Trader Joe's Almond Clusters

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After consuming so much dark chocolate over the last couple of posts, I've decided to bring balance back to the force. How? Simply by indulging in some good ol' milk chocolate almond clusters. Not just any almond clusters mind you, only the best from Trader Joe's did the job.

Fortunately this came to be by the fact that they just opened one of these ever popular Trader Joe's in Ft Worth Texas. This Trader Joe phenomenon has gained traction over the past couple of years and for a good reason. They are not any grocery store down the street and they shouldn't even be considered grocery stores but called little pieces of foodie heaven. I digress, but I will point out that if you're lucky to be within 50 to 100 miles and you think of yourself as even part foodie, then go by all means and check out the Joe's. It's well worth the trip!

Getting back to the clusters, as one of the first products I brought from my first Trader Joe's experience (along with kettle korn, more chocolate, cookies, wine, soda, wasabi almonds and more chocolate) I couldn't of been happier with them. The milk chocolate was great quality as it was very smooth and creamy. When I bit into these I was met with perfect chewiness texture along with the crunch of the almonds. Wow! Amazing! I was already fan of almond clusters before but I fell in love with them just a little more with having traded up from them at Trader Joe's.

 If you're going to Trader Joe's for the first time or have been and passed these chocolate gems up, then on your next trip, I highly recommend you put them into your basket. On one last note, if you read the label on the package that these are natural which is always a good thing. No wonder they were so fresh and sweet to the last crunch! 

Green & Black's Organic Chocolate

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A while ago I went to one of my favorite stores, Sprouts, and I decided to indulge in a chocolate bar.  Not just any ol' chocolate bar, but a Green & Black's Organic 60% Dark Chocolate Mint Bar.  I do enjoy my chocolate, really enjoy it, but there are those pieces of chocolate that are just way to good to scarf down, it needs to be savored and appreciated.  I have successfully perfected the art of savoring chocolate, and a good sized chocolate bar, like Green and Black's bar, can last me a month.  I thoroughly enjoyed this bar.  The dark chocolate was rich and inviting, and the mint was subtle and refreshing.  I will definitely give the other intriguing varieties of Green and Black's a try, and I would definitely recommend this chocolate to any one who loves chocolate.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn

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Popcorn is good by itself but even better when it's turned into gourmet heaven. That's exactly what I did to a batch of fresh made on the stove popcorn the other night. Afterwards, the night was complete because what else is there after eating popcorn that's part milk chocolate and part chunky peanut butter? On second thought there could be a good movie to go with it but that's besides the point.

Ingredients:

• 12 cups of popped popcorn (stove top is recommended, I used a hand crank popcorn pot)
• 2 tablespoons of Kernel Season's Kettle Corn mix 
• 8 ounces of milk chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup of light corn syrup
• 2 cups of brown sugar 
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups of chunky peanut butter
• dash of salt 

Pop about 12 cups of popped popcorn but before it pops add about 2 tablespoons of Kernel Season's Kettle Corn mix to give the popcorn an extra coating so it holds up better.

In a large pot combine 2 cups of brown sugar, 3/4 cups of corn syrup, and 2 sticks of unsalted butter.

Bring the brown sugar, light corn syrup, and sticks of butter to a boil for about 3 minutes (above) and when it's about 2 minutes into boiling add 8 ounces of milk chocolate chips  (below).

The chocolate chips are enveloped into a sweet gooey vortex of goodness.

Stir the mix a little when the chocolate chips are almost completely melted.

After the mix has boiled for about 3 minutes in all, take it off the heat and stir until smooth.

In a large pyrex bowl or dish pour the boiled chocolate mix onto the popcorn. This process takes a little time but it's important to toss until all the popcorn kernels are evenly coated with the chocolate and bake in the oven at 300 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. Afterwards, add a dash of salt to the mix for taste. You're now baked chocolate popcorn mix should look like the image above after all this. Let this mix cool for about 30 minutes.

Melt 1 1/2 cups of chunky peanut butter the microwave until it's smooth and able to be poured.

Pour the chunky peanut butter over the popcorn and repeat the whole tossing process until the peanut butter evenly coats all the popcorn just like you did with the chocolate. Let it sit for over an hour in the refrigerator to ensure maximum goodness.

When you're finally able to taste your chocolate peanut butter popcorn creation you'll know that the time you put into it was well worth it. Worth it because this popcorn is just as good as any popcorn you could get at a gourmet popcorn shop. Trust me, I love frequenting those places and would do so over and over but I'm thankful that I'm able to create gourmet popcorn at home that is comparable.

Although, don't take my word it. Try this chocolate recipe at home and it's safe to say that you'll find yourself enjoying the caramelized taste of the chocolate, combined with the smoothness of the peanut butter, mixed with the nuttiness of the chunky, and the crunchy of the popcorn.

Coffee Infused Homemade Chocolate Syrup

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I love chocolate syrup.  I love it in milk, on top of ice cream, straight out of the bottle... oh the possibilities are endless!  I hate that it is hard to find without undesirable added ingredients (i.e. high fructose corn syrup.)  When I do find those that don't contain what I don't want it to have in it, it costs way to much.  Up until recently, I'd never even thought of making it myself.  But it is possible, and every bit as delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Handful of whole coffee beans

Steps:

In a medium to large sauce pan wisk together the cocoa powder, water, sugar, vanilla and salt over medium-low.

When everything is combined, add the whole coffee beans.

Wisk constantly.

Allow mixture to boil for a minute or two, then remove it from the heat.

Pour the chocolate into a bowl, and place it in the refrigerator.  At this point the mixture will be quite thin, it will thicken some as it cools.

Allow the syrup to cool completely.

Once cool, remove the coffee beans with a spoon.

Transfer the syrup into a bottle (I poured mine into a nice olive oil bottle) and store it in the fridge.

Mmmm.... wonderful, rich, homemade syrup without the unwanted added junk.

Pour the syrup

Sugar And Spice: Xocolatl

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Dagoba Organic Chocolate makes a whole line of quality chocolate bars.  Among the different varieties that are available is the Xocolatl bar.  The Xocolatl bar is made of organic dark chocolate, Cacao Nibs and infused with chili powder, nutmeg oil, and citrus oil.  I must admit, I was quite skeptical of this combination of chili powder and chocolate.  I have heard of interesting combinations that chocolatiers have come up with before, but I have never tried them before.

For my first taste of this unique chocolate bar, I popped a small piece in my mouth for fear being overwhelmed by the chili powder.  I wasn't too thrilled with this combination.  But the more that I tasted it, the more I liked it.  It, like most spicy things, is strangely addicting.  Now, this is not the type of chocolate bar that you devour as you're watching a movie.  I liked it best when eaten in little bitty pieces as a small afternoon pick-me-up or as a post-dinner treat.

When you take a bite of this chocolate, the first thing you taste is the smooth dark chocolate, its not until the chocolate is gone that the spice comes back to give you a swift kick in the taste buds.  The spice lingers for a while, and packs a punch that makes you keep coming back for more!

If you're not a fan of dark chocolate, this is not the chocolate bar for you.  As with some dark chocolate, it is not very sweet like a milk chocolate bar (this is because the cacao percentage is high.)  But lucky for you Dagoba does sell a Milk Bar as well.

I look forward to trying the other flavor combinations, as well as, the chocolate drink mixes, and baking products that Dagoba Organic Chocolate has to offer!

Eggnog Cake Balls

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Cake balls has truly been this year's baking craze, and with good reason; they're delicious, they're cute, and they're delicious.  How awesome would it make you look if you brought a tray of these to your next Christmas party!?!  

I have made my regular boring ol' vanilla cake into a festive eggnog cake, perfect for the season!  Then I dipped each ball of confectionary goodness into milk chocolate, and sprinkled with fun decorations.  Cake balls are not difficult to make, but they do take some time and patience.

Ingredients:

• 1 box vanilla cake mix
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 can (16 oz-- you could always use homemade if you'd like) vanilla frosting
• 2 12 ounce bags of milk chocolate chips
• festive sprinkles 
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Steps:

Make your cake according to the directions.

Add the nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla to the cake batter (this is what turns it into an eggnog cake.)

Make sure that you spray the pan well for easy removal of the cake.

Notice all the flecks of flavor in there!

When the cake is done baking, allow the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack, and let the cake cool completely.

When the cake has cooled, break the cake up into large pieces using your (clean) hands, and place the pieces into a bowl.

Using your fingers, gently crumble the cake into small uniformed crumbs.

When the cake has been completely crumbled, add about half of the can of frosting to the bowl.

Using your hands (or a spoon if you would like, because this is quite messy--however, I found it easier to do this by hand) mix the frosting with the cake.

The mixture should resemble dough.

If the cake and frosting is too crumbly, add more frosting until you get the right consistancy.

Using a Cookie Scoop put a small ball of 'dough' into the palm of your hand.  Roll the ball into a quarter-sized ball of deliciousness, and resist popping it into your mouth.  Place the rolled ball onto a cookie sheet. 

Repeat this process until all of the cake and frosting mixture has been used up (this should make about 60 cake balls.)

Place the tray into the refrigerator overnight.  Cover the tray with a kitchen towel.

When the cake balls have chilled out overnight, they are ready for their pretty outer layer.

Over a double boiler, melt your chocolate.  

I like to only work with 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips at a time.  For each 1/2 a bag, add 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil.  

When the chocolate is nice and smooth, remove it from the heat.

Take a few (no more than 4 or 5) of the cake balls out of the fridge, and place them on a small plate lined with wax paper.

Using a spoon and a fork drop 1 cake ball into the melted chocolate.

With the spoon, cover the ball completely with chocolate.

When the ball is covered, scoop the ball out of the chocolate using the fork.

With the spoon, gently tap the fork to get the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.

Place the covered ball onto the wax paper and sprinkle with decorations.

Repeat with the remaining 3 balls.

Place the plate in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate coating has hardened.

When the chocolate has set, transfer the bite-sized drops of yummy back onto the cookie sheet in the fridge.

When all of the balls have been dipped and decorated, they are ready to make their debut at your next party!

If you don't plan on eating them immediately, store them in your refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to a week.

If you wish, you could make a bunch of cake balls and store them in the freezer for up to a month.

Homemade Butter-Fingers

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Do you have left over candy corn from halloween?  I know I do.  At a loss as to what to do with it?  Well, whatever you do don't toss it.  Make this yummy version of a classic candy instead.  That's right, you can make butter-fingers right from your own kitchen in a matter of minutes!

What you will need:

• 1 cup candy corn (I had a cup of the autumn mix left from when I made chocolate covered candy corn)
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 graham cracker sheet, crumbled
• 1/2 cup bitter-sweet chocolate chips

How to make butter-fingers:

Grease a cake pan with a generous amount of cooking spray.

Spray the inside of a microwave safe bowl generously with cooking spray.

Pour the candy corn into the bowl.

Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.

Repeat the cycle of heating for 30 seconds then stirring until the candy has melted.

For me, this took 3 times.

Be careful not to over heat the candy.

It should be slightly puffy when it is ready.

When the candy is melted, immediately add the graham cracker crumbles and the peanut butter.

Stir until completely combined.

Pour the candy mixture out into the cake pan.

Using a spoon, press the candy into a sheet that is about 1/4" thick.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips for 30 seconds, remove and stir, then heat for an additional 40-45 seconds or until chocolate has melted.

Pour the chocolate over the candy sheet, and evenly spread to cover the candy.

Place the cake pan into the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set.

This took about 20 minutes.

Once chilled, peel the candy sheet from the cake pan, and cut into bite-sized pieces using a pizza cutter.

Yum!  Homemade butter-fingers from you left over candy corn.