Chocolate Fantasy Fundraiser Tea: Chocolate Macadamia Nuts

Thank you all for the well wishes and good thoughts this week. I'm still not quite back to perfect health but my time is up as my husband is now sick.

I wanted to give one final Chocolate Fantasy recipe to close out this tea party theme. Coming up on Monday will be an Easter Brunch Tea Party so be sure to stop back then.

3 1/2 cups whole macadamia nuts
3/4 cup corn syrup
21 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, optional
1 3/4 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the nuts in a large mixing bowl. Add the corn syrup and stir until evenly coated. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using a wooden spoon, transfer the nuts onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet pan. Do not touch them, as they are extremely hot. Let them cool at room temperature, or if possible, place them in the freezer.

When completely cooled, break apart any nut clusters that may have formed. Place the cooled nuts in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add one third of the bittersweet chocolate, one ladleful at a time. Fold the nuts until they are thoroughly coated and the chocolate has set. If you do not fold immediately, the chocolate will set and the nuts will stick together.

Add another third of the chocolate and fold thoroughly until set. Add the remaining third and fold thoroughly being sure all the nuts are well coated. Separate any clusters of nuts that may have formed.

If you serve the nuts as they are, let the chocolate set completely. If you decide to move on to the next step, do not wait for the chocolate to set completely. Add the powdered sugar or cocoa powder and stir until all of the nuts are well coated. If you'd like to coat half of the nuts in powdered sugar and the other half in cocoa powder, start with the powdered sugar. Before serving, place the nuts in a sieve to remove any excess sugar or cocoa powder. The nuts will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Fantasy Fundraiser Tea: Chocolate Pie

Growing up, chocolate pie was my brother’s favorite dessert so my mother made it often. I don’t think I’ve had a piece since I left home.

I’m a bit under the weather with the flu that’s been going around. So if I don’t stop by your blog in the next couple days I hope you’ll understand.

1 fully baked 9-inch pie crust
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons unsweetened, nonalkalized American-style cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups whole milk, divided
2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt until well blended. Add about ¾ cup of the milk, stirring until smoothly incorporated. Gradually stir in the remaining milk and the butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Constantly stirring and scraping the pan bottom to prevent scorching, continue cooking until the mixture bubbles and thickens slightly, 2 to 2 ½ minutes. Immediately remove from the heat. Add the chocolate, stirring until it completely melts and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla.

Strain through a medium-fine sieve into pie shell. If you wish to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, lay plastic wrap directly on the filling. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

Chocolate Fantasy Fundraiser Tea: Devil's Food Cake

Did you know that American and Dutch-process cocoa are not the same and cannot be used interchangeably? American cocoa still contains its natural acidity and Dutch-process cocoa has been treated with an alkali to remove its acid. The alkalizing process turns the cocoa darker but gives it a milder flavor. Equally important, since the amount of baking soda in a recipe depends on the level of acidity, switching from one type of cocoa to another can upset the chemical balance.

Unfortunately, not all cocoa manufacturers clearly indicate whether their product is alkalized. Assume that American brands are not alkalized and that European brands are treated with alkali unless the labels say otherwise. So, in this recipe, you’ll be safe using Hershey’s Cocoa Powder.

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup unsweetened, nonalkalized American-style cocoa powder
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup boiling water
1 1/3 cups cake flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups butter, softened
2 2/3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Fudge Frosting, recipe below

Preheat oven to 350º. Insert rounds of parchment paper into the bottoms of three 9-inch round pans. Generously grease and flour the pans. Melt the chocolate over low heat or in the microwave.

In a medium bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and baking soda until well blended. Pour the boiling water over the mixture, stirring well; it will foam up. Let cool to warm. Sift together the flours, baking powder, and salt onto a sheet of baking parchment or wax paper.

In a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed, beat the butter for 1 ½ minutes. Add the sugar and beat for about 1 ½ minutes longer until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time just until blended. Add the cocoa mixture and continue beating until the mixture is free of lumps. The mixture may look slightly curdled. Stir the chocolate; it should be warm and fluid. Beat the chocolate into the batter until smoothly incorporated. With the mixer on low, beat in half the dry ingredients, then the sour cream and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute. Beat or stir in the remaining dry ingredients just until smoothly incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly among the pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean but still moist and the layers are just beginning to draw away from the pan sides. Transfer the pans to wire racks. Let cool completely.

Carefully run a knife around the pan sides and rap them on the counter to loosen. Invert the layers onto racks. Ice using Chocolate Fudge Frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter, cut into chunks
1 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract combined with 1 ½ tablespoons water
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
11 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened and cut into chunks
2-2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1-2 teaspoons water if needed

In a heavy saucepan, bring the cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup just to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Wash any sugar from the pan sides using a pastry brush dipped in warm water. Also wash any sugar from the stirring spoon. Boil briskly, stirring frequently for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla mixture and the chocolates until they completely melt.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. With mixer on low speed, beat in the cream cheese a few chunks at a time. Continue beating until well blended. Beat in 2 cups confectioners’ sugar. Raise the speed to medium-low and beat until the mixture is completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes; it should be cool to the touch. If the frosting seems too thin to spread, beat in up to ½ cup more confectioners’ sugar. Let stand to firm up, 5 to 10 minutes. If the frosting is very stiff, add a teaspoon or two of water to thin it.

Chocolate Fantasy Fundraiser Tea: White Chocolate Cheesecake

I've read so many explanations for why cheesecakes sometimes crack. Some say it is because the oven is too hot or too dry; some say it is because the cheesecake cooled too quickly. Maybe it could also be because the ingredients were mixed too long or at too high speed. Whatever reason, cheesecakes do crack and it is a good idea to have a plan to cover the cracks. In this case, chocolate shavings cover the top and hide any problems.

Crust:
1 1/2 cup vanilla wafer cookies, in pieces
6 tbsp. butter, melted

Combine all in food processor, press into bottom of greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Filling:
4 (8 oz. each) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons flour
5 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
20 ounces good quality white chocolate (melted in double boiler)
extra white chocolate for grating on top

In a large mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, cornstarch, salt, flour and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Do not over mix. Add sour cream, cream and vanilla extract. Beat just until blended. Add melted chocolate.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes then at 225º for 1 hour 45 minutes. Then turn off oven and let cheesecake remain 1 hour longer. Remove cheesecake from oven. Loosen springform band’s latch but allow to remain in place for 30 minutes. Remove band completely and cool. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Before serving, grate white chocolate over top.

Chocolate Fantasy Fundraiser Tea: Raspberry Brownies

I’d like to tell you that this wasn’t my actual breakfast this morning…but it was. These Raspberry Brownies are the best brownies I’ve ever eaten. If you’re looking for a treat this weekend, tea or no tea, try these!

Brownies:
1 cup butter
1 ¼ cups sugar
½ cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon framboise eau-de-vie (omit if you prefer)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups flour
1 ½-pint basket fresh raspberries

Glaze:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons framboise eau-de-vie (omit if you prefer)
2 teaspoons hot water

Powdered sugar

For brownies: Preheat oven to 325º. Grease 9x13-inch pan. Beat 1 cup butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in cocoa, framboise, vanilla and salt. Gently mix in flour. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle raspberries evenly over batter. Bake until tested inserted into center of brownies comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

For glaze: Combine chocolate, framboise and water in top of a double boiler. Set over barely simmering water and stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

Drizzle glaze over brownies. Let stand until it sets, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving. Makes 16 brownies.

Chocolate Fantasy Fundraising Tea Party: Hot Chocolate

While tea will probably be the main drink of choice for adults at this fundraiser, kids will appreciate hot chocolate. This recipe makes 20 cups but can be doubled. It can be held and kept hot in a crock pot. Offer small marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles if you like.

1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot water
1 gallon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In large saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and salt. Add hot water slowly, mixing well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally. DO NOT boil after adding milk. Remove from heat; add vanilla, cinnamon, and whip with a whisk

Chocolate Fantasy Fundraising Tea Party

Late winter is the perfect time for a tea party; this is true for individuals as well as for organizations. Obligations usually lighten after the holidays, so it isn’t difficult to find lots of willing hands to help host this tea. While the Chocolate Fantasy Tea Party would work in the home, it is really meant to be enjoyed by a large group.

This tea would work perfectly for groups within an organization. For example, maybe the third grade PTA moms would host for the rest of the PTA moms or the young married class at church would host for the other church members. An organization could open this tea party to the general community too if they have a large team of volunteers.

The Chocolate Fantasy Tea Party features only chocolate desserts, tea and other beverages. Imagine a fancy bake sale crossed with a buffet line. This is a tea that men and women and children can enjoy. It should look pretty, of course, but elegant wouldn’t really work here.

Long tables arranged in a U-shape hold the various chocolate treats that are offered. Guests first pick up a simple white dinner plate and walk along in buffet fashion. They may take as many of the desserts as they like. Each dessert is priced separately so that someone taking a few chocolate truffles doesn’t pay as much as someone with chocolate cheesecake, fudge and a brownie on her plate.

How to pay depends on the size of the event. For a small tea, each guest through the buffet can receive a ticket marked with the cost of the items on her plate. Colored stickers work well here, a red circle indicates a $1.00 item, a green sticker for a $2.00 item, etc. A cashier at the end of the line can total the bill and collect the money. For a larger tea though, all desserts can be categorized by type, priced accordingly, the cashier looks at the guest’s plate and totals her bill. This method is quicker but there is an extra step initially.

The tea guests are then directed to the dining area where they will find tables designed by each table hostess. So long as the hostess follows a chocolate theme, she should decorate as she pleases but this isn’t the time for using the good china, especially if children are welcome. Creativity is the important feature here and admiring the various table designs is part of the fun. Each guest will find a napkin, silverware and a water glass at her seat. The table hostess will take orders for the various teas offered or other drinks that may be available.

For many fundraiser or group teas, everyone is asked to bake or prepare the same foods from the same recipes. For the Chocolate Fantasy Tea Party though, each volunteer should make whatever she most loves. Variety is important to this event. There should be a control sheet though so that there aren’t ten chocolate cakes and only one pie.

Categories to fill include: cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, candies, pastries, breads and muffins. Be sure to have a nice mix of large desserts like cakes and small ones like cookies. Figure, just about everyone can make a chocolate chip cookie but not all of us make big, gorgeous chocolate cakes.

Try to estimate how many guests you’ll have. In a closed group, this shouldn’t be too difficult but when the tea is open to the public, it is pretty hard. You could sell advance tickets but that limits folks who hear about this tea at the last minute. Do your best to have enough chocolate treats for everyone who shows up but when the desserts run out, they run out.

Don’t fill the buffet tables with too many of the same item at the same time. Depending on space, you might decide to cut only one cake at a time or display only one basket of chocolate muffins instead of putting out all 5 baskets you’ve received. Or you might combine pieces or slices from different bakers on the same serving platter. It would look good to have a big plate of several kinds of brownies for your tea guests to choose from.

It is always nice to have a few door prizes or raffle items. A specially decorated cake from your town’s best bakery would be a sweet win. The bakery will probably give a discount in exchange for the advertising. The cake could be present or a photo and a gift certificate could be used as your guests might be rather full and not want more cake for a while. At the other end of the spectrum, a gift certificate for a spa day or exercise class could be fun too.

One word about chocolate fountains—don’t. They are expensive to rent, $500 plus the cost of the chocolate. The chocolate must be melted before it goes into the fountain which means time, mess and extra dirty things to wash. And people think it is funny to stick their fingers and tongues directly into the chocolate flow.

This Chocolate Fantasy Tea Party is a good money maker. All food is donated, each table hostess is responsible for her table decorations and there won’t be any shortage of guests. Please see my post Fundraising Tea Party for more details on holding this kind of tea party.

Chocolate recipes begin tomorrow!

Moonshadow from KS Born gave me this "Keep up the Good Work" award. I pass it on to all of the bloggers on my sidebar. I read each of those blogs several times a week and they never fail to amuse, to touch and to inspire.