Monthly Archives: January 2014
Mini Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Cakes
January 29, 2014
Aside from chocolate chip cookies, I have this deep undying love for thin mint cookies! These are thin, mint-flavored chocolate wafers dipped in a chocolate coating. I tend to exclusively associate them with the cute little Girl Scouts, so when I happened to come across this recipe, I was delighted! I couldn’t wait to share it with you guys.
This is how it was diligently described: "Like a Thin Mint cookie and an ice cream cake had a delicious baby, these single-serving cakes are a delight to the eye and to the mouth! Fluffy dairy-free chocolate cake is sandwiched around creamy mint chip coconut milk ice cream, coated with crunchy peppermint-infused chocolate, and topped with whipped coconut cream. A bite-sized treat perfect for parties, no one will believe you when you say they’re dairy free."
No To Child-Slavery Laden Chocolates
January 24, 2014
While we all claim to love chocolate, many of us aren’t even aware of the heavy use of child labor in West African cocoa farms, where about 70% of the world’s chocolate comes from. More than 109,000 children are nearly enslaved under “the worst forms of child labor”, according to the US Department of State.
In an attempt to cut costs, cocoa plantation owners get children to work against their will. To add insult to injury, they work for hours on end without any pay.
In response to this madness, activists, NGOs and international organizations started to campaign for awareness about child-slavery laden chocolates. By doing so, they expect consumers will take some initiative to demand change.
Peppermint Chocolate Granola
January 22, 2014
Granola is something else! Always has been, always will be. And it can be delicious, especially if it's not made up of too much mysterious organic stuff that some dude tripped over while hiking some prairie lands.
Here's a yummy twist on the Granola concept that you can use to get rid of some of those extra candy canes lying around after Christmas.
Chocolate Coconut-Filled Almond Cupcakes
January 15, 2014
Ah, Christmas. 'Tis the season to reunite with family and friends. Time to catch up with all the loved ones. And then suddenly, it's the new year!
Chocolate Prophecies For 2014
January 10, 2014
The taste, shape, and size of chocolates may drastically change in the years to come, in accordance with cocoa price hikes.
The big names in the chocolate industry are bound to tweak their formulations in an attempt to cut costs. Loading bars with sugar is one of the anticipated moves. However, the price of sugar is also foreseen to increase by 8% this year.
There are sugar substitutes, such as steviol glycosides, but they are limited due to added cost and negative effects on the taste.
Hot Chocolate Eggnog
January 8, 2014
I'm a sucker for drinks. I always have something in hand to sip. And it so happens that I'm a big fan of the eggnog drink.
A lot of people still believe that eggnog doesn’t go well with chocolate. For the most part, they think chocolate kind of overpowers the eggnog flavor. I beg to differ. I firmly believe that the ultra-creamy texture of eggnog is a great match for chocolate. One sip of the Eggnog Hot Chocolate and you’ll be on board in no time.
The Problem with Rising Chocolate Prices
January 3, 2014
Baker's Boutique of Grand Junction, Colorado, makes use of an array of cocoa products when baking. They use it in making the batter, icing, as well as ganache in their infamous chocolate truffle cupcake. Callie Ash, Baker’s Boutique owner, says that it’s no surprise that they are affected when the price of raw materials shoot up. Price increases affect those who try to keep the prices of their products low.
Ash says it’s all about balancing raising prices at the burden of the buyer or taking a hit to their profit margin. Since they pre-ordered for the holiday season, their prices can luckily remain low. However, if reordering is called for, then they would be compelled to pass the price increase to the consumer.