The other day I got a delivery. It wasn’t one that I was expecting, and when I saw that it was addressed to me with “Chocolate Bytes” under my name I got a little excited — I knew there was going to be a delicious chocolaty treat inside!

This is what I pulled out. Kept cool by an ice pack and Styrofoam insulation, I had a pretty organza bag with four bars of various Lindt chocolate. But it was the one top that made my jaw literally drop.

Do you see that? 90% Cocoa. 90%! Are these people mad?, I thought. …read more

Chocolate news just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?
Science Daily had an article up a few weeks ago about the brain benefits of not only chocolate but wine and tea as well.
The dynamic trio apparently helps with cognitive performance: in a test with 2,031 elderly people between the ages of 70-74, the ones who ate the chocolate, tea and wine scored higher in a battery of cognitive tests than those who didn’t.
The reasoning behind the boost in brain function is still being studied (isn’t it always?), but it’s theorized that because cocoa, tea and red wine contain polyphenols — …read more

We had to venture out to Whole Foods last week to see if we could find some elusive Thanksgiving dinner ingredients and passed by a little sample table set up with some Organic Chocolate Truffles.
Of course we had to stop and try them and as you can imagine they were amazing! My husband actually went back for one more which surprised me because he’s not a huge fan of plain chocolate.
We bought an 8.8 oz box for $4.99 and have been enjoying them all weekend. Being covered in cocoa, they’re a bit messy so we’ve actually been poking at them …read more

Yes, fudge in the microwave, and speedy fudge at that!
Two-Minute Microwave Fudge
1 lb. powdered sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 cup cocoa
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine or butter
1/4 c. milk (any kind, even skim)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 – 1/2 c. pecans or walnuts (optional)
Mix sugar and cocoa together in a microwave safe bowl. Make a well in the center. Slice butter into the well and add milk. Microwave 2 minutes on High. Remove and stir. Add vanilla and nuts and stir. Turn into buttered pan and refrigerate.
[image: flickr]
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This is a Blogtoberfest Sponsored Post. If you would like to enter for a …read more

It was bound to happen (again!): Hershey’s announced last Friday that, effective immediately, it’s raising U.S. prices on its wholesale products by about 13%. They cited the higher cost of ingredients like cocoa, milk, corn sweetener, sugar and peanuts.
The mega-chocolate maker said its 2008 profit will be at the low end of its forecast range and they have cut sales growth projections for 2009, sending its shares down more than 4%.
This further cements my decision that if I’m spending the money on chocolate it’s going to a quality brand, which Hershey just hasn’t been for a while.
Do you …read more

Yay, it’s National Chocolate Pudding Day! You can even send an e-card.
I’ll admit that I have yet to make pudding from scratch. I’ve always used a packet for either the cooked type or instant, and of course they’ve always turned out great. But here is a recipe for making your own instant pudding mix!
Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
3 ounces Dutch-processed cocoa, approximately 1 cup
2 ounces cornstarch, approximately 1/2 cup
6 ounces confectioners’ sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 1/2 ounces instant non-fat dry milk, approximately 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl or plastic container with a lid, combine the cocoa, cornstarch, sugar, …read more

Brownies, like many other great inventions, are said to have been the mistake of a careless cook who forgot to put baking powder into a chocolate cake recipe. She ended up with what we now call brownies, and thank heavens she didn’t just toss the pan out without trying them first!
I was watching Food Network last night and caught Alton Brown doing an episode on cocoa, which included him to making the brownies below. I’ve made these before (but didn’t get pictures of them) and they’re delicious!
Cocoa Brownies
Soft butter, for greasing the pan
Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
4 large eggs
1 …read more

Chocolate as a health food has been big news lately. First came the news that it prevents wrinkles, then that it can reduce the risk of cancer, and finally that chocolate keeps your blood pressure down. But before you rush into a chocolate feeding frenzy in the interest of good health, you should know the details about what you’re eating.
This is where the Chocolate Manufacturer’s Association (CMA) can help. They have come out with a document called Making Sense of % Cacao that includes definitions of many of the terms found on chocolate packaging. You can read the entire document …read more