For Valentine's Day, my sweetie gave me Chocolate Pearls, times two. The first, a five strand necklace of Chocolate Freshwater Pearls (huzzah!!) and the second, a container of Bittersweet Dark Chocolate Pearls by Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates, a chocolatier in Northern California (the picture above is of Godiva Chocolates because I'm too lazy to take one of my own by Ginger Elizabeth, but I'm hereby thanking Godiva by giving them a plug).The five-strand necklace, yes, I've been fingering that lovingly all weekend. The candy pearls, I've tasted a few, but even he knew that giving me the chocolate was mostly just a very cute and charming lead in, because I just don't go cuckoo for chocolate candy really. He just thought, and he was right, that "I bought you some Chocolate Pearls" had great possibilities for comedy and romance.
So I'm thinking -- am I totally nuts to just bake these into something fun? Or is that ruining quality chocolate. I just don't have taste buds refined enough to say "Oh these are just exquisite" and yet I do think they taste good and have an interesting texture.
But I'm me. And me -- I've had a 5 lb bag of Nestle's Tollhouse Chips in my freezer for months, and I'm never even tempted to open it. I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies for my brother, at Christmas, but only because my mother made me. He went crazy and ate the entire batch himself, while I just shrugged my shoulders and said "Whatever fires your jets."
So. The first thing that cropped into my head was the infamous World Peace Cookies that everyone has raved about. I do like chocolate, salty, grainy shortbread, mostly because it's salty and grainy and tender and sweet. I'd like those cookies just as much without the chocolate. I always thought I'd make those cookies with walnuts, and leave out the chips. I often leave out chocolate chips from a recipe. I think they are overkill in brownies and cookies. I never like "chocolate on chocolate" really. Hmm. So maybe this cookie recipe is out.
But what to make with these pearls? Garnish? Cookies? on top of cupcakes? Or something where they hold their shape? Or should I stir them into a hot cup of latte and turn it into a mocha? I don't dislike chocolate, mind you -- I just don't instantly think of a "go to" recipe that involves, essentially, a Perfectly Round Bittersweet Chocolate Chip.
I could really earn some brownie points and make this a Gift of the Magi type thing, and make Chocolate Chip Cookies for my boyfriend, who loves them, but he's kind of a health nut and would eat one or two, and then give the rest (with my pearls!) to his sisters.
As for suggestions that I simply eat them out of hand, I probably wouldn't do that unless I got very desperate one night for a candy fix, and that wouldn't do them justice, would it?
What shall I make, Devoted Readers?
I could really earn some brownie points and make this a Gift of the Magi type thing, and make Chocolate Chip Cookies for my boyfriend, who loves them, but he's kind of a health nut and would eat one or two, and then give the rest (with my pearls!) to his sisters.
As for suggestions that I simply eat them out of hand, I probably wouldn't do that unless I got very desperate one night for a candy fix, and that wouldn't do them justice, would it?
What shall I make, Devoted Readers?
5 pounds of chocolate chips? I bow to your superiorness in stocking up of all things :)
ReplyDeleteand great score on the real chocolate pearls :)
Now I'm thinking these Ginger Elizabeth Chocolate Pearls are just too tasty and of too high a quality to just throw in a cookie, but it seems gauche to eat them by the handful. What to do, what to do... ?
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