Beacon Hill Chocolates

Beacon Hill Chocolates is a quaint shop on the corner of Pinckney and Charles Streets (equidistant from the Common and the Charles T stop), in the heart of Beacon Hill. I first heard of this establishment while on a Boston Chocolate Trolley Tour – yours truly won a box of (4) chocolates from them, all of which were delicious. Over a year later I decided that four pieces were not enough, so I had to go back. What makes this chocolate shop unique?

• Beacon Hill. How could you lose with all those connotations implicit in the location?
• The shop stocks artisan truffles and various other chocolates from around the world. The candies – most in unique, tempting shapes and colors – are well-displayed in a lit refrigerated case at the front of the store.
• The rest of the store showcases the gift boxes for which they have become well-known: nostalgic seasonal and holiday prints, or classic Boston images, superimposed on light papier-mache boxes. I saved my tiny gift box, with a period image of the State House and Common, from the Chocolate Tour.

What was initially a casual check-it-out trip became a let’s-buy-chocolates trip after I saw the decadence within the truffle case. I purchased the following delights:

• Caramel Sushi (Chewy butter caramel and vanilla marshmallow rolled ever so slo-o-o-wly and dipped in dark chocolate) – the caramel and marshmallow were of a perfect texture, so that they were stiff enough to retain their shape but soft enough to melt happily in your mouth. The dark-chocolate dipping at the base of the spiral was the perfect touch. Mmm, mmm.
  
• Cookies and Cream Cone (Chocolate cookie & vanilla cream in a cone of dark & ivory chocolates) – I really enjoyed the vanilla cream, with flecks of chocolate cookie crumbs, alongside the different chocolate shells. This is probably the fanciest way I have tasted cookies and cream…and I would taste it again.
• Champagne Truffle (Dark chocolate blended with champagne and coated in cocoa powder) – the champagne flavor was very subtle, especially in the context of the strongly-flavored dark chocolate and cocoa coating. However, the subtlety worked in this case.
  
• Blood Orange Fleur de Lis (Dark chocolate ganache in a dark chocolate Fleur de lis shell) – the dark chocolate shell was enjoyable, and the shimmery orange-red coating on the fleur-de-lis was visually stunning, but the orange-flavored ganache seemed a bit artificial, and strong.
• Ginger & Lime Dragonfly (Dark chocolate blended with ginger & lime flavours) – the texture of crystallized ginger was noticeable in the candy, but both ginger and lime flavors were lost in the chocolate, and needed to be stronger.

These were a bit pricey, but I guess that is explained by the import process and neighborhood. The chocolate was interesting enough that I’m sure I will make several return trips!

A (Partial) Vegan Victory

I tasted the best vegan chocolate cake I had ever had a few weeks ago, when a coworker brought in said cake plus shamrock cookies for St. Patrick's Day. (Random, don't you think?) Fortunately, my coworker shared the recipe...which means I can share it with you! It's amazing how flavorful and moist a butter- and egg-free cake can be.

• 2 1/2 C flour
• 2 C sugar
• 2/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 2 C warm water
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 350, and grease your pan(s).
2. Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add water, vanilla extract, oil, and vinegar. Whisk until all is smooth.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
   

Greg and I whipped up this tasty treat in no time, and had a hard time restraining ourselves from licking up all the batter. Here, you can see the smooth, fluid batter (with occasional bubble) pre-oven.

30 minutes and 350 degrees later, voila - a cake (represent)!

A good cake demands good frosting - so, I was hesitant to top this dessert with vegan frosting, which can be salty with an odd consistency. Enter the following (resolutely dairy-based) frosting recipe. I would suggest adding the heavy cream to the butter along with the dry ingredients, as I had a dusty mess on my hands prior to the cream's incorporation.

• 1/2 C butter
• 3 C powdered sugar
• 3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 T heavy cream
• 1 t vanilla extract

1. Cream the butter.
2. Mix the cocoa and sugar; gradually add to the creamed butter.
3. Add the cream and vanilla, and beat until frosting is well-blended and fluffy.

The finished product was delicious! The cake is light, moist, and chocolatey, and the frosting is cool, creamy, and sweet. This is the best chocolate cake - counting both conventional and vegan recipes - and chocolate frosting I have ever made from scratch! We washed this rich delight down with a dessert-like beverage which, like the baked good, had vegan and non-vegan components. The blend of dairy milk, soy milk, and Godiva white chocolate liqueur is a winner.

Don't you wish you could have a piece?!