Let the Easter Fun Begin!

Isn't it amazing how quickly all the Valentine's candy was cleared away and replaced by Easter candy? There was barely any time for the shelves to be empty before they were loaded up with jelly beans and chocolate bunnies.
My first official Easter purchase was a bag of Sour Patch Bunnies. It was a difficult choice between those or Swedish Fish Eggs.
If you didn't tell me these were bunnies, I'm not sure what I'd think they were. They sort of resemble a bottle of Aunt Jemima pancake syrup. I hadn't had any Sour Patch candies in a long time, so I'd forgotten how much I like them. These are one of the few sour candies that start off and stay sour. The flavors are bright, fresh and citrusy-- a nice juxtaposition to the usual super sweet Easter basket offerings.

Valentine's Day is the New Halloween

It's official. I've had more than a few moms say to me, "What's with all the Valentine's candy?"
It used to be that, on Valentine's Day, you'd go to school and the teacher would collect everyone's cards and have the class pet pass them out. Some kids got a huge pile of cards, while other kids, sadly, got fewer. (These were the days before class lists and social equality.) You'd take your pile of little cards home, stuff them in a drawer and call it a day.
But that was so yesterday. Today's kids have taken Valentine's Day to new heights. Anything that can be glued, taped or stuffed into a cello bag is fair game. We're talking pencils, stickers, snack bags of chips, lollipops, chocolates, tickets to Broadway.
The Sugar Baby's haul included four pencils, three cards that did some crazy 3-D stuff, a bag of Goldfish, a tattoo, sunglasses that made him look disturbingly like Elton John and-- the Holy Grail-- a rootbeer-flavored Dum Dum from a little girl he's never even said boo to but now considers his one true love.
My sister-in-law said the post-Valentine's crash in their house was so bad that they've given up sugar for Lent. (I'm sure this is an unwilling sacrifice on the part of my nephews.)
In the house of Yum, I finally had to tell the Sugar Baby that we were going to play the "Quiet Game." He said, "You play the Quiet Game, I'll play the Talking Game."
Thank goodness it's all over with. And now there's just 39 days 'til the Easter Bunny comes.

I Call It "Almond Joy Cake"

(Not a pretty picture. It looked a lot better before it was hacked up.)

Maybe I should be doing a cake-of-the-week post. With all this snow we've been getting and some sort of social activity planned every weekend, I seem to be doing a heckuvalotta baking. This past weekend, it was a cake that Almond Joy lovers would, well, love: ground almond meal, coconut and bittersweet chocolate topped with chocolate ganache. Tonight, Mr. "I-Don't-Like-Cake" Goodbar was getting a bit hysterical, really, when he couldn't find the leftovers in the fridge. In fact, I think he was darn near accusing me of cake theft. (Turned out it was under the pancakes.)
This recipe is from "125 Best Chocolate Recipes" by Julie Hasson. I give her props; I've tried many of her recipes and they're almost always flawless.

Almond Chocolate Coconut Torte
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan, then line bottom with parchment paper.

7 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghiradelli chips)
1 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

Chocolate Glaze
5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup whipping (35%) cream

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Microwave, uncovered on medium (50%) for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until soft and almost melted. Stir until melted and smooth. (Let Sugarbaby lick the spoon.) With a clean spoon, stir in brown sugar until smooth. Let cool slightly. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Stir in vanilla and almond extract.

In a small bowl, mix together almond meal, flour, coconut and salt. Add to chocolate mixture, stirring until smooth.

Spread batter in prepared pan, smoothing top. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. (I used a smaller pan, so cooking time was about 10 minutes more.) Top of cake will be puffed (do not overbake). Let cool completely in pan on rack.

Chocolate Glaze: In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and cream. Microwave uncovered on medium (50%) for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds, or until cream is hot and chocolate is starting to melt. Stir well until chocolate is melted and mixture is thick and smooth. If chocolate is not completely melted, return to microwave for another 10 to 20 seconds or until chocolate is soft and melted. Stir well. If glaze is very thin, let stand for a few minutes to thicken slightly.

Invert cake onto a platter and remove parchment paper. Pour glaze over top and spread with spatula, letting glaze drip down sides. Refrigerate until glaze is firm.

Pillow-Soft Boozey Goodness

Waaaaay back when in 2008, I sampled some boozey-enhanced candies called Crown Nuggets Borrachitos. They came in two flavors: Cafe and-- I say whispering-- ((tequila)). They looked like this:
I just couldn't get myself to try the tequila ones back then and, to be perfectly honest, I still can't. As they say, once bitten, twice shy: one bad night with some cheap tequila will remain forever etched in my brain. I was able to try the Cafe ones, though, and I likened them to happy hour in a candy.
Fast forward to 2010, when I was asked if I'd like to try their new flavor Whiskey. I hesitated at first. Whiskey isn't my drink of choice, either, but at least I can say the word without gagging.
The first big change was obvious. The packaging is a hundred, thousand, million times better. The photo on the package shows some darn yummy looking candies and identifies them as "Creme & Liquor Filled Caramels." I noted before that they almost look like little pastries or cruellers. What I totally forgot about was the texture. It completely surprises me every time. Rather than a dense chew or a crumbly, almost doughy texture, these have a gelatinous feel to them, almost more marshmallowy than caramel. (The website refers to them as "pillow soft.") The alcohol-- up to 4%-- gives them a very definite kick. The whiskey ones taste just like the highballs* my parents used to make on Saturday nights. If whiskey is your poison, then these candies are your treats.
Mr. Goodbar loves these. I've watched as the package has slowly disappeared throughout the week. If you're the type who devours rum balls at Christmas, these are most certainly for you. They aren't really my thing, but I can say they're unique. If, however, they come out with a champagne-flavored version, watch out. Then it will be happy hour for me all the time. You can order these at www.crowncandies.com.

*It wasn't until just this very moment, when I looked up the definition of highball, that I realized that a highball is actually a generic name for a family of mixed drinks. According to everyone's favorite sketchy source Wikipedia, highballs are "composed of an alcoholic base spirit and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer." So technically, a gin and tonic or rum and Coke are also considered highballs. Huh. Who knew?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY
from Candy Yum Yum
(and Kit Kat)

Art Installation Saturday: Windsor Chair with Chocolates

"Windsor Chair with Plastic Chocolates" 2010
Chair by Mr. Goodbar, chocolate placement by the Sugarbaby

OUQT! Some Random Sweethearts Stuff

Auntie Ice Cube Queen sent the Sugar Baby a box of Necco Sweethearts Smoothies for Valentine's Day. I decided to go wild and let him eat them all in one sitting. He wolfed them down without a word, and then, when he got to the last one, he said, "What does this say?"
Appropriately enough, it said "I love you." (Note the following items in the picture: Necco Sweethearts, plastic chocolate truffle, and a book called "Sweet!")

This year, the new phrases on Sweethearts are "Tweet Me," "Text Me," "You Rock," "Soul Mate," "Love Bug," and "Me + You." Alas, the obsolete "Fax Me" has been discontinued. Maybe next year they'll add "Super Poke!" or "Friend Request."

And, if you just can't get enough of that sweet Valentine's aroma, check this out. Demeter Fragrance Library has introduced three new scents to their collection: Be My Valentine, Love Me and Call Me. You can get them at Sephora.

Brazilian Candy: It's Like John Mayer--Not Very Attractive, But Really Good

After two months of sampling the best food that America has to offer (Oreos and giant jawbreakers), the Von Schokolats' exchange student "Manfred" shared a Brazilian candy recipe with them. "We all really enjoyed it," said the Baroness. "Great flavor and crunch. Not very attractive, but really good."

Here's the recipe, in an unedited, translated from Portuguese kind of way.

Negrinho

1 small can sweetened condensed milk

2 tbsp butter

2 generous spoons of cocoa

Put above in a pan and cook until thick

Pull off heat and put in half a can (from condensed milk) of honey.

Break biscotti into thirds (see picture below). Put them in the mixture and stir well. Place on a plate and put in refrigerator until cool. Take out and eat.

Last Minute Valentines!

Gah! Have you looked at the calendar recently? The Big Day is coming! Yes folks, only four days until Valentine's Day! Have you gotten anything for your sweetie yet? Don't wait 'til the last minute, because you know you'll end up with either a teeny box of mockolates with the Tazmanian Devil on it or a giant box of overpriced, overly sweet junky candy in a creepy lacy heart-shaped box that looks more funereal than lovey-dovey.
But it's not too late! Here are some of my last-minute picks for the day when you'd better say "I love you."

Membership in the Chocolate Seduction Club: Each month, your cuddle bunny can receive a mystery package of confections from an artisan chocolatier. www.chocolateseductionclub.com

Chocolate-covered wine or champagne: Yep, a real bottle of booze dipped in chocolate! Fun!
www.blissinabottle.com

Training Treats: Gotta love these: boxes of hard butter toffee candies in a specially-designed box. Check out the different types:

Training Treats For Husbands® - For the guy with just one or two flaws.
Training Treats® For New Husbands™ - A trained husband = a happy husband!
Training Treats® For Retired Husbands™ - A whole new phase of training.
Training Treats® For Golfers™ - What took us so long!
Husband Treats® - The perfect treat for the perfect guy!
Training Treats® For Boyfriends™ - Turn your frog into a prince!
Training Treats® For New Dads™ - For the brand new dad, in his grand new role!

www.trainingtreats.com

Hershey's Kiss jewelry: For the relationship that is serious enough for jewelry, but no where near engagement territory.

www.hersheyskissjewelry.com

Sweet Treat of the Week: Oliver Kita!

This week's Sweet Treat of the Week is Oliver Kita, a chocolatier based in Rhinebeck, N.Y. (Why, oh why couldn't he have been around when I was little and we went to Rhinebeck every summer with my dad's model airplane club to the Aerodrome?)

Mr. Kita has serious credentials, and clearly he's passionate about chocolate. So let's have a chat with him, shall we?


You have a dream job. How did you get there?
I have always been a pastry chef and worked with chocolate. I have been creating pastry for a long time and this step just seemed like the next thing I wanted to do with my career. I feel excited about chocolate whenever I am working with it. Still do-- even today!

What are some of your favorites that you’ve created?
Palet d’Opium (blood orange, lapsang and spice) was inspired by Pearl S. Buck and her book "Imperial Woman," the story of the last empress of China before the Boxer Rebellion. I have always been influenced by Asian culture.

What do you think people are looking for in chocolate? Have tastes changed over the years?

People are looking for the most dark, dramatic, intense experience imaginable. They equate the percentage with the quality and we know that it’s not always true-- it’s just the amount of cacao content and sugar-- not the quality. One must rely upon the manufacturer of the chocolate. The American palate is improving – I see this as I tour with the chocolate to different festivals in Colorado, Miami and New York. We sample only dark Valrhona chocolate 70% from Venezuela at the shows. I used to be just beside myself with wondering, “Why is everyone asking is there milk in this chocolate- it’s dark French chocolate!” Turns out the American palate is used to Pennsylvania created chocolate that was inspired by Hershey's or Nestle and that always contains milk solids even in the dark chocolate. I finally figured it out after reading the Hershey label.

What’s your comfort chocolate? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Usually a praline or a marzipan enrobed. Sometimes, I love pistachio marzipan.

I like dark milks when I don’t feel well or am fatigued.

Are there any flavors that don’t go well with chocolate?

Well, what do you have in mind? These days they are trying everything possible.

I haven’t seen tofu or seaweed yet-- but just wait-- someone from Japan will try it out for the thrill.

They were dipping pickles at a festival I was attending last month. They sold OUT!

However, I haven’t tried beef jerky dipped in chocolate-- and probably won’t go there either.

I love your chocolate Buddhas. Why Buddha?

Mind Body Chocolate everyday. I try to help my clients learn to meditate with chocolate by staying present with the taste.

Do you have a favorite candy-related memory?

Bubble gum cards with trading images, Sour Heads, jaw breakers, and I loved “Spree” when I was in the 5th grade.

What advice do you have for chocolate-lovers?

Follow your dream and stay connected to the passion and it will take you where you need to be in this lifetime.

Where else can one say that they have to go to Paris to taste chocolate at the next salon festival and it’s considered work!

Indeed! I'd love to be able to say that!

Check out Oliver Kita's Valentine chocolates, tasting kits, Buddhas and more at www.oliverkita.com.

Nut-Free, Vegan and Gluten-Free Valentines

Everybody has at least one friend with special dietary needs. There's Lactose-Intolerant Lucy, who is forced to eat frozen "dessert product" instead of Ben & Jerry's; Celiac Cicely, who still eats pizza but pays the price two hours later; and Vegan Violet, who wonders why she never gets an invitation to dinner parties.
So what's a guy or gal to do for Valentine's Day for their special-needs sweetheart? Fortunately there are major candy options in these enlightened days. Let's look at a few.Any parent of a school-age kid knows the importance of the peanut-free zone. At the Sugar Baby's school, the rules are strict: no products with nuts or made on machinery with nuts. I'm so thankful that he has no nut allergies; it makes life a lot easier. But for his little friends with sensitivities (and, of course, let's not forget No-Nuts) there are companies like Vermont Nut-Free Chocolates. They have chocolates, truffles, granola bars and jelly beans, in addition to holiday goodies, like these heart-shaped sweets.
For some vegan chocolates with a spiritual bent, Wei of Chocolate offers a unique product. Their organic dark chocolates come in cute little flower shapes and are packaged in environmentally-friendly bags packaged by nymphs and wood sprites. (Okay, I made that last part up.) For your crunchy granola, crystals & moonbeams partner, check out their Herbs & Spices chocolates:

Daily Gratitude - 65% cacao with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and other "chai" spices together with herbs traditionally thought to encourage mental clarity, immune system support and be calming and relaxing, like lemon balm, rhodiola and codonopsis.

Daily Love - 74% cacao with a subtle blend of cinnamon, mace and a chili finish, together with South American maca, eleuthero and astragulus, herbs thought to support the immune and adrenal systems.

Sensual Love - 74% cacao with a smoky, earthy blend of five herbs respected by indigenous cultures worldwide for their gentle aphrodisiac qualities, like maca, shatavari, gingko biloba, epimedium and catuaba bark, together with a two varieties of chilis and some tasty spices.

They also have a line of chocolates with flower essences with names like Inner Clarity, Inner Peace and Inner Delight.

It just doesn't get any groovier than that.

And last, but not least, I'd like to share a recipe I made a couple of weeks ago for a gluten-free flourless chocolate cake. I know, I can see you rolling your eyes. Flourless Chocolate Cake is so '90s, with its ooey-gooey molten chocolate center. But this was totally different. It wasn't molten. It was fudgey like a brownie with a crisp outside and dense inside. We served it with homemade cinnamon whipped cream and strawberries. I don't know how everyone else felt about it, because I was too busy staking out a second piece to care. Let me point out that this was a super easy recipe. I highly recommend it. (Note: I refused to go out and buy chocolate for the recipe, since I have so much candy in the house. I decided to use five dark chocolate Dove hearts and it worked out perfectly.) You can find the recipe here.

See's Butterscotch Cookies

If you're a fan of See's Butterscotch Squares, head on over to CelticMommy for her See's Candy in a Cookie recipe. They look yummy!

Guest Review: Snickers Fudge and Milky Way Simply Caramel

The Von Schokolats have taken time out of their busy schedules to do a taste test of the latest offerings from Mars. (The candy manufacturer, that is; not the planet.)
(If you've been paying attention, you'll notice another name amongst the crowd. Let me introduce Manfred, the Von Schokolats' exchange student from Brazil.)

Milky Way Simply Caramel

Liesl: very thick, stuck to my braces

Manfred: spit it out after about 2 seconds of chewing (ew!)

The Baron : Nothing special, I wouldn't buy it

Gretl : Tastes like caramels. Don't like it; it's too sticky.

The Baroness : Tastes like a Caramello. No big deal, very disappointing.

Snickers Fudge

The Baron : Don't like the texture at the beginning. Slight peanut butter taste. No fudge texture or flavor.

Liesl : Chocolatety deliciousness, crunchy, I think I ate my elastic, very thick

Manfred : Good, but you wouldn't want to eat too much of it.

Gretl : Tastes like ... nothing. It's a rip off on a Snickers.

The Baroness : I was very excited to try this as Snickers are my favorite candy bar. However, this one left a gritty feeling in my mouth. There wasn't enough caramel and I was very disappointed. I would prefer a regular Snickers!

Taking One for the Team

Way back in 2009, we conducted the first official Candy Yum Yum poll where you, dear Yumsters, told me what you wanted to read about. One of the things that was mentioned several times, and that I've failed to report on, was sugar-free chocolate. But the time has come to delve into the mysterious world of chocolate sans sugar.
When I worked at the chocolate shop in college, we had one refrigerated case of chocolates that were all sugar-free. When you opened the doors to mix up a pound of vanilla creams, cordial cherries and raspberries jellies, you'd get this whiff of ... something. It's hard to describe. It wasn't a chocolate smell, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant, either. If anything, it was a malty kind of aroma with a coolness to it. The sugar-free candies were a hot commodity and were, if I recall correctly, the most expensive chocolates in the store. We were instructed that these were not low-calorie and weren't meant for weight loss. This was candy made for diabetics. (One day I overheard one of my co-workers quite loudly explaining to a woman that these wouldn't help her lose weight. Needless to say, she didn't last long in the position.)
Anyhow, the deal with sugar-free chocolate is that it is generally made with maltitol, sorbitol and xylitol, all sugar alcohols which provide the sweetness of table sugar, but with a slower absorption time, which makes it safe for some diabetics. The downside of this is that it can cause bloating and diarrhea, so one piece usually has to suffice.
But how does it taste?
I was sent some samples of Sorbee "Fine European Chocolate" in both milk and dark, sweetened with maltitol and sucralose (Splenda). I was pleasantly surprised by the aroma. It actually smelled like decent chocolate. As for the taste ... well, come on, let's be real here. It tastes as much like a big hunk of Belgian chocolate as a Garden Burger tastes like a Big Mac. You can't really compare the two. The sugar-free lacks a certain richness. It's got the sweetness, but not the creamy "fatness." It's cool on the tongue and doesn't have a melty quality. But, God forbid I should ever find myself in the position of not being able to enjoy chocolate on a daily basis, I could certainly come to like this stuff. Is it a substitute? No. But as its own sweet treat for people with health restrictions, it's fine. For further research, I'm going to pass some of this onto to others who have more experience with sugar-free chocolates and get their opinions. I'll keep you posted.

Pass Me Another Bon Bon, Darling

Yes, I can truly say now that I'm sitting on my couch, eating bon bons. This tin of South 'n France Bon Bons arrived on my doorstep last week. Lots of candies pretend to be "bon bons" (and of course, there's the ice cream variety, too), but these are truly worthy of the name.
Exactly what is a bon bon? According to the website, the direct translation is "goody goody," but in this case, to be more specific, they're balls of doughy confection-y stuff dipped in chocolate. It's not easy to describe actually. You'd think they'd be like truffles, but the center isn't soft ganache. It's more cakey than creamy.So here's the deal: each bon bon is a decent size. Two bites, maybe even three. They come in the following flavors: Cafe au Lait, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Coconut, Cookies 'n Creme, Peanut Buttah (love that!) and Pistachio.
The first one I tried was coconut and, lawd have mercy! It was one fine piece of candy. The chocolate shell was snappy and the coconut was creamy and chewy. All of the flavors are true to their names, although the Peanut Buttah did stop me in my tracks. It wasn't just peanut butter in the center; it also included cherries, dates and sugar. I'm not so sure how I feel about that. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was good, but I'm a purist. It kind of freaked me out to have other stuff mixed in with the peanut butter.
(Here's an item of note: four of their flavors are gluten-free.)
The factory is located in Wilmington, N.C. and I wish I could go there for one of their Bon Bon Parties. This looks like the coolest thing ever: you get a bunch of friends together, bring some wine or champagne, and you learn the secret art of bon bon making. And-- get this-- it's only $25 per person. How cool would this be for a bachelorette party or, hmmm, maybe a 40th birthday party?
So now that February is here and we're on our way towards Valentine's Day, I highly recommend these as a gift. (Especially the coconut!)
www.southnfrance.com