Though Thanksgiving doesn’t usually have a lot to do with chocolate (it’s all about the pumpkins and turkey!), you can always sneak some in anyway. I made a batch of glazed pumpkin chocolate chip cookies yesterday to take to my daughters’ classes at school. If you’re looking for a quick, delicious treat to serve to guests today, make sure you check those out. They’re always a huge hit.

And after the festivities are over, family and friends have left and the cleaning is done (or waiting patiently in the sink until tomorrow), you can relax on the couch with a nice mug of hot chocolate and a good movie or book!

[image: chocolate.com]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

Why not break tradition and try one of the delicious goodies below with fudge or cookies or fun crafty things to do with kids. If you don’t feel like shaking things up that much, put a chocolaty treat beside the pumpkin pie so your guests can choose.

~ Oreo Turkeys from Cookies and Cups

~ How to Frost a (Beautiful) Cake Tutorial at Savory Sweet Life

~ S’more Cupcakes from Annie’s Eats

~ Butter Toffee Crunch at Blue Ridge Baker

~ Peanut Butter Hot Cocoa from Wasabimon

~ Nutella and Dark Chocolate Truffles at Sunita’s World

~ Chocolate Whoopie Pies from Comfy Belly

~ Chocolate Pretzels at Zoom Yummy

~ Homemade Belgian Truffles from Eddy Van Damme

~ Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle at Piece of Cake

~ Irish Creme Hershey Kisses from Candy Blog

~ Chocolate Caramel Bars at Delicously Organic

~ Individual Mocha Brownie Tarts from The Naptime Chef

~ Chocolate Waffles Cookies at The Merline Menu

[image: flickr]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

I don’t think that I would have ever thought to try white chocolate and sweet potatoes together before, but I’m definitely intrigued now:

White Chocolate & Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Filling
1½ pounds cream cheese
8 ounces granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 cup sweet potato puree (roast potatoes, then peel and pass through food mill)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 ounces white chocolate, melted over double boiler
Pinch salt

Crust
1 cup pecan halves or pieces, finely chopped
2 cups vanilla wafers, finely ground
¾ cup melted butter
½ cup sugar
Pinch salt

~ Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine all the crust ingredients and press onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch cake pan. The filling should be even throughout and pressed firmly to the pan.

~ For the cake filling, cream the cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the potato puree, eggs, salt and vanilla and mix until combined well.

~ Stir in the melted chocolate, then pour into the cake pan, place this in a larger pan and fill the outer pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake

~ Bake until the middle is just set, 1-1¼ hours. It will feel slightly soft in the middle, but will finish cooking even once the cake is out of the oven. Let chill overnight before serving.

~ Makes one 10-inch cheesecake.

[image: flickr]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

This gigantic chocolate turkey from Bissinger’s is touted as a “centerpiece” decoration for your Thanksgiving table. The semi-solid piece is made from milk chocolate with some nice darker chocolate accents, and stands at nine inches tall by 8.5 inches wide. It’s also gluten-free!

Though the real turkey and sides are the stars of the meal, I have to admit I’d be eyeballing the chocolate version if it were on my table!

Bissinger’s also has a lot of other Thanksgiving-related chocolate and candies, such as chocolate-covered Oreos with cute little Thanksgiving decorations piped on them, a smaller solid chocolate turkey, a box of assorted autumn chocolates, buttercream candy corns and pumpkins, and some beautiful foil-wrapped fall leaf chocolates (they kind of remind me of the See’s leaves).

Whether you’re planning to decorate with them, give them as gifts or just have some on hand, get your chocolate orders in quickly — Thanksgiving is only three weeks away!

[image: bissingers.com]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

See’s Foil Chocolate Turkeys: 3 for $9.90
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Chocolate Fantasies Flat Chocolate Turkeys: 60 for $55.20
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Madelaine Chocolate Turkeys: 6oz 24ct $83.04
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Lake Champlain Chocolate Centerpiece Turkeys: $18.00 each
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The Chocolate Vault Molded Chocolate Placecards: 6 for $9.30 (plus .10 each for cards)

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

I don’t usually like to do so many recipe posts in a row, but I can’t help myself this time of year, especially with Thanksgiving just a few days away! I’m contemplating making this for my older daughter’s birthday on Wednesday. She requested a raspberry cake with chocolate frosting and I think I could pull this off and surprise her. That is, if I can still find candy corn somewhere!

Chocolate Gobbler Cake

- 1 box devil’s food cake mix
- water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
- 1 container milk chocolate frosting
- 1 marshmallow
- Red colored sugar
- 35 pieces candy corn

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake mix as directed on box for two 9-inch round pans.

2. Cut 1 layer as shown in diagram. Freeze cut pieces uncovered 1 hour for easier frosting.

3. Place uncut layer on cake plate; frost top and side. Place cutout circle on larger layer; frost. Arrange head and feet on circle; frost.

4. Cut marshmallow in half. Moisten 1 half and dip in red sugar; join to head with frosting for turkey’s wattle. Use other half of marshmallow for turkey’s eye. Use candy corn for beak, claws and feathers. Store loosely covered.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box.

Post from: Chocolate Bytes