I recently looked inside my pantry and discovered bags of silver and gold chocolate gelt left over from last Hanukkah. So what to do with all those mesh bags of chocolate coins? A) Reuse them as gifts for the kids this Hanukkah. B) Save them for the next birthday party’s piñata.
C) Get wild with chocolate gelt in delectable recipes. “C” is the answer I chose, and boy did my family go crazy with every bite. Get creative and come up with your own concoction using your gelt or other chocolate that’s been hiding out for a rainy day. Remember the gelt in gold foil is milk chocolate, and the silver foil is dark chocolate. Enjoy and Happy Hanukkah!
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE PARFAITS
Chocolate layer:
2 Taza Dominican 70% dark stone ground chocolate bars, chopped
1⁄2 cup cream
Combine chocolate and cream in a small saucepan and place over low heat, stirring often until melted. Keep warm until ready to use.
Peanut butter layer:
1⁄2 cup peanut butter
2 ounces cream cheese
1⁄4 cup sugar (NO sugar if using sweet chocolate)
2 tablespoons milk
Pinch of salt
In a bowl mix together peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar, milk and salt until smooth.
To assemble:
4 six-ounce jars
2 small peanut bars
2 cups crushed oatmeal cookies
Chocolate covered cocoa nibs, for garnish
Divide half the crushed cookies among the jars; top with half of the peanut butter mixture and half of the chocolate. Repeat with remaining ingredients and top with chocolate covered nibs. Note: These parfaits can be assembled a day (or even two days) in advance.
CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE PANINI
(makes one sandwich)
Ingredients
2 slices challah or other bread
3-4 ounces of Brie (or ricotta or mascarpone)
3-4 pieces of Hanukkah gelt (dark, milk or semi-sweet)
Strawberries (or favorite fruit or preserves)
Butter
Instructions
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Lay on cutting board, buttered side down. Layer slices of brie, chocolate and strawberries on the non-buttered side of the bread and close the sandwich, buttered sides out.
Place sandwich onto a pan over medium low heat. Flip over when one side is toasted and repeat with the other side. Cook until cheese and chocolate are melted and then serve immediately.
Lucia Schnitzer and her husband, Ken, own Luci’s Healthy Marketplace in Phoenix. The local coffee shop and marketplace opened in 2009 in Lucia’s honor after her successful battle with breast cancer. She successfully manages her career, her growing family (four children), her personal well-being and the countless demands of the day.
