Courtesy of cherrylet

The giving and receiving of flowers is a time honoured tradition cultivated from a rich history. Be it a single delicate stem or an entire bouquet, the practice of giving flowers has been used to express love, attraction, condolences, and celebration.

But what about those who suffer from allergies? Or perhaps those who are against the idea of flower giving altogether, because the beautiful blossoms inevitable wither away into nothing? Well, look no further, Edible Arrangements (R) are officially in your midst!

Although these edible arrangements also do not last forever, they do offer some sweet rewards. Fashioned out of an array of colourful fruit, and shaped like daisies, stars and tulips, a bouquet of the edible variety is a refreshing way to liven up any event (and guaranteed to make your bouquet stand out from the rest.)

If fruit isn’t really your ideal taste sensation, there are always the highly regarded chocolate alternatives. Check out the lavish “The Sweet Garden” for all your chocolate flower hopes and dreams.

Courtesy of Oh Nuts

White lilies, peach kissed daisies, ravishing red roses, tulips, daffodils, Black Eyed Susan’s, you name it, they have it in a scrumptious chocolaty form, prettily wrapped and ready to be shipped.

You can also make your own chocolate arrangement. Simply buy some Mint Meltaways (R), a medium Styrofoam ball, a fancy glass and a box of pins. Push a pin through the top of the Mint Meltaway (R) wrapper, then stick into the Styrofoam ball. Repeat until the entire ball is covered, place in the glass so that it is free-standing, and voila! You’re very own inexpensive, yet oh-so good, chocolate edible arrangement. What could be easier? What could be better?

Chocolate gifts for Valentine’s Day are a  traditional sign of love and affection, and this year Bittersweet Café, the Bay Area’s bean-to-bar Bittersweet Origins chocolate maker and chocolate cafés, has a full array of its own chocolate collections and special gift packaging ready for your special Valentine sweetheart. 
Bittersweet’s three Bay Area locations are a Valentine gift central with delicious, high quality chocolate gifts ranging from $4.95 to $34.95.  

Valentine tins, Share the Love tins and Big Love Pails are popular Bittersweet signature gifts.  The Mint Tin includes Dark Chocolate Holland Mints and Dark Chocolate Peppermint Shortbreads while the Fruit and Nut Tin features Dark Chocolate Dried Strawberries, Dark Chocolate Cherries and Dark Chocolate Pistachios.
 
The Share the Love Tin provides a quarter pound each of Mint Mix (Dark Chocolate Holland Mints, Dark Chocolate Peppermint Shortbreads) and Fruit and Nut Mix (Dark Chocolate Dried Strawberries, Dark Chocolate Cherries, and Dark Chocolate Pistachios), Solid Milk Hearts and Solid Dark Chocolate Hearts. 

Fabulous handmade Bittersweet truffles are available in a variety of flavors, from hand-rolled dark, Fleur de Sel, raspberry liquor-spiked Framboise, and the scintillating Spicy, to the elegant finish of heart-shaped Blood Orange, Passion fruit and Cinnamon.

Other unique Bittersweet Valentine offerings are the Love Letter and the Tasting Tins.  The Love Letter is a modern-retro envelope, enclosing a note card, one New Tree Alpha Disc (an unusual and incredibly delicious bar -flax seeds give it an unusual crunch and make it rich in anti-oxidants) one of their best-selling Vosges Mini Bars and a $10.00 Bittersweet Gift Card.  

Tasting Tins include How Many Ways Do I Love Thee (a wide selection of small bits of some of the world’s most delectable chocolates) and the popular Heart of Darkness Collection.   The collection also includes an outline of the most recent findings about the health benefits of chocolate with high cacao content.

And, for those quick and inexpensive gift needs, Bittersweet is offering Chinese Take-Away Valentine Boxes with Solid Dark and Milk chocolate hearts, along with Raspberry Cream, Caramel and Mint Crunch Hearts.

About Bittersweet  Origins and Café
Bittersweet Origins is a manufacturing and retailing company which creates craft chocolate and coffee in handmade, micro-batches to engage the senses and the mind.  Bittersweet Café retail stores’ ambience and furnishings reflect the one-of-a-kind nature of its chocolate bars, chocolate drinks and coffees.  The warm and welcoming spaces furnished with unique tables, benches, carts and artwork from local craftspeople and artists create a gathering place for the community to savor locally made chocolate delicacies, coffee and tea.  The Bittersweet Cafes are located in San Francisco on Fillmore Street, College Avenue in Oakland and the Rose Garden Shopping Center in Danville.  For more information, visit www.bittersweetcafe.com/ or call 510-705-1860.

Truffles. Photo courtesy of mhaithaca

Any true chocoholic has spent a lot more time then they’d care to admit either pressing their noses against the front window of a chocolaterie, or drooling over a beautiful glass display case, housing the most beloved and cherished chocolaty treat of all time – truffles. 

Invented in 1625 by John Labarge, the humble chocolate truffle is traditionally a sphere like entity with a chocolate ganache center, encompassed by more chocolate and dusted with cocoa powder. However, history has seen several changes made to this cute confectionery – cream, nuts, liqueurs, berries, nougat, toffee, caramel, marshmallow, even wasabi has made its way into the recipes and hearts of chocolate lovers around the world. 

But one need not wander a chocolate shop dreamily, wishing for lots of money to throw down on a $4 or $5 taste of heaven. In fact, these delightful delicacies can be made right in the comfort of your own home at very little expense. 

THE BASIC TRUFFLE:

The trick is to begin with something simple, like a plain chocolate truffle, nothing fancy, but still sinfully good. Then later, once you have perfected your truffle technique, you can add different extracts and flavours to modify the original recipe. 

Ingredients:

- 12 ounces of chopped or broken bittersweet chocolate 
- 1/3 cup of cream (heavy cream is ideal, but ordinary cream will suffice) 
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

photo courtesy of photojenni

Method:

1. Heat cream and chocolate together in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture luxuriously smooth.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Add vanilla extract and whisk, whisk, whisk!
4. Pour into a new container or dish and leave to cool in refrigerator for approximately 1 hour, until sufficiently cooled, but not hard.
5. Roll into balls and roll in the topping of your choice.
6. (TIP: When rolling truffles, keep placing your hands on a package of crushed ice to keep your hands cool. This helps avoid melting the truffles into gooey messes.)

And there you have it – truffles galore right in your very own kitchen! Also, truffles make excellent gifts if packaged in tissue paper and presented in a pretty little box. Nothing says love quite like a homemade truffle (and nothing tastes quite as sweet either)!

The next time a dark chocolate candy bar with nuts is calling your name – you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in its rich, smooth sweetness. Dark chocolate actually possesses a handful of health benefits that goes beyond tasting good and serving as a remarkable comfort food.

There’s no denying the power of chocolate, as it contains ingredients that stimulate the body in more ways than one. The serotonin found in dark chocolate works to decrease stress and combats depression. Other ingredients increase the production of endorphins, which fills your body with that unforgettable feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. Other substances, such as theobromine and caffeine, contribute an energetic and pleasing boost of energy that lifts the spirits.

The Health Factors of Dark Chocolate

Since chocolate comes from a plant, it offers some of the same health benefits as dark vegetables. Like other plants, it contains flavonoids, which provide beneficial antioxidants to the body. Eat dark chocolate in moderation and you can lessen the damage of free radicals, which contributes to heart disease and causes your body to age at a faster rate. When compared to strawberries, you’ll be surprised to know that dark chocolate contains nearly eight times more antioxidants.

It’s the flavonoids in dark chocolate that also aids in maintaining a healthy blood pressure and helps create a balance in hormones throughout the body. Studies have proven that daily consumption of just a small amount of dark chocolate can reduce blood pressure in patients that suffer high blood pressure. An up to 10% reduction in LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) is also linked to eating dark chocolate.

However, many people shy away from chocolate because they feel it contains a lot of calories, but you’ll be pleased to know that some of the fats in chocolate are healthy. Oleic acid is the same healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, while stearic acid provides a saturated fat with a neutral effect on cholesterol. The saturated fat linked to raising cholesterol levels and increasing the risk for heart disease only accounts for one-third of the fat content in chocolate.

5 Stay-Healthy Chocolate Tips

From promoting a physically fit heart to serving the cardiovascular system, you don’t have to feel guilty about routinely eating a small bar of dark chocolate. A few suggestions to help you get the most out of dark chocolate health benefits include:

• Don’t exceed more than 100 grams (or 3.5 ounces) of dark chocolate per day in order to maximize health benefits.
• Choose dark chocolate containing a 65% or higher cocoa content.
• Resembling chocolate chips, many organic trail mixes contain raw cacao in the form of cacoa nibs – unroasted, unsweetened bits of healthy chocolate.
• Add raw organic cocoa powder to soy ice cream or refreshing smoothies.
• For a flavorful healthy treat, select dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel, and natural flavorings.

Great resources for dark chocolate: Chocolate.com, See’s Candies.

Courtesy of http://familyfun.go.com

Looking for something a little bit different to serve at your next holiday party?  Why not try mug cakes! (Recipe compliments of Family Fun Magazine.)

These simple individualized desserts look just like a mug of hot chocolate, but bonus, won’t be ruined if turned cold.

All you need is a standard box of cupcake mix (preferably chocolate, of course), a canister of cooking spray and some marshmallow creme.

The Steps:

1. Use oven safe mugs, available at any kitchen supply store. Ideally you want to use glass mugs so that you can see the cake in all its glory once baked. Spray the inside of the mugs with cooking spray.

2. Fill the mugs approximately halfway with the chocolate batter.
3. Pay attention to the baking instructions on the cupcake package.  When the cakes are cooked, leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Next, put a generous (key word ‘generous’) dollop of marshmallow creme on top of each cake and serve with a fork or spoon.

Courtesy of Ssimpson13

(NOTE:  Depending on the type of cupcake batter being used, it is possible to whip up a batch of mug cakes in the microwave too!)

Any kind of cupcake mix will work for this fun and quirky dessert.  Feel free to use angel-food cake, vanilla, or even layer different kinds  of cakes within the mug if you’re feeling ambitious.  If marshmallow from a jar isn’t really your thing, go ahead and decorate with icing and sprinkles, ice-cream, or better yet, whipped cream!

Whatever you do, mug cakes are quick to make, handy and a little something different to offer guests this season.  The saying “easy as pie” should really be “easy as a mug cake.”

Courtesy of marin.made

We’ve all heard the phrase, “as useful as a chocolate tea-pot,” right?  The idea behind the analogy is that a chocolate tea-pot would dissolve once boiling water is poured inside, making it an impossible and therefore useless creation.  However, a group of adventurous researchers from Cambridge University, called The Naked Scientists, have proven that making a chocolate tea-pot is indeed possible and offers some sweet rewards.

But what if you craved that hint of delicious cocoa flavour in your tea without the messy hassle of shaping a tea-pot from a glob of oozing melted chocolate? Well, look no further. The chocolate dipped tea-spoon is a handy, easy to make, little alternative.

Courtesy of Stephanie'sBestShots

Just follow these no hassle steps.

1. The first (and arguably most important) thing you have to do is decide what kind of chocolate you want to use.  The options are plentiful;  dark, milk, semi-sweet, white, chocolate chips, chocolate bars, orange chocolate…the list is quite long.  Whatever you decide, you will need one 12 ounce bag to make approximately 3 dozen of these tasty candy spoons.

2. Next, you will require some plastic spoons.  Make sure they are heavy duty, so they do not melt.  Or if you’re feeling fancy, splurge and spring for a nice set of real spoons.  Either will work.

3. Cover a couple of standard cookie sheets with wax paper (to avoid sticking.)

4. Melt chocolate over a double boiler for about a minute.  No matter what keep stirring about every 20 seconds (even if it looks like it doesn’t need it) until the chocolate is melted and delectably smooth.

5. One at a time, dip the spoons into the melted chocolate so that the bowl of the spoon becomes completely coated.  Carefully tap spoon on the side of a cup or glass to get rid of any excess chocolate.  Allow to cool for a moment or two.  Then, in much the same way early pioneers went about making candles from melted wax, repeat the dipping process.  Repeat as many times as you want until the spoon is up to your chocolaty expectations.

6. Finally wrap your spoon in some cellophane, tie with a piece of ribbon and tra-la!!!  You did it!!

Don’t be afraid to get creative with these dipping delights either.

Drizzle with contrasting chocolate colours, roll in sprinkles, decorate boldly with icing, add a touch of mint during the melting process, go wild!

Courtesy of queenofdiy

Courtesy of coreymarie

Make these clever chocolate spoons a welcome addition to any tea, coffee, or hot chocolate occasion.  Or, if creating from scratch isn’t really your thing, order some unique designs and flavours from “Gourmet Coffee Xpress.”

Chocolate dipped spoons not only make great gifts and party favours, but also a wonderfully sweet treat!

This recipe is courtesy of The Oaks at Ojai.

Servings: 24 Serving size: ¼ cup + ½ c. raspberries Calories: 60

photo courtesy of The Oaks at Ojai

Ingredients:
16 oz. silken tofu
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1/3 c. cocoa
1/2 c. decaffeinated coffee
¼ c. agave

Directions:
In a food processor or blender, puree the tofu until smooth. Place the chopped chocolate cocoa powder, and coffee in a saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and mix in the agave. Stir until smooth. Add chocolate mixture to tofu and puree until well blended. Put in bowl and chill at least two hours. To serve, scoop 1/4 cup of mousse into serving dish and surround with fresh berries.

About the Source:
The Oaks at Ojai is an affordable fitness destination spa that includes overnight accommodations, three delicious and low-calorie meals a day, choice of 16 fitness classes per day and evening entertainment and seminars. The Oaks offers 46 guest rooms, including private rooms and suites, double lodge rooms and double cottage rooms. A charming 1920s hotel-turned-spa in the peaceful town of Ojai, The Oaks offers a variety of activities that allows guests to choose how to work out and take off excess pounds. Activities range from hiking, power walks and in-line skating, belly dancing, hula hoping, yoga, qi gong, water aerobics and other work out classes. A full menu of relaxing and therapeutic spa services is available as well as private consultations with a variety of health experts. The Oaks at Ojai is located at 122 East Ojai Avenue. For more information, visit The Oaks at Ojai online at www.oaksspa.com or call (800) 753-OAKS (6257).

Makes: 30 triangles
Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 pkg. (6.5 oz.) Alouette Berries & Cream Spreadable Cheese
18 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted
12 oz. unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. confectioner’s sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 400° F.

Lay out 3 sheets of phyllo dough. Brush 1 sheet with ½ tbsp. melted butter. Place second sheet on top. Brush top of second sheet with ½ tbsp. melted butter. Repeat with third sheet.

Cut stacked dough into 5 equal strips (approx. 2.25 inches wide).

Place ½ tbsp. Alouette Berries & Cream in center of each strip at the end closest to you. Begin folding in a triangle (in the style we fold our flag). Fold triangle over until the end of the strip. Place triangle on sheet tray end side down. Brush with melted butter.

Repeat preceding steps with remaining sheets of phyllo dough.

Place the 30 bundles on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, place chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on HIGH, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes.

Transfer bundles to waxed paper and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Let rest for 5 minutes.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm.

About: this recipe is courtesy of Alouette Cheese. For more great Alouette recipes visit www.alouettecheese.com or follow them on Twitter @alouettecheese.

This moist cake combines the fruits, nuts, and spices from the New World that the Spanish conquistadores discovered in 1508. Chocolate was part of this Mesoamerican tableau. Brown sugar and ginger arrived much later, but this cake pays homage to the riches of the original jungles and river valleys.

Makes 1 (9-inch) bundt cake.

Cake Ingredients
2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 scant teaspoon grated fresh ginger
4 large eggs
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
11/2 cups cooked pumpkin puree or 1 (15-ounce) can
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 cup cocoa nibs
1 cup pecans, broken into small pieces

Glaze ingredients
8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon light corn
syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a standard Bundt cake pan with oil or butter, then dust flour on the greased inside of the pan. Fluted Bundt pans, especially, need a lot of grease for the cake to release.

To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and brown sugar with a whisk until light and fluffy. Add the vegetable oil and pumpkin puree and stir until smooth. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until it is absorbed. Then add the rest of the flour mixture followed by the vanilla, rum, cocoa nibs, and pecans. Switch to a rubber spatula to stir the mixture until smooth. Use the rubber spatula to scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick or bamboo skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs, not batter. Allow the cake to cool in the pan to room temperature before inverting in onto a wire rack.

To make the glaze, combine the chocolate, butter, milk, corn syrup, and salt in a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water over medium heat and stir as the ingredients melt together. Pour the glaze over the cake after the cake has cooled to room temperature. You’ll have extra glaze left over, which you can pour into the center of the cake or save to serve with plated slices.

Enjoy!

About: This recipe is courtesy of Susie Norris who just launched her new gift/recipe book Chocolate Bliss: Sensuous Recipes, Spa Treatments, and Other Divine Indulgences in bookstores nationwide.

The Fillo Factory’s Organic Mini Fillo Shells (available in small and large) provide the perfect pastry for a quick and easy dessert. Enjoy Chocolate Hazelnut Tartlets with this simple recipe for Thanksgiving dessert.

Chocolate Hazelnut Tartlets
Ingredients: 
½ cup jarred hazelnut spread
24 Fillo Factory Mini Fillo Shells
Garnishes:  sweetened whipped cream, roasted salted hazelnuts
 
Preparation:
Spoon hazelnut spread into a 1 quart heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag (do not seal).  Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole.  Pipe hazelnut spread evenly into flaky Tartlet Shells.  Top each with sweetened whipped cream and a roasted salted hazelnut.
 
Note:  For testing purposes only, we used Nutella for hazelnut spread.
 
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

The recipe and photo are courtesy of The Fillo Factory.