Caffarel - Cioccolato e Limoncello - Dec. 28, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Caffarel
Cioccolato e Limoncello
Good
Weight: 1.13 oz. (32 g.) (estimate) in 2 pieces
Calories: 169 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $2.60 for 2 pieces
Purchased from: Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Sonoma, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week.

These Cioccolato e Limoncello liqueur chocolates from Caffarel (Italy) came attractively packaged -- individually wrapped with a twist. A dark chocolate shell contained a soft, sunny yellow, Limoncello filling.

The limoncello (an Italian lemon infused liqueur) filling was fairly authentic tasting, but without a strong alcohol flavor.

ChocolateBet: July 3, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Astor Chocolate Corp.
Chocolate Liqueur Cups
Good - Good +
Weight: .9 oz. (25.4 g.) / 2.75 oz. (77 g.) total box of 12 cups
Calories: 109 calories in 4 cups
Cost: $12.99 total box of 12
Purchased from Draeger's Market, San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Backyard Barbeque and Bacon Theme Week.  Happy 4th of July eve to all in the U.S.

We had lots of skewered fun for dinner this evening.

The main course: gluten free chicken sausage, pepper and potato kebobs with just a hint of onion and barbeque sauce (with a pinch of cocoa and pepper spice).

The beverage course consisted of a tall glass of raspberry lemonade over ice with little Meyer lemon chunks and fresh strawberries on toothpick skewers.

The first dessert course: gummy bacon and fresh fruit skewers. (The gummy bacon was strawberry flavored.)

Last, but not least, Dessert #2 was the featured chocolate of the day. Playing off the lemonade theme, we created a set of four Chocolate Liqueur Cups from Astor Chocolate (Lakewood, NJ). Cup #1 was filled with Dickinson's lemon curd with a lemon rind garnish. The second cup was filled with Sticky Fingers lemon curd (sweeter, less eggy than the Dickinson's). The third cup contained lavender and honey ice cream topped with limoncello-marinated lemon zest threads. And the fourth cup held an Omega-3 lemon cocktail from the health food section of Costco, topped with an Omega-3 lemon gummy vitamin drop -- which quickly sank to the bottom of the cup. So much for the healthful option.

ChocolateBet: March 6, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 cookies
Lemon Poppy Seed Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free, homemade)
Very Good
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 2 cookies

1.) General Mills - Betty Crocker Yellow Gluten-Free Cake Mix
Very Good
Weight: 15 oz. (425 g.) total package
Cost: $4.79 total box of Cake Mix
Purchased from: Draeger's in San Mateo, CA

2.) Safeway - Real Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Very Good
Weight: 12 oz. (340 g.) total package
Cost: $2.99 in total package (sale price)
Purchased from: Safeway The Market, in downtown San Jose, CA

Today (Sunday, and also Day #6 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookie Theme Week), I improvised a recipe for some gluten-free Lemon/Limoncello Poppy Seed Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I started with General Mills Betty Crocker Yellow Gluten Free Cake Mix. Instead of eggs*, I added lemon curd, Limoncello, poppy seeds, Safeway semi-sweet chocolate chips, and lemon infused olive oil. After experimenting with four different batches, I found a thin, crisp, browned version that worked. Not too dark, and not too light. (I'm no fool; I'm not showing you the quasi-burned ones.) It was hard to take a close-up shot of a fresh, hot cookie on a spatula without fogging up the camera lens; my best cookie cam shot is pictured at right.

I like lemon mixed with dark chocolate. So, I added three lemon-y ingredients to these cookies. However, much of the lemon flavor dissipated in the cooking process. I'll try adding finely ground lemon peel next time.

*General Mills also makes a Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie mix. No egg improv necessary.