"Chocolate makes a great gift and does double duty in holiday entertaining as finger food and showpiece dessert," says Debbie Mosimann, owner, innkeeper and resident chef of Swiss Woods Bed and Breakfast, a Select Registry "Distinguished Inn of North America."
Mosimann offers the following tips and recipes for turning potential holiday disasters
into triumphs:
♦ Gift-wrap premium chocolate bars and keep them on hand as gifts for unexpected guests. "Chocolat Frey is Switzerland's number-one chocolate maker, and their limited-edition Gingerbread, Winter Fruit & Nut and Cinnamon Coriander bars add a holiday touch to traditional chocolate," Mosimann says.
♦ Pair Chocolat Frey's Euro-cool flavors with bottles of spiced holiday wine for scrumptious hostess gifts. Create a flavor-themed gift basket with a holiday ornament, cloth napkins and coordinating chocolate. Customize stocking stuffers by matching personalities to chocolate flavors.
♦ For no-hassle entertaining, whip up a chocolate mousse and store in the refrigerator for use in mugs of foaming Cinnamon Coriander Hot Chocolate.
♦ Make holiday breakfasts fast, elegant and extra special with chocolate-stuffed Swiss Toast.
Limited-edition Gingerbread, Winter Fruit & Nut, and Cinnamon Coriander chocolate bars will be added to the Chocolat Frey line in Target stores nationwide starting in November.
Recipes
Cinnamon Coriander Hot Chocolate
(Heissi Zimt Koriander Schoggi)
Not the hot chocolate of your childhood, this foaming drink creates a visual molecular cuisine experience before your eyes.
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
6 squares Frey Cinnamon Coriander chocolate bar, chopped
4 squares Frey Cinnamon Coriander chocolate bar (for garnish)
2 cups milk
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 spoon - for an extra treat at the bottom of the cup.
Preparation:
In small bowl, whip whipping cream until stiff. Do not over-beat. Fold in cocoa powder, chopped chocolate and sugar. Heat milk and piece of cinnamon stick in saucepan - carefully, so as to not boil. Heap mousse into large-mouth tea or coffee cup. Use lightly warmed knife to cut chocolate and prevent splintering. Place one square of Cinnamon Coriander chocolate on top. Pour hot milk over mousse. Using hand-held grater and one square of Frey Cinnamon Coriander chocolate, create chocolate curl for garnish. Do not stir; serve immediately. Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Tip: The mousse can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to two to three days.
Chocolate Stuffed Swiss Toast
(Fotzelschnitte mit Schoggi)
This is a Swiss twist on an American favorite for a festive holiday breakfast.
Ingredients:
Zest of ½ orange
4 thick slices day-old Swiss Butter Zopf bread (any thick butter bread may be substituted)
1 3.5-ounce Frey limited-edition holiday flavor chocolate bar, broken into squares
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup half and half (or whole milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, preferably Saigon or Vietnamese
1 tablespoon butter
Confectioner's sugar
Preparation:
Cut bread into 1½-inch-thick slices. Slice each piece lengthwise but not completely through, creating a pocket. Stuff each pocket with three squares of Gingerbread, Cinnamon Coriander or Winter Fruit & Nut chocolate bar. In a shallow, flat bowl, whisk the eggs, cream (or milk) and cinnamon. Lay four slices of stuffed bread into egg mixture. Allow to stand for 10 seconds before turning over on other side. Let stand. Heat griddle or large fry pan to medium/high heat. Add butter to skillet, coating the bottom. Turn toast in egg mixture an additional time, allowing it to absorb as much of mixture as possible. Place bread pieces on hot skillet, turning when brown - approximately five minutes on each side. Remove and place toast on cookie sheet in warm oven until ready to serve. Serve with maple syrup, fresh berries, whipped cream and dusting of cinnamon and/or confectioner's sugar. Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Tip: For an easy step-by-step recipe to make your own Swiss Butter Zopf bread, visit www.chocolat-frey.com.
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