Died and Gone to Chocolate Heaven

Chocoholics rejoice! This one's for you ... a warm and satisying dessert. Chocolate is festive and if you're looking for a way to get into the holiday spirit, nothing beats warm chocolate soup.

Who can resist a Godiva boutique display? Or those Lindt bars on special? Everyone needs a chocolate snowman, don't they? Everything from chocolate tea bisquits to dipped dried fruits boxed and wrapped in gold and silver trimmed red velvet boxes -- a sprig of silk ivy points at you as if to say, "Just nevermind your old Aunt Alice, buy me for yourself!"

While you're at it, pick up a high cocoa content bar to make this really yummy soup. You may keel over in a chocolate coma but you and your holiday guests will lie unconscious with a smiling face. Guaranteed.

CHOCOLATE HEAVEN SOUP
Amaretto Crème
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup 1% milk
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur

Chocolate Soup

1 cup 1% milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon white sugar
4 ounces 85% cocoa chocolate squares
Dash of salt
1 egg yolk
½ cup strawberries, sliced

For amaretto crème:
Combine cream and milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and whisk in yolk, cook about 10-15 minutes whisking often until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in liqueur. Cool in refrigerator.

For soup:
Combine milk, cream, chocolate, sugar, and salt in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low, whisk in yolk and cook, whisking often, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes.

Drop a few sliced strawberries at the bottom of a shallow wide rimmed bowl. Ladle scant ¼ cup of cooled amaretto crème over strawberries. Ladle ½ cup of warm soup over amaretto crème and top with strawberry slices. Drizzle a tablespoon more of the crème on top and serve. Makes 4 yummy portions.

Hint: You can make the soup and crème in advance. Reheat chocolate soup over LOW heat. Crème is added cold.

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