For the perfect ending to a rich meal, serve cups of steaming hot coffee. Garnish each saucer with a chocolate-dipped fruit or nut. Whenever you get a yen for chocolate, make pots de creme or chocolate pudding. Then top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a chocolate-dipped fruit or nut. Dress up an angel food cake by drizzling it with a chocolate glaze. Arrange chocolate-dipped fruits or nuts on top.
Ingredients
Semisweet or unsweetened chocolate (squares or bars)
Fresh or dried fruits
Whole or halved nuts
EQUIPMENT
Cutting board
Paring knife
Glass measuring cup
Small saucepan
Rubber spatula
Waxed paper
1. Place chocolate on cutting board; shave it into small pieces with paring knife.
2. Place shavings in measuring cup. Fill saucepan one-fourth full (about 1 inch deep) with warm (not hot) water. Place measuring cup in water to melt chocolate, stirring frequently with rubber spatula until smooth. (Be careful not to get any water into chocolate.) Remove measuring cup from saucepan.
3. If using fresh fruit, wash and dry well. Dip fruit or nut, one at a time, into melted chocolate until chocolate coating comes about two-thirds of the way up side. Allow excess chocolate to drip off.
4. Transfer dipped fruit or nut to waxed paper. Let stand in cool, dry place until chocolate is firm. (Do not chill in refrigerator.)
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