Che Chuoi ~ Vietnamese Banana, Coconut and Sago Pudding (Gluten-Free and Vegan Cooking)

Event: Blogging Marathon #97

Theme: Paleo / Vegan / Gluten-Free Recipes

I would probably never forget this sago pudding in my life, not because it was unforgettably delicious but it put me in bed for two weeks. The canned coconut stuff I used in the pudding was the culprit, at least according to my husband. 😕 I tried the dessert a few months ago because the combination of ingredients used in the preparation was unusual to me though I strictly didn't adhere to the recipe. I usually finish a cup of pudding in one sitting but that day I had only a couple of spoons but it still got me. My husband, my daughter and I all ate the same food for lunch that day except that I had this sago pudding. Coincidence or not, within ten minutes, I started noticing rashes all over my body coupled with itchiness. The rashes were like 2 by 2 inch patches everywhere and by night, my face was swollen beyond recognition. Fortunately, I did not have any breathing problems or I would have ended up in emergency room on that weekend. It took two days to see my normal face. A doctor's visit later confirmed that I had hives and it took me two weeks, on medication, to get completely cured and it wasn't a pleasant experience, I can assure.

Che chuoi is a Vietnamese sago and banana based pudding cooked in coconut cream, flavored with pandan leaves. The word 'che' refers to liquid desserts like drinks, pudding and even soups in Vietnam. Vietnamese folks prefer a variety of banana called 'chuoi su' to prepare this gluten-free, vegan pudding but perfectly ripe, (but not mushy) sweet variety bananas should work fine in lieu of those. Sweet bananas, coconut cream and sago cooked to a creamy consistency and topped with crunchy peanuts and sesame seeds is an interesting variation to the Indian version of sago kheer. 

I have used the tiny sized sago here which gets cooked in about 10 minutes. If using larger variety, soak them in water for about ten minutes and then cook the same way but it would take a few minutes extra to cook. My pudding is loosely based on this recipe and I left out the pandan leaves since I did not have them and cooked the sago my usual way, as mentioned in the recipe below. Pandan must lend a very inviting flavor here. If using pandan leaves and need to follow the traditional recipe, simmer two knotted pandan leaves in about 2 cups water for about 15 minutes to bring out the flavor. Next add the marinated banana - sugar pieces, sago, another two pandan leaves, and coconut cream and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes until done.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
1/4 cup small sized sago / tapioca pearls
2 ripened but not mushy bananas (Any sweet variety)
1/2 cup sugar or to taste
3/4 cup coconut cream
1 cup coconut milk / water
For topping:
2 tbsp. roasted and skinned peanuts, slightly crushed
2 tbsp. roasted white sesame seeds, slightly crushed

Method:
* Thinly slice the bananas and toss with sugar so that banana slices are coated well with sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. One can do this step ahead to avoid the waiting time to marinate. I read that they can be left marinated for up to two days though I haven't tried it.
* Rinse sago well and wash away the starch powder. 
* Choose preferably a non stick pot or a non stick sauce pan to cook the sago. Add drained sago and a cup of water and cook on low flame, stirring occasionally. Cook until all the sago become transparent. It doesn't take much time to cook if using the smallest size sago.
(Starch keeps building up while cooking the sago and tends to stick to the bottom of the pan if not stirred intermittently. If one finds cooking sago tricky because of the starch buildup, follow this step. When the water used to cook sago becomes starchy, add another cup of cold water. Sago go to the bottom of the pan and then throw away all the (starchy) water from the pan taking care to not drain the sago. Add a fresh cup of water to the sago and continue to cook. This step can be repeated one more time while cooking sago.)
* Throw away all the water in the pan when the sago pearls become transparent. Add banana - sugar mixture, coconut cream and coconut milk / water (as needed to thin the pudding to the desired consistency) to the sago and continue to cook on low flame until the preferred soft consistency of bananas is reached. Turn off the stove.
* Scoop the cooked pudding into serving bowls, each topped with some crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. Serve the pudding warm or at room temperature.



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Oat - Beet - Carrot Brownies

The beet - spinach brownie from Jessica Seinfeld's 'Deceptively Delicious' cookbook has been doing rounds over the internet for years now and I have been eyeing them for quite sometime. These brownies are made with a healthy twist without compromising the texture or the flavor. They are made with oat flour sneaking in veggies for added nutrition. One can never notice or taste the vegetable flavors in the brownies. The final brownies are moist with slightly dense texture. My daughter was surprised to see the red puree while mixing and asked me whether beets were being added. She licked the spoon and the residue batter from the mixing bowl and told me that the batter tasted yummy. Without any prompts, she told me that the brownies are so good that she could not find any difference between the regular and the beet version ones and she couldn't even taste or smell the beets / carrots.
I substituted carrot for spinach since I wasn't feeling that adventurous. However only beet or carrot puree can be used in the recipe. I replaced the egg whites with apple sauce after seeing Madhuram's recipe. However you can just replace it with some more beet or carrot puree instead. I peeled, chopped,  pressure cooked beets and carrots and then pureed them in a food processor. I prepared my own apple sauce as well. I just peeled, chopped and microwaved an apple and pureed it. I ground oats finely and sieved it to get oat flour. All purpose flour can be substituted instead of oat flour. Skip salt and baking powder from the recipe if using self raising flour instead. I used dark chocolate and so my brownies were not overtly sweet and they were good served with ice cream.

Ingredients:
3 oz. semi sweet or sweet chocolate (I used dark from Ghiradelli.)
2 tbsp. butter / margarine spread / oil
2 tsp. vanilla essence
1/2 cup cooked beetroot puree
1/2 cup cooked carrot puree
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup oat flour 
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:
* Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Grease a 8 inch square pan.
* Melt the chocolate in a microwave oven in a medium sized microwave safe mixing bowl, taking care to check at 30 second intervals so that it doesn't burn.
* Add butter if using to the same bowl and mix. The butter will melt because of the hot chocolate. Add vanilla essence, vegetable and apple purees, sugar and cocoa powder to the bowl and whisk well.
* Next stir in the oat flour, baking powder, salt and walnuts.
* Pour the prepared batter into the prepared oven and bake it for about 35 to 40 minutes. It should spring back when touched. Mine was done in about 35 minutes. (And it doesn't raise much. It came only up to half of my 8 inch square pan.)
* Let it cool on a wire rack and then cut into squares.

It goes to Bakeathon  and BM - 'Kids' Delight' event hosted by Vidyha this month with 'Vegetables sneaked in' theme.


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4 Ingredient Recipes ~ Date & Walnut Laddu

Less ingredients and less fuss. This is what going to be the theme of my posts this week and they are all going to be based on four  ingredients. Cooking with few ingredients automatically implies that less time and less work are involved in the process. These delicious date and nut based laddus here are a fine example for it.

Ingredients:
1 cup soft, pitted dates
1/2 cup walnuts or almonds
1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Method:
* Process walnuts / almonds into coarse crumbs and keep them aside.
* Finely chop the dates and also run them through food processor. There is no need to make them mush. Now add the coconut flakes, nut crumbs and cinnamon and pulse them a few times until the mixture comes together. 
Alternately, the coconut flakes can be left out while pulsing the mixture and later the laddus can be rolled in the coconut flakes instead.
* Transfer the mixture onto a plate and shape them into lime sized balls. 
 
These laddus are going to be a part of the Blogging marathon #69. Check the link to find out what the other marathoners are cooking.

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A - Z Rice Recipes ~ O for Oliya

 
I started this week with a Rajasthani dish and am ending it on a sweeter note, with one more traditional dish from the same state called oliya. This dish was kinda what kick-started the idea of this A - Z Rice series, more than a year ago. I happened to hear about oliya for the first time on a Hindi TV serial though the team was creative enough not to show the actual dish. The actors pretended well enough to relish it from empty bowls and spoons piquing my curiosity to explore about it.
 
It turned out that oliya is a traditional rice based dish prepared during Holi in Rajasthan. It is a flavored and sweetened yogurt rice  with a creamy consistency like pudding. Rice is cooked softly and mixed with yogurt, sugar and nuts and flavored with saffron and cardamom that yields a tempting and delightful dessert ideal for scorching, summer days. The combination of yogurt and sugar is a natural coolant and this dish sounds perfect for the hot, arid climate that is typical for the state. 

Ingredients: 2 servings
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 & 1/2 cups yogurt (fat free one will also do.)
1/2 cup sugar or to taste (I added less.)
1/2 tsp. saffron strands + 1 tbsp. warm milk
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 cup mix of raisins and chopped nuts like cashews, almonds and pistachios (or adjust the quantity)
 
Method:
* Cook rice very softly and when it cools down, mash it finely. (I used extra long grain rice which was best for this.)
* Slightly crush saffron strands between your fingers and soak in warm milk for about 5 to 10 minutes.
* Beat the yogurt lightly and mix with rice.
* Save some raisins and nuts for garnishing. Add sugar, saffron milk, cardamom and the remaining raisins and nuts to the yogurt rice mix from above and mix well.
* Chill the mixture for a couple of hours. Garnish with the saved raisins and nuts before serving.
 
Recipes so far in A - Z Rice Dishes,
A for Achaari Chole Pulao
B for Bhuna Khichuri
C for Chintapandu Pulihora
D for Dindigul Thalapakatti Veg Biryani
E for Ellorai / Ellotharai  
F for Fodnicha Bhaat 
G for Gongura Pulihora 
H for Hare Moong ki Chaaswaali Khichdi 
I for Iyengar Style Kadambam 
J for Jodhpuri Vegetable Pulao 
K for Kaju - Karivepaku Annam 
L for Lilva Khichdi
M for Mamidikaaya - Kobbari Pulihora 
N for Narali Bhaat

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68.
An InLinkz Link-up

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Umm Ali

Umm Ali is one of the cherished desserts in the Middle East, that was supposedly originated in Egypt. This delicious bread pudding uses puff pastry or phyllo pastry or some stale bread, milk, nuts and coconut. One can use / omit whatever nuts they prefer in this recipe. The creamy bread pudding, crunchy nuts and sweetened cream - milk base, make this an irresistible treat. I came across this lighter version using croissants at Nestle website and had prepared it some time back, scaling down the ingredients to serve two. 

Umm Ali literally means mother of Ali and I came across a couple of legendary stories behind the origin of this delicious dessert. One refers to a woman named, Umm Ali who happened to be the first wife of a Sultan named Aybek. His second wife Shajar al-Durr prevented him from seeing his first wife and son and the king happily obliged. However when he got ready to marry another woman, the second wife got so jealous and raving mad that she killed him and proved that he died in his sleep. The first wife who already had a dispute with Umm Ali, got her brutally killed by Shajar's own servants. And then, she celebrated her victory by preparing this pudding and distributing it among the people of the land.

The second one, a less violent version is that it was invented during the reign of Ottoman Turks. A sultan who was on a hunting trip got hungry and stopped by a small village. Umm Ali, the best cook of the village, filled a pan with the ingredients she had - dried wheat flakes (probably leftovers from some stale bread), nuts, sultanas and coconut. She covered it with milk and sugar, put in the community oven and cooked something akin to this pudding.
 
Ingredients for 2 servings:
3 croissants (I used small size ones.)
1 cup water
1/4 cup condensed milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup whipped cream
1 tbsp. each - coconut, pistachios, almonds and raisins

Method:
* Preheat the oven to 200 deg C / 400 deg F.

* Combine croissant pieces, coconut, pistachio, almonds and raisins in a ovenproof dish. Or divide the mixture among 2 oven proof bowls if you are planning to serve two, individually. 

* Bring condensed milk, water and vanilla to a boil in a sauce pan. Pour it over the croissant mixture and set it aside for five minutes or until the croissant mixture absorbs the maximum of the liquid.

* Place whipping cream in a piping bag and pipe the cream over the mixture. (I didn't use a piping bag and just spooned the cream into the bowls.)

* Place the baking dish in the preheated oven using the grilling part of the oven and grill for 5 minutes or until the cream topping is golden in color. (I turned off the oven and forgot to remove the bowls immediately and hence the darker hue of the cream.)
* Serve it immediately.

This goes to BM #48 for under "1 Cuisine - 3 Dishes" - Arabian Cuisine theme. Check here to see what my fellow marathoners are cooking during Blogging Marath on #48.

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Z for Zimbabwe ~ Chikenduza / Zimbabwe Candy Cake

Event: BM #44         
Choice of Country: The Republic of Zimbabwe
Capital City: Harare
Official Languages: English, Shona and Ndebele

It's now time for the alphabet 'Z' and the last post of the marathon that has been going on this month, with the theme 'Around the World in 30 Days'. I picked Zimbabwe as my "Z" country. This landlocked south African nation was formerly called as Rhodesia. 'Zimbabwe' literally means 'House of Stone', which refers to the 800 year old stone ruins left by the Shona people. The Shona and Ndebele people alternately held power over this land until the Europeans occupied the region in 1850's. The Britishers occupied it until 1923. 

Zimbabwe Cuisine:
I must say I was shocked to learn about what they call delicacies in the region. (No offense meant). During the summer, open-air markets sell dried mopane worms (spiny caterpillars) and flying ants by the pound. They are eaten fried and are said to taste chewy and salty. Flying ants can be eaten live. They tear off the wings and eat the bodies. 
Meat and game such as beef, springbok (African gazelle), kudu (large antelope), and goat are eaten, the larger game reserved for special occasions. At more expensive restaurants, crocodile tail, shoulder of impala (a type of antelope), and warthog may be on the menu. (Source: Here) 
As a result of British rule, their cooking infiltrated Zimbabwean cuisine with non spicy food, sugar, bread and tea. The Lipopo and Zambesi rivers which border the nation provide the source for cultivating crops. They dry various produce and meat after the rainy season for consuming during winter months. "Sadza" a cornmeal based dietary staple happens to be the national dish.

I thought it would be befitting to end this journey on a sweet note as I ended up posting mostly sweet treats from around the world. I tried this popular candy cake called chikenduza from Zimbabwe and people in the region who grew up eating it seem to have fond memories attached to it. This is not really a cake but a 'cakey' bread if you ask me. It is sweet to taste like a cake and even have beautiful hued icing but the texture is more like bread / buns. I tasted one without icing and liked it. It was a hit with my son too while my daughter who went crazy icing the cupcakes wasn't so when it was time to taste them. She is not into sugary stuff unless they have chocolate in some form and so her opinion didn't matter. :) 
The recipe comes from here and the blogger had mentioned that the original cake is about the size of 2 muffins. She used a 15 cm cake tin (I guess it is around 6 inches tin). I halved the recipe and chose to go with a muffin pan for individual servings and besides I didn't have a small cake tin. If you are planning to bake this as a cake, double the ingredients and use a baking pan of that size mentioned in the original recipe. Also I would recommend using muffin liners for a muffin pan (even for a silicone pan) since the finished product tends to get stuck to the pan. (Mine did.)

Ingredients for cake: (for 6 standard sized cupcakes)
1 tsp yeast (I used dry active yeast)
1/4 cup warm milk
6 tbsp. sugar
1 & 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 - 4 tbsp milk
2 tbsp yogurt
1 tsp vanilla 
Ingredients for icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tsp water
A few drops of food color (I am assuming from the post that originally the icing is pink but I went with orange color instead.)

Method:
* Combine yeast, 1 tbsp sugar and warm milk in a bowl and leave it in a warm place for about 10 - 15 minutes or until frothy. Add the remaining sugar and mix well.
* Now add all the other ingredients (except water) to the yeast bowl and mix well to form a thick dough. Add water if the dough appears dry. 

* Cover the dough and leave it in a warm place to rise. Let it proof for about one hour or until it bulks up. The leavened dough would be on the sticky side.

* Grease the cake tin if using or line the muffin cups. If using a muffin tin, fill 3/4th of the cups with the dough using a greasy spoon. (They rise again after the second proofing and so don't fill the cups to full. This quantity gave me 6 cupcakes). Allow to rise for about 20 minutes.


* When you are through 10 minutes of the second rise, preheat the oven to 350 deg F. 
 
* Bake until they turn golden brown, about 30 minutes.
 * Whisk powdered sugar with enough water and a few drops of food color to make a thick icing.
* Decorate the cupcakes / cake with the icing and serve.



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K for Kenya & Kashata

 
Event: BM #44 , Around the World (A - Z series) 
Choice of Country: The Republic of Kenya  
Capital City: Nairobi  
Official Language: Swahili & English

For my "K" country, I am moving towards East Africa, Kenya to be precise. This nation lies in the "African Great Lakes" region and is said to be inhabited by humans as long as the human history existed. Lake Victoria, the world's second largest fresh-water lake and the largest tropical lake, is situated to the southwest of Kenya. Kenya, along with Uganda and Tanzania is famous for its safaris, diverse wildlife reserves and national parks such as the East and West Tsavo National Park, the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru National Park, and Aberdares National Park.
The first inhabitants of the region were hunters-gatherer groups. Then people from other parts of the continent started to move towards this region. Then Kilwa Sultanate ruled over the Swahili region up until the 17th century. Later on the country saw foreign  rule including Omani Arabs, Germans and British and of course they all influenced Kenyan cooking. Food in the coastal area gets more exotic because of it's long standing relationship with foreign settlers, merchant traders and it's colonization by foreign countries over centuries. The rural areas prefer simple, nutritious meals incorporating the local ingredients. Kenyan cooking is largely influenced by Indians, Arabs and Europeans. The east coast traders and workers who came from the Indian subcontinent and settled in Kenya brought with them spicy chai, chapatis and samosas. Mahamri / maandazi and samosas are the popular snacks in this region. Ugali, a thick cornmeal porridge forms the base for lunch / dinner.

I chose to go with Kashata, a popular snack from Eastern Africa that has originated in the Swahili region. They are made with peanuts and/or shredded fresh coconut and are specially made for kids during the Ramadan season. The texture is somewhat between a candy and a cookie and they are made over fire or on stove top. My first impression was that kashata probably has Indian roots and is the Africanized version of our own chikkis. Peanut brittle is so popular in India that they are made at home or readily available in stores everywhere, even on the remotest corner of the country if I am not wrong. Like every other Indian, I have grown up enjoying my share of peanut brittle and coconut burfis (squares) and wanted to try this variation.

Coconut and wheat flour are not a part of Indian style brittle. In India skinned whole / crushed peanuts are usually added to jaggery syrup of hard ball consistency and are shaped into squares or balls. Sometimes, sugar syrup is used instead of jaggery syrup but the latter is preferred for it's rich flavor. Basically the dish can be prepared with two ingredients, peanuts and jaggery / sugar and homemade versions use cardamom for flavor.
Kashata uses similar ingredients but differs in terms of preparation, taste and texture, especially if you chose to go with all the ingredients mentioned in the original recipe. I had to try this twice to get it almost perfect. I added both peanuts and coconut since that combo was new to me in brittle making and I left out the flour since it was optional. The first time I thought I will go with the Indian style as I had never used the dry caramelization method. I prepared a sugar syrup of hard ball consistency using a little water and followed the recipe directions. Immediately I knew the measurements were wrong since the mixture I got was almost like semi solid. I had to freeze the mixture to shape by hands and whenever I took them out to eat, they were very sticky to touch and were pale in  color.

I make decent peanut balls and honestly was embarrassed failing at my first attempt cooking such a simple dish. I had to give it a second try, keeping extra skinned peanuts, coconut and toasted wheat flour handy in case. This time I followed the exact directions as shown below. The dry caramelization process lends kashata a rich color and flavor and they taste good. They were not dry/firm like the Indian version and my guess is because the sugar is melted but not let to reach that particular consistency as needed. Keep extra peanuts/coconut/toasted wheat flour handy to add in case if you find the mixture sticky.  

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2 cups roasted, skinned peanuts or 2 cups fresh / frozen, shredded coconut or 1 cup roasted, skinned peanuts + 1 cup fresh / frozen, shredded coconut
1/2 cup toasted wheat flour (Dry toast flour until it slightly browns.)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder

Method:
* Grease a plate with high edges or a square pan and keep it aside.
* Slightly crush the peanuts if using.
* Heat sugar in a heavy sauce pan or a non-stick pan on moderate heat.Do not add any water.

* The quantity of sugar I used for the pictorial was 1/4 cup and the sugar started to liquefy around the edges after about 3 minutes.

* Tilt the pan slightly holding the handle so that sugar melts evenly.

* Cook until the sugar is melted and starts to turn into brown / amber color.

* Add immediately the peanuts and/or coconut, wheat flour and cardamom. Stir well so that the ingredients are coated with the syrup. Cook for a minute and turn off the stove.
* Pour the mixture into the greased mold you are using.

* Cut the mixture into desired shapes while the mixture is still warm. Let cool and serve.

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F for France ~ Mendiants au Chocolat

 
Event: BM #44  
Choice of country: French Republic
Capital City: Paris
Official Language: French

I would like to visit Paris one day and leisurely explore the city. Technically I have set my foot in the city several times over the years, as I usually catch my connecting flight to India from there. I am always in a hurry to reach India to meet my loved ones instead of breaking off my journey and so couldn't visit the city yet. Hopefully I will make it during my next visit. 
Besides, my son is studying French at school and would love to learn more about that country. We wanted to send him on a student exchange program to Paris during last summer but couldn't do so because of dietary restrictions. As part of the program, he would have spent his summer in France, with a sponsoring French family learning about their language, culture and traditions. While we would have done the same here in US, welcoming a French student to our home. At the last moment, I got cold feet to send him alone and besides being a vegetarian, there was the issue of food. I promised myself at that moment that he would get an extensive tour of the country. In fact, not only him but every one of us. In the mean time, we are set to enjoy some French food at home. I prepared a French treat for us called "mendiants au chocolat". 

A mendiant is a traditional French confection that was usually made during Christmas. It is a chocolate disk studded with dry fruits and nuts and is very easy and quick to put together. They were traditionally meant to represent the four monastic orders of middle ages in Western Europe -  Dominicans (or Jacobins as they were called in France), Augustinians, Franciscans and Carmelites. These monastic orders were mendicant orders, mendicant coming from a Latin word meaning "to beg". These monks renounced every worldly possession and were bound by a vow of poverty. They depended upon charity / begging for their livelihood.

Each of the dry fruits and nuts traditionally used stood for the color of the monastic robes they wore - Raisin for Dominicans, hazelnut for the Augustinians, dried fig for Franciscans and almond for Carmelites. The modern versions have moved away from the traditional combination and today, one can use their choice of dry fruits, nuts, fruit peels, seeds, coconut flakes and so on. I guess you got the idea. Adorn the chocolate dollops with your favorite toppings or any odds or bits of nuts / dry fruit you want to use up from your pantry. Besides no need to wait until Christmas to enjoy these delightful treats.

Making mendiants is surprisingly simple. Basically, chocolate is melted by double boiler method and about tbsp. sized melted chocolate is dropped as dollops on a foil / parchment paper lined cookie sheet. They are then decorated with toppings and are refrigerated until they are set.  

Pronunciation:
I suddenly realized at some point that it is a French recipe name and possibly shouldn't be pronounced like an English word. I had even seen recipe titles like "Recette de Mendiants aux fruits secs et au chocolat" for mendiants and thought the one I chose is short and sweet. My son explained me that the long title just means "a recipe for mendiants with dry fruits and chocolate". Phew. Anyone wondering how to say "Mendiants au chocolat"? 
Chocolat is of course "shoh-koh-lah" meaning chocolate.
Au is pronounced as an English 'o' and means 'with' in the cooking context.
And for mendiants, check it here. I am having hard time to write it even though I learnt how to say it from my son. It is said with a nasal voice and it goes like "moan-dyon"

Ingredients to make about a dozen:
Dark chocolate / white chocolate / chocolate chips (I used 1 cup chopped chocolate pieces)
Assortment of dry fruits and nuts of your choice

Preparation:
* Avoid chocolate coming in contact with water at any point of time during the preparation. Keep your work station, pan in which you are melting chocolate and spatula completely dry.
* Line a cookie sheet with foil / parchment paper or use a silicon mat.
* Chop the chocolate into small bits. If using chocolate in large quantity, do it in batches. 
* Keep your toppings ready.

Method:
*  Use a sauce pan and a metal / glass bowl that fits snugly over the top of that pan. Fill the sauce pan with water such that the quantity of water should provide heat but not touch the base of the bowl in which chocolate is going to be melted. 
* Put the sauce pan with water over a low heat and place the chocolate bowl over it. Melt it over low heat, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula.
* Drop a tbsp sized melted chocolate on the prepared cooking sheet. Gently shape the chocolate into a disc using the back of the spoon. Repeat the steps quickly until you have made about 4 discs. Decorate them with your choice of toppings.
* Again repeat the steps doing about 4 discs before decorating, to avoid getting chocolate cold quickly.
* Let cool and refrigerate them until they are set. Once set they peel off easily.

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