Here are some tips and tricks for using CHOCOLATE SCHMEAR, HAZELNUT PRALINE and PISTACHIO PASTES. Scroll down to read more and see the accompanying photographs.
CHOCOLATE SCHMEAR
Our Chocolate Schmear is dense and fudge-like. It is quite solid at cooler temperatures such as in a cold kitchen or pantry. In such conditions we recommend that the Chocolate Schmear be gently heated especially if you plan to use it as a frosting on a cake.
Chocolate Schmear is relatively firm at cool temperatures.
To heat the Schmear: Transfer the Schmear into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the Schmear in 15 second bursts until it is soft enough to spread. Heating it no hotter than 175°F should produce the best results. (The Schmear-filled bowl may also be placed over a pot of simmering water to heat.)
When gently warmed, the Chocolate Schmear is shiny and spreadable.
HAZELNUT and PISTACHIO PASTES
Oil separation occurs naturally in our Hazelnut and Pistachio Pastes because they do not contain stabilizers. Don’t be frightened. The oil is easily stirred back into the paste.
Here is the smooth and creamy Pistachio Paste after stirring.
Open the can.
Use a table knife to stir the paste.
Keep stirring, using the knife to reach the bottom of the can.
After 6 or 7 swirls of the knife, your paste should be uniformly creamy and all the oil will be redistributed.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Jo Anne Anderson // Dec 21, 2011 at 10:51 am
I used the pistachio cookies that was on the label of the can. What a fabulous cookie. I used my mini food processor to blend the paste and it worked great. Every one loved the cookies. Next time I am going to add a little green food coloring to the dough to make it look green. I also chopped up pistachio nuts and added them to the top of the melted chocolate. GREAT COOKIE!
2 lovenbake // Dec 21, 2011 at 3:25 pm
So glad you liked the cookie recipe, Jo Anne. And thanks for sharing the tip to use a mini chopper to blend the paste. And dunking the chocolate-coated cookie in chopped pistachios, yummy. Next time you might try sandwiching two together with some raspberry or apricot jam. And if you have a little pistachio paste left over, it can be added to a simple confectioner’s sugar drizzle ( confectioner’s sugar and a little water or lemon juice that you drizzle over coffee cakes.)
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