POTTED CHOCOLATE DIRT PUDDING: Earth Day

Earth Day! Celebrate with this simple and fun recipe. Make some home-made chocolate pudding or pudding from a box, crush some oreos on top, dust with a little cocoa, and stick in a sprig of mint! I use either clay pots (make sure they're clean) or glass mason jars. Use paper cups if that's all you have (be sure to recycle or compost!). Talk about easy! And cute, too! You can swap out mint extract for vanilla if you want chocolate mint pudding! Very versatile.

Celebrate Earth Day! It's the only Earth we have!

Want to make your own chocolate pudding?

Potted Chocolate Dirt Pudding

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract  (or mint extract)
Oreos
Mint sprigs

Directions
Stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute.
Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into individual pots or jars.
Let cool or refrigerate.
Top with crushed Oreos. Dust with cocoa (optional)
Stick spring of mint into each individual pot.

CRACKED EARTH CHOCOLATE FLOURLESS CAKE: EARTH DAY

Earth Day 2023! Be sure and take a walk today and appreciate our planet earth. As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare. I'm the Editor of the Mystery Readers Journal. We had an issue a few years ago (Volume 36:1) that focused on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries. Today on Mystery Fanfare, I blog about Reservoir Noir: books that deal with intentional flooding of towns and villages because of building dams and reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, power and other reasons--a sad addition to the environmental crime fiction list.

I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about today when you make “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

The recipe for the cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Chocolate Flourless Cake: Earth Day

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

POTTED CHOCOLATE DIRT PUDDING for Earth Day!

Earth Day! Celebrate with this simple and fun recipe. Make some home-made chocolate pudding or pudding from a box, crush some oreos on top, dust with a little cocoa, and stick in a sprig of mint! I use either clay pots (make sure they're clean) or glass mason jars. Use paper cups if that's all you have. Talk about easy! And cute, too! You can swap out mint extract for vanilla if you want chocolate mint pudding! Very versatile.

Celebrate Earth Day! It's the only Earth we have!

Want to make your own chocolate pudding?

Potted Chocolate Dirt Pudding

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract  (or mint extract)
Oreos
Mint sprigs

Directions
Stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute.
Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into individual pots or jars.
Let cool or refrigerate.
Top with crushed Oreos. Dust with cocoa (optional)
Stick spring of mint into each individual pot.

CRACKED EARTH CHOCOLATE FLOURLESS CAKE: Earth Day

Earth Day 2021! Be sure and take a walk today and appreciate our planet earth. As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare, as well as Chocolate. I'm also the Editor of the Mystery Readers Journal. We had an issue last year (Volume 36:1) that focused on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries. Today on Mystery Fanfare, I blogged about Reservoir Noir: books that deal with intentional flooding of towns and villages because of building dams and reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, power and other reasons--a sad addition to the environmental crime fiction list.

I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about today when you make “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

The recipe for the cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Chocolate Flourless Cake: Earth Day

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

CRACKED EARTH CHOCOLATE FLOURLESS CAKE for EARTH DAY

Earth Day 2020! Be sure and go out for a walk today and appreciate our planet earth. As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare, as well as Chocolate. I'm also the Editor of the Mystery Readers Journal. The most recent issue (Volume 36:1) focuses on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries. Today on Mystery Fanfare, I blogged about Reservoir Noir: books that deal with intentional flooding of towns and villages because of building dams and reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, power and other reasons--a sad addition to the environmental crime fiction list.
I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about today when you make “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

The recipe for the cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Chocolate Flourless Cake: Earth Day

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

POTTED CHOCOLATE DIRT PUDDING: Earth Day

Earth Day! Celebrate with this simple and fun recipe. Make some home-made chocolate pudding or pudding from a box, crush some oreos on top, and stick in a sprig of mint! I use either clay pots (make sure they're clean) or glass mason jars. Use paper cups if that's all you have. Talk about easy! And cute, too! You can swap out mint extract for vanilla if you want chocolate mint pudding! Very versatile.

Celebrate Earth Day! It's the only Earth we have!

Want to make your own chocolate pudding?

Potted Chocolate Dirt Pudding

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract  (or mint extract)
Oreos
Mint sprigs

Directions
Stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute.
Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into individual pots or jars.
Let cool or refrigerate.
Top with crushed Oreos.
Stick spring of mint into each individual pot.

EARTH DAY BROWNIES

One more recipe to celebrate Earth Day. These Earth Day Mint Brownies are delicious, and with the green center, they're great for Earth Day!

EARTH DAY BROWNIES

Ingredients 

Brownies
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup DARK cocoa
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
3/4 cup milk

Mint Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 Tbsp milk
Dash of salt
Natural green coloring

Chocolate Glaze Layer
2 cups chopped dark chocolate
6 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions

Brownies
Combine all ingredients in an large bowl and beat or whisk till smooth.
Pour batter into well greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350° for about 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.

Mint Layer
Beat till smooth and spread evenly over cooled brownies. Chill in refrigerator while you make the chocolate glaze layer.

Chocolate Glaze Layer
Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan over saucepan filled with water on simmer until combined. Let cool for 5 minutes. Spread over mint layer, smoothing as you go. Return to refrigerate for at least an hour.

Allow to come to room temperature before cutting into squares.

CRACKED EARTH FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE for EARTH DAY

Earth Day! As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare, as well as about Chocolate. I'm also the Editor of the thematic review Mystery Readers Journal. A few years ago, we had an issue (Volume 29:1) that focused on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries. In addition I compose lists of themed crime fiction. Have a look at my Environmental/Ecological Crime Fiction list on Mystery Fanfare.

I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about while you enjoy “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

I've posted many flourless chocolate cake recipes, but this cake, adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network, is one of my favorites. Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake.

Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

Earth Day Potted Chocolate Dirt Pudding

Earth Day! Celebrate with this simple and fun recipe. Make some home-made chocolate pudding or pudding from a box, crush some oreos on top, and stick in a sprig of mint! I use either clay pots (make sure they're clean) or glass mason jars. Use paper cups if that's all you have. Talk about easy! And cute, too! You can swap out mint extract for vanilla if you want chocolate mint pudding! Very versatile.

Celebrate Earth Day! It's the only Earth we have!

Want to make your own chocolate pudding?

Potted Chocolate Dirt Pudding

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract  (or mint extract)
Oreos
Mint sprigs

Directions
Stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute.
Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into individual pots or jars.
Let cool or refrigerate.
Top with crushed Oreos.
Stick spring of mint into each individual pot.

Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake: Earth Day & Passover

Earth Day! As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare, as well as about Chocolate. I'm also the Editor of the thematic review Mystery Readers Journal. A few years ago, we had an issue (Volume 29:1) that focused on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries. In addition I compose lists of themed crime fiction. Have a look at my Environmental Crime Fiction list on Mystery Fanfare.

I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about while you enjoy “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

And, since tonight is the first night of Passover, this fabulous Flourless Chocolate Cake is perfect for the Seder and the rest of the week!

I've posted many flourless chocolate cake recipes, but this cake, adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network, is one of my favorites. It's his Cracked Earth Chocolate Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick sweet butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

Earth Day Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls

So many ways to celebrate Earth Day with Chocolate. These Earth Day Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls are easy to make and fabulous to eat!

EARTH DAY PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE BALLS

Ingredients
12 ounces peanut butter (organic crunchy or smooth)
1 cup organic sweet butter, softened
16 ounces powdered sugar
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla
12 ounces milk or semisweet chocolate, chopped.
Sea salt or Kosher salt

Directions
1. Mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla and sugar until well combined. Use hands or mixer. Roll mix into balls and drop onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Freeze for one hour.
2. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler or saucepan over another saucepan over simmering water. Remove from stove.
3. Dip peanut butter balls in chocolate using two forks or special chocolate dipping tool. Put on parchment paper.
4. With clean dry hands, sprinkle salt on top before chocolate dries.
5. Put in refrigerator to set up.

Alternatively, you can coat the balls in chocolate and then roll in chopped peanuts (have 2 cups chopped peanuts ready).

Earth Day Potted Chocolate Dirt Pudding

April 22 will be the celebration of the 45th Earth Day! Celebrate with this simple and fun recipe. Make some home-made chocolate pudding or pudding from a box, crush some oreos on top, and stick a sprig of mint! I use either clay pots (make sure they're clean) or glass mason jars. Use paper cups if that's all you have. Talk about easy! And cute, too! You can swap out mint extract for vanilla if you want chocolate mint pudding!Very versatile.

Celebrate Earth Day! It's the only Earth we have!

Want to make your own chocolate pudding?

Potted Chocolate Dirt Pudding

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract  (or mint extract)

Directions
Stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute.
Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into individual pots or jars.
Let cool or refrigerate.
Top with crushed oreos.
Stick spring of mint into each individual pot.

Earth Day: Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake

Earth Day! As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare, as well as about Chocolate. I'm also the Editor of the thematic review Mystery Readers Journal. Last year (Volume 29:1) focused on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries.

Today on Mystery Fanfare, I blog about Reservoir Noir: Books that deal with intentional flooding of towns and villages because of building dams and reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, power and other reasons--a sad addition to the environmental crime fiction list.

I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about while you enjoy “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

I've posted many flourless chocolate cake recipes, but this cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Chocolate Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Chocolate Flourless Cake

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick sweet butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

Earth Day: Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake

Earth Day! As many of you know, I blog about mystery/crime fiction at Mystery Fanfare, as well as Chocolate. I'm also the Editor of the Mystery Readers Journal. The most recent issue (Volume 29:1) focuses on Environmental Crime Fiction/Mysteries. Today on Mystery Fanfare, I blogged about Reservoir Noir: Books that deal with intentional flooding of towns and villages because of building dams and reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, power and other reasons--a sad addition to the environmental crime fiction list.
I don’t know of a good crime novel that involves the chocolate trade. That’s a theme ripe for a good mystery. Something to think about while you enjoy “Cracked Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake” from the recipe below.

The recipe for the cake is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network. It's his Cracked Chocolate Earth Flourless Chocolate Cake. And, it's Gluten-Free.

Cracked Earth Chocolate Flourless Cake

Ingredients
1 pound organic fair-trade dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped into small pieces
1 stick sweet butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9-inch springform pan.
Put chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with sugar in mixing bowl until light yellow in color.
Whisk a little of chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep eggs from scrambling from heat of the chocolate; then whisk in rest of chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites in mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pan (spray bottom with nonstick spray) and bake until cake is set, top starts to crack, and toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes (and then check every five minutes after that--don't overbake).
Let stand 10 minutes, then unmold.

Chocolate Earth Balls: Earth Day!

Today is Earth Day! Every day should be Earth Day, and most of the recipes I post are earth- friendly. Here's a simple recipe that's fun to make with the kids. As I've mentioned many times, always check food product, associations and markets for great recipes! This recipe is from Whole Foods Market! What says Earth Day more than Chocolate Earth Balls! These Earth Balls tend to be a bit sticky: just a heads up!

Chocolate Earth Balls

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons carob powder or unsweetened organic cocoa powder
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, divided (you can used sweetened, but it is not as healthy... obviously)
1/2 cup semisweet fair-trade organic chocolate, chopped fine (or use chocolate chips)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.)

Directions
Mix the peanut butter, honey and carob or cocoa powder until well combined. Stir in the raisins and 2 tablespoons of the coconut. Stir in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Place the remaining coconut, sesame seeds and nuts into 3 separate bowls. Using a spoon, scoop small heaps of the peanut mixture from the bowl; roll into 1 1/4-inch balls. Rolling is easier if you form a rough ball, roll in the coconut, and then continue rolling into a more perfect shape. Roll each finished ball in more coconut, sesame seeds and chopped nuts. Arrange the balls on a plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Photo: Whole Foods Market

Chocolate Humming Bird Nests for Easter & Earth Day

Here's a fun recipe you can make with your children or grandchildren. This is perfect for Easter and Earth Day (except maybe the jellybeans). And, if you omit the jelly bean eggs, it's also perfect for Passover. It's a Trifecta! Recipe adapted from the  Disney Family Fun site: Hummingbird Nests. I use dark chocolate about 60% cacao, but the original recipe calls for milk chocolate which would make the Bird Nests sweeter, since there's no added sugar.

CHOCOLATE HUMMING BIRD NESTS

Ingredients
1 cup chocolate (60%), broken (or chocolate chips)
1 cup shredded coconut (can be toasted coconut for a sharper taste)
Jelly bean eggs

Instructions
1. Melt the chocolate chips, following the directions on the bag. When the chocolate is smooth, stir in the coconut, then drop the mixture by the heaping tablespoon onto waxed-paper-lined cookie sheets.
2.While the nests are still warm, use your thumbs to poke an impression into the middle of each. Cool them, then fill with jelly bean eggs. Makes about a dozen.

If you make fewer of them and make them bigger, you can put Peeps inside. Fun for Easter. Great Kid-Friendly Recipe!

Photo: Disney Family Fun

Earth Day & Chocolate

Last year I had several posts for Earth Day including one on  my favorite Organic, fair trade chocolate. I have a few more to add to that list. Check out my 2009  post for Earth Friendly Chocolate.


One of my new favorites is Alter Eco Chocolate.  I love the Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bar that has the crispy crunch of the quinoa, that is blended with the 61% cacao. I also like their Dark Cacao Chocolate with Crunchy roasted nibs. And, for you milk chocolate fans, there are lots of  choices. Not all their bars add other flavors. Their Dark Blackout 85% Chocolate will knock your socks off!

I also like Divine Chocolate and Theo and Askinosie and Amano. There are many others. This is just a short list. Check out this year's list and the winners and runners-up from the San Francisco Chocolate Salon in this category. What's great is that there are so many more chocolate companies.. and companies that are organic and fair trade. Yay!

Links: Fair Trade Cocoa Campaign at Global Exchange

Want to take Action for Fair Trade? Global Exchange has lots of links.

Want to cook up something for Earth Day?  How about some Dirt Cupcakes?  or

Mud Pie 

(adapted from the evite blog)

1½ cups chocolate wafer cookies, crushed into small pieces
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 pint coffee ice cream, softened (buy local: save the earth)
1 tablespoon Kahlúa
1 tablespoon brandy
1 cup whipping cream, plus 2 tablespoons
 ½ cup dark corn syrup
12 ounces 70-85% dark chocolate, chopped

Combine chocolate wafer cookies and butter and press into 9-inch pie plate. Place in freezer.
Mix ice cream, Kahlúa and brandy.
Whip 2 tablespoons whipping cream, fold in to ice cream mixture, and pour into pie shell.
Cover and place in freezer.
Meanwhile, bring 1 cup cream and corn syrup to a simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth.
Cool until lukewarm, about 20 minutes.
Pour sauce over mud pie and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Dirt Cupcakes for Earth Day

So I was thinking about dirt cupcakes for Earth Day. Something for the kids (and the kid in all of us). I know I have a recipe for cemetery cupcakes I use at Halloween, but I couldn't locate it. In the meantime, I found a great recipe for Dirt Cupcakes with terrific step by step illustrations at the Bumbling Baker.

Materials Needed:

12 chocolate cupcakes

1 1/2 chocolate frosting

Oreo baking crumbs

Gummi Worms

Directions:

1. After baking up a batch of chocolate cupcakes (The Bumbling baker halved Martha's One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes, recipe HERE), allow them to cool completely. Then, frost each cupcake with chocolate frosting, or with buttercream that's tinted brown or black. You don't want the frosting to be noticeable once the cupcakes are dipped in the cookie crumbs.
2. Use Oreo baking crumbs to coat the frosted cupcakes. You could always break apart a bunch of Oreo cookies and finely crush the cookie bits, but it's a heck of a lot of work, and these are supposed to be EASY.

3. Put the cookie crumbs in a shallow bowl so it's easy to dip the cupcakes.
4. Dip the cupcake in the cookie crumbs.
5. Making sure you really get it in there.
6. Don't forget to roll the sides of the cupcake in the crumbs too.
7. Until you can't see any frosting and the cupcake is totally coated.
8. Grab a wooden spoon, and use the end of the handle to poke a hole deep into the cupcake.
Then pop a gummi worm in the hole.

I saw a lot of other recipes on the web, but I liked this one the best. Haven't tried it yet, but the ingredients look right, the directions are simple, and I love the looks of 'dirt' on top with one single worm.

So now you have choices of chocolate for Earth Day. Be sure and read my previous posts on earth-friendly chocolate.

Mud Pie for Earth Day

My previous blog was about Earth-Friendly chocolate: what makes chocolate earth-friendly, so today I thought I'd give a recipe for Mud Pie, the perfect chocolate treat for Earth Day. The following recipe from the evite blog is a variation on the traditional Mud Pie. It's easy and delicious.

Mud Pie

• 1½ cups chocolate wafer cookies, crushed into tiny pieces
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 pint coffee ice cream, softened
• 1 tablespoon Kahlúa
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1 cup whipping cream, plus 2 tablespoons
• ½ cup dark corn syrup
• 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

Combine chocolate wafer cookies and butter and press into 9-inch pie plate. Place in freezer. Mix ice cream, Kahlúa and brandy. Whip 2 tablespoons whipping cream, fold into ice cream mixture, and pour into pie shell. Cover and place in freezer. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup cream and corn syrup to a simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Cool until lukewarm, about 20 minutes. Pour sauce over mud pie and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Earth Friendly Chocolate

With Earth Day coming up on April 22, I thought I'd put together a list and information about earth-friendly chocolate also known as eco-chocolate.

What makes chocolate earth-friendly?

A little background: There are issues related to chocolate that need to be taken into consideration. First the demand for chocolate is so great that there are forces at work (human forces) to clear more and more of the rainforests to accommodate single crop cacao tree plantations. This leaves open sunny fields that lower the levels of plant and animal diversity. Along with that is the fact that some plantations use large amounts of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides that devastate not just the land but animal and bird populations--and other plants.

Another big problem with cacao production is child labor. Although this is not an environmental issue it is being addressed by environmentalists and humanists. 284,000 children between the ages of 9 and 12 work in hazardous conditions on West African cacao plantations. Many cacao workers in Ivory Coast (more than 40% of world's cacao is grown there), are underage and overworked. Read more. This is where fair-trade advocates have targeted the large producers to improve working conditions. To read more about conditions and responsible scientists and environmental groups, go here.

So what earth friendly chocolate should you eat on Earth Day?

Look beyond the word "organic." Opt for "fair trade certified"

Choose chocolates made from local ingredients. Hawaii is the only U.S. state that produces cacao: The Hawaiian Chocolate Company is absolutely terrific since it's truly bean to bar on the big Island, so that's a great one!

Don't forget to check out if the brand uses recycled paper with no plastic inserts or plastic coating.

Here are a few on my own list, but there are many more, and I look forward to comments.

Republica del Cacao
Dagoba
Scharffen Berger
Green and Black
Pralus
Theo
Cacao Anasa
Yachana Gourmet
Charles Chocolates
Hawaiian Chocolate Company
The Grenada Chocolate Company
Rapunzel

As well as brands of organic chocolate bars, there are several non-organic companies that have organic lines.

O.K. so I know you're either feeling a bit guilty by now or very virtuous, but here's something chocolate you can do without any of the calories. Adopt a chocolate tree. For $49, The Foundation for Integrated Education and Development (FUNEDESIN) offers a certificate of adoption, two bags of Ecuadorian chocolate and 10% off the regular price of Yachana Lodge tours.

Want to read a real earth-friendly chocolate story? Two Brits went from the U.K. to Africa driving a truck that's using 2000 liters of biofuel produced from waste chocolate. Now that's really using everything chocolate!