This recipe is dedicated to all you guys out there looking for a last minute, very affordable Valentine’s gift. Yes, I’m calling out the men on this one but it’s with good measure. Over the course of the last day, I have had not one, not two, but three guys start to panic in my presence. It starts with realization and then frustration that there’s less than 24 hours to pull off something classy that looks like it took weeks to plan. Well, boys (and procrastinating girls), I’m giving you a freebie: Chocolate-Pistachio-Wafer Wedge.
I know, you’ve never heard of the Chocolate-Pistachio-Wafer Wedge before and that’s because it came to me out of a moment of kitchen clarity. This holiday is all about chocolate and usually that means homemade gifts, often in the form of chocolate truffles. This recipe is even easier and simpler than truffles, yet, one look proves that it’s much much more attractive than some teensy scoop of chocolate rolled in too much cocoa powder.
For this recipe all you have to do is heat cream, stir it together with chocolate, and then let it sit for a few hours. No, really, that’s it. For those of you who have made truffles you’ll recognize the base here as ganache — the same starting point for truffles — but with a few more goodies folded in for extra flavor and some texture.
If you’re uber-desperate, and you’re reading this, say, in the 11th hour, you may not have access to all these ingredients. Never fear, because this recipe is super adaptable. Don’t have orange liqueur? Use coffee liqueur, aka Kahlua, instead. No thin wafer cookies? Break up some vanilla wafers or even thin mints to use in their place. Don’t like pistachios? Use sliced almonds, broken-up cookies, or just a simple dusting of cocoa powder. You see? I told you it is that easy.
No need to thank me — just go quickly to the kitchen and get cracking — the end result will be sure to impress. And as for the fact it took you mere minutes to pull off? Well, your significant other will be none the wiser.
Chocolate-Pistachio-Wafer Wedge Recipe
- Makes: 12 servings
- Total Time: 10 minutes plus 2 hours setting time
- Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 (1 inch wide) strips of orange peel
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (optional)
- 1/4 pound Moravian wafer cookies, chocolate wafers, shortbread biscuits, or your favorite thin cookie, broken in half
- 1/2 cup roasted shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
- Cocoa, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Prepare an 8-inch springorm pan (or loaf pan or square cake pan) by coating with cooking spray or butter, then, if you have it, line the bottom with parchment paper (if you don’t have parchment paper, go ahead and skip it but know it may be a tad harder to remove the wedge from the pan). Coat the paper with cooking spray or butter.
Place chocolate in a small bowl and set aside. Combine cream, orange peel, and liqueur, if using, in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat (make sure it doesn’t boil). Pour cream over the chocolate and let it sit until the chocolate starts melting (about 2 to 3 minutes).
Discard the orange peel and gently stir the chocolate until evenly melted and smooth. Add the cookies or biscuits and stir until coated. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with pistachios then let set up in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours.
To serve, let sit for a few minutes at room temperature so it’s easier to slice. remove from pan then slice into 12 wedges (or slices if in a loaf pan) and serve as is or with a dusting of cocoa. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.)
