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You will also need:
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1. A heavy 3-quart size baking dish with high sides, at least 4-inches deep. The dessert rises quite a bit as it bakes.
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2. A double boiler or bain marie made with a pot that's partially filled with water and a bowl that fits snugly into the rim of it.
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3. A mixing bowl and either a hand-held mixer or a standing mixer and bowl.
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4. A small ice cream scoop.
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For the Chocolate Snowballs:
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1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter the 3-quart baking dish and set it aside.
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2. In the top of the double boiler or the bowl of the homemade bain marie, combine the chopped chocolate, 1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup of milk. Bring the water in the bottom part of the double boiler or the pot of the homemade bain marie to a simmer and heat and melt the chocolate, without stirring.
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3. Transfer the melted chocolate mixture to a bowl and mix in the granulated sugar using a mixer. Then beat in the butter, a piece at a time. Next, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Finally, add the vanilla.
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4. Pour the mixture into the buttered baking dish and bake it at 350 F for 1 hour. When done remove the dish from the oven and set it on a cooling rack.
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5. Cool the dessert completely then cover it loosely with a piece of plastic wrap. Completely cooling the dessert before covering it loosely will help prevent condensation on the inside of the cover. Chill the baked snowball mixture for at least 8 hours or overnight.
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6. Arrange dessert bowls or stemmed, wide-mouth glasses on the counter beside the bowl of Snowball mixture. Scoop out snowballs with the ice cream scoop and place them (2 - 3 depending on the size of the scoop) in each bowl or glass. If it is convenient, let the bowls of Chocolate Snowballs stand at room temperature for a little while to soften a bit. This isn't essential, and the Snowballs will soften some in any case as you whip the cream.
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7. Put the 2 cups of heavy cream into a medium sized bowl and use a mixer to whip it until it forms soft peaks. Then beat in the powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
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8. Spoon some of the sweetened whipped cream over each dessert and serve them.
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An acknowledgement: Chocolate Snowballs is an adaptation of a recipe that appeared in the 'You Asked For It' feature of 'Gourmet' magazine in June 1986 and was originally served at Sammy's restaurant in Cleveland.
