The Hershey company have been donating portions of the sales of their chocolate for years now in support of their own Milton Hershey School, and now they want to thank you. Well, there’s really nothing much in it for the consumer, aside from the fact that the candy bars you continue to buy will still be benefiting the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but that should give you some warm fuzzies (especially if you check out some of the videos and stories from alumni on the site). However, in recognition of the school’s 100 anniversary, starting this January you’ll get it in writing with a special “thank you” on the backs of the king and regular sized milk chocolate and almond bars. The thank you says:... [Read more]

One of my favorite cookies during the holiday season are snowballs, or Russian wedding/tea cakes, or whatever else they’re known as (I swear I don’t think I’ve known of another cookie to have so many names!). This year, while perusing other Christmas cookie ideas, I came across a similar cookie that uses chocolate and is iced instead of rolled in powdered sugar. Though it’s not a shortbread cookie like the snowballs, the similar shape would make it fit in well with some snowballs in a treat tin. Iced Chocolate Christmas Cookies from nytimes.com 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup cocoa powder 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4... [Read more]

Tomorrow, December 16th, is Chocolate Covered Anything Day. This really couldn’t come at a better time of year, as people get down to the nitty gritty of their holiday baking and gift giving, and few things are easier than dipping a yummy treat in chocolate for an extra special finish. If you want to give something a little out of the ordinary (and I can think of a few brothers-in-law who wouldn’t even think twice about it), you could try your hand at some chocolate covered bacon, which, truth be told, is actually quite delicious. If you’re packaging it up, make sure you put parchment paper between the layers so the chocolate doesn’t all stick together. There’s also always the old standby of chocolate covered strawberries,... [Read more]

A chocolate trifle is a classic dish with a beautiful presentation. Assembled in a large glass dish so that it can be seen from all sides, the layers of cake, pudding and other yummy additions add to the elegance and appeal of the dessert. There are many variations of the trifle, with no one being “the only way” to do it. Traditionally they’ve been made with sponge cake, pudding or custard, and fruit, though more contemporary trifles also contain gelatin, liquor and whipped cream. One of the more modern methods of creating a trifle uses the convenience of prepackaged cake mixes and whipped topping. If you don’t have a lot of time but still want to “wow” your guests or family, try this easy version of a chocolate... [Read more]

This week’s round up of chocolate links from different food and recipe blogs has a little something for everyone, including some great chocolaty treats that would be appropriate for gift giving! ~ Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroons at Brownies for Dinner ~ Chocolate Chipotle Brownies from The Dog’s Breakfast ~ Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bars at Savory Sweet Life ~ Peppermint Patty Cocktail from Life’s Ambrosia ~ Rocky-Road Brownies at The Novice Chef ~ Chocolate Pecan Tarts from Whitney in Chicago ~ Chewy Coconut Chocolate Pinwheels at Blue Ridge Baker ~ Homemade Pocky from Wild Yeast ~ Gingerbread Blondie S’mores Panini at Panini Happy ~ Chocolate Christmas Mince Pies from Pease Pudding ~ Rolo Pretzel Bites at The Girl Who... [Read more]