Retro Halloween Chocolate Candy Ads

Every year I post Retro Halloween Chocolate Ads. Enjoy! Trick or Treat!

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Dogs, Chocolate, and Halloween: A Dangerous Combination

Halloween is upon us, and if you're like me, there is now or will be a lot of chocolate in your house. Now you might be wondering why I am highlighting Topper, my golden retriever, on a Chocolate Blog, but there's a good reason. I've posted before that chocolate is dangerous for dogs. I'm careful when I cook and bake with chocolate, because golden retrievers -- well, most dogs -- will eat anything that drops on the floor. I only bake with good dark chocolate and that's exactly what can make Topper sick or worse.

Hills Pet Company had a very good article on Chocolate and Dogs that I want to share. I'm also reposting a Chocolate and Dogs Question &Answer about Halloween Candy. It's all good information for Dog Owners (Guardians) who also happen to be Chocoholics. Be safe!

Is Chocolate Bad for Dogs?

Chocolate is poisonous to dogs; however, the hazard of chocolate to your dog depends on the chocolate type, the amount consumed and the dog's size. In large enough amounts, chocolate and cocoa products can kill your dog.

Why not chocolate?

• The toxic component of chocolate is theobromine. Humans easily metabolize theobromine, but dogs process it much more slowly, allowing it to build up toxic levels in their system.
• A large dog can consume more chocolate than a small dog before it suffers ill effects.
• A small amount of chocolate will probably only give your dog an upset stomach with vomiting or diarrhea.
• With large amounts, theobromine can produce muscle tremors, seizures, an irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding or a heart attack. The onset of theobromine poisoning is usually marked by severe hyperactivity.

A single piece of chocolate should not be a problem. A single piece doesn't contain a large enough theobromine dosage to harm your dog; however, if you have a small dog that has eaten a box of chocolates, you need to go to the veterinarian immediately.

Different chocolate types have different theobromine levels. Cocoa, cooking chocolate and dark chocolate contain the highest levels, while milk chocolate and white chocolate have the lowest. If you’re dealing with any quantity of dark or bitter chocolate, err on the side of caution. The high level of theobromine in dark chocolate means it takes only a very small amount to poison a dog. Less than an ounce of dark chocolate may be enough to poison a 44-pound dog.

The usual treatment for theobromine poisoning is to induce vomiting within two hours of ingestion. If you are worried that your dog may have eaten a large quantity of chocolate, call your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Of course, never consider chocolate as a reward.

And here's another article on Chocolate and Dogs and Halloween: 

It's a Q &A between Neenda Pellegrini and Dr. Sheppard Thorpe, an emergency veterinarian at Puget Sound Veterinary Referral Center in Tacoma about Halloween and Pets that appeared in the Seattle Times.  Read the entire article HERE.

Pet ingestion of Halloween treats can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, pancreatitis, heart arrhythmias, seizures, liver disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal obstruction and even death.

Dangerous or even fatal chocolate toxicity is rare because knowledgeable owners usually get their chocolate-eating pets into the clinic within a few hours of ingestion. Once the pet arrives, we do what is called "decontamination" -- vomiting is induced and then activated charcoal is administered.

We also see pets with general vomiting and diarrhea from gastrointestinal upset after they've eaten candy, wrappers and holiday decorations. This can be very serious if the pet develops pancreatitis or if the pet becomes very dehydrated.

A quick and timely response makes the treatment much easier on your pet and your wallet.

Question: Why is chocolate dangerous? Is some chocolate -- dark or bittersweet chocolate -- worse than others, such as milk or white chocolate?

Answer: Chocolate contains an active ingredient called theobromine, which is toxic to pets. Theobromine is a stimulant that pets are more sensitive to than people and can cause hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, twitching and tremoring, vomiting and diarrhea and, worst of all, seizures.

Dark chocolate is more potent, having a higher concentration of theobromine, and, therefore, is more toxic. All chocolate (cakes or brownies, milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate syrup, cocoa powder) is considered "rich." Although not as serious as theobromine toxicity, foods with high sugar and fat contents can cause serious stomach and bowel problems. Decontamination and quick treatment is key.

Question: What harm can one little candy bar do?

Answer: It depends on the size of your pet, the presence of any underlying conditions and the amount of chocolate your pet has ingested.

A Hershey's Kiss is safe for a 70-pound Labrador retriever to eat but harmful to a 3-pound Chihuahua.

Another problem with "just one little treat" is that dogs can develop a liking to chocolate and soon may be climbing on the table to help themselves to that whole bowl of Halloween candy.

The power of the dog nose can also help them find that wrapped box of chocolates under the Christmas tree or hidden away for Valentine's Day. I know one Beagle who learned to open the pantry, and he loved to eat the brownie mix.

Question: What should I do if my pet accidentally eats chocolate? What symptoms should I watch for?

Answer: Call your regular veterinarian or local emergency/referral veterinary hospital for recommendations.

It helps to have the candy wrapper with the list of ingredients and percentage of cacao or cocoa in the product.

Monitor your pet for hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, vomiting/diarrhea, tremors, twitches and seizures although preventive treatment long before any of these symptoms is the best approach.

Check out www.veterinarypartner.com and look up chocolate toxicity. This website has an excellent chart comparing the number of ounces of chocolate a pet would need to ingest for toxicity. READ MORE HERE.  

Halloween Pumpkin S'mores

S'mores are great all year round, and these Halloween Pumpkin S'mores are fun and easy! With Toast some special Pumpkin Spice Mallows for Pumpkin S'mores around the Halloween Bonfire!

Easy Pumpkin S'mores

Ingredients
Hershey's Chocolate Bars (or Dark Chocolate Bars or Pieces)
Pumpkin Spice Mallows
Graham Crackers

Directions
Toast Pumpkin Spice Mallows
Place Toasted Pumpkin Spice Mallows & Chocolate between two Graham Crackers
Microwave for 5 seconds or wrap in foil and place on grill for 2-3 minutes

What to do with Leftover Halloween Candy

When I was growing up Halloween was my favorite holiday of the year. I'd choose what I'd want to be early and make sure my seamstress grandmother had time to complete it. I never wanted store-bought costumes. I had to have an original. I would design it, and my Bubby would sew it, and I'd be there every step of the way watching her and learning sewing techniques. Project Runway contestant in the making?

On Halloween night, all the children on my block were out. We had no safety worries. We knew every single house on the street would have a treat, almost always candy. There was always the disappointing little box of raisins, but that was o.k. After we moved to the suburbs, the ante went up with whole candy bars and more expensive loot.

Needless to say, there was always a lot of candy left over. I mean, how much could one child eat? We weren't allowed to keep our stash in our rooms (the reason given by my mother -- to protect against bugs and mice), so all the candy was relegated to the kitchen. My sister and I noticed it being depleted, but usually too late. Most of it found its way into my pediatrician father's waiting room. Other kids who didn't walk those mean streets, knocking on doors, and yelling 'trick or treat' benefited from the fruit of our labors.

Now as an adult, I buy candy for trick or treaters. Every year that candy sits in a bowl by the door -- unloved, uncalled for. We don't get a lot of Trick or Treaters where I live. Maybe it's the times; maybe it's the Hills. Several years ago, I started buying only candy that I liked. Who wants to be stuck with candy you'll never eat? So there's usually a lot of leftover candy at my house. I'm sure there is at yours, too, particularly if you have very few goblins and ghosts and batmen and superheroes who made the Halloween pilgrimage. Here are several ways to turn that left over candy into culinary delights or needed donations.


1.  Use chopped Candy Corn or chopped Candy Bars in place of chocolate chips in cookies or brownies. (or use both as in this recipe for Candy Corn & Chocolate Chip Cookies from Christina Tosi at NYC's Momfuku)

2. Chopped up Candy and Candy Bars can also be used as toppings for ice cream sundaes or over yoghurt.

3. Freeze it for another time when you get the munchies.

4. Make homemade flavored vodka. It needs some time to infuse, but experiment with different flavors.

5.  Make Trail Mix with chocolate candy, raisins, peanuts and any other soft chewy candy.

6. Mix up a batch of biscuits and fold in some chopped Tootsie Tolls or Peanut Butter Cups.  

7. Add chopped candy corn to candied yams.

8. Make a Cookie Dough Pizza.  
Betty Crocker recipe: Mix 1 pouch of peanut butter cookie mix with 1/3 cup vegetable oil and an egg until soft dough forms. Press dough into ungreased 12-inch pizza pan. Sprinkle with your choice of toppings such as candy corn, candy bar pieces and nuts. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle 1 cup miniature marshmallows on top. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until marshmallows are lightly browned and cookie is set at edge. Cool completely in pan.

9. Pudding/Candy Parfait: Layer instant pudding with candy.

10. Use the candy to decorate your Holiday Gingerbread House.

11. Keep some in the car or your purse for emergencies (probably not chocolate which melts).

12. Donate: Nursing homes, doctor's offices, women and family shelters will take wrapped candy. Check first.

13: Donate: Operation Gratitude ships candy to U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East for Christmas time. (chocolate is more perishable)

14. Donate:  Ronald McDonald House will accept donations of wrapped Halloween Candy in many locations. Check first.

15. Make a Candy Massacre Pie (recipe from Cakespy).

16. Blend Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cups with soy and rice wine vinegar and serve as a Satay over rice and stir-fried veggies.

17. Here's a new one to me, and it's to die for. Almond Joy Candied Bacon.

And three more recipes in case you haven't baked enough for Halloween:

1. BUTTER FINGER CAKE

Ingredients
1 angel food cake, crumbled
1/2 cup sweet butter
4 egg yolks
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
16 ounces Cool Whip, thawed slightly
8 large Butterfinger candy bars

Directions
Freeze candy bars in wrappers for at least two hours.
Crush bars (while in wrappers) using rolling pin.
Cream butter, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla and add Cool Whip.
In a 9 x 13 inch pan layer half of angel food cake; layer half of Cool Whip mixture; then layer of half of crushed candy bars; repeat. Keep refrigerated.

IF YOU WANT TO OMIT EGG YOLKS, SUBSTITUTE A SMALL PACKAGE OF INSTANT VANILLA PUDDING MIXED ACCORDING TO DIRECTIONS.

II. MILKY WAY BAR CAKE
Adapted from M&M/MARS. You can substitute other candy in place of Milky Way Bars.. depending on what you have left over.

Ingredients
1 to 2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts
15 bite-size (mini) Milky Way bars
1 cup low-fat buttermilk, plain yogurt or sour cream, divided
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup sweet butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp Madagascar vanilla
4 eggs

GLAZE
5 bite-size Milky Way bars
2 Tbsp sweet butter
2 tsp water

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan with shortening. Sprinkle coated pan with nuts; set aside.
In heavy medium saucepan over low heat, melt candy bars with 1/4 cup of buttermilk, stirring often until mixture is smooth.
In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. In large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour mixture alternately with remaining 3/4 cup of buttermilk, mixing just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Then, blend in melted candy bar mixture until thoroughly incorporated.
Spoon  batter into prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from toven and cool 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and cool completely.

To Prepare Glaze: Melt candy bars with the butter and water until mixture is smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.

3. CRAZY HALLOWEEN BLONDIES
recipe from TasteofHome

Ingredients
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
2/3 cup milk chocolate M&M's, divided
2/3 cup chopped candy corn, divided
2/3 cup coarsely chopped miniature pretzels, divided
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided
2/3 cup butterscotch chips, divided
1 jar (12 ounces) hot caramel ice cream topping

Directions 
Preheat oven to 375°.
Line13 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting ends extend up sides; grease paper. In large bowl, beat melted butter and brown sugar until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Inlarge bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to brown sugar mixture, mixing well. Stir in half of pecans, M&M's, candy corn, pretzels, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips. Spread into prepared pan.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Spread caramel topping over bars; sprinkle with remaining pecans, M&M's, candy corn, pretzels, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
Lifting with parchment paper, remove from pan. Cut into bars.

Still want to make something? Cakespy suggests Deep Frying your Halloween Candy... be still my heart. Literally!

Chocolate Mice for Halloween!

This is one of my favorite Halloween recipes. I found it a few years ago on allrecipes.com. I've tweaked it a little, and, as always, feel free to do the same. These Chocolate Mice are fabulous! They look adorable and taste delicious. Warning: They can be pretty sweet, but then it's Halloween! That's why I substituted dark chocolate for milk chocolate in the recipe.

CHOCOLATE MICE

Ingredients
4 ounces dark chocolate - - 65-75% cacao
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (whirl chocolate wafers in a blender)
2/3 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
24 silver dragees decorating candy (those tiny silver candy balls) or icing gel or pearl candies
1/4 cup sliced almonds (try to match pairs)
12 (2 inch) pieces long thin red vine string licorice

Directions
Melt chocolate, and combine with sour cream. Stir in 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
Roll by level tablespoonfuls into balls. Mold to slight point at one end (the nose).
Roll dough in chocolate cookie crumbs. On each mouse, place dragees (or other decorating candy or icing) in appropriate spot for eyes (on the sides/not directly at front), almond slices for ears, and a red licorice string for the tail.
Refrigerate for at least two hours, until firm.

Place on a bed of graham crackers crumbs or vanilla wafer crumbs or Rice Crispies.

Hint: You can use this recipe to make White Chocolate Mice for Christmas!

Photo: Allrecipes.com

Chocolate Pumpkin Cocktails

There are so many pumpkin liqueurs on the market at this time of year. Check out DrinkoftheWeek.com for a review of pumpkin liqueurs.  It's my opinion that pumpkin needs chocolate, so I put together three recipes for Chocolate Pumpkin Cocktail recipes for Halloween. These can be served all through the Fall. But you knew that, right? The first two recipes call for Pumpkin Liqueur, but the last one uses other liqueurs and some pumpkin spice.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN COCKTAIL

3 ounces Pumpkin Liqueur
Chocolate (melted)

Shake pumpkin liqueur with ice in cocktail shaker.
Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Slowly add melted chocolate to glass.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN MARTINI

Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
2 ounces Vanilla Vodka
1/2 ounces Pumpkin Liqueur
1 tsp whipped cream

Pour white chocolate liqueur, vodka, and pumpkin liqueur into shaker filled with ice.
Shake. Pour into martini glass. Optional: Add whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN MARTINI

3/4 ounce Vanilla Vodka
1/2 ounce Bailey's
1/2 ounce Kahlua
1/2 ounce Crème de Cacao
1/4 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pinch cayenne pepper
Ice cubes

In cocktail shaker, combine Vanilla Vodka, Bailey's, Kahlua & Crème de Cacao, Pumpkin Pie Spice, and cayenne pepper. Add ice; cover and shake until very cold. Strain into chilled martini glass.

Photo: DrinkoftheWeek.com

Retro Halloween Cookie Cutters: Bats, Cats, Witches & Brooms: Chocolate Cookies

I found these wonderful 1960s Halloween Cookie (Cooky) Cutters a few years ago at the Alameda Flea Market. Love the box and the shapes of the cookie cutters.

I've posted some great chocolate cookie recipes, but here's one I adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe. Just a few changes, and since Martha uses this recipe with her own bat and cat cookie cutters, these cookies are great to make with these retro cookie cutters. The chocolate cookies are very crisp. I think using dark cocoa gives them an even richer taste.

Chocolate Cats and Bats, Witches and Brooms: 
Halloween Chocolate Cookies

Makes 40 to 50

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled) plus more for rolling and cutting out dough
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp sweet butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
Small candies or sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg. On low speed, mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half, and form into 2 disks, each about 3/4 inch thick. Wrap disks in plastic; chill until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 days.
On lightly floured sheet of waxed paper, using floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. (If dough becomes too soft to work with, refrigerate for a few minutes.)
Using 2- to 3-inch Halloween cookie cutters, cut out shapes, dipping cutters in flour as necessary to prevent sticking; place on baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart.
Bake until surface is dry to the touch, 10 to 15 minutes (if decorating, press candies into dough halfway through baking-as in eyes on the cats, etc).
Cool cookies 1 to 2 minutes on baking sheet; transfer to rack to cool completely.

Cartoon of the Day: Halloween Chocolate

Triple Chocolate Cake: National Chocolate Day!

Today is Chocolate Day. To be honest there are several National Chocolate Days throughout the year, and, of course, every day is Chocolate Day at DyingforChocolate.com. So to celebrate, you can take a spin back over the past seven years of daily chocolate recipes on this site, or you can make this Triple Chocolate Cake from Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar. And, if you're in Midtown Manhattan, you can stop by Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar and have a slice without having to make it.

Triple Chocolate Cake
Makes: 8 large pieces

Ingredients: 
6 oz E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge cocoa powder
24 fl oz water
1 lb and 12 oz all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp iodized salt
2 1/2 Tbsp baking soda
2 1/2 lbs sugar
24 fl oz buttermilk
18 fl oz vegetable oil
7 whole eggs
1 Tbsp and 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Frosting (see recipe below)
Chocolate Whipped Cream (see recipe below)

Directions: 
Bring water to boil, turn off heat, add cocoa powder and stir until thick. Set aside to cool.
Mix dry ingredients in mixer with whip attachment on low-medium speed for 3 minutes. Mix all liquids at once, except the chocolate mixture, with the remaining dry ingredients for 2 minutes at medium speed. Scrape well. Add chocolate mixture and mix for about 1 minute on medium speed. Set the batter aside for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease two 10” cake pans. Cut two circles, approximately 10” in diameter, out of parchment paper. Place them into greased pans. Spray parchment circles evenly with cooking spray. Pour half batter into each of the two pans. Bake for 1 hour. (Insert toothpick into each cake after 1 hour; if comes out clean, cakes are done.) Cool cakes on wire rack.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING 
Makes: 60 ounces

Ingredients: 
4.8 oz E. Guittard 61% Lever du Soleil semisweet chocolate wafers
28.8 oz powdered sugar
19.2 oz sour cream
19.2 oz butter, cubed
9.6 oz E. Guittard® Oban unsweetened chocolate wafers

Directions: 
In double boiler, melt chocolate at 110-112°F until there are no lumps.
Slowly add butter.
In small mixer with whip attachment, add all of powdered sugar and sour cream at once. Whip on high speed until incorporated for about 2 minutes.
Add chocolate mixture to sour cream mixture and whip until the color turns light brown (like the color of milk chocolate) for about 3-4 minutes.
Refrigerate frosting for 20-30 minutes while cutting layers of cake so it firms up.
The temperature of the frosting should remain around 60°F while building the cakes.

CAKE ASSEMBLY 

Ingredients:
2 chocolate cakes, each sliced into two layers ¾” thick (for four total layers), top and sides trimmed 60 oz Chocolate Ganache frosting
3 cups chocolate cake crumbs

Directions: 
Take cooled cakes out of the pans. Invert them on cutting board, with the tops facing up.
With cake cutter, slice each cake into two layers, each ¾” thick. Be very gentle when handling, as the cakes are very moist.
Trim all layers until they are same size.
Place all cake trimmings in food processor and pulse until coarse. Place the cake crumbs on a sheet pan and put into an oven to dry out. Reserve for later.
Evenly spread 12 oz of frosting across the top side of the bottom layer.
Repeat previous step with each remaining cake layers, stacking them as you go.
Evenly spread 12 oz of frosting over sides. Make sure frosting is smooth all over.
Remove dried-out cake crumbs from oven and sprinkle over top and sides.
Place entire cake in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM

Ingredients: 
1 qt heavy cream
2 Tbsp E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge cocoa powder
8 oz Swiss Chalet white chocolate mousse powder

Directions: 
Whisk all ingredients in mixing bowl.
Transfer mixture to mixer with whip attachment and whip until cream has stiff peaks.

PLATING 

Instructions: Cut cake into 8 large pieces.

***

Thanks to Tommy Bahama for this recipe!

Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar – New York
551 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10176
Open 11:30am Daily
Island Time Happy Hour: 4-6pm Daily

For reservations, please call 212.537.0960 or visit TommyBahama.com  

Great Chocolate Deals, Discounts, and Freebies for National Chocolate Day!

Today is National Chocolate Day. If you're like me, you have a stash of great chocolate in your desk or cupboard, but if you're craving more, here's a list of Chocolate Deals, Discounts, and Freebies for National Chocolate Day.

• Bulletproof: Get 10 percent off chocolate until Oct. 31. No coupon code needed.
• Chuao Chocolatier: Get a free chocolate bar with coupon code NEWSFREEBAR for a limited time.
• Dean & DeLuca: Take $9 off chocolate babka for a limited time. No coupon code needed.
• Drop Dead Chocolates: Get 15 percent off all chocolates with coupon code MAD20 for a limited time.
• Dulce Caramel Co.: Get 15 percent off chocolate alfajores with coupon code DCHNY16 for a limited time.
• Edible Arrangements: Up to 35 percent off chocolate dipped fruit boxes for a limited time. No coupon code needed.
• FernsNPetals: Take 17 percent off chocolate and more with coupon code FNP17CV at fnp.com until Dec. 31.
• Godiva: Get a free piece of chocolate every month when you sign up for the newsletter. No code required.
• Grounds for Change: This fair trade, organic coffee distributor is offering $3 off THEO chocolate bar 3-packs for a limited time. No coupon code needed.
• Lindt Chocolate: Enter coupon code WORKINGADV to get 20 percent off all chocolates at lindtusa.com for a limited time.
• Lula’s Chocolates: Take 10 percent off all chocolates at lulas.com with coupon code LAfood14 for a limited time.
• Neuhaus is offering a free small chocolate box with purchase.
• O’Neil Cinemas: The Epping, N.H., location is giving moviegoers any $2 box of chocolate for free with the purchase of any size popcorn on Oct. 28.
• San Marco Coffee: Take $3 off chocolate donuts for a limited time. No coupon code needed.
• Scharffen Berger: Take 15 percent off dark chocolate with coupon code DARKCHOCO2016 for a limited time.
• Sephra: Receive free shipping on a selection of home chocolate fountains and fondue chocolate for a limited time.
• World Market: Save 30% on all Chocolate Bars.
• ZChocolat: Head to ZChocolat.com and double your chocolate with coupon code Z-077412 for a limited time.

 Any other Chocolate Deals? Make a comment below.

Cartoon of the Day: Top Chef

PEEPS Halloween Party Cupcakes

I love that there are always new PEEPS for different holidays. This year for Halloween it's Monster PEEPS. You'll find them at your local store or online. Love the green. You can use them in this recipe from Betty Crocker for PEEPS Halloween Party Cupcakes. You can use the Betty Crocker chocolate fudge cake mix or another...or make your own chocolate cupcakes from scratch.

PEEPS® Halloween Party Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist chocolate fudge cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker frosting (any flavor)
 Halloween candy sprinkles, colored sugar or finely crushed creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies 24 Assorted Halloween PEEPS® brand Marshmallow Shapes

Directions 
Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake as directed on box for cupcakes.
Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Frost cupcakes with frosting. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles, colored sugar or cookie crumbs.
Place a PEEPS® marshmallow on top of each cupcake.

Cartoon of the Day: Locavore

Pumpkin and Chocolate: Recipe Round-Up for National Pumpkin Day

Photo Credit: Cleo Coyle

I've posted many Pumpkin and Chocolate recipes, but since today is National Pumpkin Day, I thought I'd do a Recip Round-Up. So many wonderful recipes out there.

Have any other favorites? Be sure to add a link.

Cleo Coyle's Chocolate Fudge Pumpkin Cookies 

Double Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Chocolate Pumpkin Bark

Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
  
Pattie Tierney's Pumpkin Pie Cocoa  

Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate Pumpkin Cocktails

 ****
And a few other Chocolate and Pumpkin Recipes from terrific food blogs: 

Photo Credit: Months of Edible Celebrations

Full Moon Pumpkin Cheesecake from Months of Edible Celebrations! (photo)

Pumpkin Chocolate Spiderweb Tart from Handle the Heat.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffles from Pimp My Menu

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Biscotti from Home Beccanomics.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies  from Two Peas and a Pod.

Any other Pumpkin Chocolate recipes you love? Leave a comment.

Blood Red Hot Chocolate and Sweet Meringue Bones for Halloween!

Perfect for Halloween is this recipe for Blood and Bones! This originally appeared on Facebook's Every Day is Halloween. Tracked down the source recipe to Martha Stewart. I've adapted it a bit, but it's an easy cocoa and meringue bones recipe!

Blood Red Hot Chocolate

Ingredients
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 cups whole milk

1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp Madagascar vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons red gel-paste food coloring (use Wilton's no-taste)

Directions
Bring milk, vanilla, and sugar to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 7 minutes. Pour over chocolate, and let stand. When chocolate begins to melt, stir until combined. Whisk in food coloring, being sure to scrape the bottom (it sticks). Serve immediately with meringue bones.

Sweet Meringue Bones

Ingredients
6 large egg whites
1-1/2 cups sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Put egg whites and sugar in heatproof bowl of electric mixer. Set bowl over pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture feels warm to touch, about 5 minutes.
Return bowl to mixer, and fit mixer with whisk attachment.Beat on high speed until very stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes.
Transfer meringue to pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tip(Wilton #1A). Pipe bone shapes, each 5 to 6 inches long, onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Pipe by making one long (not as curvy) S shape, followed by another mirrored S shape on top of first. Bake until crisp throughout, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Halloween Devil's Food Ration Cake: Retro Ad & Recipe

Halloween is all about candy, and that means sugar. What to do when sugar is rationed? Well, here's a great Retro Ad & Recipe from Spry for Halloween Ration Cake. It's actually a Devil's Food Cake recipe, so that's perfect for Halloween, too. Spry, by the way, was a shortening similar to Cisco. This recipe calls for 7/8 cup of sugar. It's a "Wonder-Working" recipe! There was another Ration Recipe at the bottom, but I cut it off. It was for liver.

Read more about Spry HERE.

Easy Chocolate Candy Corn Bark

Halloween is all about Candy Corn, and Candy Corn Bark is easy and terrific. Here's a simple 'recipe" from Ziploc. Melt 16 ounces of dark chocolate and spread in pan. Sprinkle with Candy Corn. Fill a Ziploc bag with melted white chocolate (make sure it's good quality white chocolate), cut the corner and drizzle over the chocolate and candy corn. As always, use the very best chocolate. Once you've chilled the Bark, break it into pieces. Yum!

Vintage Halloween Chocolate Molds

This Halloween I thought I'd post some pictures of great Chocolate Molds, after all, Halloween is all about chocolate! These are not my molds. I only have one! But I love these vintage metal chocolate molds and wonder about the chocolatiers, the children, and everyone else who enjoyed the chocolate that was shaped in them.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

WITCH CHOCOLATE MOLDS

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE MOLDS

BLACK CAT CHOCOLATE MOLD

Cartoon of the Day: Baby Ruth

Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake: National Boston Cream Pie Day!

Today is National Boston Cream Pie Day. Boston Cream Pie, isn't exactly a pie, and it's not exactly a cake. A Boston Cream Pie is a round cake that is split and filled with a custard or cream filling and frosted with chocolate. Not exactly your standard pie, but it's been around since 1855 or 1856 (two different sources with different dates).

According to Wikipedia, Boston Cream Pies were created by French Chef M. Sanzian at Boston's Parker House Hotel, opened in 1855. This pudding/cake combination comprises two layers of sponge cake filled with vanilla custard or crème pâtissière. The cake is topped with a chocolate glaze (such as ganache) and sometimes confectioner's sugar or a cherry. The cherry and sugar topping is rarely used any more.

The real question is why this is called a pie? It's a cake, after all -- two layers of yellow cake filled with custard and topped with chocolate frosting. Suggestions on why it's called pie are welcome. And here's an esoteric fact: The Boston Cream Pie is the official dessert of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

I've posted traditional recipes for Boston Cream Pie--from scratch and from mixes--and I've posted Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake (a favorite!). So for today's holiday I thought I'd post a really easy recipe for Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake. What's a Poke Cake, you ask? A poke cake is usually made with a boxed cake mix and a pudding mix. You poke holes in the cake after it's been baked, but still warm, and you pour the pudding over it. How easy is that? And Boston Cream Pie lends itself to this easy cake. Very Retro!

Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake

Ingredients
1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix
2 (5.1-oz) packs of instant French vanilla pudding
4 cups cold milk
2 cups dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 9-x-13” pan and sprinkle with flour.
Prepare cake mix according to box instructions. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake.
When cake is cool-ish, poke big holes across entire surface of cake using rounded end of wooden spoon.
Combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl and whisk until mixture just begins to thicken. Pour over cake and spread with spatula to make sure pudding pours into holes. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
After cake has been refrigerated for 2 hours, make ganache. Put chopped chocolate in medium glass bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, bring heavy cream to simmer in small saucepan. When bubbles start to break surface, pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and whisk until mixture is smooth. Pour ganache over the pudding layer of the cake and serve.

Candy Corn: History and Recipe for Candy Corn Truffles

I love candy corn. O.K. it's very sweet, but I only have it a few times a year. Candy Corn is an American Halloween Tradition!  Shaped like real pieces of corn, candy corn is as fun as it is tasty.  In addition to the original candy corn or yellow, orange and white, there are different varieties, including Indian candy corn which is brown where the original candy corn is yellow, adding a hint of chocolate (it's only a hint and a bit waxy, and it's not real chocolate, but I don't care at Halloween).

The National Confectioners Association estimates that 20 million pounds (9,000 tons) of candy corn are sold annually. The top branded retailer of candy corn, Brach's, sells enough candy corn each year to circle the earth 4.25 times if the kernels were laid end to end. Too much information?

Candy corn was created in the 1880s by the Philadelphia based Wunderlee Candy Company and, by 1900, was being produced by the Goelitz Candy Company (now Jelly Belly), which has continuously produced it for more than a century. Candy corn is shaped like a kernel of corn, a design that made it popular with farmers when it first came out, but it was the fact that it had three colors - a really innovative idea at the time - that made it popular.

Originally, candy corn was made of sugar, corn syrup, fondant and marshmallow, among other things, and the hot mixture was poured into cornstarch molds, where it set up. The recipe changed slightly over time and there are probably a few variations in recipes between candy companies, but the use of a mixture of sugar, corn syrup, gelatin and vanilla (as well as honey, in some brands) is the standard.

Candy makers use a process called corn starch molding. Corn starch is used to fill a tray, creating candy corn shaped indentations. Candy corns are built from the top to the bottom in three waves of color. First, the indentation is partially filled with white syrup. Next, when the white is partially set, they add the the orange syrup. The creation is then finished up by adding the yellow syrup and then cooled. The candy starts fusing together while it cools. After cooling the candies, the trays are dumped out, the corn starch is sifted away, and the candy corn is ready.

Here's a way to elevate Candy Corn for your discerning friends and family!

CHOCOLATE CANDY CORN TRUFFLES

Ingredients
18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 Tbsp Grand Marnier (orange juice if you don't do alcohol(
1/4 cup Scottish or dark orange marmalade
1/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
64 candy corns (about 3 ounces)

Directions
Line 8x 8-inch baking pan with 12 x17-inch sheet of waxed or parchment paper.
In large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of hot water, use heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to stir together chocolate, cream, Grand Marnier, and marmalade, until chocolate is melted. Scrape chocolate mixture into prepared pan, smoothing top.
Chill until firm, at least 2 1/2 hours or (covered with plastic wrap) up to 1 week.
Put cocoa powder in shallow bowl. Remove chocolate mixture from pan. With long, sharp knife, cut chocolate mixture into 64 squares, each about 3/4 in. wide. Roll squares in cocoa powder to coat; place 1 square in each paper cup.
Gently press candy corn into top of each truffle.
Store between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.