However, Dove sent me some samples this past week and I’ll admit, I’m very glad they did! I hadn’t realized that it was white chocolate and dark chocolate, with bits of peppermint candy in the white chocolate half which provides a bit of a nice little crunch.

Like the rest of the Dove Promises chocolates these have little quotes on the inside of the foil wrapper, though these have holiday entertaining tips from Martha Stewart instead of the usual uplifting or inspirational thoughts.

These are great as little treats on their own, of course, and while I snacked on one I thought they’d also be great chopped up into chunks for cookies or brownies. Like any Dove chocolate I’ve had, they’re smooth with a real chocolate taste, which is more than I can say for the majority of chocolate you can pick up at the grocery store!

[image: dove]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

With White Chocolate Day coming up on September 23, I thought I would see what I could find that doesn’t involve the typical uses of white chocolate, like cookies, coatings, etc. I came across white hot chocolate and I’m intrigued.

I’m not a huge fan of white chocolate, but I’ll give anything a shot, so I might be able to talk myself into either getting the ingredients to make my own batch, or at least invest in a canister of pre-made mix and see what we think. It definitely won’t go to waste — anything with “chocolate” in it is sure to be a hit with the kids!

White Hot Chocolate
from Martha Stewart

2 ounces milk chocolate, for garnish
12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Peppermint sticks, for garnish
Whipped cream, for garnish

~ Using a vegetable peeler, shave milk chocolate into curls; set aside.

~ Place white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl; set aside. Place milk and cream in a medium saucepan set over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around edges of pan, about 4 minutes. Immediately pour mixture over white chocolate. When chocolate begins to melt, stir to combine. Whisk in vanilla. Continue whisking until a light foam forms.

~ Serve immediately garnished with peppermint sticks, whipped cream, and chocolate curls.

[image: flickr]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

Turns out there was probably no sinister meaning behind her instructions to me.  She had simply been watching a Martha Stewart show on TV and felt the urge to share what she’d learned.  Martha Stewart is another one who makes me feel like there is a sinister plot afoot.  I think she exists just to make the rest of us feel semi-useless.  Yes, I’m jealous that she can do so many different things so well, but she doesn’t have to flaunt it!

Back to the point, how do you melt chocolate?  Well, these instructions were for those of us who don’t own a double boiler (I suspect a great many of us don’t) and who want to melt chocolate in the microwave.

The thing you need to be very careful of when melting chocolate in the microwave is that it melts faster than it looks like it is melting.  Chocolate seems to hold its shape, so you can put a bowl of chocolate chips in the microwave, nuke them, and they’ll still look like chocolate chips until you stir them.  But if you overdo the melting, the chocolate will be streaky according to Martha, or worse yet, will burn.  That last point is according to me.

So, whether you are melting chocolate chips or baking squares or chunks of chocolate, just put them in for no longer than one minute to start.  Then give it a stir to see how melted it really is.  If it is not yet half melted, put it in for another 20 seconds.  Stir again and repeat if necessary.  But, once it is about half melted, take it out of the microwave and just stir it until the remainder melts.

And that is how you melt chocolate in the microwave according to Martha Stewart with special comments from me!

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Post from: Chocolate Bytes