich, dark, chocolately heart, I sincerely thank you, Ina. Again, for the Chloe look, dust with powdered sugar.

Truffles are easy, and my favorite recipe is for chocolate orange truffles, but I also offer a bunch of flavor alternatives that are equally easy to make. I always roll them in cocoa powder, being the chocoholic that I am, but Chloe rolled them in powdered sugar, and it sure looked pretty — just tasted too sweet!

Finally, my favorite part of the dish — Mexican hot chocolate! If you’ve never had it, you cannot imagine the loveliness of this combination, and Chloe did it perfectly. A rich, thick liquid, kissed with vanilla, cinnamon and cayenne. Yes, you read that right — this is a spicy little number, and the warmth just coats your mouth like a ganache on a cupcake. The endorphin rush of the cayenne mixed with the aphrodisiac chocolately goodness is so satisfying that you won’t care that you have to pick up your kid after your date!

If you’re a spice whimp, Tyler Florence’s Mexican hot chocolate recipe is just perfect for you — but you’re still a giant sissy in my book for not trying it with the cayenne. So if you want the true experience, how much cayenne do you add? That’s a matter of taste, but a pinch per cup is in order.

Or, you could try infusing your milk with adried chili pepper, a vanilla bean and a cinnamon stick for the perfect melding of flavors. It won’t take much more effort, and it will be worth it.

So now that you’re all hot and bothered, will you satisfy yourself with a triple chocolate dessert?