TRADER JOE'S CHOCOLATE STOCKING STUFFERS: Chocolate Passport & Taste Test of Caramels

I'm a huge fan for everything Trader Joe's--from the plants to the music to the cheese to the chocolate! The holidays are the perfect time to experience, buy, and gift some great chocolate stocking stuffers.

I've posted before about Trader Joe's Chocolate Passport, and I'm so pleased to see The Chocolate Passport back at Trader Joe's this season. The Chocolate Passport makes a great stocking stuffer or hostess gift or even the basis of your own "chocolate tasting" during the holidays. Trader Joe's Chocolate Passport is beautifully packaged, as well as containing terrific chocolate from beans sourced from all over the world. Different amounts of cacao, too.

Each chocolate is sourced from eight original locations each with its own terroir. Trader Joe's Chocolate Passport takes you on a journey through the cacao-growing world: Peru, Ecuador, Venazuela, The Dominican Republic, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome, and Tanzania. The cacao ranges form 60-73%. Take a trip around the chocolate world!

At $9.99, this is a great bargain! This is also available on several internet sites, but at double the price! Go direct to the store...and dance in the aisles!

Another wonderful seasonal chocolate product at Trader Joe's is the Taste Test of Caramels: Chocolate Covered Caramel Taste Testing Kit featuring 12 distinct Flavor Profiles: Toffee Apple, Ginger, Vanilla, Maple, Double Espresso, Butterscotch, Hot Chili, Coconut, Himalayan Salted, Fig & Honey that makes for a great blind taste test party guessing game. And, it's not just about flavor. Each caramel has a unique design, so you can eat with your eyes as well taste buds! They're well made with hick chocolate at the bottom and thinner on the top. I love this Classic Holiday Treat!  $5.99. How can you go wrong?

DECADENT EGGNOG BROWNIES: National Eggnog Month

It shouldn't come as a surprise, but December is Eggnog Month. If you're like me, I have eggnog around this time of year, but Santa doesn't always partake. So how else to use it? Why not make Eggnog Brownies? 


This amazing recipe is from Amy Guittard's Guittard Chocolate Book...no surprise there! I love Guittard Chocolate, and the recipes in Amy's cookbook are fantastic. These brownies are absolutely delicious! If you already have brandy in your eggnog, you don't need to add more... And, as always, use the very best chocolate and Eggnog!

Decadent Eggnog Brownies

Ingredients
6 ounces Guittard 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped
1 cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, divided
2 1/2 cups plus 4 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup eggnog
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 9x9x2 inch pan with foil covering the bottom and extending up sides.
Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in medium microwave safe bowl at medium power (50% or level 5) mixing at 30-second intervals until smooth and all of chocolate is melted. Set aside.
In large bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt at high speed for about 2-3 minutes or until light and creamy. Blend in melted chocolate at low speed, stopping to scrape sides as needed. Add flour just until incorporated.
Spread two-thirds of the batter into prepared pan and transfer remainder to a small bowl.
Clean bowl and paddle of stand mixer and refit to mixer. Beat egg yolk on medium-high until frothy. Stir in 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, eggnog, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat in cream cheese until mixture is smooth.
Top  brownie batter with cream cheese eggnog mixture, using spatula to level out mixture. Spoon remaining brownie batter over cream cheese eggnog layer, again using spatula to spread evenly. Drag the spatula through pan to create marbled effect.
Bake about 45 minutes to an hour or until top is puekered and cracked and toothpick inserted in center is moist (DO NOT OVERBAKE!)
Cool before cutting.

BUTTER PECAN TURTLE COOKIES: Irresistibly good Holiday Cookie Made Easy

I just love Retro Ads with Recipes, and this one is especially fun for the holidays. Note the wreath in the window, and the Tagline: Land O Lakes Butter Pecan Turtles. The irresistibly good Holiday Cookie Made Easy.

Of course, being a Land O Lakes ad, it's all about butter! I love to bake with butter. These Butter Pecan Turtle Cookies are delicious. And, there are no calories! Right? One caveat, these are more bars than cookies, but they still taste great.

Butter Pecan Turtle Cookies

Crust 
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Land O Lakes Sweet Cream Butter, softened

Caramel Layer 
2/3 cups Land O Lakes Sweet Cream Butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup whole pecan halves (not chopped)
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions 
Preheat Oven to 350°.
In 3 quart bowl combine crust ingredients. Mix at medium speed, scraping sides of bowl often, 2-3 minutes or until well mixed and particles are fine. Pat firmly into ungreased 13x9x2" pan.
Sprinkle pecans evenly over unbaked crust.

Prepare caramel layer
In heavy 1-quart saucepan combine brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until entire surface of mixture begins to boil. Boil 1/2 to 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Pour Caramel Layer evenly over pecans and crust.
Bake near center of 350° oven for 18-22 minutes, or until entire caramel layer is bubbly and crust is light golden brown.
Remove from oven.
Immediately sprinkle with chips. Allow chips to melt slightly (2-3 minutes). Slightly swirl chips as they melt; leave some whole for a marbled effect. Do not spread chips.
Cool completely; Cut into 3-4 dozen bars.

CHOCOLATE PLUM PUDDING CAKE

So much baking this holiday season! Here's another great and easy recipe! Chocolate Plum Pudding Cake! Who doesn't love a great fruitcake, especially a chocolate one? This one is moist and delicious.

Chocolate Plum Pudding Cake

Ingredients
2/3 cup raisins
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Put raisins in small saucepan. Cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan.
Sift together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs, then applesauce. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spread batter evenly into prepared tube pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 80 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely; chill.