Pecan Brownies
Brownies remain a classic for chocolate lovers; what’s not to love about a dessert that’s almost all chocolate? Walnuts are often used in brownies, but I prefer toasted pecans, which have a much more distinct and fragrant flavor, and a nuttier texture. I love to serve these fudgy brownies with vanilla ice cream or milk.
Ingredients:
3 cups pecan pieces, lightly toasted
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (either E. Guittard 72% or El Rey 71% is recommended)
10 ounces unsalted butter
5 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp. real vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecan pieces on a baking sheet. Toast for 10-12 minutes until lightly toasted.
Butter and lightly flour a 9×12″ aluminum baking pan.
In a double boiler over low heat, melt chocolate and butter together. Gently stir as chocolate and butter melt. Remove from heat.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla.
Add egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine until well mixed.
Toss toasted pecans in the flour and gently fold into the chocolate mixture
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
Let cool before cutting. While serving immediately is recommended, brownies may be kept in an airtight container for up to seven days.
Chuck Siegel, 2006
Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles
Making a good bittersweet truffle is very easy if you understand just a few basic rules. First, your truffles will only be as good as the chocolate that you choose, so please use the best chocolate possible for great results. Second, make sure that you eat (or share) your truffles soon after making them. Truffles have a very short shelf life, and are best eaten fresh. The delicate texture and flavor balance of these creamy bittersweet chocolate truffles coated with unsweetened cocoa powder are wonderfully complemented by fresh fruit and champagne.
Ingredients:
For the Graham Crackers:
1 lb. bittersweet chocolate (I recommend either E. Guittard 72% or El Rey 71%), finely chopped.
1 cup organic heavy cream or whipping cream (try to find cream that is not “Ultra-Pasteurized)
1 whole vanilla bean
8 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a gentle boil. Remove from heat.
Split the vanilla bean open and scrape out the vanilla seed into the cream and let steep for 10 minutes.
Bring the cream back to a gentle boil over medium heat.
Pour the cream over the finely chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
Whisk the chocolate and cream mixture together until very smooth. This is referred to as ganache, a mixture of chocolate and cream.
Refrigerate in an airtight container, for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Using a small melon baller or a small teaspoon, scoop small balls of ganache into your hand and roll until somewhat smooth and round. These should be approximately 1” in diameter.
Place cocoa powder in a shallow bowl or pan. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder to coat.
Truffles may be stored for up to two weeks at a cool room temperature(55-65 degrees) in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate or freeze; this damages the texture of the creamy ganache.
S’mores
I started my first chocolate company, Attivo Confections in 1987. Many products that are now fairly common in the world of gourmet confections were first created at Attivo. This includes the first gourmet S’more in 1989, featuring an organic graham cracker covered with a slab of bittersweet chocolate and a square of homemade marshmallow.
Ingredients:
For the Graham Crackers:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons honey
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup graham flour
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Marshmallows:
3 envelopes of Knox gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Chocolate: These are best with a very high quality bittersweet chocolate such as Scharffen Berger, E. Guittard or Valrhona.
Instructions:
Make the Graham Crackers
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cream the butter, sugars, and honey in a mixer on medium speed until soft and fluffy. Sift together the flours, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon, and put into the mixing bowl. Mix on slow speed until just combined. Using your fingers, press the dough together until it forms a ball.
Flour a clean/dry surface with graham flour and roll out the dough to 12″ x 12-inch square and then cut into nine 4-inch squares. Prick the squares with a fork and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake the dough until the top is golden brown, slightly blistered, and dry-looking, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool on a rack.
Make the Marshmallows
In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for 10 minutes. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. Add vanilla and incorporate into mixture. Scrape into a 9 x 9-inch pan lined with oiled plastic wrap and spread evenly. (Note: Lightly oil hands and spatula or bowl scraper). After pouring marshmallow mixture into the pan, take another piece of plastic wrap and press mixture into the pan.
Let mixture sit for a few hours. Remove from pan, dredge the marshmallow slab with confectioners’ sugar and cut into nine 3″ square pieces with kitchen scissors or a very sharp knife. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar.
Assemble
Top each graham cracker with a 3-inch square of bittersweet chocolate and a 3-inch square of marshmallow (melted chocolate makes a great “glue” for this. Place assembled S’mores on a baking sheet and place under a broiler (in the middle of the oven, not at the top where they will burn quickly). Watch them very closely and remove once the marshmallow is well browned. Serve.
Makes 9 servings.
I hope to see you all soon!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Holiday In Store Demonstrations and Events
| Starting this Saturday, December 6th, we kick off 3 weekends of special in store demonstrations and events. For our first event, I will be showing everyone how to make our famous hot chocolate. Please join us at 1pm to see how to make 3 different versions of this popular drink. Additionally all attendees will receive 10% off their purchases that day. Space will be limited, so you must sign up in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/50332.
On Saturday, December 13th, I will be personally conducting our factory tour at 2:30 and afterwards I will be treating all attendees to a complimentary special tasting. Additionally all attendees will receive 10% off their purchases that day. Space will be limited, so you must sign up in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/43499.On Saturday, December 20th, join me at 1pm to make nut clusters. You’ll be able to make your own nut clusters and take them home to enjoy. Additionally all attendees will receive 10% off their purchases that day. Space will be limited, so you must sign up in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/50333.Finally on Sunday, December 21st at 1pm, I will be demonstrating how to make fresh chocolate truffles. This is the same recipe that I used when I appeared on the Martha Stewart Show and gave a truffle making demonstration. Additionally all attendees will receive 10% off their purchases that day. Space will be limited, so you must sign up in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/50335. |
Cost: FREE
Date: December 6th, 13th, 20th and 21st.
All events take place in the Charles Chocolates Store & Chocolate Bar located at 6529 Hollis St. Emeryville, CA 94608. For more information, please contact us at 510-652-4412 ext. 311, email events@charleschocolates.com or visit www.charleschocolates.com/store.
FREE HOLIDAY SHIPPING
| From now until the end of December, we will be offering FREE GROUND SHIPPING on all orders over $50. To take advantage of this offer, type in the code FREESHIP08 during check out. |
ORDERING DEADLINES
Ground shipping is now available to all states excluding Arizona, Florida and Hawaii. When placing your holiday orders, please keep in mind the following ordering deadlines. If you would like to place your order now, but have it shipped at a later date, just let us know by telling us your preferred ship date in the comments section when you check out.
CHARLES CHOCOLATES IS HIRING
| To see all our open positions, please visit www.charleschocolates.com/jobs.php. |
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We have added a couple of delicious new chocolate gifts that I know you will enjoy.
This year’s
Winter Edible Box features a stylized snowflake in white cocoa butter on the bittersweet chocolate lid. Inside is a collection of our Fleur de Sel caramels sporting fun patterns in blue and white. Of course half the fun of our edible box is in eating the box once you have finished the 18 chocolates inside.
I recently introduced a new chocolate in our Emeryville store – I call it Ode to a Turtle . Starting with a square of our Fleur de Sel caramel, we top it with a fresh roasted pecan and then coat it in our 65% bittersweet chocolate blend. These have very quickly become one of the most popular chocolate in our store, so now I am making them available to you. They are packaged in either our classic 20 piece box or our new 10 piece magnetic box. Either one will make a wonderful gift.
Of course you can also choose from any of our other tasty gifts by clicking on www.charleschocolates.com/products.html.
As for the title of this e-mail, there is a special gift for you if you order before November 31st. Send Charles chocolates to at lest 6 of your friends, relatives or business associates and I will send you a 20 piece box of our new Pecan Caramels (the Ode to a Turtle that I mentioned above) as a thank you gift (don’t worry, it’s easy for us to keep track).
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season,
P.S. Here are few dates that are important to remember:
ORDERING DEADLINES
Ground shipping is now available to all states excluding Arizona, Florida and Hawaii. When placing your holiday orders, please keep in mind the following ordering deadlines.
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Whether you’re looking for something special for customers, partners, those who refer you business, employees, family or friends, a gift from Charles Chocolates will help you stand out from the crowd and be remembered. All of our delicious products are available to send as corporate and personal gifts. Below, you’ll find information about our most popular corporate and holiday gifts. Let us help you find the perfect gift to meet any budget. We look forward to working with you to delight your recipients and introduce them to the pleasure of Charles Chocolates. To view all of our corporate products visit
http://www.charleschocolates.com/corporate/.Edible Chocolate Boxes
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Our signature edible box is something that never fails to impress. These elegant boxes feature a bittersweet chocolate base and a white chocolate lid, with your choice of one of five different assortments inside. Once the chocolates inside are enjoyed, there’s also the fun of eating the box. These unique boxes are available in our standard designs or with custom artwork as part of our customized chocolates program. |
Boxed Assortments
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Our beautiful signature blue and brown Assortment Boxes come in a variety of sizes. Choose from our ten, twenty or sixty piece assortment boxes, filled with our handmade artisan confections. We also have favor boxes that contain either two or four confections. Customization options include custom ribbon or a custom letter inside the box to your special recipients. |
Gift Boxes
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If you’re looking for the perfect box complete with a little bit of variety, look no further than our gift sets. Each set features beautifully presented gifts in a red or brown leatherette gift box. The contents of the boxes can also be customized by you, with a selection of the products of your choice. Please contact us for more information. |
To place a corporate order or to request a corporate brochure, please call Frank Noto at 415.246.5006 or email frank@charleschocolates.com.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 510.652.4412 x301, or email corporate@charleschocolates.com.
]]>I hope to see you soon!
Upcoming Events
Chocolate and Beer Pairing
| Just in time for fall, we’re introducing a new class – a Chocolate and Beer Pairing. Though it may sound unusual at first, beer and chocolate can result in some harmonious pairings. Join Dan Del Grande from Bison Brewing and Chuck (Charles) Siegel of Charles Chocolates to sample and learn more about these unique pairings. Dan Del Grande, a certified organic brewer, has owned Bison Brewing since 1997. In addition to running an award-winning brewery with a history of innovation and use of unique ingredients, he teaches at the American Brewer’s Guild. Join us and indulge in a night of sweets and brew while learning from the experts and tasting some of the finest chocolate and beer the Bay Area has to offer. For more information visit Chocolate and Beer Pairing. |
Cost: $25/person
Date: Thursday, October 30th, 6-7 pm.
Tickets: RSVP now at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/46488.
Chocolate Making Class with Chuck
| Our series of Chocolate Making Classes with Chuck continues on October 25th, with our final class of the year. During this hands on class, you’ll spend several hours with Chuck in our factory kitchen (where the general public is not normally permitted) for hands on instruction. You will not only learn the basics of chocolate making such as how to make ganaches and rolled truffles, but you will also learn more advanced chocolate making techniques, including chocolate tempering and making molded chocolates. At the end of each class, you’ll be able to take home all your creations and you will receive a gift bag of supplies to help you make chocolates at home using the techniques you’ve learned. Each gift bag will contain a chocolate mold, an offset spatula, sheet pans and recipes.
Join us for this unique opportunity to learn chocolate making from a nationally recognized chocolatier. Our next class will be taking place on November 1st from 1-6pm. Cost: $300/person. You must wear closed toed shoes in our factory kitchen and please wear clothing that you don’t mind getting a little bit of chocolate on. |
Cost: $300/person
Date: Saturday, November 1st, 1-6 pm.
Tickets: RSVP now at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/45520.
Bi-Rite Creamery Chocolate Bar Launch Party
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What’s better than chocolate and ice cream? How about three new chocolate bars based on ice cream flavors from the famed Bi-Rite Creamery? On Saturday, November 15th, join us to sample three new chocolates bars- Rocky Road, Coffee Toffee, and Peanut Praline, created by Charles Chocolates exclusively for Bi-Rite Creamery. Even better, we’ll also be sampling the three ice creams which inspired the creation of these three delicious bars. So please join us for an afternoon of chocolate and ice cream. |
Cost: FREE
Date: Saturday, November 15th, 1-5 pm.
Tickets: RSVP now at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/45520.
All events will be taking place in the Charles Chocolates Store & Chocolate Bar located at 6529 Hollis St. Emeryville, CA 94608. For more information, please contact us at 510-652-4412 ext. 311, email events@charleschocolates.com or visit www.charleschocolates.com/store.
]]>I hope to see you all this weekend for the Bi-Rite Creamery Chocolate Bar Launch Party.
The Ten Piece Assortment Box
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Our new Ten Piece Assortment box is available filled with seven different assortments. Or stop in to our retail store to select your own custom assortment. To order, please visit our website at www.charleschocolates.com/boxed-chocolates.html. |
Upcoming Events
Bi-Rite Creamery Chocolate Bar Launch Party
|
We’re expecting great weather on Saturday, so please join us as we introduce three new chocolate bars based on ice cream flavors from the famed Bi-Rite Creamery. You’ll be able to sample three new flavors – Rocky Road, Coffee Toffee, and Peanut Praline, created by Charles Chocolates exclusively for Bi-Rite Creamery. Even better, we’ll also be sampling the three ice creams which inspired the creation of these three delicious bars. Saturday is the only chance you’ll have to purchase these bars at Charles Chocolates. After the launch party, you’ll only be able to purchase the bars at the Bi-Rite Creamery and Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco. So please join us for an afternoon of chocolate and ice cream. |
Cost: FREE
Date: Saturday, November 15th, 1-5 pm.
Tickets: RSVP now at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/45520.
Charles Chocolates Speak Series with Kathy Wiley of Poco Dolce
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Kathy Wiley, the founder of Poco Dolce, will join us on Thursday, November 20th as our last speaker of the year. Known for her famed handmade Bittersweet Chocolate Tiles, Poco Dolce’s tiles comes in flavors like Almond, Aztec Chile, Burnt Caramel Almond Toffee, Ginger, Coconut Almond, Hazelnut. In addition to her tiles, Kathy has also launched the Cortina collection, an Italian-inspried assortment of filled chocolates. Please join us as Kathy speaks about her business and inspirations and sample some of her delicious chocolates. |
Cost: FREE
Date: Thursday, November 20th, 6-8pm
Tickets: RSVP now at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/48644.
All events take place in the Charles Chocolates Store & Chocolate Bar located at 6529 Hollis St. Emeryville, CA 94608. For more information, please contact us at 510-652-4412 ext. 311, email events@charleschocolates.com or visit www.charleschocolates.com/store.
]]>This Wednesday marks 4 years since I started making Charles Chocolates for all of you to enjoy. We have grown from a small rental kitchen that could only hold 4 of us (though we crammed 7 candymakers into the kitchen during our first Valentine’s Day season) to our new state-of-the-art, 7,000 square foot candy kitchen, complete with retail store and chocolate bar looking in on the entire operation.
We have grown from a small local producer of some of the best tasting artisinal chocolates made anywhere, to a company with thousands of loyal customers nationwide (still making our confections the same way, by hand and in small batches) – Thank You!
Please help us celebrate with one of these great specials, available only this week. From Monday, September 29 – Friday, October 3, shop on line or in store to receive the following bonuses: Spend over $40 and receive a free jar of handmade marmalade; spend over $80 and receive a free jar of handmade marmalade and 2 homemade s’mores. Place any order on our birthday, Wednesday, October 1, and you’ll receive a special present.
We all thank you for your support and we look forward to treating you to more wonderful chocolates for many years to come.
Charles Chocolates is celebrating the season with our new Fall Edible Chocolate Box which we fill with a collection of our delicious handmade confections.
Additionally during the next week, be sure to watch us on television – Charles Chocolates will be appearing on both the Rachel Ray Show and CBS Eye on the Bay.
Lastly, while supplies last, we have a special offer for all orders placed on our website. Please see below for more information.
Have a wonderful Fall.
CHARLES CHOCOLATES ON TV
CBS Eye on the Bay
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Charles Chocolates will be appearing on CBS Eye on the Bay on September 26th. Please tune in at 10pm, right after the presidential debate, to watch this episode. For more information visit CBS Eye on the Bay. |
Rachel Ray Show
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One of our most popular treats, the Caramel Almond Sticks, will be given away to the audience of the Rachel Ray Show. The Caramel Almond Stick features rich Fleur de Sel Caramel coated in our 65% bittersweet chocolate and rolled in toasted almond pieces. Click here to order your own bag: www.charleschocolates.com/treats.html. |
NEW FOR THE FALL!
Fall Edible Chocolate Box
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Our Fall Collection Edible Chocolate Box celebrates the leaves of autumn. Adorned with a naked oak tree on its milk chocolate lid, this edible box is filled with a collection of delectable caramels and our signature peanut butterflies. For more information on our Edible Chocolate Box visit www.charleschocolates.com/signature_box.html |
Special Offer While Supplies Last
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While supplies last, we’ll be giving away a Two Piece Favor box filled with two of our delicious handmade confections for every order over $50 placed on our online store. To place your order today visit www.charleschocolates.com/index.php |