This winter, sink into sinful chocolate bliss

Chef Curtis Stone gives recipes for comfort foods that call for chocolate

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Make chocolate comfort food
Feb. 19: Chef Curtis Stone wants to treat you to some sinfully delicious sweets: Amaretto hot chocolate and Swiss almond ice-cream floats.

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Try this sinful chocolate sauce
Feb. 19: The “Take Home Chef” makes a sweet and delicious dessert that everyone will devour no matter how they like their chocolate — white, dark or milk.

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TODAY

updated 11:52 a.m. ET Feb. 19, 2008

No ingredient says “comfort food” quite like warm chocolate — especially in the wintertime. That’s why chef Curtis Stone has whipped up these delicious dessert recipes: florentines, amaretto hot chocolate and Swiss almond ice-cream floats, plus hot, homemade chocolate sauces served two ways — one with berries, and one with ice cream. Dig in!

Amaretto hot chocolate and Swiss almond ice-cream floats

Curtis Stone

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/3 cups/300 ml whole milk

• 1/3 cup/80 ml amaretto (almond-flavored liqueur)

• 2 tablespoons/25 g granulated sugar

• 4 ounces/115 g Green & Black’s dark chocolate (bittersweet or semisweet), chopped

• 4 large scoops vanilla Swiss almond ice cream

• 3/4 cup/190 ml whipping cream

Recipe continues below ↓

DIRECTIONS

To make the hot chocolate: Pour the milk, amaretto and sugar into a medium-sized saucepan and place over medium heat until the milk comes to a near simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. While the milk is heating up and before it comes to a near simmer, set the bowl of chopped chocolate over the saucepan of milk, stirring until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk the melted chocolate into the milk mixture to blend, and keep warm.

To serve the floats: Whisk the whipping cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Place one scoop of ice cream in each of four tall coffee glasses. Pour the hot chocolate mixture over the ice cream and top with the whipped cream. Grate chocolate over the cream. Serve immediately with long soda fountain or iced tea spoons.

MANAGE YOUR RECIPES

Frozen berries with hot white chocolate sauce

Curtis Stone

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ounces/170 g fresh blackberries

• 6 ounces/170 g fresh blueberries

• 6 ounces/170 g fresh raspberries

• 4 fresh strawberries, halved lengthwise

• 8 ounces/230 ml heavy whipping cream

• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

• 8 ounces/230 g good-quality white chocolate, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

Arrange all the berries in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure they are well spaced apart. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours or until the berries are frozen.

Meanwhile, place the cream in a heavy medium saucepan. Using a small sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream. Add the bean to the cream. Bring the cream to just below simmering over medium heat.

Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Discard the vanilla bean. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt slightly, then stir the cream mixture until the chocolate has melted completely and the sauce is smooth.

Arrange the berries on a serving platter or in individual bowls and pour the hot sauce over the frozen berries. Serve at once.