Chocolate content

Cozy Up With These ?Oh So Good? Hot Chocolate Recipes

Cozy Up With These ?Oh So Good? Hot Chocolate Recipes

by: Donna Monday

When it?s cold and frosty outside, there?s nothing better than curling up with a nice big mug of homemade hot chocolate. Why pay several dollars for a cup of gourmet hot chocolate when you can easily learn how to make your own delicious hot chocolate drink?

You can make the classic creamy hot chocolate, or get a little adventurous and try the white chocolate or Mexican hot chocolate recipe. If you enjoy giving hot chocolate as a gift, then you may wish to make your own hot chocolate mix and put it in decorative glass jars.

The following hot chocolate recipes can be made the old fashioned way, using a pan and a stovetop. Or, you may wish to purchase a hot chocolate maker to speed things up.

However you decide to make it, you?ll definitely enjoy the aroma and flavors of a delicious hot chocolate drink tickling your taste buds, and warming your tummy during the long winter days and nights.

Creamy Hot Chocolate

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

? cup unsweetened cocoa

1 ? teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 ? cups hot water

Marshmallows (optional)

Directions

In large saucepan over medium heat, combine sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla, and salt; mix well. Slowly stir in water. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Top with marshmallows. Store covered in refrigerator. *Will last up to 5 days.

Makes 8 servings.

Easy Mexican Hot Chocolate

3 tablespoons instant hot chocolate mix

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

? teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pinch chili powder

? cup milk

? cup boiling water

Directions

In a large mug, mix the hot chocolate mix, chocolate syrup, cinnamon, and chili powder. Pour in the milk. Add the boiling water and stir.

Makes 2 servings.

Spicy White Hot Chocolate

3 ? cups 2% fat milk

6 oz. white chocolate, chopped

1 egg, beaten

? teaspoon cayenne pepper

? teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Place the white chocolate in a medium metal bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or in the top half of a double boiler. Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally until smooth. Stir in cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Whisk in the egg until smooth.

Gradually whisk in one cup of the milk until completely incorporated, about 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk in remaining milk, and heat until hot, but not simmering. (You don?t want a skin to form on top of the milk). Chocolate will be ready to drink when either the taste of the cayenne is masked by the temperature of the milk (the spiciness of the pepper will remain), or when the hot chocolate is at your desired temperature.

Ladle the hot chocolate into mugs and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Makes 4 servings.

Zingy Mocha Hot Chocolate

? cup semisweet chocolate chips

? cup milk

? teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 dash hot chili powder

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

? cup cold milk

Marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles (optional)

Directions

Combine the chocolate chips and milk in a glass or plastic dish, microwave on high, stirring every 20 ? 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Mix in the coffee, cinnamon, and hot chili powder until the instant coffee has dissolved. Stir in the cold milk.

Strain into 2 mugs. Thin with additional milk, if desired. Garnish with marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles.

Makes 2 servings.

Peanut Buttercup Hot Chocolate

1 (1 oz.) envelope instant hot chocolate mix

2 teaspoons creamy peanut butter

Directions

In a mug, prepare chocolate mix as directed on package. Stir in 1 or 2 teaspoons of peanut butter. Enjoy.

Makes 1 serving.

Russian Hot Chocolate

1 oz. vanilla flavored vodka

? oz. amaretto liqueur

1 tablespoon instant hot chocolate mix

4 oz. hot milk

Directions

In a coffee mug, pour in the vanilla vodka, amaretto, and add the hot chocolate mix. Pour in the hot milk and stir to blend well.

Makes 1 serving.

Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe

11 cups dry milk powder

1 (8 oz.) container powdered non-dairy creamer

2 ? cups confectioners? sugar

1 (16 oz) container instant chocolate drink mix

Directions

Sift together the powdered milk, non-dairy creamer, powdered sugar and instant chocolate drink mix. Store in air tight containers or glass jars for gift giving

To use: Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of mix to 1 cup of water. Add a dash of cinnamon, If desired.

Make 80 servings.

About The Author

Love Cookies? All Your favorites here http://www.best-cookie-jar-recipes.com

Unique Wedding And Shower Candy Favors With Personalized Candy Wrappers

Unique Wedding And Shower Candy Favors With Personalized Candy Wrappers

by: Chris Robertson

One of the hottest wedding and shower favor ideas these days is candy. Personalized candy wrappers with your name and wedding details offer an alternative to the traditional tulle and ribbon wedding candy, the ubiquitous Jordan almond. Whether you choose a bar of Belgian chocolate wrapped in embossed foil or a chocolate candy rose with a personalized ribbon and tag, personalized candy favors are the kind of sweet treat that guests love to take home.

Most companies that offer personalized chocolate candy wrappers give you a wide variety of styles and kinds of candy to choose from. A particular favorite with many brides are miniature 1-inch square chocolate candy. Bright foil candy wrappers are stamped with brides, grooms, wedding bells and doves to further the happy couple?s wedding theme. Full size candy bars with personalized wrappers average about $1.75 apiece. For a bit less, you can have your name and wedding date imprinted on Hershey?s miniatures like Krackel, Hershey?s Special Dark candy bars and Mr. Goodbars. A package of 100 miniature candy bars costs about $50.

There?s more to personalized candy wrappers than wedding bells, though. How about a chocolate or bubblegum candy cigar to announce the birth of a new child? You can purchase chocolate cigars with personalized candy bands or wrappers in ?It?s a Girl? pink and ?It?s a Boy? blue from any supplier of personalized candy bars. Nearly any occasion can be marked with personalized candy favors or gifts. Whether you?re looking for candy shower favors or unique, personalized fund raising candy, personalized candy wrappers could be just what you need.

Some of the more unique candy favor ideas that we?ve seen are outside the realm of personalized candy wrappers though. One of the most adorable is the bubble-gum buddy bride and groom. Using a full size gumball for a base, the maker uses royal icing to form clothing and features on two of the cutest little wedding favors that can grace your wedding tables. Other candy favor ideas take their cue from the season of the year. Miniature wreaths made of starburst peppermint candy are perfect party favors for the office Christmas party, for example, and candy corn makes great candy fillers for wedding and shower favors at Autumn weddings and parties.

Finally, any wedding favor that can be made with candy Jordan almonds can also be made with the quintessential romantic candy of all time ? candy hearts. Whether you choose foil-wrapped chocolate hearts or candy conversation hearts for a more whimsical look, how can you go wrong? Candy hearts and romance just belong together ? naturally.

About The Author

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://www.majon.com.

To learn more about subjects like candy please visit the web site at: http://www.majon.com/directory/Food/

For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon's Food directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/Food.

Richland Gourmet Apples -- Good to the Core

Richland Gourmet Apples -- Good to the Core

by: Janice Dunbar

Gourmet apples take caramel and candy apples to the next level. They are made with the finest ingredients and decorated with attention and care. They are a great gift idea for anyone with a sweet tooth and love apples.

Gourmet apples can be designed to match any holiday or occasion. They can be decorated with designs such as flowers, animals, Christmas ornaments or any artistic creations. The apples may be decorated with caramel, milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, cookies and many types of nuts, especially pecans.

Most gourmet apples are jumbo sized, fancy Granny Smith apples. These apples tend to taste best with chocolate and caramel dressings. Premium nuts and chocolate are also used to make an incredibly delicious treat.

These apples make excellent centerpieces and desserts for any party or event. Gourmet apples make a statement at weddings, because the trend is just now catching on as an alternative to the tradition centerpieces and ?giveaways? at weddings. The wedding guest love the apples, because it?s not your traditional box of chocolates.

If you are looking for a special centerpiece for your party or want to make a great impression on your wedding guest, then, go to richlandgourmetapples.com for all of your gourmet apple needs.

About The Author

Janice Dunbar

The owner believes gourmet caramel apples are perfect for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries or just because you love them! Please visit www.richlandgourmetapples.com for the world's best in gourmet apples.

What Gals Really Want For Christmas!

What Gals Really Want For Christmas!

by: Matthew C. Keegan

Okay, guys: listen up! I am here to tell you what women want for Christmas. You probably already know it, but you don?t understand it. What am I saying? Well, those little ads that have been mysteriously popping up on your dresser, on your workbench, or plastered to the windshield of your truck did not get there by accident. Somebody who wants you to pay close attention to what she really wants put it there. You don?t think the wind blew it there do you? Oh, please! Let?s go down the list and find out what your lady really wants for Christmas. I abbreviated everything for clarity and to be concise. That means the 27 items she really wants are condensed to just five. Get it?

1. Jewelry ? You had to ask? What woman doesn?t want something shiny to wear on her fingers, around her neck, her wrist, her anklet, her belly button?Okay, I?m not talking custom jewelry either. I?m talking about something that will retain its shine in all weather conditions and can be counted in the number of karats it possesses. You can count on it setting you back at least through the following June, probably as late as Thanksgiving?

2. Chocolate ? Milk chocolate just doesn?t cut it, fellas. Better for you to pick it up by the brand: Peregina, Godiva, and Richart are a few that come to mind. Yeah, get her the little stocking stuffer Santa chocolates too. She?ll think that you are being real sweet!

3. To the Islands! Okay, time to splurge. Go all out and book that early February vacation to Paradise. You know you will need it by time that the 17th measurable snowstorm plasters your driveway. Oh, by the way, no matter how much she thinks that the kids should come along, make arrangements with your parents to come and spend the week at your house. If the kiddies come down with the flu at least they will be in a familiar environment with adults who will spoil them rotten!

4. Spa Membership ? This one gets tricky. If you give her a spa membership, she will say that you think she is getting fat/old/wrinkly, etc. You?re walking in dangerous territory, men! Better yet, make sure that it is a place where her friends already hang out. Tell her you want her to have regular quality time with her girlfriends. She won?t buy your pitch, but she?ll join especially when you present her with the other gift that she wants: chocolate.

5. Stuff For Her Minivan. You know how hard it is for you to summon up courage to drive the family van, right? Especially after driving your Dakota all week. Who wants to be caught driving that thing? She does! This is where you really have to die to self: give her spark plugs and spark plug wires for Christmas and leave it at that. Just kidding. Better to find the name brand auto parts she really wants: floor mats, seat covers, pet pads, etc. All the frilly little things that make her vehicle, well, her own.

Are you still not sure what she wants? Then just look. That advertisement on your workbench is open to the page for the item she wants... the one with the big, red circle around it. So, just get it and leave it at that. If you do, you?ll be singing, ?peace on earth and goodwill toward men? in no time. Merry Christmas!

About The Author

Matt Keegan is an auto enthusiast and contributing writer for PitStop Parts, a wholesaler of name brand auto parts: [http://www.pitstopautoparts.com] including Catco Converters: [http://www.pitstopautoparts.com/1-catco-converter.html] and Taylor Wires: [http://www.pitstopautoparts.com/1-taylor-spark-plug-wires.html] for your car, truck, SUV, or minivan.

Chocolate And Your Dogs Health -- What You Should Know

Chocolate And Your Dogs Health -- What You Should Know

by: Carolyn Schweitzer

Chocolate -- Who can Resist it?

Your dogs health depends on it! (resisting, that is). We humans get to indulge because most of us know when to stop. But your dog won't quit after just a few. Give her a chance and she'll down the whole box of Godivas in one gulp. So on Valentine's Day, you're actually being kind to your best buddy if you eat all the chocolates yourself!Why is chocolate harmful to a dogs health?Chocolate, as you know, is made with cocoa beans. And cocoa beans contain methylxanthine alkaloids in the form of theobromine and caffeinea, which are toxic to dogs. Chocolate can also contain high amounts of fat which can put your dogs health in jeopardy as well.

How Much is Too Much?

Though it's certain that dogs and chocolate don't mix, different dogs react differently to the methylxanthines. And reactions can vary according to the age, size and overall health of the dog. The smaller the dog the smaller the dose needed to produce an effect. And of course, if your dog's health is already weakened by other medical conditions, he's more susceptible. The same holds for older dogs.. Theobromine is present in differing amounts in different kinds of chocolate:

White chocolate 1mg/oz
Hot chocolate 12 mg /oz
Milk chocolate 44-66 mg/oz
Semi-sweet chocolate 260 mg/oz
Dark chocolate 450 mg/oz (wow!)
Baking/bitter chocolate or cocoa powder varies as much as 150-600 mg/oz.

How much chocolate can a dog eat and survive?

That depends in part on her weight.

Under 200 mg theobromine per kg body weight (91mg per lb) has not been observed to be fatal. A potentially lethal dose in a 16 pound. dog is only one pound of milk chocolate. Only two ounces of baking chocolate can cause serious problems in a 10-pound dog. People stop eating chocolate before getting to toxic levels, but dogs don't!

What are the warning signs of a problem?

Any dog who's eaten chocolate should be watched closely for symptoms, particularly smaller dogs, "seniors", and dogs with health problems. Symptoms may range from from vomiting and diarrhea to panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death in severe cases.

While white chocolate may not be as likely to cause a methylxanthine poisoning, the high fat content of lighter chocolates could still lead to vomiting and diarrhea, and possibly the development of life-threatening pancreatitis. Too much fatty food will also affect a dogs health in the same way it does ours, by packing on the pounds!

What can be done once chocolate is ingested?

Make note of the type of chocolate ingested and how much was eaten, if possible.

Theobromine will stay in the bloodstream between 14 and 20 hours. Within two hours of ingestion, try inducing vomiting unless your dog is over stimulated, comatose, or has lost the gag reflex.

If your dog has eaten a considerable amount of chocolate, or displays any of the above symptoms, take her to the vet right away. If her symptoms are minor, make her eat activated charcoal. The unabsorbed theobromine binds to it and be passed out of the system. (In a pinch, burnt - as in thoroughly blackened - toast will do.)

Are there any other products I should worry about?

Yes -- Cocoa Mulch!!

No, it's not chocolate, but the two products have something in common. They're both derived from the cocoa bean, and they're both hazardous to your dogs health.

Cocoa bean shells are a by-product of chocolate production and are popular as mulch for landscaping. Homeowners like the attractive color and scent, and the fact that the mulch breaks down into an organic fertilizer.

Some dogs are attracted to cocoa mulch, and will eat it in varying quantities. The coca bean shells can contain from 0.2% to 3% theobromine (the toxin ) as compaired to 1-4% in unprocessed beans.

Eating cocoa mulch has four possible outcomes. The most common is vomiting, in 50% of cases. Next most common, in 33% of cases, is tremors (shaking). And 17% end up with tachycardia (rapid heart rate), hyperactivity or diarrhea. The fourth outcome is no effect on the dogs health at all, and this is the result in 33% of cases.

Although only 16 cases were reported in approximately one year (the duration of the study), reports are on the increase. California accounts for about 2/3 of cases reported so far. Fortunately, there have been no reported fatalities, and getting your friend to the vet promptly will assure a happy outcome.

What's the Bottom Line?

Thanks to a more educated public, fewer fatalities from foods like chocolate are being reported these days.

Still, it pays to keep up with what's currently known about various foods and their effects on a dogs health and well being. Grapes and cocoa mulch, for example, were discovered only recently to have harmful effects.

If your dogs health is important to you (and I'm betting it is!), then keep him away from the chocolates on Valentine's Day and other holidays as well. And watch out year round for products made from the cocoa bean.

In an emergency, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.

About The Author

Dr. Carolyn Schweitzer, a former family dentsit, is a PowerSeller on eBay and owner and editor of several websites, including http://www.Great-Dog-Gift.com. Visit her there to read about other foods that can harm your dogs health at http://www.great-dog-gift.com/harmfulfoods, and check frequently with sources like the ASPCA for updates. Or sign up at "http://www.great-dog-gift.com/coldnoses" to keep informed!

netbrainer@verizon.net

17 Popular Quotes about Chocolate

17 Popular Quotes about Chocolate

by: Bridget Mwape

1. "Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eat lots of chocolate!" - Elaine Sherman, Book of Divine Indulgences

2. "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar in four pieces with your bare hands--and then just eating one piece" - Judith Viorst

3. "Self-discipline implies some unpleasant things to me, including staying away from chocolate and keeping my hands out of women's pants." - Oleg Kiselev

4. "It's not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man." - Miranda Ingram

5. "Life is like a box of chocolates...You never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump

6. "The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain." - Thomas Jefferson

7. "Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate." - Sandra Boynton

8. "If one swallows a cup of chocolate only three hours after a copious lunch, everything will be perfectly digested and there will still be room for dinner." - Brillat-Savarin

9. "It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested... that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work." - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

10. "If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?" - Marquise de S?vign?

11. "Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power. It is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits." - Baron Justus von Liebig

12. "Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." - John Q. Tullius

13. "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray

14. "Forget love... I'd rather fall in chocolate!" - Author Unknown

15. "There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles." - Author Unknown

16. "My favorite thing in the world is a box of fine European chocolates which is, for sure, better than sex." - Alicia Silverstone

17. "After about 20 years of marriage, I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of that one. And I think the answer lies somewhere between conversation and chocolate." - Mel Gibson in What Women Want.

About The Author

Copyright 2005. Bridget Mwape writes for Chocolate Gift Basket website at: http://www.chocolate-gift-basket.org.uk/ which features gift ideas, chocolates and more. He also writes for http://www.sweets-and-chocolate.org.uk/ which offers a wide selecti

Sweet Gourmet: Baking Chocolate Guide

Sweet Gourmet: Baking Chocolate Guide

by: Donna Monday

Several types of chocolate may be used when baking cookies, pies, cakes, bars, and other sweet treats. The amount of cocoa butter and sugar can affect the texture and taste of chocolate?from bitter to very sweet. Below is a quick guide to the most popular kinds of chocolate used in baked goods.

=> UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE ? Unsweetened chocolate contains nothing but pure chocolate and cocoa butter. There?s no sugar added. This chocolate is dark in color and has a strong flavor.

=> UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER ? Unsweetened cocoa powder is pure chocolate that?s had a majority of the cocoa butter removed.

=> SEMISWEET AND BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ? Semisweet and Bittersweet chocolate contains at least 35% pure chocolate. Cocoa butter and sugar have been added. This type of chocolate is often used in cookies and can be used interchangeably.

=> MILK CHOCOLATE ? Milk chocolate contains at least 15% of pure chocolate, and is mixed with cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids. It has a creamy texture and is often used to make chocolate candy.

=> WHITE CHOCOLATE ? White chocolate is unique in that it contains no pure chocolate. However, it does have cocoa butter. Other ingredients are sugar and milk solids. When buying white chocolate for baking, be sure to check the label first to avoid confusing it with other similar looking white baking products.

=> SWEET CHOCOLATE ? Sweet chocolate contains at least 15% pure chocolate. Other ingredients are sugar and cocoa butter. Use sweet baking chocolate when you want your baked goods to have a rich chocolate flavor, without the bitterness of other types of chocolate.

About The Author

Brownies, Cheesecake, Fudge and more . . .

http://www.best-brownie-recipes.com

How to make great Chocolate Gourmet Caramel Apples

How to make great Chocolate Gourmet Caramel Apples

by: Janice Dunbar

Do you want to make yummy chocolate caramel apples, but don't know where to start. Well, its quite simple. Simply start with the following:

Granny Smith apples

2 Large bag of Kraft caramel squares

Popsicle sticks

2 Bag of Milk Chocolate Candy Melts from Michael's Craft store

Nuts

Wash apples thoroughly and add sticks. Melt caramel squares in microwave. Dip apples in caramel and let dry for 15 minutes. Add nuts to apples (optional.) Then melt chocolate and pour into plastic pastry bag. Add twist tie to top of pastry bag and snip tiny hole at the end of the bag. Strip apples with chocolate and let set for 30 minutes to dry.

About The Author

Janice Dunbar

I have own Richland Gourmet Apples for two years and offer some of the fanciest apples in the business. Our apples make great gifts for the holidays/celebrations or just a nice treat for you yourself.

Please visit our website at www.richlandgourmetapples.com

Chocolate Is Good for Us? Yes! (Third in a series)

Chocolate Is Good for Us? Yes! (Third in a series)

by: Lisa J. Lehr

This is my third in a series of articles on the happy health benefits of some of our favorite indulgences. Please read my related articles on coffee and tea, wine and beer.

When the Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes came home from Mexico in the early 1500s, he brought with him the sacred drink of the Aztecs. Made from the roasted seeds of Theobroma cacao, the drink was flavored with a blend of exotic ingredients, and although Cortes had come to like this concoction, the Spanish eventually added sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon for a sweeter drink more pleasing to European taste. The secret recipe was eventually leaked to Europe, and first appeared in London in the mid-1600s. By 1765 the American colonists were enjoying cocoa made from West Indian beans. Cocoa powder was developed by a Dutch chocolate maker, and his patented process for pressing cocoa butter from the roasted beans made possible the production of both instant cocoa and edible chocolate.

Theobroma means, appropriately, ?food of the gods.? Chocolate has low levels of caffeine; its main stimulant is theobromine, with a much milder effect. The darker the chocolate, the higher is the content of theobromine.

Cacao beans are extremely rich in flavonoids, the same antioxidant compounds found in wine and beer, coffee and tea. Chocolate contains calories and fat but contributes little to the total saturated fat in the average American diet. Eating dark chocolate in favor of milk chocolate helps in avoiding much of the fat.

Chocolate causes the brain to release endorphins, the natural opiates that are our pleasure chemicals; and phenylethylamine, a compound in chocolate, is thought to stimulate the same physical reaction as falling in love. The smell alone slows brain waves, inducing a sense of calm and enhancing verbal learning.

Chocolate contains a significant amount of magnesium and iron. One and a half ounces of chocolate have about the same amount of antioxidant phenolic compounds as a glass of red wine.

The fat in cocoa is stearic acid, a saturated fat comprising about 30% of the fat in a bar of chocolate. Some of the stearic acid in chocolate converts in the body to oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat similar to that found in olive oil, which is well known for its health benefits.

On the down side, in people prone to migraines, amine compounds in chocolate can trigger attacks, as sufferers have low levels of phenolsuphotransferase, an enzyme that processes them. Yet because cocoa reduces the blood platelet adhesion that can lead to headaches, it may conversely be beneficial.

The quality of the chocolate makes all the difference. The key to enjoying the health benefits of chocolate is to eat high quality dark chocolate with a 60 to 70% cocoa solid content. Normal dark chocolate has around 30%; ordinary chocolate has as little as 10 to 20% cocoa content, with a lot of sugar and hydrogenated vegetable fats. High-quality chocolate can be suitable for diabetics, as it does not create a blood sugar rush as high-sugar chocolate does.

There also may be a case for organic varieties, as the pesticide lindane, linked to breast cancer, has been found in chocolate. The chemical is in the process of being banned but is still used in developing countries. If the coffee plant is not organic, it is probably heavily sprayed, because chocolate is such a valuable crop.

And while you?re at it, go ahead and get chocolate with nuts. They?re a tremendous source of vitamin E, heart-healthy fats, and virtually no saturated fats.

So, go ahead and indulge.

About The Author

Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer with a specialty in business and marketing communications. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching, and has a particular interest in health matters. She is also a graduate of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI), America?s leading course on copywriting.

Contact Lisa J. Lehr Copywriting www.ljlcopywriting.com, Lisa@ljlcopywriting.com for help with your business writing needs.

Delicious Vintage Chocolate Recipes For All Seasons

Delicious Vintage Chocolate Recipes For All Seasons

by: Victor Carlton

Whether it?s a party, a quiet day in the house or just cruising downtown with friends, there?s always an occasion (or excuse) to gratuitously munch on chocolate.

Everyone loves chocolates, especially the types made from those secret vintage recipes. Listed below are a few of such.

CHOCOLATE JELLY WITH CRYSTALLIZED GREEN GAGES

Dissolve in a quart of water three tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate and let it come to a boil. Simmer for about ten minutes. Add a cup of sugar and a box of gelatin (that has been softened in a cup of water) and strain through a jelly bag or two thicknesses of cheese-cloth. When almost cold, add a dessertspoonful of vanilla and a tablespoonful of brandy. Then whisk well, add half a pound of crystallized green gages cut into small pieces and pour into a pretty mould. When cold serve with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE

Put one ounce of chocolate and one tablespoonful of butter in a cup, and set this in a pan of boiling water. Beat to a cream half a cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar. Gradually beat in half a cupful of milk. Now add the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one teaspoonful of vanilla, and a cupful and a half of sifted flour, in which is mixed one teaspoonful of baking powder. Put about one-third of this mixture into another bowl, and stir the melted butter and chocolate into it. Drop the white-and-brown mixture in spoonfuls into a well buttered deep cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about forty-five minutes; or, the cake can be baked in a sheet and iced with a chocolate or white icing.

MRS. BEDFORD'S CHOCOLATE CRULLERS

Cream two tablespoonfuls of butter and one-half of a cupful of sugar; gradually add the beaten yolks of three eggs and one and one-half cupfuls more of sugar, one cupful of sour milk, one teaspoonful of vanilla, two ounces of chocolate grated and melted over hot water, one-third of a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in one-half of a teaspoonful of boiling water, the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth, and sufficient sifted flour to make a soft dough. Roll out, cut into oblongs; divide each into three strips, leaving the dough united at one end. Braid loosely, pinch the ends together and cook until golden-brown in smoking-hot fat.

About The Author

Article by Victor Carlton of http://www.chocolate-candy-recipes.com. Looking for great chocolate recipes? discover a large collection of mouth watering vintage chocolate recipes at http://www.chocolate-candy-recipes.com.

Victor Carlton is a self-confessed chocoholic who has a real passion for cooking.