SOMA Chocolatemaker - Cherry Bomb - Jan. 1, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

SOMA Chocolatemaker
Cherry Bomb
Good +++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70.7 g.) (guesstimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 335 calories (guesstimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $10.00 for 1 piece
Purchased from: SOMA Chocolatemaker, Toronto, ON, Canada

Happy New Year, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week!

Today's Cherry Bomb kept the holiday celebration going into the New Year (2017). This bright red foil-wrapped cherry-filled confection from SOMA Chocolatemaker (Toronto, ON, Canada) was big!

The rich, thick milk chocolate shell—with cocoa nibs, roasted coconut and pecans—contained a cherry center bathed in Kirsch (cherry liqueur liquid interior). I was unable to slowly eat this filled Cherry Bomb in two bites without making a mess.

I'd suggest eating this Cherry Bomb over a plate to capture any of the spirited cherry ambrosia that tries to escape.

Chocolate and Licorice spirited baked goods - Dec. 31, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Licorice chocolate cupcakes + cookies

Welcome to the final day (Day #8) of Spirited Chocolate Theme Week.

Today, the last day of 2016, we're going off-track a bit, by making some homemade licorice chocolate cookies and cupcakes, with at least three different chocolate ingredients and some added flavors.

What spirit infused today's baked goods? I tried to decide whether to use Ouzo or Pastis liqueur to flavor today's (gluten-free) chocolate cookies and cupcakes. I decided to use a little of both.

I used chopped bits of a left-over licorice chocolate bar to enhance the licorice flavor, and added some dried, crushed fresh fennel and bits of tangerine peel.

I thought they were wonderful, but I tend to like all Mediterranean-leaning flavor combinations. Even if you don't like licorice, you might want to give these a try.

The small, thin cookies were slightly crunchy around the edges and slightly moist and cake-like in the middle.

The cupcakes were moist and full of chocolate, licorice, fennel, citrus flavors.

Woodstock After Dark Bourbon & Chocolate; brio milkshake - Dec. 30, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Woodstock Kentucky Bourbon
After Dark Bourbon and Chocolate (liqueur)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 fl. oz. (44.3 mL) / 25.3 (U.S.) fl. oz. (750 mL) in 1 bottle
Calories: 123 calories (estimate) in 1.5 fl. oz. serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bottle
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Spirited Chocolate Week.

brio
(distributed by Nutricopia, Inc.)
Mellow Dark Chocolate (frozen dairy dessert)
Good
Weight: 1/4 cup (80 g.) / 14 fl. oz. (414 mL) in total container
Calories: 80 calories in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $1.99 (estimate) for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today's chocolate items were combined to make an adult milkshake.

Woodstock Bourbon + Chocolate liqueur cocktails
Enjoying an ounce or two of Woodstock's After Dark Bourbon and Chocolate liqueur all by itself is quite satisfying. However, it's also a great ingredient to pour over vanilla ice cream, to include in a frozen dessert, or cocktail.*

Today's cocktail came in the form of an adult milkshake. I blended together a generous amount of milk, a small scoop of brio Mellow Dark Chocolate frozen dairy (gluten free) dessert, and a generous splash of Woodstock After Dark liqueur. A simple after dinner treat.

*Earlier this week, I shared the formula for a micro-drink I created, that I called a Sweet Almond 'Sky: 1/3 Amaretto, and 2/3 Woodstock Kentucky Bourbon After Dark Bourbon and Chocolate (liqueur).