Chocolate Covered Onion Rings

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Don't say it. I already know what you're thinking. How did you come with up this crazy idea for chocolate covered onion rings? To make a long story short, while eating out at a local pancake restaurant my wife got chocolate covered pancakes and I got a burger with a side of onion rings. After polishing off my burger, I noticed she had leftover chocolate that had pooled on her breakfast plate. Taking a onion ring like the foodie I am, I dipped it into the chocolate to see how it would taste. The rest as they say, was "history". The thought and idea formed for chocolate covered onion rings and only two days later you are now a witness to it on this extremely crazy post. 

Ingredients for making Chocolate Covered Onion Rings:

• 1 large sweet yellow onion
• 6 ounces of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips (for making the melted chocolate)
• 1/2 cup of tapioca flour
• 1 1/2 cups of :  
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of milk 
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• oil for frying: canola, peanut, or safflower oil is the best
• wax paper for drying chocolate covered onion rings 

Steps:

You're going to want to have the onion rings prepared by cutting it into semi thick rings as above.

Steps for making the onion ring batter:

Scramble 1 egg in a medium sized bowl

To this now scrambled egg add 1/4 of vegetable oil and throughly mix together as above

After this, add the 1 1/2 of Glutino Gluten Free Pantry Pizza Crust Mix (as referenced in picture link in the ingredient list) along with 1 teaspoon of baking powder & 1 cup of milk to the egg & oil mixture. It should look like the picture above after mixed. Note: this is your wet batter

In a separate medium sized bowl pour 1 cup of tapioca flour as above and mix in 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Note: this is your dry batter.

Steps for coating the onion rings in your now prepared batter:

Start with taking your sliced onion rings and dipping them into the prepared wet batter, making sure it's completely covered.

Take the onion rings completely covered in wet batter and dip into the prepared dry batter mixture. Should look the above after you're done.

Fry onion rings for 2 to 3 minutes in a deep fryer with your cooking oil and place on a dry towel.

Steps for melting the chocolate chips:

Add 6 oz of chocolate chips to a Double Boiler and after the chips are warm and melted like above, take 1 fried onion ring at a time and carefully coat in the melted chocolate. 

Take 1 fried onion ring at a time and carefully coat in the melted chocolate. 

As each onion ring is completely covered in chocolate, place on wax paper that's on a large cookie sheet and finally place in the fridge for at least a good 2 to 3 hours so the chocolate can completely dry. After this, you have your finished product!

How is the finished product of chocolate covered onion rings? Very interesting and awesome tasting to say the least. I can't quite describe how these taste because there is nothing to compare them to. Maybe if had ever gone to a fondue restaurant, I would of had something to compare them to. Which gets me to thinking! I need to fondue it up one of these days because I can see it being quite the experience with having made and tested chocolate covered onion rings. These definitely come highly recommended especially if you're a fan of chocolate and onion rings.

Review of Wild Ophelia: Peanut Butter & Banana Milk Chocolate Bar

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As you all know, I love chocolate, and I'm all for trying new and exotic chocolate combinations.  However, I must say, this wasn't my favorite.  Don't get me wrong, it was good chocolate, and I would love to try another variety of chocolate that Wild Ophelia offers.  I love that the fact that these chocolate bars are all natural, and made here in the US.

I also liked the inside of the box, it was fun to look at!

All in all, the chocolate was good, and I'd love to give their Smokehouse BBQ Potato Chips dark chocolate bar a try, but the peanut butter & banana is not one that I would probably get again.

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! 

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.

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.

Choceur Chocolate Crisp Bars: Quality Made German Chocolate Part 2

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Germany we have a problem because I'm going eat all your awesome chocolate. I just can't break myself away from quality chocolate made in Germany. This time I've gone too far and bought more of it because it's always guaranteed to satisfy a chocolate craving like no other. Choceur Fine Chocolate Crisp Bars are no exception.

What I experienced in this particular chocolate crisp bar was delicious crispy milk chocolate rounded out by smooth hazelnut creme. The crisp part was brought to me courtesy of Kit Kat like wafer. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm biased towards wafer chocolate because I've been known to consume massive amounts of Kit Kats. Kit Kats just so happens to be one of my favorite candy bars next to Snickers but this opinion of mine is probably shared by many others.

I bet you can't eat just three.

Ok, I'm sure you're going to seek these out now so I gotta tell you what you're getting yourself into. I was amazed when I opened the box and found not 1 not 5 not 7 but 10 modest sized bars waiting for my sweet tooth. You just can't beat that value for German made chocolate especially coming in at a little bit over a $1.50. That's of course if you're lucky enough to have a Aldi store nearby. Hopefully you do because if your into saving money on groceries like me then Aldi is the place. What is Aldi? Aldi is a German grocery store and they've opened a ton of stores in the last 2 years so you might be in luck.

Last but not least, how do I rank these fine chocolate wafers? They definitely deserve a 8 out 10 which equals these are more than addiction, they're a permanent part of your sweet tooth.

The Baumstamm: Quality German Made Chocolate

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There's just something about authentic chocolate from Germany. It tastes sweeter than the chocolate made in the U.S. Kind of brings to mind their cars, talking about the Audi, it's just quality stuff. Who really knows what they do to make things so good?

Take for example this Karina brand chocolate bar from Germany. I don't know how many of you have actually had this particular chocolate bar called the Baumstamm which appropriately translates into the tree trunk or the log, but I'm assuming not a whole lot. You're not alone, this was my first time sampling it too. Got to say, it looks like a log but it doesn't taste that way! Not that I've ever tasted a log but you know what I mean.

Extraordinary would be a good way to describe how the Baumstamm tastes. It combines a milk chocolate shell with nougat and rich creamy marzipan. For those of you that might not know what nougat is, it's a type of sweet made with sugar and almonds although it tastes more like coconut for some odd reason. Marzipan on the other hand is made very out the same ingredients but it tastes a lot different because it's pasty, kind of like a filling that's creamy.

Technicalities aside, the Baumstamm is very rich, creamy, and sweet. It's a perfect after dinner dessert kind of like the chocolate mint Olive Garden gives you but satisfies 1000x better. For that, it rightfully earns a 7 out 10 ranking in my book which means warning, these are habit forming and your chocolate addiction just got worse.


Where to get: try a German grocery store, if all else fails you can always probably get them online.

Chocolate Covered Popcorn

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Is it possible to like something too much? That's me when it comes to popcorn like I'm sure a lot of people. Then they have to go and invent gourmet popcorn like there wasn't reason enough to eat too much popcorn. Yeah, and eating too much popcorn is an easy thing to do especially when there is gourmet popcorn involved.

To make matters worse, there is something known as chocolate covered popcorn. I haven't had it in years so when I stepped into a gourmet popcorn store recently I knew I had to reintroduce it into my diet.  After I got it home and sampled some (yes, I actually did resist until I got home, amazing I know) I was amazed that it took me as long it did to have chocolate covered popcorn again. So good doesn't even describe how delicious and sweet it is.

The fluffiness of the popcorn mixed with the brownie fudge flavor of chocolate is real treat. Yeah, it might be a little on the expensive side at 7.99 for 3 cups worth but you gotta treat yourself now and then. As expensive as it was, I would pay that again because it gets a 9 out 10 ranking for a chocolate lovers sweet dream come true.

Where to get: check your nearest gourmet popcorn store or if you're in the Dallas area, stop in at POParella's (gourmet popcorn and treats) in Frisco, TX

Get it from Amazon: Chocolate Covered Popcorn Gift Box

Chocolate Toffee Bars

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Toffee comes in many forms and it's always a satisfying fix for a sweet tooth in whatever form that might be. I don't know about you but one of the ways I like it is at a self serve yogurt place because I always go crazy with the toppings. Seriously, you should see my yogurt after I get done fixing it up. There's almost as much toffee on it as there is yogurt in the container. I just love the way it tastes all crunched up with the softness of the yogurt, such a treat.

At Central Market, (there's been a lot of that going on lately but I had to get my debut chocolate stash from somewhere to start this blog to share with all my fellow chocolate addicts) I spotted these toffee bars. I just knew I had to get them to remind myself why I like toffee so much. Yes, it's a convenient excuse that all us sugar addicts share.

Did they do the trick for my sweet tooth? Out of all the chocolates that I got at Central Market to start this endeavor, I'd say they tied with the gummy bears at a 5 out of 10 on the rankings which of course means not quite chocolate heaven but worth a try.  Just so you know, that is all my stash from Central Market so Central Market week is over and we will branch out to other shops and see what they offer so stayed turned for more chocolate goodness.

Chocolate Covered Banana Chips

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Chocolate covered banana chips are kind of like chocolate covered gummy bears, where you ask yourself if the two should go together. At least, that's what I thought when I first saw that these existed which wasn't until a couple of days ago while at Central Market.

I've always loved banana chips as they are kind of a guilty pleasure for me and I would of never thought there was anything on earth that could make them better than they already are. However, when I took the first bite and tasted the banana in it's crunchy chip form combined with the the sweet taste of milk chocolate, I knew how wrong I was. After of which, it was hard to stop eating them as they became very addicting and to tell you the truth, I couldn't wait to take a picture of them for this post so I could consume the rest.

For that, these definitely deserve a ranking of 7 out 10 which means warning, these are habit forming and your chocolate addiction just got worse. 


Get it from Amazon: Milk Chocolate Covered Banana Chips (1 Pound Bag)

Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears

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Who doesn't like gummy bears? Unfortunately, I'm a grown man and I still have that childhood attachment to them. I wish I could beat it but I think I'm at a loss. Maybe, you can admit to this addiction as well so I don't feel so bad. 

Sadly, enough that is not the only addiction I have, you might of guessed by now that I have an unholy addiction to everything that is chocolate. Yes, it's the dreaded chocolate addiction (not really dreaded but you know what I mean) one but I know I'm not the only one and that's the reason I started this blogging endeavor. Let me put a warning out, if your not addicted to chocolate and start reading this blog, then please don't blame me, when you start feeling funny. Funny with a craving for chocolate that is. If those are you're symptoms, I wouldn't feel so bad because you're in good company. With that said, welcome to the world of chocolate, anything that has an ounce of chocolate will be featured on here. I hope to start quite a collection and assortment of chocolate goodies to inspire you to cut loose from that diet once in awhile and have a piece with me. Please follow my blog on this chocolate journey so I won't feel like the only one having that piece. There that's better!

Getting back to my debut chocolate post, yes it's hard to stop eating gummy bears. Yesterday, when I was cruising the crowded aisles of Central Market (a really fancy H.E.B signature grocery store with tons of upper end grocery items that you can't find at that place called Wal-Mart) I ran into my old friend the gummy bear. Only something was strange about him, he was all covered in chocolate. I got so excited I couldn't up pass paying 6.99 a pound (chocolate is unbelievably expensive, you'd think it's gold but it's not but close) for a nice portion of the little bears. 

I took the little bears home and I just knew they'd be the debut post on this so called chocolate blog. I bit into one. Ok, back up, I admit to biting into one the second I got into my car leaving Central Market, you got me. Back to the story, when I took a bite, I was in pig heaven only this heaven had pigs covered in chocolate. Hey, that gives me another idea for a post. I could do chocolate covered bacon! I told you I had an addiction, it's really bad! 

How do I rank the chocolate gummy bear experience overall, better than your average bear I'd say.. (pun intended). Oh by the way, I will be giving a chocolate ranking to each and every piece of chocolate I post so you know whether it's worth your hard earned money to take a risk and seek it out (although every body's tastes are different so don't take my chocolate for it). 

These chocolate gummy bears come in at a ranking of:

5 out of 10 - which amounts to not quite chocolate heaven but worth a try.

Oh yeah, when a piece gets a 10 - it'll amount to worth it's weight in gold. That will be a hard piece to find because I'm very picky about my chocolate. In the meantime, stay turned and join my blog. 

Get it on Amazon: Milk Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears (1 Pound Bag)