Sinful Spanish Loaves

One of my last days in Foodways we ate-- I'm sorry, I mean, we made-- Spanish Loaves.  These are absolutely, sinfully, decadently, wonderful.  Once I describe this you'll probably think it's a dessert, but in the eighteenth century this would have been a side dish.  Yes, a side dish.  I suggest you still put it with your side dishes, because who doesn't want chocolate at a meal?



Ok, so here's what you do.  Either buy or make six French rolls, then let them go a bit stale.  Cut off the tops of the rolls, then hollow out the roll, like you would a miniature bread bowl.  If the rolls have a thick crust, carefully grate off the outside crust to make the next step extra wonderful.

The next step is soaking them in wine.  Get a bowl of nice white wine and dip your bread rolls in til they are soaked through, then drain them and cover them in flour til they feel dry to the touch.  Make sure they feel dry or you could start a grease fire.  Then, heat a pound of lard (or butter, or vegetable oil) in a deep frier and put in the floured rolls.  Fry until golden brown. Then, roll the fried rolls in sugar. 

Finally fill your fried, sugared rolls with a chocolate cream.  To make chocolate cream, grate four ounces of dark chocolate (unflavored).  Heat a  pint of cream over the stove, then stir in the chocolate.  Once it's melted together a bit, add in two pre-whisked egg yolks tempered with a bit of the chocolate-cream blend, and as much sugar and spice as you desire.  Some good spices to add are cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, and a pinch of cayenne.  Stir constantly or you will end up with creamy chocolate scrambled eggs because of those yolks!  Once heated and a bit thick, take it off the stove and pour the cream into the French rolls.

Then enjoy!!!