Monday, September 29, 2008

Milk Chocolate - How To Send Your Baking Into Overdrive

Unlike dark chocolate, milk chocolate is exceedingly sensitive to heat since it has a high sugar content. Milk chocolate is mostly a mix of chocolate, sugars, and milk, and so it is much more ordinarily found in candies.

For this reason it might be hard to use milk chocolate in recipes that require you to melt chocolate for sauces, or in desserts that will be baking and cooking for an extended length of time. Milk chocolate is mostly suited for desserts that can be baked relatively rapidly.

Cookies

Milk chocolate is an excellent addition to many different kinds of cookies, which ordinarily only need to bake for around ten minutes or so. You can add chunks of chocolate by cutting up candy bars, or use milk chocolate chips for a fast and simple addition.

You can add chocolate to your favorite oatmeal, peanut butter, as well as sugar cookie recipes. The next time you are baking brownies, try sprinkling some milk chocolate chips as well as marshmallows on top half way through baking and you will have a new rendition of an older favorite.

Muffins & Breads

Milk Chocolate is capable of being an excellent additive to muffins as well. Add a little decadence to your conventional breakfast muffins, or make a fun dessert version that can go along with coffee. Another option is to add chocolate chunks or chips to muffin batter, or melt it in the microwave and sprinkle over the top.

Milk chocolate can also be a welcome additive to numerous dessert breads, such as banana bread. You also have the option to even mix some chocolate chips into peanut butter and have a genuinely nice spread for both breads and muffins.

Candies

Milk chocolate is likely most well known for it being used in a variety of different candies, and is enjoyable to experiment with at home. For a truly simple treat, melt some milk chocolate and dunk it in bite size pieces of your favorite fruit, nuts, cakes and even cookies. Let the chocolate harden on wax paper and then enjoy. Milk chocolate can also be used in fudges and truffles.

Other Ideas

Shave this type of chocolate candy bar over some vanilla ice cream for a speedy after-dinner dessert, or on top of some hot chocolate covered in whipped cream or coffee. Create an easy snack and mix the chocolate chips into a trail mix with pretzels, nuts, and dried fruits. Or even better yet, simply savor milk chocolate plain by the handful as you are awaiting the completion of a fresh batch of cookies in the oven!

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White Chocolate - The Creation Of The Swiss, The Americans Delight

When cocoa butter is used without the use of cocoa solids, one can make a type of chocolate regarded as white chocolate that also has milk solids and sugar, lecithin as well as some flavoring that the majority of the time is often vanilla.

The use of cocoa butter is essential to maintain the chocolate as a solid during room temperature, and also helps it to melt rather easily when eaten. White chocolates are very much like other chocolates in texture but the taste is basically different and it also is different in that it does not have caffeine.

After The First World War The Swiss Created It

The first known occurrence of white chocolate being created was way back after the First World War had ended and the Swiss discovered it. In the United States, Herbert's Candies were the first major company to discover it though they had observed it being created in Europe a year earlier.

The popularity of this chocolate increased greatly after it was sold in 1984 in America, when the Nestle Alpine White chocolate bar which contained white chocolate, and chopped almonds, greatly fascinated the American public.

White chocolate contains no cocoa mass or cocoa solids, and so is not thought to be a true chocolate in various countries. In the United States. it should have a minimum of twenty percent of the total weight of the chocolate product to be cocoa butter, and fourteen percent should be a total of milk solids.

The sweeteners should have less than fifty-five percent of sugar. There are also various types of white chocolates that are made with vegetable fat and are not derivatives of cocoa. The difference is that the former is white in color while the latter is colored in ivory.

Distinctions Between Dark and White Chocolate

There are certain qualities that separate white chocolate from regular chocolates because true chocolate will have fine-grained roasted cocoa beans while white chocolate does not have any cocoa solids and is technically coated with white confectionary. There is fundamentally not much of a difference in making white chocolate, milk chocolates, as well as dark chocolates.

The main point of difference lies in the ingredients that are used. There are also some challenges faced in making this kind of chocolate, including when one melts it, the cocoa butter might split and produce oily compounds that are not able to be recovered, and therefore must be thrown away.

White chocolate may be employed in decorating milk or dark chocolate confectionary items as well as in other ways as desired by the maker. The advantage of this kind of chocolate is that the cocoa butter utilized is a very stable fat that has numerous antioxidants that can stop rancidity as well as increase storage life. In addition to being delicious, this kind of chocolate indeed has numerous benefits.

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Gourmet Chocolate Candy - 5 Minutes To Pick The Right Kind For Your Gift Giving

You're searching for the right gift for a loved one, or for yourself. And who does not enjoy chocolate? Gourmet chocolate candy is a sweet gift that anybody will enjoy, and these companies have some of the best chocolates out there. Here are a few gift ideas you'll certainly want to keep in mind.

Godiva

Godiva is renowned for its mouth-watering chocolates and unique gifts, and you can visit a store near you or on their online website for some great ideas. Godiva hot chocolate is an excellent item to add to your gift basket, and you can try this warm beverage as caramel, milk chocolate, and mocha varieties.

This is the perfect gift to give an individual who likes reading a good book on a cold day. There are also coffee varieties that are available by the company, which you can purchase individually or add to the gift basket you are sending. For great chocolate snacks, try the chocolate covered pretzels, or the dark truffle covered biscuits. These will go great with coffee, and you can be certain your loved ones will enjoy every bite.

Sees Candies

See's Candies also has excellent gourmet chocolate candy that you will want to try. This candy is filled with caramel and toffee flavors, so each treat is sweet and rich. There are chocolate covered nuts, candy bars, peanut as well as almond brittle, and they even have sugar free and kosher varieties of chocolate for people with special dietary needs.

The prices are very low-priced, and you can search the site to find a See's location close to you, or you can order online and receive your gift in a just matter of days. There's even a free catalog you can order, and dessert recipes that use See's candies as ingredients. This gives you even more gift ideas, and will help you to save money as well.

Ferrero Rocher

Ferrero Rocher also has an excellent variety of gourmet chocolate candy that you will love. You can find gift packages that are especially for specific holidays such as Easter or Christmas, and the candies are particularly unique. The Rocher chocolates are really wafers, filled with chocolate and a hazelnut. And, the newest addition to the Rocher collection, Rondnoir, is a delectable blend of dark chocolate inside the famous Ferrero wafer. If you want to know more about ordering, or want to customize your gift basket, you can visit their online destination.

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Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Business of Selling the Finest Chocolates

One of my friends retired at the age of 50. She wanted to try a new line of work, so she took some time to do research and then made up her mind what she was going to do for her next career. She is very diligent so I had no doubts she would read books, articles and magazines on various businesses and careers just as she did. She called me to let me know she had decided to open a shop featuring the finest chocolates. I was quite surprised when I heard that.

My friend has always been a chocolate lover but she insists on good quality chocolates. She can have only the finest ones. Many people would settle for a Hershey’s syrup if they needed a chocolate fix but certainly not her. She always checks if the candy is fresh and not grainy. She doesn’t mind shopping around for the finest chocolates available. She was in quest of fine chocolates one day when the idea of opening such a shop popped in her head. All the books, articles and magazines she had read encouraged people to start a business with something they are passionate about, and she couldn’t be more passionate about finding finest chocolates to eat and supply to others. We set up a meeting at the place she wanted to rent for the finest chocolates shop.

The space is perfectly located in the downtown area of a middle sized town. Before there has been a small coffee shop but after the opening of a national chain it got out of business and had to close down. There was a large counter area and enough space for up to ten small tables. My friend found it perfect that there was so much space by the front window area so that her finest chocolates would be at display available to purchase by the piece or the whole dessert. Within walking distance of the shop there are a few large banks, insurance companies and a government centre. Thus, I assume the shop will have regular customers.

My friend let me see the catalogs she used to order finest chocolates. The selections were stunning. I believe they included the finest chocolates available in the world. The desserts my friend would also offer to her customers would be delivered same day so that they would always be fresh. She would have some on stock but will also take special orders for her customers. The candies will be sold by weight, so anyone could buy one piece or a pound. She will provide some unique finest chocolates which people might give as gifts or buy them for a special occasion. I believe my friend would be quite successful at her new venture as she certainly has the passion for it.

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The Sweet Taste of the Worlds Finest Chocolates

Some people just can’t seem to live without chocolate. Chocolate makes their mouths water and some would even say that it comforts them whenever they feel depressed. Chocolate addicts would give anything they can to get their hands on the world’s finest chocolates. I happen to be one of those people who absolutely adore chocolate.

My day would not be complete without having a bite of chocolate. And whenever possible, I try to get hold of the word’s finest chocolates. Godiva and other chocolates from Belgium are considered the best chocolates in the world. Meticulously crafted Belgium chocolates are so incredibly satisfying that it’s impossible to close your eyes when you’re eating them. The world’s finest chocolates may be pricey but it’s worth it if you can enjoy the best available treats. It doesn’t matter if you enjoy dark, white, or milk, the best quality chocolates are definitely worth your money.

I personally prefer my chocolates to be on the lighter side. I always go to a nearby Godiva stand whenever I want to give a Valentines Day gift to my wife. She really appreciates Godiva chocolate because they are regarded to be among the world’s finest chocolates. I’ve tried all kinds of chocolates from Taiwan, Germany, and, Belgium and Godiva is without a doubt the best one I ever tasted. My personal favorite is the open sea shell with the truffle inside. The makers of Godiva chocolates go to a lot of trouble to craft each piece to perfection.

Do you also want to enjoy the world’s finest chocolates? Maybe you’ve find it hard to get hold of them in your local area. If they are hard to find in local stores then you can look for them online. Not only will you locate the world’s finest chocolates, you can benefit from promotions and discounts as well. With just one click on your PC, you can find yourself in chocolate heaven.

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Flowers, Chocolates or Jewelry?

Let’s take a look at these 3 popular items to determine the best choice. Whether you are buying your lady a birthday, anniversary or a “just because” gift, you want your gift to say, “You are special to me.”

Scenario#1: Mr. Smith is on his way home from a bad day at work. Making a quick stop at the grocery store to buy his favorite comfort food or drink, he spots several day old bouquets wrapped in plastic and remembers that it’s his anniversary. He grabs the flowers, pays for his items and presents Mrs. Smith the bouquet (still in the plastic with the price tag on it) upon arriving home. As she smiles and thanks him, she’s secretly thinking, “What a disappointment. I can’t believe he forgot again.”

Scenario #2: Remembering several days ahead of time, Mr. Smith purchases a nice box of chocolates and takes the time to wrap it. He presents it to his wife on their anniversary. She is very pleased that he’s remembered their anniversary and is happy with the chocolates.

Scenario #3: Several months before his anniversary, Mr. Smith starts surfing the web internet for the perfect gift. Deciding on a bracelet, he is pleased with Mrs. Smith’s reaction as she opens her gift. She is genuinely delighted. This is a gift that says, “You are special to me.”

Flowers and chocolates are not necessarily a bad choice for a gift- as long as there is thought put into it. Women look at things differently than men. The thought, effort and time put into selecting a gift means almost as much, if not as much to them as the gift itself. When you buy her jewelry, it tells her that you have put thought into selecting this gift because there are so many places that you can buy jewelry. It also shows that you know what she likes.

Another way of looking at it when trying to decide which gift to buy her: Flowers will die, chocolates will be eaten, but jewelry will last. Every time she wears it she’ll be reminded that you bought it for her and that you think she is special.

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Thursday, September 25, 2008

Chocolate Candy Molds - An Indispensable Cooking Tool

So, You love candy and you love chocolate. You are also open minded to trying your hand at a few different recipes, and you consider yourself ready to make a batch of chocolate candy for your family and friends. In order to recreate the chocolates you might learn about at your local speciality shop or bakery, you will need to buy some chocolate candy molds. Here are some of the ideal brands to use, in addition to the most affordable places to shop.

Getting Started

First, you will want to select the shape of the molds you wish to use. Depending on the season, you can find chocolate candy molds shaped similar to Christmas trees, ornaments, or even Thanksgiving turkeys. Easter chocolate candies are also popular, so you could create a few treats for your Easter dinner or for an Easter egg hunt.

The molds can be found on various online destinations or you can take a look at the candy molds that auction sites have to offer. You will be able to get molds as well as other candy making equipment on the sites that will save you money.

You can select from 3-D molds that will give your candy an well-rounded design, or you can select molds that are shaped much like muffin pans--the design you have chosen will form on one side of the candy.

Once you create your chocolate candy, you will need to pour the mixture into the molds and give it the chance to set. You can do this by putting the molds in the refrigerator (depending on the ingredients you used), or by leaving your candies in a cool dry place.

Final Preparation

Once your candies have taken the shape of the mold, you can wrap them in decorative paper and make them part of a holiday gift basket, or you can use them as garnish when you are serving your favorite desserts. A homemade chocolate candy makes a great accessory to a simple dessert of vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit, and goes very well with fruit sorbets as well.

There are various places online that you can go to that provide chocolate candy molds so that you can begin creating your own treats. There are sites such as Foodtv, where you will find excellent recipe ideas, as well as links to company sites that sell the chocolate candy molds you want.

Sites that have name brand molds such a Marthastewart to find excellent deals on candy molds, and to get ideas for different methods to enhance your candies and store them for further gatherings. Being an expert candy maker is easier than you think--you might even come up with a tasty batch of chocolates on your first try. Good luck!

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How to Make Chocolate Candy - A Fascinating Segment of Cooking

If you like desserts, baking, and chocolate, then you might want to learn how to make chocolate candy. Don't be concerned; the process for creating the majority of candies is easier than you think, and with a some practice, and taste testing, you can come up with chocolate dessert recipes that's all your own.

Beginning With The Basics

Prior to starting to make chocolate candy, you might wish to begin baking more conventional chocolate desserts, such as chocolate cake or brownies. Chocolate candies such as fudge or toffee are the same as brownies, and you can even integrate these candies into your baked goods for a richer flavor. You can learn a lot of basic recipes for brownies and cakes on various internet sites, and once you get the used to these, you might feel more comfortable moving on to candy making.

You can also make the candies that you see in bakeries and specialty shops; all you will need is the right ingredients as well as a candy mold. With the mold, you can make candies that are in any shape you wish, and you can decorate or garnish the candies to taste.

In the majority of cases, you will have to melt down a certain amount of the chocolate of your choice, and you can add specific flavor extracts depending on the flavor you want the candy to be. You pour the chocolate mixture into the molds, and allow the candy to set. In most instances, the candy will set better, and faster, if you put it in the refrigerator.

Variations on a Theme

You can also make chocolate truffles, which can at times be intimidating for those who do not spend much time in the kitchen. Nevertheless, you can learn how to make chocolate candy by just combining melted chocolate and whipping cream, until it is at its desired consistency. Then, you can use an ice cream scoop to break up the portions of truffles, and put these in the refrigerator to set as well.

You can roll the truffles in nutmeg or cinnamon, coconut and crushed nuts, or even cayenne pepper after you remove them from the fridge. These candies make an excellent dessert at parties, or a great gift when you use decorated paper or bags for presentation.

If you still want to know how to make chocolate candy and are not sure you will be able to get it precisely right the first time, you can visit various internet sites like so that you can analyze the recipes as many times as is needed to, and view pictures of the finished product. Keep in mind that you do get to taste each batch you create, so this should be enough motivation to keep trying. Happy baking!

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Has The Chocolate Fountain Become The Catering Craze Of The Past?

Chocolate fountains were once a unique way to assist any party, celebration, catered event or buffet. Guests enjoyed their fruit with high quality chocolate spilling over like a waterfall. The fountain looks like a wedding cake, hence it's one time popularity with the wedding market. Standing anywhere from 19" to 50" tall and approximately 16" round, it weighs approximately 90 pounds when chocolate has been added. A chocolate fountain with milk chocolate, dark chocolate or indeed any flavor high quality Belgian chocolate does look fantastic at any wedding or birthday event.

Unfortunately, the death knell of the chocolate fountain is due to it's own success, namely that there are so many opportunities now for a population to hire a chocolate fountain for their next party, wedding or celebration, that the glitz, glamor and novelty factor has gone out of the market. There are so many sites on the Internet that offer rentals for chocolate fountains and the best idea, however, is to actually visit a supplier and see the fountains for yourself, as you'll want to know the height of the fountain, and how will it look when it's running. It's an impressive site, and the taller the fountain the cooler it'll look for the guests.

Nowadays of course, you can buy a chocolate fountain at such a reasonable cost and think about it, how many times is there going to be the possibility of using a chocolate fountain, which are perfect for events and parties that cater for 20 to 200 people. Along with the chocolate fountain, you will also have to buy the chocolate (the good news is that you can buy it visiting bulk), as well as, the fruit that will be used to dip, visiting the fountain. These days you can buy mini chocolate fountains which are around 19" in height and would make a great gift.

One downside of a chocolate fountain at a party, corporate event or hospiltality is of course, hygiene. I personally never eat out of a chocolate fountain at a convention, business meeting or at a party with too many people. A population will often double dip and though there's lots of chocolate that gets pumped, it still is best to have a chocolate fountain at a more intimate event, such as a small cocktail party, or a wedding or bar mitzvah where you're only having close friends and family.

Hygiene notwithstanding, having a chocolate fountain is great because of the appearance. Like a large shimmering, multi-tiered cake, the fountain will illicit comments from the guests. Like a fruit punch fountain, or a champagne fountain, the chocolate fountain is a great conversation piece. So when planning your next wedding or birthday party event, it's a great idea to speak to the event coordinator about a fountain, as well as, speaking with a chef or a caterer about what kind of edibles are best served by the fountain.

The chocolate fountain is a chocolate lover's dream come true and watching their facial expressions at a fountain is fascinating. Possibly the most popular fruit to dip into the chocolate fountain is strawberries it's astonishing how they go together.

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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Chocolate Candy Molds - An Indispensable Cooking Tool

So, You love candy and you love chocolate. You are also open minded to trying your hand at a few different recipes, and you consider yourself ready to make a batch of chocolate candy for your family and friends. In order to recreate the chocolates you might learn about at your local speciality shop or bakery, you will need to buy some chocolate candy molds. Here are some of the ideal brands to use, in addition to the most affordable places to shop.

Getting Started

First, you will want to select the shape of the molds you wish to use. Depending on the season, you can find chocolate candy molds shaped similar to Christmas trees, ornaments, or even Thanksgiving turkeys. Easter chocolate candies are also popular, so you could create a few treats for your Easter dinner or for an Easter egg hunt.

The molds can be found on various online destinations or you can take a look at the candy molds that auction sites have to offer. You will be able to get molds as well as other candy making equipment on the sites that will save you money.

You can select from 3-D molds that will give your candy an well-rounded design, or you can select molds that are shaped much like muffin pans--the design you have chosen will form on one side of the candy.

Once you create your chocolate candy, you will need to pour the mixture into the molds and give it the chance to set. You can do this by putting the molds in the refrigerator (depending on the ingredients you used), or by leaving your candies in a cool dry place.

Final Preparation

Once your candies have taken the shape of the mold, you can wrap them in decorative paper and make them part of a holiday gift basket, or you can use them as garnish when you are serving your favorite desserts. A homemade chocolate candy makes a great accessory to a simple dessert of vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit, and goes very well with fruit sorbets as well.

There are various places online that you can go to that provide chocolate candy molds so that you can begin creating your own treats. There are sites such as Foodtv, where you will find excellent recipe ideas, as well as links to company sites that sell the chocolate candy molds you want.

Sites that have name brand molds such a Marthastewart to find excellent deals on candy molds, and to get ideas for different methods to enhance your candies and store them for further gatherings. Being an expert candy maker is easier than you think--you might even come up with a tasty batch of chocolates on your first try. Good luck!

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The Differences In Dark Chocolate - What You Should Know

If we compare and see the difference with many of the other selections in chocolate that resides outside the limits of milk chocolate, or those varieties with other additional ingredients, dark chocolate really has more gusto than all the other kinds of chocolate in the world. Though somewhat bittersweet at first, dark chocolate can soon take on an almost unforgettable stance as one of the best members of the interconnected chocolate family, and becoming a worthwhile invitation for many taste buds to share in pleasure of enjoying.

Dark chocolate is even good for your health as it it is composed of ingredients that can lower your blood pressure as long as you don't abuse it of course.

Quality chocolate has won over many a diehard critic of its apparently endless strength of flavor, and although a very popular savor, dark chocolate is still a close second to such chocolate varieties as milk chocolate or even the widely popular versions of chocolate bar that includes varieties of other added ingredients such as rice and peanuts to the mixture.

It is almost as if there could be a lack of respect for the bittersweet delight in the taste and feeling of dark chocolate, and there is little if any other sorts of chocolate which do such a wonderful job of keeping people returning for more. Still, there are times where the bitterness of the almost black chocolate can be a little awesome for the persons who have almost no tolerance for the strong essences of dark chocolate, and there is a lot to get pleasure from for persons that cannot see it any other way than to prefer dark chocolate in general and creating quite a stir.

Whatever type of chocolate you decide to adopt just make sure of the quality of the ingredients. You could always stick with the most popular and well know quality brands. If you are not sure which one they are you just have to ask around and you will surely find quite a few chocolate lovers that will be more than happy to give you some pertinent advice to guide you. So relax and grab a nice piece of chocolate while enjoying the moment.

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Personalized Chocolate Candy - Unique Gifts Your Loved Ones Will Appreciate

Some people are so busy with their daily lives that they don't have the time to make their own chocolate candy, however you can still personalize it by using some online resources and some of creativity. Here are some of the best idea on how to get personalized chocolate candy.

One of the best ways to narrow down your choices for getting this type of chocolate candy online is to go to any of the major search engines and type in quotes "personalized chocolate candy". There you will find a large list of online merchants that will have numerous products to select from.

All Occasions

You will find chocolate for many occasions such as Birthdays, Weddings, Child Births, or even Office Gifts. These companies will wrap the chocolates you purchase in paper that lists the name of the recipient, or the name of the occasion, or the time and date of a baby's birth or a wedding.

Sports teams from various schools also use companies such as these to make chocolates that can be sold at different fundraisers to raise money for their respective team. You even have the option of submitting photos to the company to be added to the candy wrapper, and you can send personalized chocolate candy for holidays such as Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, and Christmas as well. The products of these types of companies are always expanding, you can even find muffin and cookie mixes to buy.

You will find the prices are generally very affordable and you can also work with a sales representative so you can get a faster turn around time. You will tend to find discounts and specials advertised on the sites, so make certain to check back a few times during the planning of your event.

Unique and Creative

Some sites offer quality chocolates where you can buy an actual large size Hershey bar that is customized to your specifications. For instance, if you are a teacher you can use these services to personalize treats for students, and if you are expecting a new arrival to the family, you can get the Hershey bars customized with "Heresheis" or "Hereheis" labels that are always a big hit with family and friends.

There are also a number of gift basket ideas on the site, in the event you need to give a personalized gift to a family member or coworker. There is also a toll-free number on the site that you can call if you have questions in regards to shipping and handling, or have a custom order that might require some additional attention.

Bear in mind that you can also create your own personalized chocolate candy. All you need are some candy molds, flavor extracts, and the right ingredients for the kind of chocolate you trying to make.

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Thursday, September 18, 2008

Chocolate Candy Maker - The Best Thing Since Enzo The Baker

Are you a superior baker? Do you love candy? Why not try your hand at becoming a chocolate candy maker? While you might not actually work in a factory or sell your treats to thousands of people everyday, you will still be a big hit with all your family and friends, and you might even decide that you wish to make a business out of this moneymaking hobby.

One of the first things you should do when you are thinking about becoming a chocolate candy maker is to attempt as many recipes as you discover. Find out what specialty you want yours to be, and try to make as many assortments of the candy as you are able. This way, you can perfect the recipes you attempt, and you might even create a few of your own.

All Shapes and Sizes

Chocolate candy comes in numerous forms, so you can make fudge, candy bars, turtles, the small chocolate candies that come in boxes as well as gift bags. You might even create your own version of chocolate covered fruit.

Ask your family members to get old recipes that have been in the family for many years, and check out online resources for great chocolate candy recipes from people all over the world. You should also add a few of your own exceptional ingredients to make the recipe stand out.

Standing Above The Rest

Being a chocolate candy maker will also call for you to pay particular attention to the skill that you devote to the candy. How do you wish your candy to look? It is crucial to make sure that your chocolates stand out, particularly if you are going to be selling them.

What special ingredients do you wish to add to make the taste of your chocolate candies distinguishable? You can try vanilla, fruit extracts, cinnamon, coconut, or even more exotic flavors like black pepper, cayenne pepper, as well as smoky flavors to give your chocolate candy a taste that people will always remember.

Another sign of a great chocolate candy maker is the packaging. If you are starting up a business from scratch, you will need to make certain that the colors and logo you select make your candy stand out.

Are you going to use gourmet paper or small bags to wrap your candy in? Will you apply ribbon to tie your candy package together, or are you making a custom box for your treats? These might seem like small details, but they might be a big difference when your attempting to make sure that your fudge, truffles, or candy bars are being noticed.

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Chocolate Candy Recipes - Winning Recipes to Make Your Next Party a Big Hit

The situation comes up where you have a party scheduled, and your looking to provided to your guest something special for dessert. How about giving them some chocolate candy? You will find a lot of chocolate candy recipes to select from, and you can do some practice prior to the big event if you pick the recipes that require small amounts of ingredients and even less time.

Chocolate Truffles

One of the chocolate desserts that many people love the most is Truffles. While some cooks might find this intimidating, there are a lot of chocolate candy recipes that you can find that will give you instructions on how to prepare chocolate truffles easily and with minimal effort.

The ingredients that you need are whipping cream and chocolate shavings; you can select the type of chocolate that you want depending on the amount of sweetness or how bitter you want your truffles to be. You will need to scoop the chocolate with an ice cream scoop to create the truffles, then allow them to chill in your refrigerator so they can keep their shape.

The next step is to add the toppings that you want. Some people prefer to roll their truffles in cinnamon, others choose to use cocoa powder or chopped nuts for a rich taste as well as presentation. This recipe is easy enough to make the day of the party, and it is sure to be a big hit.

Chocolate Toffee

If you are a a person who prefers toffee, you can share your favorite treat with your party guests as well. Chocolate candy recipes also include toffee, and you can locate an assortment of recipes that include caramel, dried fruit, or various types of nuts. You will also need butter as well as brown sugar to make a complete recipe.

You can use the stove to make the toffee, and then transfer it to your oven to help in make the sugar solidified. The majority of toffee recipes take roughly 20 minutes to make, so you can make an attempt at the recipes a few time, even in the event your guests are arriving the next day. The chances are, the more often that you make the recipe, the better it is going to taste, so by the time your guests actually have dessert, you will have complete confidence.

Fudge

Another idea to try is fudge, which has the capacity to be similar to toffee but tends to be somewhat richer. You can also add nuts and fruit pieces to this recipe you choose as well, and you should make certain, that you have a high quality baking pan so that your fudge will not stick to the edges.

If you want to give your fudge a dense, rich flavor, use marshmallow cream, and/or evaporated milk. This has the effect of making the fudge sweet and creamy, and you can also add caramel, peanut butter, or any other kind of flavor extract that you want.

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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Turn Your Love of Chocolate from a Secret Pleasure to a Fun Social Event

Chocolate isn't a Food, but an Experience

Few words evoke the emotional enthusiasm people feel toward chocolate. It has a treasured place in our personal collection of memories - the Easter baskets, the birthday treats, the candy displays at Christmas, the heart that told you someone loves you.

It started young. During our special times, chocolate was there - an integral part of the event. One taste of chocolate (or even the thought alone) makes the mouth water and the emotional associations rush in. It brings back the multitude of fondly-remembered feel-good experiences we didn't want to end.

So a great-testing piece of chocolate inevitably makes us happy inside. Of course, it doesn't hurt that chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine (PEA), a natural substance that's reputed to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love. That's why, even at times when we're feeling down, anything chocolate feels so comforting.

Chocolate is Meant to be Shared

My favorite career was owning The Chocolate Factory in Branson, Missouri. Making chocolate inspired me; it's so apparent that it makes a person's soul happy. My passion led me to create 300 new chocolate products and 26 different flavored fudges (one of which won the title, "World's Best Chocolate" in 1986).

Out of that grew the Chocolate Fantasy events, which are used as non-profit fundraisers. People can't resist the 30 to 40 different kinds of chocolate creations offered. It combines three great things - chocolate, fun, and doing well through the charity. As crowd-pleasing and impressive as those events are, these same techniques can be accomplished by a rank beginner. With equally enthusiastic reactions.

Making chocolate goodies with others improves the flavor - as well as the enjoyment.

Visualize your whole family gathered around in the kitchen, making gourmet chocolates together. Smell that wonderful chocolate aroma, feel the rich texture of gourmet chocolate goodies in your fingers.

Now that's fun! And you're all creating memories you'll never forget, at the same time.

You Can "Do this at Home"

The Old Time Chocolate Cookbook I wrote shows how to make truly gourmet chocolate in your own home, using the tools you've already got. Without prior experience, anyone can create professional-quality results your friends will rave about. You'll reveal out-of-the-ordinary chocolate expertise. All because you grasp the subtle differences of taste and texture between your gourmet concoctions, and what is sold at the store.

Learn tricks that the pros know. For instance, did you know you must NEVER introduce water into the chocolate during the manufacturing stage? A few drops of water will turn a pot of chocolate into the consistency of modeling clay. Why not try a recipe that will satisfy any chocolate craving?

Chocolate Toffee

2 cups granulated sugar

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup dark corn syrup

dash salt

½ cup whipping cream

½ stick (¼ cup) butter

Line an 8-inch baking pan with buttered foil. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Begin cooking over medium heat, lowering heat as candy thickens. Cook to 250 degrees F. Pour into prepared pan and let cool. Break into bite-sized pieces or cut and wrap in plastic film.

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