| Wednesday, January 31, 2007 |
| Recipes: Chocolate drinks |
by startribune.com
Chocolat Chaud
Makes 4 ( 3/4 -cup) servings.
This recipe, adapted by Vogue magazine food editor Jeffrey Steingarten from legendary Parisian pastry chef Pierre Herm, gets its extraordinary depth from a blend of melted bittersweet chocolate and a small amount of cocoa.
• 2 1/4 c. whole milk
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/4 generous cup superfine Baker's Sugar (brand name)
• 1 (3.5-oz.) bar bittersweet chocolate, as close to 70 percent cacao as possible, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder, loosely packed (preferably Valrhona brand)
Directions
In a 2-quart saucepan, stir together the milk, water and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the chocolate and cocoa and return to a boil, whisking until ingredients are well-blended and mixture has thickened. Reduce heat to very low.Blend for 5 minutes with an immersion mixer or whirl the hot chocolate in a blender for half a minute, until thick and foamy.
Dark Chocolate Mint Drink
Makes 2 (1-cup) servings.
Mint's intensity matches the flavor of the dark chocolate in this drink. The recipe is made with peppermint extract, but you could use fresh peppermint leaves if you have them. (Steep a few tablespoons of julienned fresh leaves in the hot milk for 15 minutes and strain before adding chocolate. Adapted from "Chocolate Obsession," by Michael Recchiuti and Fran Gage.
• 1 3/4 c. whole milk
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (61 percent to 65 percent cacao), finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
Directions
Bring milk to a simmer. Pour it into a deep 1-quart bowl or heatproof container. Add the chocolate and peppermint extract.Blend with an immersion mixer until the chocolate has melted and the drink is smooth. Divide between 2 mugs or cappuccino cups and serve warm.
Ghirardelli "Square" Caramel Hot Chocolate
Serves 4 to 6.
• 2 c. half-and-half
•1 (6.9-oz.) bag Giradelli milk chocolate squares with caramel filling
•Whipped cream for garnish
• Store-bought caramel sauce for garnish
Directions
Pour the half-and-half into a medium-size saucepan and warm over medium heat. Meanwhile, unwrap all of the chocolate squares and cut them into quarters.
When the half-and-half is just below a boil, with bubbles around the sides, whisk in the candy and continue whisking until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Serve immediately in cups with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
John's Classic Drinking Chocolate
Makes 6 ( 1/2 -cup) servings.
What's chocolate entrepreneur John Scharffen- berger's favorite dessert? Really good, thick hot chocolate, served in a demitasse cup with a few slices of a perfect pear or two pieces of shortbread. During the holidays, he likes to add rum or brandy to drinking chocolate and serve it instead of eggnog. You can make this recipe without the spices, but for an authentic Mexican-style chocolate, add the cinnamon and cayenne. It can be prepared ahead (it will keep up to three days refrigerated), but know the flavors of the spices will intensify and the mixture will thicken. From "The Essence of Chocolate" by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg.
Note: John Scharffenberger prefers to use Scharffen Berger 99 percent cacao solid chocolate, which contains a small amount of sugar. If you choose this chocolate, reduce the sugar in the recipe by 2 teaspoons.
• 2 1/2 c. whole milk
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 c. plus 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ancho chile powder or cayenne pepper, optional
Directions
Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it is hot to the touch. Whisk in the chocolate and sugar. Continue whisking for 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla, cinnamon and cayenne, if using, and whisk for 1 minute.
Serve in small mugs or, for a lighter, airy consistency, remove the hot chocolate from the heat and blend with an immersion mixer on low speed just before serving. It can also be made ahead and refrigerated and then reheated with the frother of an espresso machine. Labels: chocolate drink, hot chocolate |
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| Tuesday, January 30, 2007 |
| The World’s Best Chocolate Comes From... |
by John Francis Amberden
You know it’s addictive. You know that it can be fattening. You know that it contains loads of sugar. Has that stopped you? Of course not! It’s chocolate we’re talking about here! Who can give it up? Chocolate is the favorite vice of both young and old. There are so many types out there. You can find practically any kind of chocolate to satisfy even the most finicky among us. Undoubtedly, the worshippers at the altar of chocolate are a vocal bunch. Ask anyone where the best chocolate in the world come from and you’ll get a variety of opinions, but most will agree that Belgian chocolate is among, if not the, best.
Belgian chocolate, as we know it today, evolved during the 19th century, but chocolate itself had been present in Belgium for roughly three centuries already. Today, there are many major brands of Belgian chocolate including Guylian, Côte d’Or and the exquisite Godiva chocolates. Even Leonidas, which is considered to be the cheapest out of all the major brands of Belgian chocolate, has a vast following worldwide.
This can be attributed to the quality of Belgian chocolate, but also the variety available. Unlike many other types, which stick to popular combinations of caramel, raisins and a few classes of nuts, Belgian chocolate displays practically every edible combination possible. Just go to the online catalogue of any big brand. You’ll see sections for truffles, nuts, fruits, white chocolate and a host of other categories. If you can’t find something you like, then you don’t really love chocolate.
The ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ consistency of Belgian chocolate has made it a favorite for use in chocolate fountains. This is the latest craze at parties, weddings and many other social events. Chocolate fountains are essentially devices for heating chocolate, which is then transported vertically before flowing over tiers for a waterfall effect. Belgian chocolate is usually high in cocoa butter, giving it the naturally wonderful consistency that is recommended for chocolate fountains.
Chocolate fountains are also a lot easier to obtain than a traditional wedding cake. There’s no need to pay someone tons of money for an intricate design and you don’t have to worry about anything falling apart on the big day. A growing number of catering companies offer chocolate fountains as an alternative and they’re usually a big hit with guests, who can unleash their inner child by dipping strawberries, marshmallows and anything else you give them, in the cascading Belgian chocolate.
John Francis Amberden is a regular article contributor on many topics. If you have found this article helpful, visit his resource sites, www.chocolategourmet.info and www.chocolate-dessert-recipes.info. For information on other topics of interest, visit www.moreinformationblog.com.Labels: belgian chocolate, chocolate info |
| posted by All About Home @ 9:52 PM |
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| Monday, January 29, 2007 |
| Recipe for Health: Chocolate Orange Bread Pudding |
From the Journal Sentinel
This recipe is from "Low-Fat and Luscious Desserts," by the American Heart Association (Clarkson Potter, 2000, $24.50).
Chocolate Orange Bread Pudding1 pound French bread, torn into very small pieces
* 3 cups fat-free milk
* 1¾ cups sugar
* ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* Egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg or 1 large egg
* 2 tablespoons orange zest (2 to 3 medium oranges)
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13-by-9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Put bread pieces in pan. Set aside.
In large saucepan, heat milk, sugar and cocoa powder over medium heat until sugar has dissolved and mixture looks like hot chocolate, about 3 minutes, whisking constantly.
Whisk in remaining ingredients. Pour over bread and let mixture sit until bread has absorbed all the liquid, 15 to 20 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven 45 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cold. Makes 18 servings
Per serving:
172 calories
5g protein
37g carbohydrates
1g fat (1g saturated)
1mg cholesterol
2g fiber
181mg sodium
5% calories from fat
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| posted by All About Home @ 1:47 AM |
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| Sunday, January 28, 2007 |
| The Chocolate Heritage of Cadbury |
by Clive Jenkins
Cadbury Chocolate is a name nearly everyone knows today. Whether they are dedicated chocolate fans, the occasional chocolate fiend, or those that have chocolate on occasion, the name Cadbury Chocolate is well known. Today you can find their name in grocery stores, candy shops, and many other special confectionary shops. And never forget there's the Easter basket as well.
Cadbury Chocolate History
In the mid-nineteenth century, Frye and Sons of Bristol, England first formed a chocolate confection. In the early part of the twentieth century they combined with Cadbury. This makes present Cadbury Chocolates the direct descendants of the initial chocolates available in Europe.
Years later in the late twentieth century Cadbury introduced the first milk chocolate bar. It's not hard to say that Cadbury Chocolate is a leader in the chocolate industry. It began with John Cadbury establishing a status of first-class chocolate from the start. The heritage continues onto today.
Now Cadbury enjoys international appreciation as a leader among confectionaries. This worldwide following occurred over the last century and isn't likely to change any time soon. They still lead in the UK as well. Their current commodities include chocolate bars, candies, drinks, and even dry powered chocolate.
Finding Cadbury Chocolate
Cadbury Chocolate's renowned holiday offerings are known far and wide. The Cadbury Crème Egg is a chocolate delicacy to many available at grocery store counters everywhere. There are few that haven't had these around Easter. They are driven to these crème filled chocolate eggs that have been around for a few generations and will continue to be a holiday staple for a long time to come. It's their number 1 seller from January through Easter each year.
While Cadbury chocolate is available internationally, not all products are available in all countries. The unique offerings in various markets make great gifts, snacks, seasonal delicacies, and many other Cadbury Chocolate desire fillers. If you want to be up on them all, you probably want to browse the World Wide Web for Cadbury Chocolate possibly beginning right here where you are now.
Their chocolate bars, eggs, and other mixed boxes are found at nearly every US grocery and candy store. History has kept them strong and they aren't going anywhere. Besides the UK and US market; you will also find them when visiting Australia. They travel even on this smaller populated continent. A Cadbury Chocolate bar isn't far off in too many places anymore.
So when Easter rolls around, don't feel too unique or alone about feasting on the great Cadbury Crème Egg that many others do. It's ok. Tell anyone else how Cadbury did it and you stand odds of saving face and maybe finding the frenzy isn't yours alone. They also offer many other mixed chocolates for your Cadbury Chocolate feeding frenzies.
Now that you know there are even more Cadbury chocolate products, it won't hurt to look around for many more. If history interests you, you may want to research even more on their times and candy that has made many delighted over the years.
Are you a chocoholic? Do you love anything and everything chocolate? Maybe you adore Chocolate Covered Pretzels To find out much more then please visit The Chocolate Gift Basket Site today. http://www.chocolategiftsbasket.com
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| posted by All About Home @ 11:35 PM |
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| Thursday, January 25, 2007 |
| Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe - Free Recipe |
by Sinta Makah
In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.
You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about chocolate. But don't be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.
CHOCOLATE ICE-CREAM Recipe
For about two quarts and a half of cream use a pint and a half of milk, a quart of thin cream, two cupfuls of sugar, two ounces of Walter Baker & Co.'s Premium No. 1 Chocolate, two eggs, and two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour.
Put the milk on to boil in a double-boiler. Put the flour and one cupful of the sugar in a bowl; add the eggs, and beat the mixture until light.
Stir this into the boiling milk, and cook for twenty minutes, stirring often.
Scrape the chocolate, and put it in a small saucepan. Add four tablespoonfuls of sugar (which should be taken from the second cupful) and two tablespoonfuls of hot water. Stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. Add this to the cooking mixture.
When the preparation has cooked for twenty minutes, take it from the fire and add the remainder of the sugar and the cream, which should be gradually beaten into the hot mixture. Set away to cool, and when cold, freeze.
Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.
About The Author Sinta and her family loves chocolate. She shares some of the most exciting chocolate recipes with you for free at: http://chocolaterecipes.mydomainname101.com
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| posted by All About Home @ 1:07 AM |
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| Wednesday, January 24, 2007 |
| This cake is a great special-occasion dessert |
by The Grand Rapids Press
Swirled with white chocolate cream frosting and dotted with fresh raspberries, this elegant homemade cake is from Renay Bouwhuis, of Lowell Township.
"It's a rich cake, but not overly sweet," says Renay, who's been making the elegant dessert for more than a dozen years, to the delight of family and friends.
Ideal for entertaining, the dessert is especially nice for ladies' luncheons, showers, or for any special occasion, Renay said. Keep in mind that Valentine's Day is less than a month away, so this cake would be perfect.
It's also a fairly dense cake, Renay adds, and has a real homemade taste and texture. "It's not crumbly like a cake made from a mix."
Tall and scrumptious, the cake includes three layers sandwiched between red raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and white chocolate cream.
"It's pretty, delicious, and always a smash hit when I serve it," Renay said.
Renay and her husband, Rich, have three children and are hosting a German exchange student. Renay works in the office at Lowell High School, and enjoys sewing, reading, camping and traveling.
White chocolate raspberry cream cake
FROSTING --
* 4 ounce white baking chocolate, chopped * 2 cups whipping cream * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CAKE --
* 6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped * 1 cup whipping cream * 1/2 cup milk * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened * 1 cup granulated sugar * 4 eggs, separated * 2 3/4 cups flour * 1 teaspoon baking powder * 1/2 teaspoon salt
FILLING --
* 1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam * 1 pint fresh raspberries
PREPARATION: For the frosting, in saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 ounces chopped white chocolate with 1/2 cup whipping cream, stirring constantly until smooth. Transfer to large bowl; stir in remaining whipping cream and vanilla.
Cover and chill in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
Grease three 9-inch-diameter round cake pans and line bottoms with wax paper. In saucepan, melt 6 ounces white chocolate in 1/2 cup whipping cream over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in remaining whipping cream, milk and vanilla.
In large mixing bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Alternately add dry ingredients and cooled white chocolate mixture to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat until smooth.
In small bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites until foamy. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and beat on high speed until stiff. Fold egg whites into batter; pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in layers comes out clean.
Remove white chocolate frosting from refrigerator. Beat at high speed with electric mixer until stiff and fluffy. Do not overbeat as mixture will begin to form clumps.
To assemble cake, place first layer on serving plate. Spread with 2 tablespoons jam; top with 1/2 cup white chocolate cream frosting and sprinkle with 1/2 cup raspberries. Place second cake layer over frosting, spread with jam, frosting and raspberries. Top with remaining cake layer and spread with remaining white chocolate cream frosting. Decorate with remaining raspberries.
Chill until ready to serve.
Makes 15 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 541 calories, 36 grams fat, 7 grams protein, 47 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 149 milligrams cholesterol, 230 milligrams sodium
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| posted by All About Home @ 9:14 PM |
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| Tuesday, January 23, 2007 |
| Chocolate Eclair Cake |
by Krissy Leighton
This Chocolate éclair cake has been raved about for months! It's really easy to make also!
Ingredients for the Chocolate éclair cake:
- Plain Graham crackers
- 2 boxes (3 3/4 oz) French vanilla pudding, instant
- 3 cups milk
- 9 ounces Cool Whip
***Topping***
-1 cup sugar
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/3 cup cocoa
-1/4 cup milk
-1/4 cup butter
-1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions for the Chocolate éclair cake :
Mix and beat milk with pudding for 2 minutes. Crease in cool blister. Layer whole crackers and pudding in a 13x9 inch pan until you have 4 layers, ending with crackers.
Topping for the Chocolate éclair cake :
Mix sugar, salt, cocoa and milk; bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Cool and beat until creamy. Spread on top of crackers. Refrigerate for 24 hours (Best to not cover it).
Layered with graham crackers, pudding and Kool Whip and topped with a chocolate sauce, this is a rich and filling dessert.
You can also try this alternative, which is infact one of the best I have ever tasted. This is a rich and filling dessert!
INGREDIENTS for the Chocolate éclair cake :
2 (3 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (16 ounce) package chocolate graham crackers
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
PREPARATION for the Chocolate éclair cake:
In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and 3 cups milk; mix well. Fold in whipped topping and beat with mixer for 2 minutes.
In a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of graham crackers on the bottom of the dish.
Spread 1/2 of the pudding mixture over crackers, then top with graham crackers. Spread remaining pudding over crackers; top second pudding layer with another layer of crackers.
To make topping: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 1/4 cup milk, cocoa and sugar and allow to boil for 1 minute; remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Mix well and cool.
Pour sauce over graham cracker layer and refrigerate until set.
We hope you enjoy this Chocolate éclair cake!
"How You Can Easily Churn Out Scrumptious Desserts Today" - Click Here -> Chocolate éclair cake (www.chocolateanddessertrecipes.info) Labels: chocolate cake, eggless chocolate cake |
| posted by All About Home @ 2:05 AM |
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| Monday, January 22, 2007 |
| Baking a cake for the first time can be daunting, but worth it |
by Lisa Sokolowski, lsokolowski@timesleader.com
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, or so the cliché goes. That puts a lot of pressure on people like me, who are never so close to becoming a chef as when opening a can of Chef Boyardee.
Yet it was my boyfriend James’ birthday that prompted me to put on a baker’s cap and (try to) play the role of Betty Crocker.
I saw a recipe for a chocolate cluster-peanut butter cake in Kraft’s “Food and Family” magazine. Kraft’s tagline is “Deliciously simple. Everyday.”
I can do simple, I thought.
I thought wrong.
Because this was my first cake, I nixed the idea of making the batter from scratch. Instead, I added water and eggs to a box of chocolate cake mix and split it into two round pans, as the recipe instructed. Then I opened the oven every few minutes to make sure the cakes weren’t burning.
They didn’t burn. In fact, they rose just like cakes should. However, when making a layer cake, crowning is anything but ideal.
The filling, though, which consisted of vanilla pudding and peanut butter, was great, even after I realized I bought chunky because that’s what I like.
When the cakes cooled, I put the filling between them. That’s when I first noticed the wobbling. I hoped the frosting (the leftover filling mixed with whipped cream) would help an actual cake result from what was quickly becoming a game of “Topple.”
But it only added to my woes. The frosting was thin, so it dripped all over a pink serving tray that doubled as my cake plate.
I added chocolate-covered peanuts as a garnish on top – and watched in horror as the frosting started to slide them right off the cake. I quickly flung the cake in the fridge and said a prayer for it before I went to bed.
The cake god must have heard me. When I opened the fridge the next day, the cake was solid, and the peanuts were stuck in the frosting.
I drove it to James’ apartment in a coat box and put it in the fridge to prevent a potential disaster. But after “Happy Birthday” was sung and the candles were blown out, the cake tasted phenomenal. It wasn’t perfect, but our stomachs loved it.
Next year, though, I’m buying him cupcakes.
Chocolate Cluster Peanut Butter Cake
* 1 package chocolate cake mix
* 1 cup cold milk
* 1 package vanilla-flavor instant pudding and pie filling
* 1/2 cup peanut butter
* 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
* 2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
* 1 1/2 cups thawed whipped topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package in two greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
Cool 10 min.; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
Meanwhile, pour milk into medium bowl.
Add dry pudding mix. Beat 2 minutes or until well-blended.
Add peanut butter; beat well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Mix peanuts and melted chocolate; stir until evenly coated.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet covered with waxed paper.
Refrigerate 10 minutes or until firm.
Place one of the cake layers on cake platter; spread with 1 cup of the pudding mixture.
Cover with remaining cake layer. Gently stir whipped topping into remaining pudding mixture. Spread over top and side of cake.
Decorate with chocolate peanut clusters. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.
Recipe from KraftFoods.com
SOME EXPERT ADVICE
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I chatted with George Blom, a partner at Bakery Delite in Plains Township. Blom and his crew make every cake here, from wedding to birthday.
How do you successfully make a layer cake and not have it crown?
“If you have too much of a crown on your cake, there could be a few reasons. One is that the temperature you baked it at is too hot. ... The best thing, sometimes, is to make sure to use a thermometer in the oven. If you set the oven for 350 degrees, it might be 375 if the thermostat is off. … It could be overmixing too. Or the wrong combination of ingredients, or you didn’t measure right. Mostly, it’s that it’s too hot a temperature in an oven. There’s always a little bit of a crown; it’s not completely flat. You have to trim it so it’s flat. Just cut off the crowned top.”
Note: Oven thermometers start at $9.99 at Target.Labels: chocolate cake, eggless chocolate cake |
| posted by All About Home @ 9:04 PM |
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| Sunday, January 21, 2007 |
| Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate |
by Gary Gresham
Serendipity frozen hot chocolate is a signature dish at the Serendipity 3, nestled in the heart of the upper east side of New York. The place is a general store and restaurant combined with a coffeehouse and soda fountain and serves the most famous dessert in New York.
Serendipity New York was founded by Stephen Bruce and his two partners, Calvin Holt and Preston “Patch” Caradine in 1954. Since that time Stephen Bruce has been asked constantly to divulge his secret about his Serendipity frozen hot chocolate recipe. Jackie Kennedy even wanted to serve the dessert at a White House event and he would not give his secret away.
Serendipity frozen hot chocolate is an icy-chocolate type of dessert served in a fishbowl-shaped goblet, topped with whipped cream, shaved chocolate and served with a spoon and two straws. This frosty creation is made with more than 14 kinds of chocolate and exotic cocoas blended into a rich slush.
One taste of this frozen concoction and Oprah wants to “dance on the chandeliers!” The Queen of Daytime TV has named this one of her “Favorite Things.” This Serendipity frozen hot chocolate secret recipe has finally been revealed after 50 years. The Serendipity 3 restaurant in New York City has actually given out the recipe so you can make this unbelievable drink at home. It’s very simple.
Serendipity frozen hot chocolate recipe created by Serendipity 3 Restaurant.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 half-ounce pieces of a variety of your favorite chocolates
- 2 teaspoons of store-bought hot chocolate mix
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 cups of cups of ice
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate shavings
Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar. Stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and slowly add ½ cup of milk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In a blender, place the remaining cup of milk, the room-temperature chocolate mixture and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
To make this even more simple you can buy a Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate gift box on line. It comes in a whimsical box that includes two pouches (four servings) of the chocolate-cocoa blend mix, one signature goblet, a souvenir spoon and colorful straws. Just add milk, the chocolate mix, lots of ice and blend. It makes a perfect gift for any chocolate lover or splurge and buy one for yourself. You're worth it.
ABOUT THE AUTHORThis article is supplied by http://www.perfectcoffees.com where you can purchase quality coffee online, tea, cups, mugs, coffee makers, delicious desserts and sugar free desserts online. For a free monthly coffee newsletter with articles like these go to: http://www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html
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| posted by All About Home @ 9:41 PM |
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| Saturday, January 20, 2007 |
| How To Make Chocolate Curls And Piping Cream |
by Eddie Ruth Bland
Making Chocolate Curls
Making Chocolate curls was a challange for me at first. But through a lot of mistakes and determination it became second nature.
Through much trial and error the first tip I have for you is to make sure that the chocolate is at room temperature. This makes the chocolate workable. You can also use your hands to warm the chocolate. while holdgin the chocolate in one hand pull a vegetable peeler across the chocolate and let the curls fall onto a chilled plate. This steps takes some practice to get relatively large curls.
Piping Cream
Place the deacorative tip of you choice on your pastry bag.
Make sure that your whipping cream is stiff. Take your pastry pag and set in a measuring cup and fold the top of the bag down over the meauring cup like a cuff.
Use a spatula to place the whipped cream into the pastry bag and fold lift the colded top off the meauring cup and twist the top of the bag right above the filling. Squeeze the bag to remove excess air. Be careful this is the part that you can really make a mess of things if you are not careful.
The next step is where you actually apply the piping. Place one hand tightly areound the twisted top of the pastry bag, and use your other hand to hold the underside of the bag close to the tip. This helps you guide the bag as you make your designs. Squeese with a continuous even pressure and make your desired design. Remember to keep your hand under the bag and use as a guide.
Follow these few steps and you will be on your way to decorating cakes cookies and more.
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| posted by All About Home @ 2:45 AM |
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| Friday, January 19, 2007 |
| Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies |
by Stephanie Foster
"There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray
I can't help but love that quote. When I was a kid, my grandpa always called any store bought cookies that somehow made it into the house "Commie cookies." For him, it was Grandma's homemade cookies or none at all.
There's just something special about homemade cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies, so far as I'm concerned. It's a great family activity, something even children can help with, and everyone loves eating the results.
Here's an easy recipe for chocolate chip cookies I think you'll enjoy:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
* 1 package butter pecan, chocolate chip, chocolate fudge, devil's food, German, chocolate or yellow cake mix
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine -- softened
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup chopped nuts
* 1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
Heat oven to 350º. Combine half of the dry cake mix , butter, vanilla and eggs in large bowl and mix until smooth. Stir in remaining cake mix, nuts and chocolate chips.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be soft). Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
About The Author
Stephanie Foster is the owner of http://www.gimmechocolate.com and offers a range of gourmet chocolate products as well as chocolate recipes on the site. For more recipes, please visit http://www.gimmechocolate.com/recipes/. |
| posted by All About Home @ 5:30 PM |
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| Wednesday, January 17, 2007 |
| Be Happy Eat Your Chocolate! |
by Fred Goldman
People today are very health conscious and eating sugar is avoided or kept to a minimum either due to health conditions like diabetes or, in some cases, from the simple desire to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Chocolates, on the other hand, are the favorite food item of many people and it is very likely you'll come across individuals where these two contradictory conditions are at loggerheads with each other. That is to say a person likes chocolates but cannot eat them due to the large amounts of sugar that go into the making of mainstream chocolates.
As they say, "where there's a will, there's a way," therefore it is not surprising that an alternative exists for such people, namely the sugarless chocolate. Although the name is self explanatory, that does not mean that such chocolates are not sweet (which would defeat the primary goal of your palette and your love for munching them).
There are several artificial sweetening agents commercially available which can be used to simulate the affect of sweetness on the tongue, but do not have the harmful affects associated with table sugar. Although there is a certain level of uncertainly regarding the safety of such products like saccharin (which was demonstrated to produce cancerous affects under laboratory conditions). Despite the doubts, there does exist several types of sugar alternatives in the market, and these alternatives are being used by manufacturers of food products, including chocolate.
Lucky for most of us wishing to be slim and fit, many of the major producers of chocolate have their sugarless chocolate alternative apart from their mainstream sugared counterparts. The consumer is now given the ability to use their own discretion when deciding which type of chocolate to consume.
Chocolate has a long and illustrious history and people will continue to be drawn to everything chocolate! For diabetics or people with weight problems, chocolate is no longer out of their reach. With care and proper research fine foods once forbidden to many can go back on their diets. From holidays to just a relaxing part of anyone's day, sugarless products are making it possible for everyone to be happy!
About The Author
Fred Goldman is the Founder of D-lectable.com Sugarless Candy Store. You'll find healthy snack choices including natural chocolate, sugarless chocolate, and more at http://www.d-lectable.com. |
| posted by All About Home @ 2:55 AM |
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| Tuesday, January 16, 2007 |
| Flowers, Fashions And Flowing Chocolate Spark That Wedding Spirit During Bridal Expo |
DECATUR - Debby Sarsany and Dawn Olson know the way to any bride's heart: chocolate.
The line rarely dwindled at the booth of Au-Chocolat, a chocolate fountain rental business co-owned by the two sisters, during Bridal Expo 2007 at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel this weekend.
"Chocolate fountains are huge at weddings because they entertain as well as feed," said Sarsany, next to two fountains oozing with premium Ghiradelli chocolate and caramel. "And we like doing the bridal shows because they have such a target audience."
Hundreds of brides-to-be, along with fiances, family members and friends, meandered through the center Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, stopping at a variety of booths to speak with vendors or sign up for door prizes. Everything a wedding would need was available for viewing at the annual expo, from florists and disc jockey services to tent and carriage ride rentals to reception halls and catering services.
"We try to get everyone in the wedding spirit; January is a good month for that because a lot of people get engaged in December," said Dawn Gates, president of the Bridal Expo and owner of Zip Flowers by the Gates. "It's our hope to give brides some good ideas and give vendors a good lead on weddings."
The booth by Heavenly Delight Cakes caught the eye of Melissa Moeller and Grant Herzberger, who will tie the knot July 7. The two said it was the first expo they had attended and came to get ideas for their summer wedding.
"It's really nice, actually," Moeller said of what the event had to offer.
The style and setup of the expo has many vendors coming back year after year, with more than 60 involved this weekend.
"We really like this one; they meet year-round to take input from the vendors about how to make it better each year," said Ann Lascody, whose booth displayed freeze-dried floral art from Beautiful Keepsakes with co-owner Melinda Sloan. "We get a lot of feedback from this show."
The expo was complete with a daily bridal show, presenting some of the latest trends and dresses from area bridal shops, including Castaways Bridal, Marinæ#161; and Seno Formal Wear.
The show featured song and dance routines by the models, lively and sometimes emotional background music and an array of colors, representing the show's theme, "Bridal Fever." Professionals from Seno make the yearly drive from the Chicago area to choreograph and run the show, said Seno representative Paul Schoneknoll, one of the show's coordinators.
"It's unlike any show," he said. "We love coming down here each year; the people here are just so darn nice."
by COURTNEY KLEMM - H&R Staff Writer
Courtney Klemm can be reached at cklemm@herald-review.com or 421-6968.Labels: events |
| posted by All About Home @ 2:51 AM |
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| Monday, January 15, 2007 |
| Every Chocolate Lover's Dream-Come-True: A New Chocolate Milk That Delivers Rich, Creamy Flavor Without the Fat |
HP Hood introduces Simply Smart(R) Chocolate Fat Free Milk
CHELSEA, Mass., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, parents and kids acrossNew England are celebrating the arrival of a chocolate milk that's creamyand delicious -- and just as healthy and nutritious! HP Hood, the region'sleading dairy innovator, introduces Simply Smart(R) Chocolate Fat FreeMilk, with all the rich, indulgent taste of chocolate 2% milk minus the fatand extra calories.
With 50% more protein than chocolate reduced fat milk, Simply SmartChocolate Fat Free Milk is a light and nutritious way to indulge in adelicious glass of chocolate milk. Every 8-ounce glass contains 12 grams ofprotein, 35% daily value of calcium and 25% daily value of vitamin D.Additionally, Simply Smart Chocolate Fat Free Milk contains no artificialsweeteners -- guaranteeing a fresh, natural chocolate taste not found withpowder- or syrup-based chocolate milk products-and is produced without theuse of artificial growth hormones.*
"With so many high-fat, low-nutrition foods on the market today, Hood'sSimply Smart Chocolate Fat Free Milk is a convenient alternative forhealth- conscious families who don't want to sacrifice a creamy, chocolatetaste," said Registered Dietician Elizabeth M. Ward, mother of three andauthor of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feeding Your Baby and Toddler."It's also an excellent source of protein, calcium and vitamin D. With lotsof nutritional value, great flavor and no fat, Simply Smart Chocolate FatFree Milk is an easy choice for the entire family."
For its Simply Smart line of products, Hood found an innovative,natural technique called ultra-filtration to remove some of the liquid thatcan make lowfat and fat free milks look and taste watery. Hood's otherSimply Smart products include Simply Smart Fat Free Milk, Simply Smart 1%Lowfat Milk, and Simply Smart Fat Free Half & Half.
Hood Simply Smart Chocolate Fat Free Milk is available at groceryretailers throughout New England in 64-ounce (half-gallon) containers. Formore information, visit http://www.Hood.com.
About Hood
Hood was founded in 1846 in Charlestown, Massachusetts, by HarveyPerley Hood, and has become one of the largest branded dairy operators inthe United States. Hood is the number-one dairy brand in New England, andHood's portfolio of national and super-regional brands and franchiseproducts includes Kemps, Crowley Foods, LACTAID, Nesquik, Coffee-mate,Stonyfield Farm Organic Milk, Arizona FRESH Iced Tea and others. * To satisfy our consumers, our farmers pledge to produce milk fromcows not treated with artificial growth hormones. |
| posted by All About Home @ 2:41 AM |
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| Saturday, January 13, 2007 |
| The Chocolate Diet |
You've heard of the South Beach Diet, the Hollywood Diet, and of course, the Atkins Diet. Well, I'm starting my own new diet. It's called the Chocolate Diet. The kind of diet where you can lose weight and still eat chocolate every day.
You-ve heard of the South Beach Diet, the Hollywood Diet, and of course, the Atkins Diet. Well, I-m starting my own new diet. It-s called the Chocolate Diet. The kind of diet where you can lose weight and still eat chocolate every day.
Diets that don-t include chocolate don-t work. Slip up once with a candy bar and your diet is out the window. Cutting cocoa is not rational. If you give up chocolate, you might as well give up your diet. Depriving yourself of this delight can cause you to leave your diet all together. Why give up chocolate, anyway? It-s good for you! Yes, I said it. It-s good for you. Research suggests dark chocolate, rich in anti-oxidants, may lower bad cholesterol. And don’t forget about its mood lifting properties- you can practically call it an anti-depressant.
So how does the Chocolate Diet work? 2 ounces of dark chocolate per day. That-s 100 calories, folks. Will that alone cause you to lose weight? I like to tell myself that, but no. But it will add a little sanity to your pain-staking regimen of exercise and calorie counting. It can help you actually keep your diet if your diet consists of chocolate every day, right?
So if you-re going on a diet, don-t exclude chocolate from it. Go on the Chocolate Diet. Exercise, eat sensibly, and eat chocolate every day.
by Cristina, the author of webmaster of http://www.chocojunkie.com |
| posted by All About Home @ 7:58 PM |
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