Sleep is something everybody wants more of these days. Despite the fact that our bodies are capable of basically growing a new skeleton every 10 years, something as seemingly small as eating the wrong thing before bed can really mess them up. Two experts name the foods to avoid eating late at night, and both agreed that chocolate before bed is a no good, very bad idea.
It’s almost Easter, and apart from enjoying traditional chocolate Easter eggs, we think that chocolate mendiants should also be part of this festive day. Making mendiants requires some technical skills but with our instructions, you should find it straightforward to transform plain chocolate into an elegant dessert. It is surely a perfect gift for every chocolate lover. For the recipe and complete directions, with photos, click HERE. ENJOY!!!
Tamar Fasja Unikel, co-owner of Masa Madre bakery in Chicago, grew up in a tight-knit Jewish community in Mexico City where Passover was a very big deal. One of her aunts, Adela, started making this cake 35 years ago and it’s now a part of Unikel’s holiday table too. At Masa Madre she and her partner Elena Vazquez Felgueres pay homage to their Mexican heritage by frosting the cake with ganache enriched with the flavors of café de olla, a combination of ground coffee, piloncillo, and cinnamon. This cake gets better throughout the week, whether cold from the fridge or warmed before serving. It can be made parve/dairy-free by subbing in margarine or vegan butter for the butter and cream.
Ingredients:
CAKE
7 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1 cup (150 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
1¼ cups (125 g) raw pecans, plus chopped for serving
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (125 g) almond flour or meal
½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
6 large eggs
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
GANACHE AND ASSEMBLY
1½ cups (150 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. finely ground espresso or other dark roast coffee
½ tsp. cinnamon, preferably Ceylon
½ tsp. grated piloncillo or light or dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Pinch of kosher salt
Preparation:
CAKE
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°. Lightly butter a 9×5″ loaf pan; line with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on long sides. Butter parchment. Combine chocolate and remaining 7 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. unsalted butter in a medium bowl and set over a large saucepan of simmering water (do not let bottom of bowl touch water). Heat chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat and set chocolate mixture aside.
Step 2
Pulse pecans in a food processor until somewhat finely ground (it’s okay if there are some coarser pieces). Pulse in almond meal and salt; set aside.
Step 3
Beat eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the motor running, gradually stream in sugar and beat until mixture is very pale and nearly doubled in volume, about 1 minute. Stream in reserved chocolate mixture and beat until no streaks remain. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in reserved pecan mixture with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl, until well incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles.
Step 4
Bake cake, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in pan.
GANACHE AND ASSEMBLY
Step 5
As soon as the cake is almost cool, place chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream, corn syrup, coffee, cinnamon, and piloncillo in a small saucepan to a faint simmer over medium heat. Pour over chocolate, whisking constantly until melted and smooth. Add butter and salt and whisk until butter is melted and ganache is shiny and smooth. Let cool until thickened slightly, 15–30 minutes.
Step 6
Turn cake out onto a large plate or cake stand and turn right side up. Pour ganache over (it should flow over the sides but not quite hit the plate). Scatter chopped pecans over as desired; chill until ganache is set, 10–15 minutes.
As published in BONAPPETIT.COM
What’s better than paleo chocolate chip cookies? Well, it has to be Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies made from sourdough discard as they are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
Ingredients:
½ cup (100g) refined coconut oil, softened, similar in texture to softened butter
⅔ cup (96g) coconut sugar
1 flax egg (see Notes) or regular egg, room temperature
½ cup (125g) mature gluten-free sourdough starter, unfed (see Notes)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups + 2 tablespoons (204g) blanched almond flour
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt, to sprinkle on top, optional
Method:
Mix together the coconut oil and coconut sugar until smooth and lightened slightly in color. Add the flax egg (or regular egg), vanilla extract, and sourdough discard, and mix until smooth.
Add the almond flour, salt, and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to 48 hours).
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Use a cookie scoop (using this size will give you 12 cookies, using this smaller size will give you about 20) to form cookies and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet; press down slightly.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Bake for about 10 or until just beginning to turn golden brown around the edges. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For the discard: don’t use discard that is from a super new starter – it should be smelling good and at least a week old. The starter does not need to be active, and should be fed with about 100% hydration.
(Recipe: Rachel Conners, Instagram/bakeritablog as published in HINDUSTANTIMES.COM)
Baileys Irish Cream is a staple of the springtime and these chocolates include the familiar rich taste of the drink. The mini eggs come in nine-count boxes and feature a dusting of gold on the outer chocolate shell to make them look just as festive as the foil-wrapped chocolates you know and love. Similar to a chocolate truffle, these eggs have a hard outer shell and a creamy center that is flavored with Baileys. Of course, the inclusion of Irish Cream means these chocolates are meant for those 21 and older and the box itself labels them as a “grown-up treat.” You can buy boxes of these chocolates from Carrolls Irish Gifts for for $12. For those that want something even more special, the site also sells a Baileys Salted Caramel Chocolate Egg that weighs in at almost half a pound.
If you were thinking of companies that might want to increase the value of their shares by buying back stock, Lindt & Sprungli AG would likely come near the bottom of the list. Primary shares in the Swiss chocolate-maker closed at 81,600 Swiss francs ($87,650) a piece March 1, 2021. That’s roughly enough money to buy a brand-new electric Porsche Taycan, or a five-bedroom house with a vineyard in Portugal. The next day, Lindt announced plans to buy back 750 million Swiss francs of equity, edging the shares closer to the record 93,800 franc level they peaked at last February.
A care package is a great way to let someone know you’re thinking of them. A care package containing a chocolate phallus, on the other hand, may be enough to “shock, offend, and frighten” the recipient. That’s the basis of a case filed against Ruin Days, a New York prank company.
Americans eat 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate a year and science reports that chocolate is good for you — well, at least 70% dark chocolate is, in 1-ounce-a-day doses. But that makes folks who vape think chocolate-flavored electronic cigarettes are healthy, too. Far from it. A new study found that of all the lung-polluting elixirs added to e-cigs, chocolate flavor (with a high dose of what the researchers say is benzene-ring flavorings) is the most harmful. According to the study published in the American Journal of Physiology/Lung, Cellular and Molecular Physiology, it delivers a brew of toxins that can kill off lung cells and reduce the ability of your immune system to remove bacteria and regulate inflammation.
Chocolate is the greatest gift to mankind—full stop. You can have it on your birthday via a rich chocolate cake with a luscious ganache, as a beverage when you feel like cozying up with a cup of hot chocolate, or even at the dinner table as a beer-infused sauce for your rib eye. It’s true that incorporating chocolate into your meals is easy, but how to remove chocolate stains from your clothes (when you throw table manners out the window at the mere sight of it—we’ve all been there), is another story. Click, HERE, to discover the way to remove chocolate stains!
Alexia Castellon, Entertainment Editor on NW The Website, asked around which brand of chocolate mint cookies people ate. The most common ones are: Girl Scouts Thin Mints, Oreo Thins Mint Flavor Creme and Keebler Grasshopper Mint & Fudge. After that, she put together a team of cookie enthusiasts and rated the cookies on a scale of 1-5 based on taste, texture, appearance and overall cookie experience. Click, HERE, for the results!
The heart and the brain are undoubtedly two of our body’s most vital organs. Thankfully, taking care of one inadvertently tends to the other. One simple way to support our brain and our heart is by eating nutrient-dense foods—and no, it’s not all fruits and veggies. According to neuroscientist and neurodegenerative disease researcher Kristen Willeumier, Ph.D., dark chocolate is one of the most powerful functional foods we can add to our diet.
For the first time since 1982, average annual chocolate consumption in Switzerland has fallen below the 10 kg per person mark. On average, a Swiss resident munched 9.9 kg of chocolate in 2020, 6.9% less than the year before, according to the Association of Swiss Chocolate Manufacturers (Chocosuisse). This decline was at the expense of Swiss-made chocolate, as the import volume of foreign-made chocolate increased by 1.8%. and its share rose from 41% to 43%. The industry body blames protectionist measures at home for the rising sales of imported chocolates in Switzerland.
Jasmine Harrison, the youngest woman to make the 3,000-mile journey alone, relished the freedom of doing it all by herself. Instead of the ration packs people normally eat on these long journeys, she lived off biscuits and chocolate – “I think I ate 40kg of chocolate,” she laughed – and could choose to avoid rowing in the rain. “I could do what I liked. If it’s raining outside, and I’m in my cabin because I’ve just woken up, I ain’t gonna go out and row.”
Ghirardelli has launched two new better-for-you baking chips. The 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chips are now made with 50% less sugar and the 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Chips have no sugar. “Now, consumers can enjoy premium chocolate while reducing or adjusting the overall sugar in any recipe to control their desired sweetness,” the company said. Ghirardelli said the 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chips “are made with high quality cocoa beans, real vanilla and 50% less sugar than Ghirardelli’s popular semi-sweet baking chips. With no sugar added, the 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Chips are a true blank canvas for a baking creation.”
The famous chocolate company of central Pennsylvania is unveiling options that allow nearly every chocolate lover to enjoy. Hershey’s announced the sale of organic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey Bars. “The Reese’s brand is quite literally finding ways for everyone to enjoy that same sought-after taste only achieved with a true and unmatched Reese’s chocolate and peanut butter combination,” the Hershey Company said in a release. They’ll be available in milk and dark chocolate, and certified organic by the U.S.D.A. The organic sweet treats will not contain any genetically modified organisms (GMOs), as well.
Nestle SA is adding its first vegan milk chocolate to its products as the world’s biggest food company expands beyond meat alternatives. The Swiss food giant will start offering plant-based KitKat bars this year, called KitKat V, according to Alexander von Maillot, head of Nestle’s confectionery business. The product will be for sale online and at selected stores in a handful of markets including the U.K. as a test run before a possible wider rollout. The bar, which uses a rice-based formula as a milk substitute, took about two years to develop. The main challenge in making alternatives to milk chocolate is ensuring it blends well with cocoa and sugar for a creamy texture. Other substitutes, such as soy or almond formulas, can create off-notes, von Maillot said.
The secret to David Lebovitz’s Parisian-style hot chocolate is whole milk and plenty of high-quality dark chocolate. The optional addition of raw or brown sugar lends a wonderful toasty toffee flavor. Mr. Lebovitz recommends making the drink a day or two in advance and storing it in the refrigerator, then rewarming it: The drink gets thicker the longer it sits. Serve it in small tea cups, the way the French do, as this intense hot chocolate packs a punch. To give the hot chocolate a nice frothy texture, zap it with an immersion blender for a few seconds before pouring it into your cup—a technique recommended by both chocolate/cacao scholar Maricel Presilla and Wonderbon Chocolate Co. co-owner Maury Rubin. It’s a worthwhile extra step that gives the drink a light, airy mouthfeel, and it works well with packaged cocoas, too.
Ingredients:
– 2 cups whole milk or neutral plant-based milk, such as Oatly Barista Edition
– 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
– 1-2 tablespoons raw or light brown sugar (optional)
– Whipped cream or marshmallows, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm milk and chocolate, whisking occasionally until chocolate is melted.
Bring mixture almost to a boil, paying close attention. (If it comes to a full boil, it will quickly boil over.) Reduce heat to lowest setting and gently simmer hot chocolate, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
When chocolate is cool enough to sip, add sugar to taste, if using. To serve, pour hot chocolate into cups and top with whipped cream or marshmallows, if using.
—Adapted from “Drinking French” by David Lebovitz (Ten Speed Press) as published in WSJ.
Hershey recently announced that it will be launching its plant-based sugar chocolates as a part of the ‘Better-for-you’ category with an investment in a company that is developing sugars that have fewer calories than conventional chocolates and a negligible glycemic index impact.
Simran Sethi – she hosts “The Slow Melt” podcast, where she explores all things chocolate. And she reports on the latest episode of NPR’s Life Kit podcast, which is titled How To Savor Chocolate Like A Cocoa Expert. Sethi says the first step to enjoying chocolate like a pro is picking the right bar. For more tips, click, HERE.
Before industrialization, chocolate was expensive and often only consumed by the elite. And, it wasn’t wrapped in the heart-shaped foil we recognize today. “Chocolate for thousands of years has been consumed traditionally as a beverage”. “It was ground with honey as a sweetener and the nibs were ground with a mortar and pestle, like a ground tea.” The chocolate industry was eventually revolutionized by Milton Hershey, who had roots in Philadelphia and brought chocolate to the masses.
A survey from data analytics firm YouGov asked more than 5,000 U.S. adults to name their top chocolate pick, and one type of sweet indulgence was a clear winner: milk chocolate is America’s favorite chocolate by a long shot. Click, HERE, for more details.
Media and popular literature link chocolate and sex-interest in women, but there is little research examining their association. This cross-sectional analysis sought to address this gap by assessing the relation of chocolate-consumption frequency to self-rated interest in sex. Seven-hundred twenty-three (723) Southern California men and women, age >20, completed surveys providing chocolate-consumption frequency (Choc0, x/week) and interest in sex (rated 0-10). Check out the findings by clicking HERE.
Chocolate and strawberries – it is a classic combination and the perfect finish after a great dinner. This dessert combines both and is the ultimate dessert for your upcoming Valentines dinner (or any time of the year!). The recipe is easy, but you need to organize ahead of time as the recipe requires preparation over 2 days. It is all well worth it for this delight! You can choose to buy chocolate decorations instead of making them, which makes the preparation less long. Click, HERE, to see the step-by-step preparation and to find more intriguing recipes to try!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
50 gr speculoos
30 gr butter
For the filling:
90 gr milk chocolate pistoles
½ tbsp honey
60 gr cream
180 gr cream cold (day 2)
For the compote:
150 gr fresh strawberries
25 gr coconut sugar
1 pc gelatine leaf
1 pinch freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
For the garnish:
Fresh strawberries
120 gr milk chocolate optional
Method:
Day 1
• Prepare the ganache:
Bring 60gr of cream with the honey to a boil and pour it over the chocolate to create chocolate Chantilly. Leave it 3 minutes before stirring to combine and obtain a smooth and shiny texture. Place a cling film on top then refrigerate overnight.
• Prepare the crust:
Process the speculoos to crumbs with the help of a food processor. Add the butter and blend together to combine.
Arrange this mixture into a mould, press it down and bake at 150°C for 8 minutes. Allow to cool and refrigerate in the mould.
• Prepare the chocolate decoration: (optional)
Place the chocolate in the microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat until the chocolate is half melted, half solid; then quickly stir to melt the milk chocolate completely.
Pour the chocolate on a plastic sheet and cover with a second sheet. With a rolling pin spread the chocolate to a thin layer and let it set. Cut the forms of your choice and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Transfer the chocolate decoration into a sealed container and keep below 24 degrees.
Day 2
• Prepare the strawberry compote:
Clean and cut the strawberries and keep 8-10 calibrated pieces to garnish the mould. Place the remaining in a saucepan with the sugar and cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes.
Stir in the freshly ground pepper and the soaked gelatine leaf and dissolve.
Remove from the stove, cool down and add the fresh mint.
• Prepare the filling:
Pour the remaining 180 gr of cream over the firm chocolate ganache from day 1 and gently whip until combined. Speed up the whipping at the end until the Chantilly cream has soft peaks. Transfer the fluffy filling into a piping bag.
• Finish the cake:
Arrange the halved strawberries around the mould. Spoon the strawberry compote on the bottom of the tart and fill the center with the milk chocolate chantilly.
Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. The milk chocolate ganache must firm up before unmolding.
NOTES
• Speculoos can be replaced with shortbread biscuits, Oreo, palet Breton biscuits.
• Chocolate starts melting in the centre, which is why microwaving it shouldn’t exceed 30 seconds at the time.
• When you temper chocolate, you are heating and cooling the chocolate in a specific way. When it’s done correctly, the chocolate is shiny, firm at room temperature and has a sharp snap when you bite into it.
For full recipe with detailed instructions and pictures, go to CulinaryAmbition.com (click, HERE). You will also find many other delicious recipes!
So a shift was made towards chocolate. The colonies could get cacao beans straight from Central America tax-free.
Chances are, if you’re reading this article you’ve mastered how to make chocolate covered strawberries, or you’ve received a chocolate covered strawberry delivery (lucky you). Now that you’ve got the strawberries, you need to figure out how to keep those beauties fresh.
For all your answers, from the best way to store, to how long, etc., take the advice from the Food Network Kitchen, and click HERE.
Enjoy a personal chocolate cake that comes with a built-in sauce, that can be whipped up and on the table in less than an hour. And made with pantry staples. And is ideal for a special date night at home (this is a rich, once-in-a-while treat, though feel free stretch each cake to 2 servings if you happen to have four people around to eat them!).
Ingredients:
– 4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus more for greasing the molds
– Cocoa powder, for dusting (natural or Dutch process)
– 2 ounces (57 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
– 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
– 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
Directions:
Step 1
Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
Generously butter and dust two 4-ounce molds, custard cups or ramekins with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
Step 2
Combine the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan with a few inches of simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stir until the chocolate is almost completely melted. (Alternately, you may heat them together in a microwave, starting with 1 minute on HIGH, then stirring, and finishing in short bursts on 50 percent power as needed until almost melted. Stir together until thoroughly combined.) Remove the bowl from the pan.
Step 3
While the chocolate and butter are melting, in a medium bowl, using a whisk or handheld mixer on medium-high, beat together the egg, yolk and sugar until light, thick and pale yellow.
Step 4
Finish stirring together the chocolate and butter; it should be quite warm. Gradually whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour by hand, just until combined.
Step 5
Divide the batter between the molds. (At this point you can refrigerate the desserts for up to several hours. Bring them back to room temperature before baking.)
Step 6
Transfer the molds to a baking sheet to make them easy to move in and out of the oven (and contain any possible overflow). Bake for 7 to 10 minutes — the longer you bake, the less “sauce” there will be. The center will still be quite soft and slightly dipped, but the sides will be set. Let rest for about a minute.
Step 7
Place an overturned plate on top of the mold and, holding onto the mold in one hand with a potholder, mitt or dish towel, invert the plate and the mold. (If you have a lightweight pot rest or trivet, you can set the ramekin on top of that and use it to help you invert as well.) Let sit for about 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one side of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate. It’s okay if you have to tap or gently shake the ramekin to nudge it out. Serve immediately.
Adapted from “Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef,” by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman. As published in The Washington Post.
Chocolate is synonymous with Valentine’s Day. That said, not all chocolate is created equal, and when it comes to impressing your loved one why wouldn’t you want to get them the best? Presentation is a big one for this day of romance, so surprise your significant other with a box of chocolates that’s not only delicious and indulgent, but also handcrafted and artfully designed. Click HERE to see a selection of high quality chocolates that are as tasty as they are visually appealing — guaranteed show stoppers.
Hearts abound on Feb. 14, and few symbols (and gifts) are more widely associated with a holiday than heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are with Valentine’s Day. Chocolates became trendy in the mid-19th century when the first chocolate bar was made by British company J.S. Fry & Sons by combining cacao powder with sugar and cacao butter to make a rich, melt-in-your-mouth treat that was markedly different than the gritty and greasy drinking chocolate that was losing popularity in Europe. Within a few years, competitor Cadbury introduced the first box of chocolates. It was called the “Fancy Box” and it didn’t take long to become wildly popular.
Chocolate is a sweet, creamy treat made from fermented, roasted, and ground cacao tree fruit. People have enjoyed chocolate and similar treats made from cacao fruit for thousands of years. Today it’s eaten in many different ways and is arguably among the most popular foods — so you may even wonder if it’s addictive. This article compares healthy and unhealthy relationships with chocolate and addresses whether chocolate and its ingredients may be addictive.
Maine is home to the largest chocolate moose — yes, that’s moose — in the world. His name is Lenny, he weighs 1,700 pounds, is 9 feet long and 7 feet tall, and has been making candy-crazed kids squeal with delight since 1997. Lenny resides in a blue-tinted white chocolate pond at Len Libby Candies, along with a 380-pound chocolate black bear named Libby and her 80-pound cubs, Cocoa and Chip. Check out a picture of Lenny, HERE.
Famed Parisian tearoom Angelina has renamed its signature hot chocolate drink in New York City and Paris. The drink’s name — formerly “L’Africain,” or “the African” — has been in use for more than a century and appears on the menus of more than 30 international locations. The original name of the drink will remain at Angelina’s 30 plus international locations, except at its flagship tearoom in France, and in NYC, where the company has decided to rename the drink “chocolat chaud à l’ancienne,” which roughly translates to old-fashioned hot chocolate. The website for Angelina Paris, however, still identifies the drink as L’Africain at the time of publication.
The German chocolate manufacturer Ritter Sport is embroiled in a row with food law regulators after being told it cannot call its latest creation a chocolate bar because it contains no sugar. The company, which has been producing chocolate at its factory near Stuttgart for more than 100 years, has been told the new bar contravenes Germany’s strict cocoa regulations. The so-called Kakao-Verordnung deems that anything labelled as chocolate must contain cocoa mass, cocoa powder, cocoa butter and sugar. But Ritter’s new bar, called Cacao y Nada (cocoa and nothing) is 100% cocoa, sourced from its own plantation in Nicaragua. It is sweetened with cocoa juice, which is naturally found in the pulp of the cocoa bean.
Mug cakes became a popular trend during the pandemic. They are not only hassle-free but can also be whipped up in just a few minutes. If you are craving cake, all you need to do is to procure the required ingredients, mix them in a mug and microwave, and your cake is ready. MasterChef runner-up Neha Deepak Shah recently shared a simple one-minute mug recipe for making chocolate walnut brownie, using simple ingredients.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp – Chopped chocolate
2 tbsp – Butter / ghee
2 tbsp – Powdered sugar
2 tbsp – Maida (all-purpose flour) / atta
1 tbsp – Cocoa powder
¼ tsp – Baking powder
Lots of chopped walnuts
Directions:
* In a cup, add chopped chocolate and ghee or melted butter.
* Microwave for 15 seconds.
* Now add powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and water. Mix all the ingredients.
* Add chopped walnuts and some chopped chocolate.
* Microwave for one minute.
* Serve with ice cream.
As published on IndianExpress.com
Despite a lingering public-health crisis that Americans have been told will get worse before it gets better, Valentine’s Day chocolate and candy can enable loved ones to connect and spark moments of joy during a worrisome period, according to a report from the National Confectioners Association (NCA). In fact, the trade association found that a whopping 86% of Americans intend to share a gift of chocolate and candy this V-Day.
Move over, Cupid, Baskin-Robbins’ sweet February offerings, including the new Box of Chocolates Cake and the Flavor of the Month, Love Potion #31®, are sure to win hearts this Valentine’s Day. The only thing better than a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day is Baskin-Robbins’ adorable new Box of Chocolates Cake. Designed to look just like a classic heart-shaped candy box – complete with real milk chocolate candies – this customizable cake can be easily mistaken for the real thing. But don’t let the design fool you, it’s made-to-order with your favorite ice cream flavor, topped with a layer of rich fudge and adorned with an assortment of milk chocolate candies. Baskin-Robbins is also bringing back a Valentine’s Day favorite flavor, Love Potion #31®. Featuring raspberry-filled chocolate-flavored hearts and chocolate-flavored chips, swirled with a raspberry ribbon in a white chocolate and raspberry ice cream, February’s Flavor of the Month is a Valentine’s Day classic. Delicious in a scoop, cone or milkshake, this beloved flavor can be added to the new Box of Chocolates Cake or returning cake designs, like the Valentine’s Day Unicorn Cake or Valentine’s Day Heart Cone Cake.
When it comes to candy making, two Buffalo chocolatiers want to do more than satisfy your sweet tooth – they want to create individual works of art, too. Blue Table Chocolates and the Sweet Whisk create artisanal chocolates defined by their hard-shell exterior, hand-painted designs and carefully curated ganache or jelly fillings. Some call them truffles, others, bonbons – most would agree to call them delicious. Blue Table Chocolates is known for its out-there combinations like blueberry-sake, raspberry jasmine and cashew cardamom thanks to owner Ben Johnson interest in going beyond the ordinary. Husband and wife team Amanda Page and Kenny Williams founded their boutique chocolate and pastry shop the Sweet Whisk after they were inspired by a trip to Paris where they “fell in love with all the pastries, and chocolate, and everything over there,” Page said. Check out their websites at TheSweetWhiskBoutique.com and at BlueTableChocolates.com.
Here’s an invitation to consume an entire box of chocolates. Truffolie, from the chocolatier Wendy-Dawn Wintcentsen, is offering assortments of 12 or 24 heart-shaped bonbons, with an optional custom message in the box, tucked letter-by-letter under the chocolates. Of course, you could just peek and then eat or share the chocolates one at a time. There are three flavors: Carla, with dark chocolate and hazelnuts; Benni, white chocolate with assorted nuts; and Bing, white and dark chocolate with a layer of strawberry. Truffolie chocolates, 12 for $40, 24 for $75, truffolie.com.
While some Americans are counting down the days until spring, there are plenty of others who are savoring the cold and cozy days of winter. According to a report by StudyFinds, a recent survey, which polled 2,000 Americans, revealed that for those Americans who are fans of winter, their favorite thing to do during the cold months is to enjoy “a marshmallow-filled cup of hot chocolate.” In fact “sipping on some cocoa” was named the “best part of the season,” – winning out over, watching the first snowfall and warming up by the fire, the report said.
So a shift was made towards chocolate. The colonies could get cacao beans straight from Central America tax-free.
More than 80 years ago, an employee of DeMet’s Candy Company, said that the company’s original recipe of milk chocolate, caramel, and pecans looked like a turtle. The name stuck!
Thirteen Vermont businesses recently received a national award for their tasty goods and good deeds, including one that makes sweet treats in Montpelier. Rabble-Rouser Chocolate and Craft Company is a locally-owned business that can now add a 2021 national award for its Dulcey chocolate to its repertoire. Employee-owned Rabble-Rouser won in the Good Foods awards confection category. It was selected out of more than 1,900 entries in 16 categories. The chocolatiers say they pride themselves on not just making sure their products taste great but also having a strong emphasis on supporting others in the process.
Godiva is closing all of its U.S. locations as in-store visits for its luxury chocolate dip during the coronavirus pandemic. The company plans to shutter its 128 locations in North America, which includes 11 in Canada, by the end of March. But Godiva chocolates aren’t disappearing completely. You can still get them online as well as at grocery and other stores.
If you live in NYC or nearby, you’re in luck! You can visit Manhattan’s oldest chocolate house, Li-Lac Chocolates – since 1923. And if you’re not nearby, visit their website. Take it from one who knows, it’s certainly worth the tasting experience! Visit their website and purchase gourmet chocolates, signature gift boxes, specialty molds, corporate gifts, holiday and celebration gifts, and much more. Li-LacChocolates.com.
The chocolate diet is about the consumption of dark chocolate, in moderation. The diet works on the principle of tricking your sweet tooth to get used to low levels of sugar. According to studies, chocolate can activate the pleasure sensors in your brain. This helps elevate stress, which helps in improving metabolism and thus in weight loss. Since the chocolate diet is about dark chocolate, the food item has many health benefits such as relieving period pain, high antioxidant levels and more. As per a nutritionist, you should use the following tips when including chocolate in your diet for weight loss: Differentiate between good and bad chocolate; determine the right amount of chocolate consumption; use chocolate when you crave something sweet; avoid eating chocolate as comfort food or when you are stressed; use chocolates as a pre-workout snack to boost your energy levels.
After a year like 2020, Baskin-Robbins wants you to embrace your love for chocolate and indulge in a decadent chocolate experience with Baskin-Robbins’ January Flavor of the Month, Chocolate Trilogy, that is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. A delightfully unique flavor with white, Belgian and malted chocolate-flavored ice cream, Chocolate Trilogy is an explosion of chocolatey goodness, swirled to creamy perfection. A match made in ice cream heaven, each unforgettable spoonful brings together the toasted, earthy notes of malted chocolate flavor, the buttery, sweet flavor of white chocolate, and the classically delicious, milky flavor of Belgian chocolate. If you are a chocoholic, this decadent flavor will be at the top of your list to indulge in.
The range and quality of vegan chocolate is increasing with all manner of dairy alternatives now being used, from nut milks, to rice milks and coconut cream. Whether you’re dairy-free out of choice or not, that shouldn’t mean you’re deprived of the most indulgent and delicious chocolate treats. Good Housekeeping’s Food specialist Alex Hale has scoured the shelves and web to bring you her favorite vegan chocolate. Included is everything from smooth and creamy vegan white and milk chocolate to bittersweet and sophisticated dark chocolate. There’s something for everyone with all manner of flavors and fillings, not to mention a few vegan chocolate desserts. Many of these delicious recommendations are also either ‘raw’, unrefined or gluten-free too! Click, here, to discover the best vegan chocolate available to buy now.
While most wouldn’t consider olive oil and chocolate a natural pairing, Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller and olive oil producer Armando Manni beg to differ. The pair launched K+M Extravirgin Chocolate a few short years ago as a lineup of chocolate bars infused with rich olive oil. Now, the brand is expanding the offering to include a lush hot chocolate perfect for getting you through the chilly winter months. Blended in California’s Napa Valley, the hot chocolate mix uses the very same high-quality beans found in each of the brand’s bars. The beverage is reported to have the same rich flavor profile as its solid counterpart, with an added dash of creaminess and nuttiness to round things out. Every element has been calibrated by the brand’s chocolatiers to achieve a cup of hot chocolate worthy of Keller’s famously high standards. The antioxidants in olive oil and chocolate are different. Chocolate has flavanols, where olive oil has polyphenols. The polyphenols create a synergy with chocolate’s flavanols that makes the antioxidants more available to your body. Health benefits aside, the combination leads to a richer, more velvety texture that also translates to the company’s hot chocolate. Truly the best of both worlds. A 14oz bag of K+M Extravirgin hot chocolate serves 10 and is available for $24.
Give your valentine M&M’S Candy made with milk chocolate crunchy candy shell. Pink, red and white M&M’S Valentine’s Day candy is perfect for candy buffets and Valentine’s Day parties. Share chocolate Valentine’s Day candy with the M&M’S Candy lovers in your life. Bake delicious festive desserts with milk chocolate candy. You can find these at Target and other retail stores.
Premium vegan chocolate brand Eat Gold Organics has created chocolate bars with wellness-boosting ingredients for adults. Each bar ($13) in the eight-product lineup is infused with adaptogens and nootropics and serves its own purpose—each inspired by adults’ basic needs—such as “Be Happy” for good vibes, “Big Orgasm” for better sex, “Immune Shroom” for an immunity boost, “Menopausal Goddess” for hot flashes, and “Sweet Dreams” for better sleep. To create the chocolate bars, Milbradt worked with alchemists, nutritionists, herbalists, and chocolatiers to formulate recipes that ensure their wellness-boosting benefits. Eat Gold chocolate bars are available for shipping nationwide through the brand’s website.
These rather delicious chocolate bonbons by Aurosó that are so low in sugar – just over a gram per bonbon – you can really enjoy them without worry. Each is a perfect, beautiful shell of 90% Madagascan chocolate containing variously flavored ganaches all with honey as a common factor. So, although the chocolates are dairy free they are not vegan friendly.
Arby’s Mint Chocolate Shake is back at select locations for a limited time. The Mint Chocolate Shake is a mint chocolate-flavored shake that’s finished with a whipped topping, real Andes candy pieces, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. The seasonal fan-favorite treat is available at select Arby’s locations nationwide for a limited time.
they would encircle the earth 48 times!
