Candy production and advertising has focused on children for many years. In 2006 something changed all that. The Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative was created in response to growing concerns about overweight children. Food and candy producers agreed to voluntarily increase their focus on promoting healthy lifestyles and eating choices. Leading candy companies including Hershey’s, Mars and Nestle are committed to this program.This change inspired a wide range of wonderful new products that focus primarily on candy for adults. Healthy adult candy options may seem like a contradiction but the trend shows that adults are in fact buying more candy for themselves. Here is a list of some of the wild new flavor options you can find today:
Pink grapefruit grape-seed Gummy Bears
Reishi mushroom and walnut dark chocolate
Bacon and chocolate of every kind
Sea-salt caramels, natural mango, hot chili, and odd vinegar candy
Organic sweeteners and genuine fruit extracts are part of making candy healthier. Nutritional enhancements such as vitamins are also being explored as a way to promote healthy eating. You can read more about this fantastic new trend via the source link below.
Welcome to the Hot Chocolate Guide. Your definitive source for everything Hot Chocolate.
Hot Chocolate Recipes – How to Make Hot Chocolate
The world is filled with millions of places to find great hot chocolate recipes. Here is a list of the very best sites to find the perfect hot chocolate idea.
Large index of exquisite home made hot chocolate recipes at > Allrecipes.com
Savory review of the worlds leading hot chocolate recipes > brit.co
Unique hot chocolate recipes like white hot chocolate, alcohol hot chocolate, coconut hot chocolate > Foodnetwork.com
HERSHEY’S vision of the perfectly hot cocoa recipe > Hersheys.com
The epicurious version of perfect hot chocolate > Epicurious.com
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate from McCormick > mccormick.com
Cookies and Cream Hot Chocolate from the recipe critic > therecipecritic.com
Popular Hot Chocolate Flavors
Hot chocolate inspires an infinite range or delicious flavor options. Here are a few worlds leading favorite types of hot chocolate:
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Mexican Hot chocolate is modern recipe based on ancient tradition. You will love this delicious treat.
White Hot Chocolate
White Hot Chocolate is a refreshing alternative to conventional milk or dark hot chocolate.
Starbucks Hot Chocolate
While Starbucks makes exceptional coffee products, their hot chocolate has become a world favorite. With this recipe now you can make it at home.,
Unique Hot Chocolate Recipes
Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
This recipe is for the serious peanut butter lover. It is like drinking peanut butter chocolate heaven.
Hot Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
This recipe will blow your mind. Cupcakes filled with hot chocolate will amaze you.
S’mores Hot Chocolate Recipe
S”mores and hot chocolate are two family favorites that taste great together.
Hot Chocolate Calories
Calories in hot chocolate can vary greatly depending on the recipe. Here is list from some of our favorites:
Swiss Miss = Calories60
Starbucks Hot Chocolate – no whipped cream = Calories204
Ghirardelli Hot Cocoa = Calories140
Dunkin Donuts Hot Chocolate = Calories220
Nestle Hot Cocoa Mix = Calories 80
As you can see calories really depends on the brand and flavor of hot chocolate so do your research. Caloriecount.com has an incredible list of calories for every possible type of hot chocolate. Check out their site here: caloriecount.com
Hot Chocolate & Health
There is no question that hot chocolate can be considered a benefit to your health. To learn more about this fascinating research you should explore the following articles:
Drinkable chocolate has been used for years to treat ailments and maladies. When chocolate made its way to France in the 17th century, it was used “to fight against fits of anger and bad moods.” Which wasn’t just the French being French, it was truly insightful, given that modern research has discovered that chocolate reduces levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling highly freaked out. According to a study conducted at Cornell University, the antioxidant concentration in hot cocoa is almost twice as strong as red wine. Cocoa’s concentration was two to three times stronger than that of green tea and four to five times stronger than that of black tea. Read more at mnn.com: Health benefits of drinking hot cocoa
Drinking hot chocolate made specifically from unsweetened dark chocolate can carry significant health benefits. Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed 21 studies that involved more than 2,500 participants and found that drinking chocolate is associated with reduced blood pressure, improved blood vessel health and lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and elevating HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Earlier evidence also suggested that drinking cocoa may be responsible for the very low incidence of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.
Read more at inquisitr.com > Amazing benefits of hot chocolate
The History of Hot Chocolate
Conquistador Girolamo Benzoni, one of the first to taste the spicy Aztec beverage called cacahuatl, wrote, “It seemed more a drink for pigs than a drink for humanity. I was in this country for more than a year and never wanted to taste it, and whenever I passed a settlement, some Indian would offer me a drink of it and would be amazed when I would not accept, going away laughing. But then, as there was a shortage of wine. . . .” Learn all about the hisotry of hot chocolate from this amazing article at history.org > History Of Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate & Science
The hot chocolate effect is a phenomenon of wave physics first recognized in 1982 by Frank Crawford, where the pitch sound from tapping a cup of hot chocolate rises after the addition of a soluble powder. This phenomena was first observed in the making of hot chocolate. It can be observed by pouring hot milk into a mug, stirring in chocolate powder, and tapping the bottom of the mug with a spoon while the milk is still in motion. The pitch of the taps will increase progressively with no relation to the speed or force of tapping. Subsequent stirring of the same solution (without adding more chocolate powder) will gradually decrease the pitch again, followed by another increase. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_chocolate_effect
So you work a lot of overtime, and the government takes most of your earnings. You get no bonus or wage increase and life basically stinks. How does an employer inspire workers in this environment? With bonus black market Choco Pies of course.
No this is not the United States or the United Kingdom. Unfortunately these countries have no black market methods to inspire the average worker. The Choco Pie black market is an industry of North Korea. Factory managers in North Korea have been giving out unsanctioned Choco Pies to help motivate employees and create a more enjoyable workplace. We often hear about the sinister behavior of North Korea but this story shows a warm side. Anyone that loves Choco Pies this much must have a heart of gold.
Choco Pies are tasty marshmallow filled chocolate cakes produced in South Korea. They have become the most popular South Korean product in all of North Korea. You can get up to 10$ per Choco Pie on the North Korean black market yet on Amazon you can get 24 pies for about the same price.
Unfortunately the North Korean government has started enforcing rules that limit South Korean products. This means Choco Pies are even harder to get. Factories are now handing out sausage and noodles as a replacement. I imagine this is not going over well with factory workers in North Korea. While this heinous action by the North Korean government is disturbing, it may also be their downfall. Once you take away the Choco Pies, people may turn on you in the end. Give back the Choco Pies!
Candy is the best way to enhance any party. You can use candy to develop all sorts of colorful sweet theme ideas for your guests. Do not waste the occasion with ordinary bowls of sweets just laying around. You can create wonderful bouquets, a dramatic centerpiece, or an entire buffet dedicated to nothing but delicious candies. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.
Candy Centerpiece Ideas
A centerpiece is an important item of display used to convey a key design element of your party. The centerpiece is usually placed in the middle of the table to draw attention, joy and appreciation from your guests. You can combine many types of candy, flowers or other objects that relate to your party theme. Here are few excellent candy centerpiece examples.
With a candy table you go way beyond the centerpiece to create a large kaleidoscope of delicious treats and playful ornaments filling the entire table. I like to think of the candy table as a giant centerpiece for the entire party. Combine with chocolate fountains or ice sculptures for a truly dramatic experience. Here are a few examples of fun candy table ideas.
A candy station is a small table dedicated to allowing your guests to self-serve various treats and desserts. You can have multiple stations to allow for all tastes. Keep in mind that some guest may require sugar free desserts. With a candy station you can have one table dedicated to sugar free only and other stations for everyone else.
Candy Station – Source: carlhouse.files.wordpress.com
Candy Station – Source: thespecialday.net
Candy Buffet Ideas
The candy buffet is a large version of the candy station. The buffet should be focused self- service to provide easy access for all guests. The buffet is generally considered more functional when compared to the centerpiece or traditional candy table. You can combine ideas from the centerpiece and table to compliment your buffet with a unified party theme. Here are a few great examples of a candy buffet.
Candy Buffet -Source: weddingwindow.com
Candy Buffet – Source: irenebakelove.blogspot.com
Candy Bouquet Ideas
A candy bouquet operates just like a floral bouquet with your favorite treats instead of flowers. They can be used as party favors or for the centerpiece itself. A candy bouquet can also make a great gift for anyone with a sweet tooth. Give each guest a candy Bouquet to take home. This will help make a memorable party. Here are a few ideas for candy bouquets.
Zeba Kohli, is known as the chocolate lady of India. She is a master chocolatier born and raised within the wonderful world of chocolate. Kohli, is the head of Fantasie Fine Chocolates, one of India’s oldest brands of handmade chocolates. She is respected teacher on all the mysteries of chocolate. Here is a list of great things we learned from India’s chocolate lady.
Zeba Kohli – Photo: Nalin Solanki – yourstory.com
Chocolate tasting and fun facts
You must hear a snap when you take a little bite, then let the chocolate melt on your palette for a little while. Finally, let it fall smoothly down the throat to enjoy the finish.
Like wine, you must cleanse the pallet with water when tasting many types of chocolate at the same time.
Cocoa trees are primarily grown in the coastal regions of Africa and South America, but chocolate is not known by the region the cocoa originates from.
As we fine with Wine and coffee, chocolate made from beans of a single region or farm is known as single origin chocolate.
The flavor of chocolate from a single area is often influenced by the soil, climate and vegetation.
Dark chocolate made from Tanzania beans will be very fruity because of its wild soil quality. However, the same chocolate from Ecuador is mild and leaves a lot of space for fruitiness and aromas. It also has notes of red fruits, grass and flowers.
Sugar free chocolate will not help you lose weight. It contains a lot of cocoa butter and natural sugars. A 200g bar of a dark chocolate, which is about 80% to 90% dark, will still have 1110 calories.
Cocoa trees can grow to be around 20-ft tall.
Many chocolates made in India contain vanaspathi. Cocoa butter is becoming too expensive. So they take it out of the chocolate and use vanaspathi instead. Vanaspathi may not be great for your health.
