Raspberries and chocolate go together as deliciously as, well, strawberries and chocolate, and peanut butter and chocolate, and… you get the idea! For this Valentine’s Day, instead of buying something pre-made (though there’s nothing wrong with that!) surprise your loved ones with this yummy chocolate and raspberry tart.

Raspberry Chocolate Heart Tart
from nestle

1 purchased refrigerated pie pastry for 9-inch pie
1 cup (6 ounces) Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups raspberries, rinsed and dried
Sifted powdered sugar

~ Place pastry circle with plastic removed on lightly floured surface; roll out slightly. Trim small amount of pastry away to form heart shape. Place heart on ungreased baking sheet. Turn edges under 1/2 inch; flute. Prick pastry with tines of fork.

~ Bake in preheated 425 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.

~ Microwave morsels and sweetened condensed milk in medium, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for a few minutes or until chocolate is set.

~ Arrange raspberries over chocolate; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 4-6 servings.

[image: flickr]

Is anyone else counting down the days until Valentine’s Day or is it just me? Actually, I know my kids are too, and that might be because I like to do something special for them for breakfast on that day. Usually it’s little individual boxes of chocolate for each them with one of those breakfast pies and some strawberry milk, but since Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday this year I can spend a little more time on it, and the ideas below will come in handy!

~ Rocky Ledge Bars at Erin’s Food Files
~ Very Chocolate Cake from Na Miotle
~ …read more

One of my favorite things to indulge in this Valentine’s Day season (it’s a whole season now, right?) are Lindt’s truffles and hearts from their Valentine’s Day collection.

Lindt’s truffles are available at most retailers nationwide and are the perfect gift for a loved one or for stocking up your own personal chocolate stash!
Lindt has very generously offered up three Valentine’s Day gift baskets for three Chocolate Bytes readers! These gift baskets include:
Lindt Crystal Heart Tin: a sure way to add a little sparkle to the night, it features glittering crystals on the outside and delicious milk chocolate Lindor Truffles …read more

February is Chocolate Lovers Month at Dunkin Donuts, and throughout the month they’ll be offering new affordable chocolate menu items, including some treats for under a dollar.

The new dollar options include the Triple Chocolate Donut, which is a chocolate cake donut topped with chocolate frosting and milk chocolate chips, and the Sprinkle The Love Donut, a chocolate frosted yeast donut topped with special heart-shaped sprinkles. Both are available at the suggested retail price of 89 cents.
Also making their debut this month are the White Chocolate Latte, which is served topped with a mocha swirl drizzle and can be served hot …read more

One of my favorite holidays is Valentine’s Day, and the biggest reason for this is because my dear husband knows the way to my heart, which is to load it up with See’s Candies!

See’s Candies is always on the ball with their chocolate gifts, which include but are not limited to the traditional chocolate-filled heart boxes, Scotchmallow hearts, Hot Hearts candies, and even sugar-free bars.
See’s has generously provided me with one $25 gift card (that can be redeemed online, so you don’t need to live close to a store) to be given away to one lucky Chocolate Bytes reader!
How To …read more

Valentine’s Day and Hershey’s go together like peanut butter and jelly, and a Valentine’s Day giveaway event just wouldn’t be the same without the ubiquitous American chocolate.

Hershey’s is generously offering up three amazing prize packs for Chocolate Bytes readers. You can keep it all to yourself, but there’s enough that sharing with your Valentine won’t put a dent in your personal stash!
Each prize pack includes:
~ 1 box (36 bars per box) of Hershey’s Special Dark Dark Chocolate Bars
~ 1 bag of Hershey’s Nuggets Dark Chocolate with Almonds
~ A set of 3 of assorted Hershey’s Extra Dark Chocolate (either bars/pouches)
How …read more

Bubble Chocolate may seem like a new concept to many Americans, but the delicate, aerated chocolate bars have actually been around Europe for many years! Bubble Chocolate has finally come to the U.S., and five lucky Chocolate Bytes readers will get to try them out for free!

Bubble Chocolate looks like a regular chocolate bar, but the inside has tiny bubbles. The bubbles are infused into the chocolate at a specific temperature, creating the delicate little pockets that make the bars so unique.
The best way to enjoy Bubble Chocolate is to start by breaking off a small piece and chewing it …read more

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse for a chocolate overload! To help celebrate, I’ve got a bunch of giveaways this week that are perfect for either giving away to your loved ones or keeping all for yourself. Today I’ve got a delicious offering from Dylan’s Candy Bar.

Dylan’s is providing five of their yummy Strawberry and Champagne Chocolate “It” Bars as well as five buckets of Dirt Balls. Don’t let the name fool you, these crunchy cookie balls are dipped in white chocolate and rolled in cocoa powder, and are perfect for a gag gift or to cheer up a …read more

Still trying to find the perfect gift for your loved ones for Valentine’s Day? Dagoba Organic Chocolate has the perfect solution for the chocolate lovers in your life!

Dagoba Organic Chocolate is generously offering up a twelve-bar prize pack to three lucky Chocolate Bytes readers! The twelve bars comprise Dagoba’s three Valentine’s sets:
~ Sweet & Spicy (Beaucoup Berries, Superfruit, Nibs and Xocolatl bars):
The perfect balance of sweet and spicy, this set of four bars combines the acai and goji berries in Beaucoup Berries with the vanilla and cherry-infused Superfuit bar, and balances those naturally sweet flavors with the subtle spiciness of …read more

With Valentine’s Day only two weeks away, it’s time to get the kisser in top shape, and what better way to do that than with some chocolate flavored lip butters from Palmer’s Cocoa Butter products!

Palmer’s, the “butter experts,” is anchored by its core Cocoa Butter Formula line, formulated with pure, natural cocoa butter. They have body, face and lip products that are ideal for moisturizing, softening and healing skin with a rich chocolate fragrance.
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula is a favorite of celebrities and consumers alike. They have products like the Cocoa Butter Formula Lip Butters in Dark Chocolate …read more