4th of July Star Cookies - Like my mamma used to make!

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups sifted flour
• Red, white and blue pearlized sprinkles and nonpareils for garnish
• Blue and red sanding sugar (optional)
• Vanilla frosting (we used Betty Crockers!)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixer add the sugar and the butter. Mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extracts and mix to incorporate. Sift together the baking powder and the flour. Add the flour mixture. Mix until combined. You can use a star cookie cutter or any shape! Cut out your cookies and place on a ungreased baking pan. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until firm, but not yet browning.  Allow to cool and cover in vanilla frosting. Immediately place the sprinkles on your cookie and allow to dry!

Make your own chocolate bars!

Use our new break-apart bar mold to make your own chocolate bars! We placed almonds and Oreo cookies in ours!  What do some customers say they put in their chocolate bars? Rice Crispies, graham cracker, mini marshmallows, potato chips, rose petals, granola, pretzels, sea salt, caramel, berries, oranges, chocolate flavoring oils, or crushed coffee beans!  Are you a purist? Put your favorite kind of chocolate in there!  Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals and pour over your yummy additions. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes. You can wrap them with foil to make a fun surprise for a friend.

To celebrate An Occasional Chocolate’s 5 year anniversary we are having a give-away!

You could win a romantic heart fondue pot for 2 with 2 pounds of chocolate ($55 retail value)!

Another lucky winner could win a magnetic mold and  transfer sheets and 1 pound chocolate ($75 retail value)!

To be entered in this contest choose one or more of the following (do more than one of these things for more chances to win!):

1. Become a fan on Facebook

2. Join our newsletter  (you must confirm via email after signing up)

3. Be our Twitter friend and mention @makechocolates in a post (must have the @makechocolates in the post)

4. Blog about An Occasional Chocolate. (and post the link in this comments page with your full name)

5. Blog about our Chocolate Candy Recipe Blog. (and post the link in this comments page with your full name)

6. Make helpful comments on our Chocolate Candy Recipe Blog.

The fine print: There will be 4 winners for this contest which will be announced via our fan page and Twitter. Winners will be contacted via email and must reply within 2 weeks. The items may not be exchanged or swapped and may not be returned for money. One prize per winner.  The contest will end on April 10th and no more entries will be counted.

Ingredients

• 6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup good dark rum, divided
• 1 1/2 cups espresso
• 16 to 17 ounces mascarpone cheese (find this at Italian specialty stores or at Trader Joe’s)
• 30 Italian ladyfingers
• semisweet chocolate grated

Preparation

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl for about 5 minutes, or until very thick and light yellow. Add 1/4 cup rum, 1/4 cup espresso, and the mascarpone. Whisk until smooth.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 side of each ladyfinger in the espresso/rum mixture and line the bottom of a 9 x12  dish. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top. Dip 1 side of the remaining ladyfingers in the espresso/rum mixture and place them in a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Right before serving, add grated chocolate and if desired, a cocoa powder for looks!

* 1 pkg. two layer chocolate cake mix
* 3 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup water
* 2 cups sour cream
* 3/4 cup vegetable oil
* 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preparation
Spray a crock pot with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix. In another bowl, beat the eggs and the water together, then add the sour cream and oil and beat until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and beat well. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour into the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until top springs back when touched very lightly with finger. 8-10 servings

Chocolate Hot Toddy for your Valentine!

Have a romantic hot drink with your Valentine by the fire place. Warm your hearts and your hands with this hot drink!

Ingredients

• 2  cups  grated extra dark Guittard chocolate
• 1/2  cup  dry milk powder
• 4  cups  whole milk
• 4  tablespoons  Armagnac Brandy
• Whipped cream

Preparation

 In a medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the grated chocolate and dry milk powder.

In a medium saucepan, heat whole milk over medium heat. Once heated, stir in the chocolate mixture and whisk until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth and hot.

Pour 1 Tbsp. Armagnac Brandy into each mug (2 large mugs total), then fill each mug with the smooth, hot chocolate mixture. Serve hot, garnished with whipped cream and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti with Pistachios

Makes a great gift!

1/2 cup of butter
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons of Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla
10 drops of hazelnut oil
2/3 cups of Guittard extra dark or Guittard semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup of shelled toasted pistachio nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan in the microwave.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. All the sugar and stir to blend well.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the vanilla and hazelnut oil. Add the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Using a mixer, blend on low. Fold in the chocolate chunks and pistachios.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each do ball into a log about 8 inches by 2 inches and 3/4 inches high. Center the logs on the cookie sheet and bake for 28 minutes until set. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes. Lower the oven temp. to 325.

Transfer the log onto a cutting board and cute the log into 1/2 inch thick slices and place on their sides and bake for 16-18 minutes until firm. For fun you can dip one end in chocolate after it has cooled.

Prepare cake batter and bake in 13×9-inch baking pan as directed on package. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Add milk to dry pudding mix in medium bowl. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.
Layer half each of the cake cubes, pudding, whipped topping and peppermint crunch in large glass trifle bowl. Repeat all layers leaving some of the COOL WHIP and peppermint crunch to embellish the top. Place remaining COOL Whip on the top. Sprinkle the drinking chocolate and a little bit of the peppermint crunch onto the top of the COOL WHIP. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: 18 servings

On my trip to San Francisco, we saw these at Pier 39 at Chocolate Heaven.
In a down economy, we need to be creative about what we eat for dinner! :-)  I named him Fred.

12 Marshmallows
1 pkg. Guittard Chocolate Chips
1 pkg. Peanut Butter Chips
Caramel
Icing Googley Eyes

Cut off small one inch of Peter’s caramel. Roll it into a ball then smoosh flat. Wrap the caramel around the marshmallow. Attach chocolate chips to the caramel. I sometimes had to use some melted chocolate to help. Attach nose which is made of the peanut butter chips. Attach eyes using some melted chocolate.