It’s been a rough year for chocoholics. Spot prices for cocoa nearly tripled earlier this year, and consumers looking for a cocoa fix have had to cover those costs. But news from Switzerland, the mecca of chocolate offerings, could offer some hope.
Attention Reese’s peanut butter cup lovers you can now get your favorite favorite ooey gooey peanut butter chocolate candy with an extra layer of chocolatey filling. Reese’s has announced their newest chocolatey creation which is called the Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup. “Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup delivers a satisfying treat that helps fans experience a unique, tasteful adventure through its decadent chocolate lava layer.” Melissa Blette, senior brand manager, at Reese’s, said. Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup is available in standard and king sizes at retailers nationwide.
On July 31, a Reddit user shared some intel on a product favored by both Costco-lovers and chocolate chip cookie-makers: Kirkland Signature chocolate chips had been replaced at their local store. “They completely replaced the chocolate chips with Nestle,” wrote u/SomeRealTomfoolery in r/Costco, showing a rack of Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels in 72-ounce bags in a Costco store. The post went viral with more than 500 reactions and 160 comments. On July 3, one Redditor posted a screenshot of a message they say was sent by a Costco representative explaining why its buying team made the switch. In the letter, the alleged representative cites rising costs as a reason for the discontinuation.
Coca-Cola and Oreo joined forces for an unexpectedly delicious collaboration. The brands created two limited-time products: Coca-Cola Oreo Zero Sugar soda and Oreo Coca-Cola cookies. The dessert and drink items, both of which are available starting on Sept. 9, come in special packaging with a sleek, black background. They are decorated with images of Oreos stacked in an arrangement that resembles the silhouette of a classic Coca-Cola glass bottle. But what’s inside each package is what really shines. Oreo Coca-Cola sandwich cookies are made of two different cookies. One cookie looks like the classic chocolate Oreo cookie but has a pop of soda flavor from Coca-Cola syrup. The other half of the sandwich is a red-colored golden Oreo cookie with the “Coca-Cola” logo and bubble designs. A classic cream layer and popping candies that are meant to replicate the fizziness of sipping soda are sandwiched between the black and red cookies. According to a press release, Coca-Cola Oreo Zero Sugar is meant to combine a “smooth fusion of a refreshing Coca-Cola taste with flavorful hints inspired by Oreo cookies.”
A Michigan chocolate shop has been listed as one of the Top 10 in the entire country. Bon Bon Bon has landed at No. 7 on USA Today’s 10 Best Chocolate Shops in the U.S. list. “This Hamtramck-based artisan chocolate company creates bonbons with clever flavor combinations and eye-catching designs that look as delicious as they taste,” USA Today wrote. Bon Bon Bon founder and Head Chocolatier, Alexandra Clark, started the business 10 years ago in the back of a Coney Island restaurant. Since then, she has landed on Forbes “30 under 30″ list as she and her chocolatiers make more than 100 different varieties of custom hand-made chocolates with two locations in Detroit and one in Ann Arbor. “In their handiwork, Bon Bon Bon’s confectioners — lovingly nicknamed ‘The Babes Babes Babes’ — apply classic French techniques with Detroit ingenuity, along with local ingredients, to make these delectables,” USA Today added. And just this month, Clark announced she will open her first chocolate shop outside of Michigan, not including pop-ups. The shop will be in Boston.
Here are the other chocolate shops on the 10 Best list:
No. 1: Pizzelle’s Confections – Huntsville, AL
No. 2: Piety and Desire Chocolate – New Orleans
No. 3: Saratoga Chocolate Co. – Saratoga Springs, NY
No. 4: Chocolat Uzma – Chicago
No. 5: LaRue Fine Chocolate – Greenville, SC
No. 6: Videri Chocolate Factory – Raleigh, NC
No. 8: Mon Aimee Chocolat – Pittsburgh, PA
No. 9: Eldora Chocolate – Albuquerque, NM
No. 10: Ragged Coast Chocolates – Westbrook, ME
Norweign swimmer, Henrik Christensen, has made everyone crave these triple chocolate muffins from the Olympic village dining hall. They are now thought of the official Olympic Chocolate Muffins. They’re tall bakery-style chocolate muffins that have a bit of ganache in the center, a large crumb and square chocolate chunks. Delicious!
Equipment:
1 muffin pan
2 Medium bowls
1 small saucepan
1 small bowl
Ingredients:
Chocolate Muffins:
▢125 (1/2) grams (cup) granulated sugar
▢1 large egg
▢1/4 cup neutral oil, (such as vegetable, canola or avocado oil)
▢1 teaspoon instant coffee
▢1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract , homemade or store-bought
▢1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
▢1/2 teaspoon baking soda
▢1 (120) cup (g) all-purpose flour
▢35 (1/3) grams (cup) baking cocoa
▢150(5) ml(ounces) buttermilk, warmed
▢Handful milk or dark chocolate chunks
Chocolate Ganache:
▢1 ounce dark chocolate, chopped
▢1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions:
To Make the Chocolate Muffins:
Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, neutral oil, instant coffee, vanilla and salt. We want a smooth mixture. Sift in the baking soda and salt; mix. Next, sift in the all-purpose flour and baking cocoa. Pour in the warm buttermilk and mix one last time.
Add four tulip muffin liners to a muffin tin. If you’re using regular muffin liners, add six! Fill up the muffin liners. Top with a handful of chocolate chunks.
Place in the oven and raise the oven temperature to 425F and bake for 7 minutes. Bring the temperature down to 350F and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
To Make the Ganache:
While the muffins are cooling, make the ganache. Chop up the chocolate and add it to a heatproof bowl. Warm up the heavy cream and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes and then mix it up until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or ziplock bag.
When the muffins have cooled a bit, use a paring knife to remove the center. Pipe the ganache in the center each of the muffins. Serve them up and enjoy.
As posted on aCozyKitchen.com
Spain is known for a solid version of the treat, best enjoyed in the country’s Northwest. Specifically, the region of Castilla y León epitomizes the unique nature of Spanish chocolate, thanks to a history that’s as rich as any dark chocolate.
Mesoamerica is often considered the ‘homeland’ of chocolate due to its significance for many ancient cultures in this region, but the cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao, in fact originated in the tropical rainforests of South America. Until now, though, our understanding of the plant’s early use – and how and when it spread to other parts of the Americas – has been limited.
The true culprits behind blemishes are likely a complex interplay of factors like genetics, hormones, age and stress.
EATING chocolate could halve the risk of gum disease, researchers believe. Antioxidants from cocoa beans particularly in dark chocolate may be behind it, the experts reckon.
Holland America Line is partnering with Lindt to offer sweets to guests at various points during their cruise. Under the partnership, guests will find Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles or sea salt milk chocolate truffles in their stateroom after returning from their once-a-cruise Gala Night activities. Guests will also see Lindt chocolate desserts on their dinner menu, such as a tulip-shaped chocolate mousse cake. Other desserts, including Lindt sundae, Lindt flourless chocolate cake, and Lindt chocolate tulips will be available.
The leader of a scamming network that operated via false chocolate sales has been sentenced to a prison term and a fine by the Walloon Brabant Criminal Court. The group hired vehicles under false names, sought out elderly individuals and sold them chocolate. Disguised as scouts, they insisted on digital transactions only, declining cash payments and offering to assist the targeted senior citizens by entering their confidential PINs on their behalf. Once in possession of the necessary codes, the group would return a fake bank card, identical to the original. These cards had been stolen from the same bank during previous illegal operations. By the time victims realized their debit cards had been swapped, the culprits had already made withdrawals and purchases from their accounts.
Nestlé, which manufactures KitKat candy bars, has issued a stern warning for consumers who love chocolate. The food company, which manufactures popular brands such as KitKat, Toll House and Nesquik, claims that consumers have yet to feel the full impact of the global cocoa shortage, and that it will soon start to put a damper on their wallets as companies are facing higher costs to make goods that contain the ingredient.
In 2021, Godiva closed all of its cafes and stores in North America. What prompted the brand to shut down in-person visits in the U.S. all in one sweep? It turns out smaller restaurants weren’t the only ones to struggle during the pandemic. In March 2021, Godiva closed 128 stores due to a declining number of in-person shoppers and a shift in consumer buying habits caused in part by the rise of Covid-19 in 2020.
Chocolate lovers may have been alarmed by a 2023 Consumer Reports finding that some dark chocolate brands could contain harmful levels of lead and cadmium. However, a new study by Tulane University published in Food Research International has found that dark chocolate poses no adverse risk for adults and contains nutritionally beneficial levels of essential minerals.
Researchers at ETH Zurich, in collaboration with start-up Koa and chocolate manufacturer Felchlin, have developed a new type of chocolate that fully utilizes the cocoa fruit. This innovation aims to improve sustainability, nutritional value, and farmers’ income.
M&M’s has a new flavor that’s holiday-specific, but you won’t necessarily have to wait until then to find it. M&M’s is launching a brand new Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Flavor that will soon hit store shelves nationwide. Even though summer has yet to officially start, you won’t have to wait for sweater weather to enjoy the flavors of pumpkin spice wrapped in a milk chocolate shell. Fans of the fall flavor can grab a bag to devour while sitting poolside. In addition to the new pumpkin pie flavor, fan favorite M&M’s Ghouls in a blend of milk chocolate, peanut, and peanut butter will also be making a comeback for the season, along with the Ghoulish Green Snickers and Twix bars.
Hot chocolate — a treat some believe to be the bane of a clean diet — could actually help you lose weight, one expert claims. Steve Bennett, a health coach, told The Sun that one cup per day could actually help people shed pounds because it is packed with fiber, which satiates hunger. Read more, HERE.
Cacao farmers and chocolate makers in Thailand’s “capital in the north,” Chiang Mai, are giving European chocolatiers a run for their money.
Scientists have produced chocolate made solely with ingredients from a cocoa pod—using every component of the fruit, cutting not only waste, but also carbon.
Scientists might have found a way to make chocolate a bit healthier, a new study reports. Chocolate is made from the cocoa fruit by extracting cocoa mass and cocoa butter but there are actually many ingredients in the cocoa fruit that go unused.
Police have raided an Auckland dairy and found 50 blocks of Whittaker’s chocolate allegedly taken from a supermarket earlier that day and charged a man with receiving stolen goods.
In NYC, chocoholics are paying 20.66% above the rest of the country, according to a new report from consumer resource site CouponBirds.
Baskin-Robbins never disappoints when it comes to its sweet offerings. Between the rotating unique flavors offered each month and its must-try secret menu items, this place knows how to feed our dessert cravings and then some. And while the company may be known for its delicious ice cream, now it’s stepping into brand-new territory—out of the freezer and into the aisles. Though it’s a product we have not seen from them before, we are pretty sure we’re going to like it. Baskin-Robbins recently unveiled a brand new candy line-up at the 2024 Sweet & Snacks Expo, and the treats will be available to purchase as soon as later this summer. Like Dunkin’s similar collection of seasonal chocolates, the new candies are part of a collaboration with confectionary company Frankford Candy. The new candy line features two flavors of filled chocolates inspired by some of Baskin-Robbins’ best-selling scoops. First up, there is the Baskin-Robbins Mint Chocolate Chip made with dark chocolate candy stuffed with chocolate chips and mint-flavored creme, all offered in the perfect bite-sized form. Secondly, there’s the Baskin-Robbins Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, which is also made with dark chocolate that’s filled with chocolate chips, pieces of cookie dough, and vanilla-flavored creme. The chocolate candies come in adorable packaging that looks just like a pint of its frozen counterpart.
Starting in August, you’ll be able to purchase the candy varieties both online and at your local grocery store with the option of either a 3-ounce peg bag or a 5-ounce container. We know we’ll be patiently awaiting their arrival.
Nutella maker Ferrero Group has opened its first chocolate processing facility in North America. The 70,000-square-foot facility is located at Ferrero’s manufacturing campus in Bloomington, Illinois, which produces chocolates for several brands including Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, Butterfinger, and CRUNCH, the company added.
Cookie baked in space is preserved and can be seen by Smithsonian visitors. DoubleTree by Hilton’s signature chocolate chip cookie became the first-ever food baked in space aboard the International Space Station in 2019.
Sunday Night Foods, the Des Moines-based premium chocolate dessert sauces company, won the gold award in the dessert toppings category as part of the Specialty Food Association’s 2024 Sofi Awards. Eileen Gannon founded Sunday Night Foods in 2021 when she turned her love of baking and award-winning recipes into a business after working as a communications senior vice president at Workiva for 35 years. Her sauces come in chocolate, sea salt chocolate, dark chocolate and vegan chocolate, all described as brownie rich with subtle hints of vanilla and sea salt. The Sunday Night Sea Salt Chocolate Premium Dessert Sauce won the gold Sofi award. Now Gannon’s Sunday Night line of dessert toppings is found in more than 100 Hy-Vee grocery stores, 140 Fareway stores, as well as smaller markets such as Fresh Thyme, Gateway Market, and even Kitchen Collage in the East Village. Memorial Day weekend marks the brand’s appearance at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market, where they plan to be in person for five Saturdays this summer. Next up, Gannon and the Sunday Night crew head to New York City and the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center in June.
Need a caffeine fix? This method beats brewing a cup of joe on the trail. Gossamer Gear founder Glen Van Peski, amongst a slew of minimalist tendencies, is known to carry chocolate-covered coffee beans (seven per day, to be precise) rather than brew coffee on the trail. Need your caffeine fix on the trail? Here’s why you should ditch the stove and go straight to the source – Trader Joe’s Chocolate-covered Coffee Beans. According to the USDA, 1 ounce of chocolate covered coffee beans (about 13 beans) contains 227 mg of caffeine—that’s three and a half shots of espresso, or two strong cups of coffee. And there’s no mug, stove, fuel, or water required, so you can save precious pack space. They’re More Instant than Instant Coffee. No Water Required. They’re Portable. They’re Delicious!
Penn State food scientist Gregory Ziegler experiments with substituting rice flour and/or oat flour to reduce the sugar content of chocolate. Ziegler says this indicates that there’s probably more sugar than needed in commercial chocolates and also that oat flour is a feasible sugar replacement. “You can take a product that’s already got some good health benefits; it’s got this neutral fat, you can get rid of some of the sugar, maintain some sweetness, but then add this fiber component through the starches,” he explains.
Cocoa futures surged above an unprecedented $10,000 a metric ton on Tuesday, March 26th, before erasing gains and taking a breather from a historic rally that has seen prices of the key chocolate ingredient double this year. The market is being rattled by poor crops in key West African growers that has put the world on course for a third straight annual supply deficit. The industry is grappling with the legacy of poor returns paid to cocoa farmers and fears are mounting about being able to source enough beans.
Cocoa futures have surged this year, roughly doubling since the start of 2024. Rising temperatures and weather conditions have stressed and damaged crops in West Africa, which produces more than 70% of the global cocoa supply. Big chocolate companies like Hershey’s and Cadbury maker Mondelez have been passing those costs on to consumers — and then some: Hershey’s net profit margins ticked higher to 16.7% in 2023 from 15.8% in 2022. Mondelez reported a jump to 13.8% in 2023 from 8.6% in 2022.
Blommer Chocolate announced in a news release Friday that it would close its Chicago manufacturing plant and expand and transform other facilities. The Chicago facility, located at 600 W. Kinzie St., is the original manufacturing plant of the Blommer group, founded in 1939. The Chicago location opening in 1939 made Blommer the third largest industrial chocolate maker in the world.
According to Food & Wine, cocoa prices are at a 47-year high. What caused this? Inflation plays a part, but the bigger issue at hand is that cocoa cultivation in both Africa, specifically Ghana and the Ivory Coast, and Ecuador has reportedly become much more complicated due to drier weather patterns and rainfall changes. In addition, there was a shortage of cocoa “due to that unfavorable weather coupled with crop disease and smuggling” in Ghana; the smuggling is thought to have accounted for approximately 600 million in lost revenue as per the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Mars wants to make sure you have an eggcellent Easter. The candy makers revealed their lineup of new and returning spring candies. Most of the sweets stay true to their original flavors but get a limited-edition color and shape for Easter — but there is one new addition. The Easter Sundae M&M’S pack a variety of flavors into each piece. The brand new treats have a white chocolate center with vanilla ice cream and cherry notes, and are surrounded in a dark chocolate coating.
Europe is known for amazing food, from Italian espresso and gelato to French pastries, Czech beer, and Mediterranean seafood. It’s also an amazing continent for chocolate lovers, with numerous companies headquartered in various cities. Here are 11 European destinations to visit if you enjoy the sweet treat (click HERE)!
“Chocolate is basically fermented beans. It’s made from cocoa which is a prebiotic fiber, a type of fiber your gut microbes love to digest and turn into useful molecules for your gut,” explained National Health Service general surgeon Dr. Karan Rajan.
Scientists are getting a better taste of the early history of the domestication and use of cacao—the source of chocolate—thanks to residues detected on a batch of ancient ceramics from South and Central America. Using evidence from these artifacts, the researchers traced the rapid spread of cacao through trade routes after its initial domestication more than five millennia ago in Ecuador. They showed cacao’s dispersal to South America’s northwestern Pacific coast and later into Central America until it eventually reached Mexico 1,500 years later.
“Finer foods” such as chocolate and olive oil are about to get a lot more expensive thanks to a supply squeeze of key ingredients due to adverse weather and geopolitical unrest, fanning concerns about sticky inflation. Wet weather in West Africa has rocketed cocoa prices to all-time highs, making chocolate more expensive just before Easter.
Mars has confirmed they have discontinued one of its popular Easter treats. The milk chocolate rose gold-colored eggs, filled with crunchy caramel pieces, were launched in 2019.
Construction in Barcelona revealed a medieval mansion unknown to archaeologists with remains of a chocolate factory still within it. A construction site in Spain last year accidentally uncovered the remains of a 14th century mansion that once housed a chocolate factory. The factory helped make renowned Clemente Guardia chocolates, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Chocolate lovers rejoice: Krispy Kreme and Hershey’s have joined forces to create what the doughnut chain is calling its “chocolatiest creations ever.” “For chocolate and doughnut lovers, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Hershey’s chocolate is the ultimate pairing,” Krispy Kreme’s Global Chief Brand Officer Dave Skena said in a press release. “But our Chocomania Collection is on an entirely new level. These are the chocolatiest doughnuts we’ve ever created and we invite our fans to go all-in on enjoying and sharing them.” The new Chocomania Collection includes four doughnuts dipped, filled, drizzled, or sprinkled with an extra dose (or two) of Hershey’s chocolate. You can sink your teeth into Chocomania doughnuts starting February 19 for a limited time.
Chocolate chip ice cream, once a year-round staple, has fallen out of favor. Vanilla chocolate chip ice cream, once a staple of the ice cream world and one of the top sellers of all time, has fallen out of favor. The flavor can still be found, but it has been losing ground to flavors with more stuff, like cookies and cream and chocolate chip cookie dough. Communications specialist for Babcock Dairy Plant, which has 75 years of ice-cream making under its belt, in Madison, Wis. said that chocolate chip hasn’t been a staple for a decade – “Now it’s seasonal.” Meaning, made for summer only.
Cocoa prices soared to all-time highs last week as deteriorating weather conditions and disease challenges hammered crop yields in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, home to 60% of the world’s production. Cocoa futures have surged nearly 40% since the start of the year to notch an intraday all-time high of $5,874 per metric ton Thursday. Prices of chocolates rose 11% in the past year, according to consumer intelligence database NielsenIQ, using data compiled through Jan. 27.
The first instances of chocolate being consumed go back as far as 4,000 years. Some estimates put this date further back to 5,300 years ago. People native to Mesoamerica harvested chocolate pods from high up in cacao trees growing in the wild. It is thought that the pulp was eaten rather than the seeds. The pulp is sweet, whereas the seeds are incredibly bitter.
Chocolate can fit seamlessly into a healthy and balanced eating pattern, so try incorporating it into these flavorful snacks. Whether you prefer chocolate-covered fruit or a nutty and satisfying energy ball, these tasty bites are everything you need to enjoy chocolate at snacktime. Make recipes like Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters and Caramel Delight Energy Balls for a pick-me-up that’s choc full of deliciousness. See 21 healthy chocolate snacks that taste like dessert, HERE.
From the the tantalizing cacao blends of South America to the velvety richness of Belgian pralines, chocolate making is a serious work of art. Elevate your Valentine’s Day celebration with one of these 10 finest, most luxurious boxes of chocolates global artisans have to offer. Click, HERE, to see the finest, luxurious chocolates.
Otis Spunkmeyer is looking to help operators make Valentine’s Day extra special by offering the Otis Spunkmeyer Sweet Discovery Double Chocolate Pink Cookie. The deep, dark, double-chocolate cookie dough is studded with both chocolate chips and candy-coated pink chocolate gems for a festive look and rich flavor. Otis Spunkmeyer celebrates Valentine’s Day with Double Chocolate Pink Cookie. Otis Spunkmeyer cookies are simple for operators to bake and sell, and they can also be the foundation for an extra special decorated sweet such as:
Top with strawberry frosting and raspberry preserves for a double-chocolate berry treat
Marshmallow fluff sandwiched between two cookies, rolled in graham cracker crumbs makes “no campfire needed” s’mores
Decorate with vanilla frosting and pink sprinkles for a classic spin on a sweet treat
Otis Spunkmeyer’s 1.33-ounce, frozen cookie dough pucks ensure consistent baking every time, regardless of staff culinary skill level.
How can it be Easter season already when there’s almost a month to go before Valentine’s Day? Welcome to the wacky world of warehouse shopping. Of course Costco’s got its chocolate bunnies out already, and yes, it’s living up to its reputation as being the premier retailer of bizarre buys by offering an enormous one that’s got social media all a twitter — or a TikTok or an Instagram, as the case may be. Commenters are remarking not so much on the size — the bunny is two feet high if it’s an inch — but on the cost of the item. After all, at $63.99, it costs even more than an annual Costco membership. When determining the actual value you’re getting for your money here, the most pertinent factor isn’t the bunny’s height but how heavy it is and the one offered for sale at Costco weighs in at 4.4 pounds. This works out to about 91 cents per ounce of chocolate. Yes, you can find chocolate rabbits for cheaper — one of the least expensive ones we’ve found comes in at around 44 cents per ounce. Despite how goofy the Costco bunny looks, it does appear to be a fairly upscale brand of chocolate as it comes from a Canadian chocolatier called Rochef (with an “f” at the end, so no relation to the Italian brand Ferrero Rocher). Some of the chocolate figurines sold on Rochef’s website retail for over $3.50 per ounce, while even its chocolate bars cost around $1.75 per ounce. Even so, some Instagram commenters seem skeptical about how good the chocolate could be, perhaps because many Easter candies of similar appearance tend to be of poor quality. The rabbit reviewer, however, describes it as “insanely creamy and delicious” and concludes the video by declaring it to be “one of the best chocolates I’ve ever eaten.”
On the heels of legal weed and the growing fervor around microdosing, magic mushroom chocolates have made the leap from dry caps and dank truffles to luxe candy bars and bon bons.
