Taste of Home - Taste of Home Chocolate

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1610 N. 2nd St., Suite 102, Milwaukee, WI 53212-3906

All rights reserved. Taste of Home is a registered trademark of RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC.

Visit us at tasteofhome.com for other Taste of Home books and products.

ISBN: 978-1-62145-527-1

ISBN: 978-162145-528-8 (ebook)

LOCC: 2020942850

Executive Editor: Mark Hagen

Senior Art Director: Raeann Thompson

Designer: Jazmin Delgado

Deputy Editor, Copy Desk: Dulcie Shoener

Cover Photography:

Photographer: Dan Roberts

Set Stylist: Stacey Genaw

Food Stylist: Josh Rink

Pictured on front cover:

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If theres one ingredient that could be called a gift from heaven, its chocolate. So when it came time to put together a mini book of our sweetest sensations, the experts in the Taste of Home Test Kitchen jumped at the chance. After all, not only is chocolate the star of incredible cakes, brownies, cookies and candies, but it adds sublime flavor to snacks, cocktails and so many other irresistible favorites.

After taste-testing, munching, crunching, sipping and sampling, we created this collection of 116 blissful delights. Were thrilled to share these divine specialties with you in this all-new cookbook Chocolate.

Its loaded with plenty of recipes for fudge, bark, truffles and the other indulgences youd expect from a chocolate cookbook, and youll also find frosty favorites, sweet appetizers, cost-saving gifts, quick breads and oh-so-creamy cheesecakes.

From impressive cakes and pies to dozens of bakeshop staples, the perfect treat is herestarring everyones favorite ingredient, chocolate!

CHOCOLATE THROUGH THE AGES

From the turn of the century to today, the popularity of this sweet specialty has never waned.

• 1895

  HELLO, HERSHEY

  Milton Hershey begins developing his milk chocolate bar in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

• 1900

  ALL IN!

  Cocoa production costs drop; chocolate is no longer a pleasure reserved for the rich.

• 1907

  KISS ME NOW

  The very first Hersheys Kiss comes off the assembly line. Today, there are many flavors.

• 1914

  LIFE BEGINS HERE

  The first chocolate brownie debuts in a cookbook to raise money for a YMCA in Bangor, Maine. (Try our favorite brownies starting .)

• 1930

  NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

  Nestle begins making white chocolate (originally under the name Galak), primarily from cocoa butter, sugar and milk. Whether or not its true chocolate remains debatable today.

• 1930s

  SMART COOKIE

  Ruth Graves Wakefield bakes the first chocolate chip cookie at her Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts. As the story goes, she ran out of bakers chocolate and added broken bits of sweet chocolate to her cookies, assuming they would melt. Were glad they didnt.

• 1941

  BUTTONED UP

  U.S. soldiers carry little tubes of candy-coated chocolate buttons with them as they head off to battle in World War II. For the duration of the war, these M&Ms were available only to the military.

• 1946

  A WORTHY ADDITION

  Chocolate is in short supply during World War II because of rationing. To keep his business going, Italian chocolatier Pietro Ferrero uses hazelnut as a filler in his formula, thus introducing Nutella to the world.

• 2006

  MORE, PLEASE

  A study is published noting the cardiovascular benefits of some cocoas and chocolate products.

• 2010

  THE ART OF CHOCOLATE

  Artisanal chocolate becomes a thing, with brands such as Vosges Haute Chocolates (Chicago), Mast Brothers Chocolates (Brooklyn, New York) and Theo Chocolate (Seattle) creating unique confections starring surprising ingredients, like wasabi, jalapenos and bacon. (Try our Chocolate-Covered Bacon skewers as seen on pages -201.)

• TODAY

  CHOCOHOLICS

  Americans consume 20% of the worlds cocoa, with the average American eating about 12 pounds of chocolate per year.

Perfect Pairings

Wine and chocolate are an ideal match. Here are some of our favorite combos.

MOSCATO DASTI

Light and sweet, with a hint of bubbles and a slight orange flavor

Pairs well with

White chocolate; orange-flavored chocolate; orange candy or kumquats dipped in semisweet chocolate

CRANBERRY WINE

Both sweet and tart, with intense cranberry flavor

Pairs well with

Rich, buttery dark chocolate truffles (the darker the better)

ASTI SPUMANTE

Sweet and sparkling, with aromas of flowers and ripe summer fruits

Pairs well with

Dried apricots or pretzels dipped in bittersweet chocolate; sea foam candy

TAWNY PORT

Caramelly and nutty with hints of cinnamon and clove

Pairs well with

Chocolate hazelnut truffles, chocolate cashew clusters, chocolate cheese

BRACHETTO DACQUI

This chocolate pairing all-star is slightly sweet and effervescent, with strawberry and red fruit flavors

Pairs well with

Sampler of assorted chocolates; strawberries dipped in chocolate

PARTY TIME!

Guests will swoon over delish options for drizzling on ice cream, coffee or waffles. Fill a slow cooker one-third full with hot water. Set temp to high; leave the lid off. Add wide-mouthed Mason jars filled with chocolate pieces, being careful to keep water from getting in the jars. Chocolate will be melted in about 30 minutes.

Selecting the right type of chocolate is key to experiencing everything this dreamy indulgence has to offer. Heres what you need to know.

UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE

Chocolate in its simplest form, this variety is also known as baking or bitter chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate has no sugars or added flavors, hence the bitter label. And while its not intended for eating out of hand, it serves as a key ingredient in brownies, cakes and cookies.

NATURAL UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER

Press most of the cocoa butter out of unsweetened chocolate, and youll end up with natural unsweetened cocoa powder. This is your secret weapon for deep, rich chocolate flavor in baked goods such as devils food. While a little may be used on its own to decorate a truffle, cocoa powder is intended for use in recipes, not by the spoonful. Try it plain and youll quickly understand why.

DUTCH-PROCESSED COCOA POWDER

Also known as alkalized cocoa powder, this type of chocolate has been treated to reduce its acidity, giving it a smoother flavor and a reddish hue. For candy and sauce recipes that call for cocoa powder, you can use Dutch-processed and natural cocoa interchangeably. When it comes to baked goods, though, youll want to stick to what the recipe calls for, as it can impact the way the sweet treat rises.