Flowers and Chocolate

Flowers and Chocolate. Chocolate and Flowers. Flower Chocolates. Chocolate Flowers.

Anyway, anywhere, anyhow, I will take these two things from anyone who is offering. What girl wouldn't? 

And if you are ever wondering what to give to any female friend or relative for any special occasion, this is the perfect solution. I decided to make them more personal making homemade chocotejas for a very special aunt who recently visited South America and fell in love with these Peruvian treats. For all who don't know Chocotejas, these are chocolate covered dulce de leche and pecan balls; other fillings like dried figs, macerated raisins in pisco, lemon confit, and guava paste make it an even more exotic treat. I went a little gourmet and sprinkled Hawaiian Sea Salt before they hardened because salt makes life better. 

  

THREE STEP DULCE DE LECHE!

Dulce de leche is the most delicious thing that comes from a can, and these easy steps could even beat J. Timberlake's "junk in the box" recipe. Its a treat in a can, a treat in a can girl. 

 1)Buy a can of condensed milk.

2)Fill your crockpot with water on low setting and insert the can (take label off, duh) and put lid on. 

3)Wait 4-6 hours. 

And thats the way you do it...

Venting the can is the easiest way to getting your liquid gold. I have no pictures of this because I already had a full jar  reserved for sweet tooth attacks, and morning toast.

CHOCOTEJAS (for 24 chocolates)
- 1 can dulce de leche (you will probably only use about a third)
- 10 oz bittersweet chocolate (not chocolate chips!) chopped.
- 50 pecans (a small bag should be enough)
- Hawaiian sea salt (optional)








1) Once your dulce de leche is cool, lay out parchment paper over a cookie sheet and work with your hands making small (about half ounce) balls of it. Stick two pecans on each side and set on paper.
I added dried figs to half of mine, and only used one pecan on these.

2)Its time to temper your chocolate! Dont be nervous, its quite easy as long as you have the right equipment: a baine marie (a glass or metal bowl over a small saucepot with steaming water will work perfectly) and a thermometer. Melt your chocolate over your baine marie slowly and stirring frequently until it reaches 110 degrees, not more! Take bowl off heat and stir to cool until it reaches 80 degrees. Last step, put back on steaming water and let it rise to 90 degrees again. Ta-da! 

 3)Have another cookie sheet with parchemnt paper ready next to your melted chocolate and your pecan/dulce balls. Work fast with two forks dipping the balls in the chocolate, making sure you are covering all of it and carefully setting on the parchment. Sprinke with sea salt if desired and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

4)There might be some chocolate spread on the bottom, use a small knife to cut the edges off. 

Yeah go ahead and try one, and that word you are trying to describe them with is mouthgasm (Auntie Meg's invention). I decided to go practical on the flowers this time and make a.....

FLOWER BOX!

-Chinese food take out box. 

-Old fake flowers from Goodwill or your grandmas house. 

-Glue 

-Scissors

Destem the flowers and cut most of the tip off trying to keep the flower together. Glue your big leaves on first, let try and then  glue your bouquet of flowers. 

Avoid temptation to eat half of them and wrap your chocotejas in parchment or wax paper. Once your basket is full you are ready to make a lady very very happy. Honestly, don't be surprised if the only thing she can do after the first time is to sigh and ask you for a cigarette.