Chocolate Peppermint Cake Balls
from dailyherald.com

1 box (18.25 ounces) devil’s food cake mix
3 eggs
1⅓ cups water
½ cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons pure peppermint extract, divided
1 container (16 ounces) prepared fudge frosting
1 package (about 24 ounces) chocolate almond bark

~ Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper.

~ In a large bowl, stir cake mix with eggs, water, oil and 11/2 teaspoons peppermint extract until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 33-38 minutes.

~ Cool slightly and crumble while warm into a large bowl; stir in the frosting until well blended.

~ With a small cookie scoop, form balls (smooth with hands if desired) and place on wax paper. Chill 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer.

~ In a heatproof bowl, melt chocolate bark in the microwave set on HIGH for 90 seconds. Stir and heat at 30-second intervals until melted; stir in remaining extract until smooth.

~ With a fork, dip balls into chocolate, shaking gently to let excess dip off. Return to wax paper and sprinkle with crushed candy cane. Let sit at room temperature until coating hardens. Store in an airtight container.

~ Makes 36-42 cake balls.

[image: flickr]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

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 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (about 2 cups) chopped walnuts
1 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 to 5 tablespoons milk, as needed
1/2 cup decorative sprinkles

…..

For the cookies:

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a mixing bowl, add walnuts, and mix again.

~ In a small saucepan, combine shortening and milk. Place over low heat until shortening melts. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and stir to blend.

~ Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until well blended.

~ While warm, roll dough into 1- to 1 1/2-inch balls. Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on one or two baking sheets, and bake until surface is no longer shiny, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

For icing and decorating:

~ Place confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and mix in enough milk to make icing just thick enough to coat the top of a cookie. Dip top of each cookie into icing, then into sprinkles, and set aside to dry. When cookies are completely dry, store in an airtight container.

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

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, though these might do best as something to serve at a party as opposed to packaging up for gift giving.

And who says the whole chocolate covered treat had to be edible? Try these chocolate dipped spoons for a great and easy stir-in for coffee or hot chocolate — the chocolate melts into the hot liquid with no muss, no fuss, and they’re great for gift giving with a tin of hot chocolate and some cute mugs.

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

Pylones USA has now introduced another fun chocolate (but not really) gadget just in time for the holidays. If someone on your list has an iPhone, this will make the perfect stocking stuffer: A protective iPhone case made to look just like a thick bar of milk chocolate.

The iPhone slips right into the silicone case, which keeps it protected in your purse or bag. Just don’t let anyone go snooping or they might think they’ve found their after lunch snack.

At only $15 a pop, it’ll fit perfectly, both size-wise and financially, into anyone’s stocking this Christmas!

[image: pylones usa]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

Make sure you plan ahead since these need to sit overnight in the refrigerator. You can add some chopped pecans, walnuts or even almonds too, and present them in one of those cute holiday-themed aluminum tins with the plastic lids for gift-giving.

Homemade Russell Stover Coconut Chocolates

2 c. powdered sugar
1 15oz can evaporated milk
1/4 c. coconut
1/2 lb. butter
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips and chill overnight. Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler, or directly on stove over very low heat. Form filling mixture into small balls, dip in melted chocolate and set on waxed paper to harden. Do not refrigerate.

[image: flickr]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

Milk Chocolate Coated Sponge Candy

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp baking soda, sifted
1 lb. milk chocolate, divided

~ Place foil in a 9-inch square pan with 2-inch sides, extend foil over sides. Butter the foil very generously.

~ In a heavy large, deep saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar.

~ Stir over a medium heat until sugar dissolves. Swirling pan occasionally, cook mixture until candy thermometer reads 300F, approximately 18 minutes.

~ Remove from heat and immediately add baking soda and stir until well combined, mixture will foam vigorously.

~ Pour mixture into prepared pan and cool completely.

~ Using the foil as an aid, lift: candy from pan and fold down foil sides. Cut or break candy into pieces.

~ Chop chocolate finely and melt in a double boiler to 120 degrees.

~ Dip sponge candy into chocolate and set on a baking rack to cool.

[image: flickr]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

I like the idea of making these for friends and family and arranging them on a platter in the shape of a Christmas tree or even a wreath. Dying the coconut red or green is also a nice touch! These would be great for Valentine’s Day, too, come to think of it!

Chocolate Cherry Christmas Creams

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
1 1/4 cup coconut OR chopped nuts

~ Melt chocolate and milk over low heat. Remove from heat. (Can also be melted in the microwave – check every 15 to 25 seconds.)

~ Stir in powdered sugar, nuts and cherries, mix well.

~ Chill until cool enough to handle.

~ Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in nuts or coconut.

~ Chill at least 4 hours. Keep chilled.

~ Makes 24 pieces.

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

I just came across this idea for chocolate pretzel kisses, and since it requires easy to find ingredients and pretty much no other prep aside from assembly and warming up, they might just make it into this year’s gift! The “recipe” is easy to find pretty much anywhere, and I picked this one up from allrecipes.com.

Chocolate Pretzel Kisses

24 circular or square bite-size pretzels
24 milk chocolate Kisses and/or Hugs
1 (1.69 ounce) package candy-coated chocolates

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees

~ Place pretzels on baking sheets

~ Unwrap Kisses and/or Hugs and place one in the center of each pretzel

~ Place in preheated oven 1 to 2 minutes, until kisses melt

~ Remove from oven and place one candy-coated chocolate in the center of each pretzel and press down gently

~ Chill in refrigerator until set

[image: flickr]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

Easter is still almost two months away (April 12th this year) and while out getting some necessities yesterday at the store I saw that they already have their displays out.

I know this isn’t out of the ordinary anymore, especially given the current economy and retailers wanting to get a jump on as much as they can as soon as they can, but it never fails to throw me for a loop how soon we’re faced with the next holiday season, no matter how far away it may be. The past few holidays have seemed to creep in sooner than usual, with Christmas stuff out in September and Thanksgiving seemingly pushed to the back burner altogether.

However, I will admit that despite grumbling over early holiday creep, I couldn’t resist buying a bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs and Cadbury Mini Eggs. I’m only human!

What do you think? Does holiday creep bother you or do you like getting an early start?

[image: candywarehouse]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

Youtube user “MyHappySock” has created a video about the chocolate treats he makes for the holidays. These fun treats couldn’t be any easier and he includes all the steps for everything from a chocolate-covered s’more to chocolate-covered Oreos and even an idea for using up the extra dipping chocolate.

I think this year I might try the chocolate-dipped Oreos and pretzels for my goodie bags. Yum!

Post from: Chocolate Bytes