The Chocolate Lady

Zebra cakes

2012-02-08T23:01:00.000-08:00

Ok, now that pinterest exists (I still think googling my interest yields more ideas and pics...but anyways)....I have found some fun new ideas.

I saw this picture of individual cakes, in mason jars, and this one in particular is rainbow themed....

the original poster was Brooke McLay at http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/04/08/rainbow-cake-in-a-jar/

So, anyways, when I saw this, I immediately thought they would be fun to make in a "zebra print" design, because...my daughter loves that, and points out all things zebra print.

It's her birthday party this weekend, so, naturally, I decided to cram this baking experiment into my busy schedule.

Now, one thing you need to know about my blog, if you havent already figured it out....it's for the basic person. My pictures are not professional, I dont fix up my creations, I simply make them, like you would, and the results are not always perfect. My purpose, is to show you how to make fun things at home....even if you arent Martha Stewart.

So....on with the zebra cakes.

I started out with mason jars. I sprayed baking spray in each one...just a little bit.

I used white cake mix.....

I made a batch of cake mix and left it white.....

and I made a batch of cake mix and colored it black (you can get all kinds of food colors and Michaels)....

I just alternated black, white, black, white in the jar.

The oven is preheated to 400, and the jars are placed inside a baking pan, with 1/4 water inside. Just put the pan in the oven.....for about 40 minutes (check, and use a skewer to test that they are cooked throughout)

The result, (imperfect) zebra cakes. These will be topped with hot pink, whipped cream on the day of the party.

Im going to put the mason jar lid on each cake, and keep them in the fridge. Then, Ill transport them to the party (with my pastry bags of pink whipped cream) and each child will get their own cake and spoon.

It's different, festive, and fun......

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

2011-11-23T18:51:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is such a warm holiday. Fall colors, cornucopias brimming with goods from the harvest, and the fragrance of warm pumpkin pies. It really is a time for remembering what matters most, and appreciating the basics of family, friends, and food.

One of my favorite tablescapes involves mini pumpkins and gourds. I love this idea, because it's colorful, festive and EASY.

You can use gourds and mini-pumpkins of all sizes and colors......Im keeping it simple this Thanksgiving and using just mini-pumpkins.

You want to cut a hole big enough to fit a candle...but not too big, it's nice if the candle fits snugly. The hole doesnt have to look nice, you just want to get the candle in.

Im using plain white votives, but you can use candles of all sizes...candlesticks, votives,...mix and match warm colors.

Place your gourds and pumpkins on a serving tray or platter....add additional garnishment if you would like, fall leaves, colored beads, use your imagination.

Im keeping mine simple, on a cream colored cake platter.....

Once the candles start burning, the wax will start to flow out of them (so make sure you are using a heat safe platter). Some will burn quicker and it starts to look so beautiful when the candles end up at different heights....especially so when using different gourds and a variety of candle sizes and colors.

This is an inexpensive, quick way to add a festive feel to your holiday table.

Disney Chocolate Treats

2011-03-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

Disney is known for fun, excitement and creativity.....so of course, the Disney
Chocolate Shoppe is filled with lots of delicious ideas.

Everyone loves the goodies they are making...just look at the crowd, gathered around to watch the Disney Chocolatiers work their magic:

If you have been reading my blog, you know that the key to amazing chocolate creations is TEMPERING - the process that allows you to dip and mold chocolate. So, of course, the Disney Chocolatiers are using their giant tempering machine....

And once you temper your chocolate, the sky is the limit.....here are some fun apples, marshmallow pops and pretzels, all done up Disney Style.....

Ill post more soon....including the prices of these goodies....talk about a great business!!

News Flash

2011-03-03T09:58:00.001-08:00

What a treat to see my chocolate party featured in the Orange County Register :) I want to invite everyone to "like" my facebook page: Kim's Dove Facebook Page

OC Register article

Let me know if you are interested in having a fun chocolate tasting party.....also, Im looking for gals and guys to join my Dove team. Let me know if you are interested.

S'More Pops

2011-02-20T20:51:00.000-08:00

I cant believe it's been since before Christmas since Ive posted. My kitchen is still in transition, actually our floors are gonna have to all be pulled up again, and replaced....(sigh)...so it has hampered my baking fun.

Some of you may have noticed that my latest craze is Marshmallow Pops! Cake pops are fun, but as a busy mom, I dont always have time to back the cake, add the frosting, roll the cake balls.....you know, much easier to just pop a marshmallow on a stick, dont ya think?

My friend Gina told me about a new Marshmallow Pop idea...a S'More Pop. I signed up to bring a dessert to the Boy Scout's Blue and Gold party, and so since Boy Scouts love to camp, this S'More Pop seemed the perfect treat.

You start out with a large marshmallow, on a candy stick:

Then, in typical Boy Scout style, roast your marshmallow:

It's up to you how toasty you want to make them:

Place marshmallows on parchment paper, so that they can firm up. I was able to make these 50 in just minutes:

Graham crackers are easily crunched up:

Since these were for the Boy Scouts Blue and Gold party, I thought it would be fun to add some blue sprinkles. You can add any color to make them more festive, or just use the plain graham crackers:

Dip the marshmallow into TEMPERED chocolate:

Now, you'll remember from past posts, that tempering is the process that allows the chocolate to harden up. This pop will not be messy. The chocolate will be solid, making it easy to put these into cello bags or pass out without a mess.

I use my Rev 1 tempering unit, it's the size of a shoe box, and is quick and easy to use. If you are intersted in learning more about tempering, I have other videos and step-by-step pics in my archives. It's the most fun and creative dessert tool ever, I love it!!

Dip the pop into the graham crackers, covering all the chocolate:

This is not a frilly, girly-girl pop. It's got that masculine, "I live in the wilderness and eat S'mores" kind of look, but I promise, it's super delicious!

My favorite way to serve "pops" is in a basket or container, filled with floral foam, and then covered with plastic/foil and sometimes covered with other decorative filling. It makes them easy to transport and you can have fun with the presentation:

Im looking forward to making all kinds of marshmallow pops this Spring....bunnies, lambs, so much creative fun - and easy!! What are you going to be making??

If you dont already, "like" my facebook page; Kim's Chocolatier page on Facebook and feel free to post pics of your creative desserts.

Christmas Bark

2010-12-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Season is such a fun time to make desserts, traditional and new. The candy cane is a symbol for Christmas, and the perfect accent for goodies. The bright colors add a festive perk to any treat, and the sweet, minty flavors sing, "Christmas" (they do!!)

One of my favorite things to do each year, is make Christmas bark. I usually use peppermint (red and white) AND spearmint (green and white) candy canes, together. The flavors blend well, and the red and green together are sooo pretty. This year, we are having flooding rains, and I didnt feel like going out for the spearmint candy canes, so I am making the traditional peppermint version.

The hardest part of this recipe is crushing the candy canes. In years past I have ended up with candy cane dust all over the place. What works best for me, is to put unwrapped candy canes in a plastic zipper bag, and then wrap in a towel (paper or cloth) and lay it flat on a hard surface. I then use a hammer to pound strongly, and firmly, smashing the candy into small pieces.

While smashing up my candy canes, I am simultaneously tempering my white chocolate. I use the Rev 1 tempering unit. It is a commercial grade machine, about the size of a shoebox, designed for at-home use. It takes less than 30 minutes to temper up to 1.5 pounds of chocolate.

At almost every chocolate party, someone mentions that white chocolate is not really chocolate. I tell them that is true for most brands. The FDA has standards for chocolate (basically, that it actually contain chocolate)..and since many companies do not use real cocoa butter, they are not allowed to call their candy, "chocolate", but resort to names like, "candy coating" or "white chocolate flavored candy". Candy melts often found in the baking aisle are not chocolate at all, but flavored animal fat. This is true for the dark chocolate too....you will find "candy coatings" that look like chocolate, but contain nothing from the actual cocoa bean. Dove white chocolate is a true and legal white chocolate, using high quality cocoa butter.

Anyways.....nothing but real chocolate for my bark :)

I then pour the mixture into tempered white chocolate.

Mix the crushed candy cane thoroughly through the chocolate. The large chunks add bright colors, and the dust gets soaked in, flavoring the chocolate.

Spread the chocolate onto parchment paper. You can make it as thin or thick as you want. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Once set up, break into pieces....they look pretty in a bowl or on a platter, and can be packaged into goody bags for gifts.

Id love to see your holiday favorites...feel free to post your treats in the comments.

Marshmallows

2010-12-18T19:18:00.000-08:00

In our house, it's a holiday tradition to make marshmallows. Each year, we make batches and batches of the fluffy stuff to give as gifts (ok, we eat some too!) I used to make homemade cocoa, put it in cute containers...add a baggy of thick, marshmallows, and a plate of goodies....and deliver loving baskets of yummies to neighbors, friends and teachers.

Since joining Dove, I have foregone the cocoa, and instead give Dove Chai Teas and Sipping Chocolates. My old recipes of cookies and truffles have been replaced with chocolate dipped candy canes and spoons, and homemade designer chocolates. And now this year....Dove has come out with gourmet marshmallows....and while it's tempting to give the Dove chocolate covered marshmallows, I simply cant give up my traditional Sprague Marshmallows.

I have tried many variations of marshmallows over the years, and have found this recipe to work out best:

3 (1/4 ounce) envelopes gelatin (Knox Gelatin)
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or other flavoring)

In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 C of cold water, and let sit for 10 minutes. The water will absorb the gelatin, and it will look like this:

In a medium saucepan, on medium heat, mix granulated sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 C of water. Continue to mix until granulated sugar is disolved. Then turn to high and bring to hard boil for one minute.

Pour sugar mixture into gelatin, and add salt. Using hand mixer, mix on high for 12 mninutes.

12 minutes of mixing is a long time, so you might want to enlist the help of a cutie like this..... (and notice that my refrigerator is missing in the background! The house is still in an upheaval from the foundation leak back in OCTOBER..ACK!!)

As you mix, the marshmallow mixture will get creamy. Here is a picture from the 5 minute mark...

As mixing continues, the marshmallow will get fluffy and grow! Here is a picture from the 10 minute mark, notice how much higher it is in the bowl....

After 12 minutes, quite honestly, the marshmallow has expanded so much that it is crawling up the top of the mixing paddles. This is the time to add the vanilla, or any other flavoring you might like (kahlua, caramel, peppermint, orange....)Make sure you mix it in well.

You will want to cover the bottom of your pan with powdered sugar. Make sure the entire surface has sugar...this will keep the marshmallow from sticking.

Pour mixture into your pans. I double the recipe and use one 9x9 and one 9x13 glass pan. This yields me 40 large, thick squares.

Cover the entire surface with more powdered sugar, and let sit out overnight.

When ready, you can use a warm knife to make sure that marshmallow separates from the sides of the pans. Then cut into squares.....and ENJOY!

Live Chocolate Demonstrations

2010-10-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

at the Dove Choco-thon, JOIN US!!

Log in and watch, learn and win prizes....share this with friends :)

Chocothon info here

Lego pops - baking free!

2010-10-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

My son celebrated his 10th birthday this week, and it put me in a bind, as our kitchen is currently under repair (slab leak, ACK!)

I usually bake whatever my kids want....we've had Rolly Polly Ollie, Dora, Princess, and Elmo cakes, and even Bokugan cake pops.....but without my kitchen, I was really stretched for what to make.

Andrew loves Lego's, and wanted lego cupcakes to share with his friends at school. Since this wasnt possible, I opted for marshmallow pops, with a Lego theme.

He was set on me making all the different faces, but to be honest, Ive yet to find a good pen for writing on desserts....the one I had barely let me put the basic face on....if you know of a good brand of pens, please share!

Here the little guy is looking happy, simple, but happy.

The greatest thing about this treat is that there was no baking. I plugged in my happy tempering unit, and didnt even need a kitchen.

Remember, that when coloring white chocolate, DO NOT use a water based color, but an OIL based color. The Wilton water (gel) and oil based come in identical packaging, except for the ingredients...so make sure to double check. Water will cause the chocolate to seize; getting all clumpy and unusable.

I started by putting the marshmallow on the stick.

I used Smarties to create the Lego snap

I secured the candies in place with the chocolate, before coating the marshmallow.

To coat the marshmallow, I DO NOT dip. I get a spoon or small rubber spatula and scoop up some chocolate. I then put the marshmallow onto the spoon, and move it around til fully coated. You can use the spatula to spread in the hard to reach places and make sure everything is fairly smooth.

The result, a plain friend. If I had a good pen, I could have created a host of expressions and characters.....but alas, it was not to be....but at least everyone was happy.

Another way to make these treats fun, is in the final display. Because the chocolate is tempered, you can put these in treat bags, and they will NOT smear....this is perfect for making individual treats to be given away for parties.

For my son's birthday, I placed them inside a decorative container....

Now, remember, any container will do...I have used baskets, pails, etc. for other pops....this time, I used one of the plastic bins that they use to keep their toys organized. (remember, no kitchen access leads to heightened creativity)

As usual, I filled the container with floral foam, and then covered it...this time with foil. Each pop can be inserted into the foil covered foam...both when drying the chocolate, and afterward for the presentation.

Once the Lego pops were complete, I put them in their spot, and then added Lego pieces to cover up the foil and add to the theme.

Happy 10th Birthday Andrew!!!

note: I am sorry the pics are so small, I tried to make them larger with no luck....

Amazing ideas from The Chocolate Addict

2010-10-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

Meet Kat, she is incredibly creative with tempered chocolate...check out this video!! So many fun ideas!

Check out her website: The Chocolate Addict she sells instructional videos too!

Video making cute chocolate animals

2010-09-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

Watch our Dove Chef making these cute animals.....so simple!! We have a huge sale on the tempering unit this month....I have so much fun with it!!

Fun with chocolate tempering

Congratulations!

2010-08-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Sarah and Lynn....you were selected by random.org

You have each won a new Smoothie Express by Back to Basics

I know you will love this....it blends so well, and is small and easy to use. Please email me with your shipping address; thechocolatelady@cox.net

Thanks to everyone for entering, and there will be more fun ideas and giveaways coming soon.

Smoothie Express Giveaway

2010-08-16T20:11:00.001-07:00

Watch video to find out more about this great giveaway....

Giveaway rules:

1. Mandatory to be a follower of my blog

2. An extra entry if you are a fan of my Facebook page: Dove Chocolate Discoveries Independent Chocolatier Kim Sprague

It's that easy!! Leave a comment so that I know how many entries you have....all comments must be posted by Wednesday, August 18th 11pm PST.

The winner will be announced Thursday morning, and must respond with their mailing address by Sunday, August 22, 2010 at noon PST, or a new winner will be announced.

Remember, I will be giving away 2.....limit one winner per household.

Winner must provide mailing address in the continental USA. Dove Chocolatiers and their families, Mars employees and their families and employees of Westbend and their families are not eligible.

Tempering Chocolate

2010-08-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

I love to post the fun creations that I can make with tempered chocolate, and I am excited to announce that Sept. 1st the Rev1 tempering unit will be going on sale.

They retail for $400-$700 (google it and see!!) and we will be selling them for only $154 AND that includes 2.5 pounds of chocolate and an assortment of design transfer sheets. This is an incredible bargain!!

Check out the video below, and see what tempering is all about...and how easy it is to make incredible gifts and treats.

What is a Dove Chocolate Tasting Party?

2010-08-06T09:59:00.001-07:00

When people here I do Dove Chocolate Tasting Parties, their eyes get big and their mouths starts to gape open...and then they ask, "What exactly is a tasting party?"

Well, my friend Emmy recently had a tasting party, and shared some pics on her blog. We started with a little history of Chocolate, and some taste comparisons (sort of like wine tasting, but with chocolate), and then quickly moved into sharing AND SAMPLING great entertaining ideas and recipes.

As you can imagine, it's fun....for me and for the guests, and especially for the hostess who gets lots of free dessert items.

Thanks to Emmy for hosting this party, and for sharing it with all of her readers (and mine!)

Chocolate Convention

2010-08-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

Well, Im back from the Dove National Conference...whew!! What a busy time, full of fun and chocolate.

Ive got lots to show and tell, including some really great giveaways lined up!

Before I get to that, have you ever heard of a Taxi driver in Philly NOT knowing where the Liberty Bell is located? Even when the Liberty Bell was just down the street about 4 miles and 1 block over?

I mean, if you are going to drive people are for a living, shouldnt you know your town? And if said town is "historical" filled with tourists, shouldnt you know the famous monuments??

Anyways....

Check back as I reveal all the goodies and giveaways!!

Cutie Patootie Cupcakes

2010-07-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends,

I have found the most adorable cupcakes....

Gina @ Cutie Patootie Cupcakes makes custom treats...whether you are looking to get some goodies for your next party, or just want to browse her ideas...check out her site; Cutie Patootie Cupcakes

She just started her blog, so become a follower, leave her a nice comment...and tell her The Chocolate Lady sent you.

ipad Giveaway

2010-07-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

There are so many fabulous things that come with being part of the Mars, Inc. Family. Well known brand, incredible product, and lots of support. Including support in the way of incredible giveaways.

During the month of July, Dove is giving away 2 ipads, EVERY DAY. EVERY SINGLE DAY they will hold a drawing from the previous days parties, and a lucky Chocolatier and her hostess will each win an ipad.

Awesome!!

And you know what is even better???? This past weekend, I WAS A WINNER.

Yep! I won an ipad, as did my hostess!! It should arrive in a few weeks...I cant wait to play with it.

I can win more than once....so my husband is hoping that he gets one too!!

I love Dove!!

Homemade Ice Cream - no ice cream maker needed!

2010-07-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

NO ICE CREAM MAKER,
no problem – make this
delicious creamy treat in a dish
in your freezer.

Dove Chocolate Discoveries has a great recipe for homemade ice cream, and you dont need an ice cream maker! Everyone can make this easy treat!!

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1¾ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup DCD Cocoa Powder
6 oz (3 bars) DCD Chef Series
Dark Chocolate, melted
Optional: Dress it with DCD Toppings
1 cup DCD Milk Chocolate covered
Cappuccino Biscottini, chopped
½ cup DCD Merlot Fudge Sauce
½ cup DCD Chardonnay Caramel Sauce

Directions:
1. Prepare a double boiler on medium heat.

2. Pour eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt into
the bowl, and begin whisking until
mixture is thick, pale, and coats a spoon
(about 5-7 minutes). Be careful not to
overcook. Remove bowl from saucepan,
and let cool slightly.

3. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer
to whip cream, vanilla and cocoa powder
to stiff peaks. Stir in melted chocolate.

4. Add a third of the chocolate whipped
cream to egg mixture and mix thoroughly.
Gently whisk in remaining whipped
cream, until just combined.

5. Pour mixture into a 9x13-inch glass
baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and
then aluminum foil. Freeze undisturbed
for 3-4 hours. Scoop into ½ cup servings
and serve with a sprinkle of DCD
Biscottini and a drizzle of Merlot Fudge or
Chardonnay Caramel Sauce, if desired.

Enjoy!!

Decorative Plating

2010-07-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

If you watch Top Chef and similar food shows, you know that presentation is a big part of the meal. Today Im going to show you just a few of the pretty ways to decorate a dessert plate.

Im going to use our Dove Raspberry and Mango Dessert Sauces. These come with a plastic bottle, making plate designs easy to make.

To make a simple, but beautiful border, make dots around the edge of a plate, equal distance apart. You can do all one color, or use alternating colors to coordinate with your event (school pride! Fight On USC Trojans!)

Now, take a knife or similar pointed utensil, and drag it from one dot to the next. You will probably need to go around more than once. Dont be nervous, just drag it around, and around, and around. As the dots begin to run together they make a nice frame for your dessert. You can also see how dragging through a dot can look like a heart.....so many great ways you can accent your special treats!

This next creation looks more like a web....you start by making the circles, with a large dot in the center. Draw your knife outward, in several equi-distant points on the web.

Now pull your knife towards the center, going between the lines that pulled outward, and it adds a new dimension.

Imagine taking a fudgy brownie or chocolate cake and laying it atop that web, garnished with some rasberries and sprinkled with powdered sugar, perfect!

A final design, is this sweet flower.

At first glance, someone dropped an egg!!!

But begin to pull through the sauce, alternating directions, and you have a pretty poppy. When entertaining at a shower or ladies event, you can put a slice of angel food cake aside the flower, and garnish with fruit...simply beautiful.

I hope these ideas get you thinking about more ways to enhance the presentation of your desserts.

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips and Bark

2010-07-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post another favorite chocolte treat...one perfect for the men in your life, but admittedly, EVERYONE will love them!

You can use whatever type of chips you want; tortilla, potato, even fritos!

Im using plain potato chips, dipped into Dove Dark Chocolate.

I start by tempering the chocolate (remember, this process allows it to harden up nicely, without adding a bunch of animal fats...so you can enjoy the premium chocolate.)

Then, just dip the chip!

Lay chips on parchment paper to harden. You can make a nice platter of chocolate covered chips, pretzels, bacon....all the manly snacks!

My favorite part, is when you are all out of potato chips, take those crumbs at the bottom of the bag, and dump them all into the tempering unit...YES!! Just dump the crumbs into that chocolate!

Now...mix it around, covering all the chips and crumbs....and spread it onto parchment paper. This is a potato chip bark, so make it thick, not thin.

When this hardens, you will not believe the deliciousness of this silky, crunchy, sweet and salty treat.

and the winner is....

2010-07-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

Safety 1st Guru!! Congrats!!!

Peanut Butter Cups

2010-07-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

My Honey's favorite treat, is Peanut Butter Cups. So for Father's Day, I decided to make him some. It was easy to do, watch......

I start by tempering some Dove dark chocolate. Remember, tempering is the process that will allow you to shape and mold chocolate, with the end result having a nice shine, a crisp snap....you can not achieve this with melting, unless you are using fake chocolate (flavored animal fat)

...this process takes about 20 minutes, so while it's tempering, Ill move along to the next step....making the peanut butter filling. It is simply peanut butter and powdered sugar....

whipped with a hand mixer until it is fluffy...

I made some small peanut butter cups for my kids, using foil candy wrappers....

For My Honey, it's the grande size! I used silicone cupcake molds....

Now, once the chocolate is tempered, I will fill each cup about 1/2 way. You can use a brush to spread the chocolate, I use my fingers, as it's just easier for me to make sure I get every crevice covered. I make sure that all the ridges are filled.

I then pipe in the peanut butter mixture, filling about 2/3 of the cups.....

Once they are stuffed full of the peanut butter mixture, I add more tempered chocolate, making sure to cover them completely...

This entire process took less than 45 minutes. Now I'll pop them into the fridge for about 30 minutes, to make sure they solidify, and soon I'll have a very happy husband!

I want one!!

2010-07-06T22:56:00.000-07:00

For the month of July, Dove will do a DAILY DRAWING....and a lucky hostess and her Dove Chocolatier will EACH WIN AN IPAD. Yes, that means they are giving away 2 IPADS A DAY FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH!!

I want to win one! With such a new company, my chances are good!! Which of you will host the party that will earn me an ipad?? BECAUSE YOU WILL WIN ONE TOO!!

Get in touch with me asap, to get our July party rolling....(I do fundraisers too!)

The best manicure.....a giveaway!

2010-07-05T21:19:00.000-07:00

Every now and again, I find something so fabulous, I just must share it with you, my friends.

Months ago, I went to my favorite nail salon, Nails by Holly.

Now, I want to take a minute to tell you about Holly....she and her sister Connie emigrated to the US from Viet Nam when they were in high school, and she is a living example of the American dream! She has started her own successful business, which not only provides for herself, but for the many women she employs. I love that!!

I dont typically get manicures, in fact, since getting busy with kids, I really dont have time to keep up with my nails...it's just something that got sacrificed in my mommy world, and that is ok, but ya know, a manicure every blue moon is a good thing.

So, I went in and the sweetest gal, Connie, suggests I try GEL nail polish. She promises that it wont chip as quickly. Well, that sounds like a plus, so I go for it.

Guess what? my nails...my nails that are used to being banged up and abused, didnt chip for FIVE WEEKS. And in that time, my nails grew! I almost felt like my pre-kid self with healthy nails.

The greatest thing about gel polish, is that it doesnt ruin your own nails! It's simply a gel that is painted onto your own nails.

I highly recommend that you try gel polish, and if you are local....go to Nails by Holly. They have always been a step above, providing quality services....they scrub more, massage more, and the girls are really nice. Ask for Connie, she is amazing!! ...and, tell her you read about her on my blog.

Nails by Holly
27660 Marguerite Pkwy #C
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
(949) 364-5009

Now....because I love you, and because Holly is generous, I have a special giveaway for my local friends;

A Nails by Holly gift certificate; $30 value...enough for a spa manicure and pedicure, gel nails...however you choose to pamper yourself!

All you need to do to enter; become a "follower" of my blog and post a comment!

This contest will end Thursday, July 8 @ 5pm PST, and the winner will be posted. Winner must contact me by Friday, July 9 @ 5pm PST and make arrangements to get the gift certificate (pick it up at my house or at the Nails by Holly Salon)

Im excited to share this fun find with you - Good Luck!!

Ni Hao

2010-07-05T11:23:00.001-07:00

Hello, or in Chinese, Ni Hao!

Custom, homemade birthday cakes are a tradition in our family. Every year my kids tell me what kind of cake they want.....they have asked for a variety of characters and scenarios, including;

Elmo cupcakes
Rolly Polly Olly Cake
A volcano WITH lava and dinasaurs cake
A spider-man-traversing-a-city cake
Bakugan cake and cake balls
Pokemon cupcakes
Dora cake
Cinderella and Belle cakes
Snowy blue cupcakes

and I always do my best to fulfill the order with something that at least resembles the request.

This year, Little One asked for Kai Lan cupcakes....Kai Lan is a cartoon character, sort of a Japanese version of Dora....and she has a show, "Ni Hao Kai Lan"

So, keeping with tradition, I set out to make Kai Lan cupcakes, and it went something like this....

Thank goodness pleasing a preschooler is so easy!

Have you made any fun cakes for your kids? Id love to hear about them, and if you have pictures, please post!

My First Vlog - Firecracker Strawberries

2010-07-03T23:51:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a festive treat to bring to your 4th of July Celebration, then stay tuned.....that's right, Im have a new Video (VLOG) in process, that will show you how to make a patriotic presentation with these yummy Firecracker Strawberries. Check back later, it will be up soon!

and the winner is........

2010-07-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

Donna C.

Congratulations Donna C. You have won the adorable baby carrier canopy by Rags to Stitches Boutique. Please email me at thechocolatelady@cox.net by Mon. July 5, noon PST, with your mailing address, so we can ship out your prize.

Thanks to everyone for entering....and check out Alissa's stuff at her boutique and make yourself a winner!

Breaking News!!!

2010-07-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

I was just called to an urgent Mgrs call...where Dove announced.....for the month of July, they will give away 2 ipads a day...one to a hostess, one to the Chocolatier!

Now is the time to book a Dove Chocolate Tasting Party...like a food show with lots of Dove samples...mousse, martinis, designer candy made on the spot!

You can book a catalog show from any state in the continental US, and I do fundraisers too!!

OR..join my team...become a Chocolatier and be part of this amazing company with all the fun prizes and trips, chocolate and great financial benefits too!!

Cutie Patootie Giveaway!

2010-06-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

I love sharing about great desserts and helpful entertaining ideas....but Im also a sucker for anything adorable and practical.

My new friend, Allisa, is a WAHM trying to stay sane while running a business and a family. She makes beautiful baby items for the fashion-conscious
mommy, such as:

Wipes Cases and Burb Cloth Sets

Nursing Cover Ups

Ruffled Onesies

Crayon Roll Ups

Checkbook Covers

I am so excited to give away one her most prized creations, an Infant Car Seat Canopy! It so cute it almost makes me want to have a baby! (almost!)

Did you ever try to carry those akward baby car seats, drapped with a blanket to shelter the sleeping baby from sun and noise? Did you struggle with the car seat, and the blanket would fall off....and either the baby would wake up or the blanket would fall into a mud puddle, or both?

Well this is such a great mommy-preneur solution to that scenario, and so stylish too!! The quality and crafstmanship is top notch, Alissa does such a great job!

Im excited to be able to give away this darling prize to one lucky mommy....and if you dont have a little one yourself, think of what a great shower gift this will make!

There are several ways to enter, please leave a separate comment for each entry;

MANDATORY: Become a follower of Rag to Stitches blog

EXTRA ENTRIES:
Become a follower of my blog

Blog about this giveaway and if you do let me know

Add the Rags to Stitches button on your blog and let me know if
you do.

Go to Alissa's store (http://ragstostitches.storenvy.com), place an order and let me know in your comment.

And if you want to see more cute stuff, follow her at her blog Rags To Stitches Boutique
or visit her online store http://ragstostitches.storenvy.com

I will end this giveaway promptly on Friday, July 2, 2010 at 5pm PST. Dont forget to leave an email address in one of your entries so I can notify you when you win!! The winner must respond by Monday, July 5, 2010 at noon PST with their mailing address, or another winner will be chosen.

GOOD LUCK!!

Cupcake Couture

2010-06-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to share with you, one of the most adorable finds.... Bella Cupcake Couture

Cupcakes are HOT and as their popularity grows, it's fun to find new and pretty ways to present them. Bella Cupcake Couture has fashionable cupcake wrappers, taking these trendy desserts to the next level.

You really must go check out all the gorgeous design options.

They have 2 sizes; mini, which are just perfect for wrapping truffles and candies, and regular cupcake size, both in a variety of chic colors and designs.

You can even customize your cupcake wrappers! Your little babes name and birthdate, the bride and groom, or your company logo! The possibilities are endless, and always gorgeous!

All wrappers are eco-friendly, using soy inks on recycled linen papers.

Bella Cupcake Couture has been generous enough to sponsor a giveaway,

A dozen wrappers of the design of your choice!

Because I love you, Im going to include Dove Chocolate Baking Mix (includes solid Dove Chocolate to melt into the mix, making it incredibly rich and yummy)

This is the perfect pairing, making rich and beautiful cupcakes.

To enter this giveaway, it's MANDATORY to; go to Bella Cupcake Couture and click on the link to get their newsletter...then come leave a comment on my page, and let me know which design you'd select if you win.

Additional entries for:

1. "like" Bella Cupcake Couture page on Facebook

2. Follow my blog (you're here now!)

3. "like" my Dove Chocolate Discoveries, Independent Chocolatier Kim Sprague page on Facebook

This contest is open to everyone (excluding Dove Chocolate Discoveries chocolatiers, Mars, Inc. employees, and their families.)

You must live in the Continental USA

Leave your email so I can contact the winner...the giveaway starts now, and ends promptly at noon on Sunday, June 20, 2010. The winner will be contacted Sunday evening, and must respond with mailing address no later than Tuesday, June 22nd at 5pm PST, or a new winner will be selected.

CONGRATULATIONS! OUR WINNER IS; Kyle & Alissa Circle

Delicious Giveaway!

2010-06-13T15:57:00.001-07:00

Check out the Dove Chocolate Giveaway, being hosted by Cake Mom.

Cupcake Bouquets

2010-05-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to try out the gorgeous cake that I saw at Kids Culinary Adventures.

I will give my usual disclaimer (ie. excuses)....

this was the very first time that I tried this dessert. At my class, I intentionally like to do things for the first time, so that all of the participants see the errors ... If I just make a perfect dessert, not as much learning takes place.

ALSO, I imagine this would be a bit easier on a large cake, but I wanted my class participants to have something to take home, thus I went with cupcakes. It was harder to manage the intricate details, but ultimately, they were so pretty and we learned the techniques that can also be used for a big cake.

Anyhoo......on with the show.....

I made cupcakes with the Dove Chocolate Baking Mix, and then cut them to make a mini, stacked cake. I think it is important that the cake have height, to have room for the chocolate siding. Using a round cookie cutter as my guide, I went around with a parring knife, so that there was no fluting. I also cut off the tops, so they were flat.

I wanted a fresh, Spring look, so I chose to use Dove Spring Transfer Sheets, giving the appearance of grass

The bottom end of the chocolate strips will need to be flat, but the top end is intentionally uneven. For this reason, I cut the strips at double the length, and will break them in the middle when ready to apply.

I tempered Dove White Chocolate, and spread it on the design transfer strips

Once the chocolate is on the strips, I move them to a new piece of parchment, so that they dry without smeared chocolate attached to the strips. Then they are put in the refrigerator to set up.

When the chocolate strips are ready, I pull the transfer sheet off the back, and break them into the right height. They can be put onto the side of the frosted cupcakes.

(note: some of the bright, spring colors look best on white chocolate. When I do this again, I will also use white frosting, as I think the dark chocolate frosting didnt quite go with my "fresh spring" motif.)

I took straws and inserted them in 3 places, cutting them off just a bit above the cake. This will serve two purposes; keep the cake sturdy, and allow me to input flowers (so they arent in the cake itself.) A bonus, is the flowers will stand up a bit straighter too!

I trimmed fresh flowers to insert. NOTE: make sure the stem is thin enough to fit inside the straw (I found lovely gerbers that were too thick to fit...ultimately I found a variety that was just right)

Once the chocolate siding is on, wrap the base with ribbon, and tie a pretty boy. This really does help secure the sides and pull them into place.

And one more bow on top

You can mix and match flower types, colors and ribbons to match your special occassion.

I waw really pleased with how this turned out, and cant wait to celebrate future events with the big-cake version.

Thanks again Kids Culinary Adventures for the great idea!

Baking Class Tonight!

2010-05-06T11:46:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to make some BEAUTIFUL cupcakes tonight!

I first saw this pretty cake on the Facebook page for Kids Culinary Adventures;

They do incredible work, and I cant wait to share it with you....

So, if you are in the neighborhood; My house, 7:30 tonight, $10 per person. Let me know you plan on joining us; 949-584-7577

If you arent able to make it, stop back later for photos....

Chocolate Tempering Video

2010-04-30T10:54:00.001-07:00

I know that like me, many of you are LOVING making things with tempered chocolate. You can make candies, bark, chocolate covered anything, and always have that shine and snap....and with REAL CHOCOLATE :)

Here is a video by Dove Chef Tracy....I hope you find it helpful. ">

Entertaining tips with Dove Chef Mark

2010-04-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

He always has the best ideas; Watch as he shows us how to decorate a plate with dessert sauces, and yummy ways to serve our mousse.

">

MJ's Fabulous 6 Layer Cake

2010-04-26T20:24:00.001-07:00

Look what I got!

Well, I got the picture, not the actual cake. You should see my monitor screen. Just an FYI, licking your monitor screen makes it blurry.

My fellow Dove Chocolatier, MJ, always makes delicious desserts, and this time she has really out done herself!

I know you all are going to want to make this cake for your family and friends.

OR, perhaps, you want to make it and hide it, then, kiss your husband goodbye as he goes off to work, and wave at your children as they skip off to school....all the while stoically mentioning the laundry and floors you are going to clean....and as soon as they are out of sight, you can pull it out and gnosh on it while you watch The View. Just sayin'.

In any case, here is how MJ made this beauty;

FABULOUS 6 Layer Cake
Topping: Dove Chocolate ganache with White Chocolate shavings
1st layer and bottom layer: Dove Chocolate Baking Mix
Pink: Dove Raspberry Mousse
White: vanilla cake
Cream: bavarian cream filling w/fresh strawberries

Enjoy!

and the new winner is..............

2010-04-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

Sandybo

Sandy, you have won the Dove Chocolate Divine Dessert Truffles!! Please email me with the shipping address (no PO box), and these will be sent the week of Mother's Day.

Congratulations!!
kim

thechocolatelady@cox.net

...tick tock tick tock............

2010-04-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

I have not received an email with the shipping info from our winner....and the deadline is 5pm PST (88 minutes from now)

So.....per the rules, if I dont hear from her, I will be selecting a new winner,.....

stay tuned!

And the winner is.......

2010-04-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to bski92 (and your daughter Shannon) as you were selected by random.org to win the Dove Divine Desserts Truffles.

Please email me with your shipping address (no PO box) so that I can make sure you get them.

These will be sent the week of Mother's Day - Enjoy!

For those that did not win, if you have a special person in your life that would appreciate these yummy treats....you can order them for $39, (tax and direct shipping included) All orders will be placed by Friday, April 30th. MC and Visa is accepted....email me if you are interested; thechocolatelady@cox.net

Happy Sunday!

Truffle Give Away #2

2010-04-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

I know many of you joined in the Dove Divine Dessert Truffle Giveaway, hosted by my friend, Emmy. I hope one of you won, and I hope you all enjoyed making a new blog friend!

I thought it only fitting that I do a second Dove Divine Truffle Giveaway....you know, make one more mom (or reader) happy.

Dove is offering an incredible box of Dessert Truffles, hand made by Jin Caldwell. Jin has been recognized as one of the Top 10 pastry chefs in North America, and is handmaking truffles for Mother's Day (although, anyone can eat them!) They will be made with fresh butter and cream, so you'll want to eat these within 3 weeks of delivery (as if they would last any longer!)

The beautiful box, wrapped in a gross-grain ribbon, of spring colors, will have 24 Truffles....four each, of these six dessert flavors;

Key Lime Pie
Creme Brulee
Strawberry Cheesecake
Lemon Meringue
Chocolate Mousse
Raspberry Parfait

Enter to win a box.....they will be directly shipped the week of Mother's Day....here's how to win....

1. Become a follower of my blog.

2. Leave me a comment letting me know about the special lady that will receive these yummy truffles (even if that special lady is you!).

3. One post per person, per household

4. Dove chocolatiers or Dove/Mars, Inc. employees are not allowed to play

5. Winner must live in the continental USA

6. Posts must be submitted by 11:59pm, PST, Saturday, April 24, 2010.

7. Winner will be randomly selected and posted on Sunday, April 25, 2011.

8. Winner must send me the mailing address that they would like the truffles shipped to (no PO Boxes) by Monday, April 26, 2011, 5pm PST, or a new winner will be selected. SO CHECK BACK

Good luck!!

Giveaway Time!

2010-04-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to introduce all of you to my friend Emmy. We met at the pool a couple of years ago......she is adorable and sweet, and also makes incredible stationery items. I LOVE LOVE LOVE her designer calendars, and her custom invites are beyond cute. Really....you need to check out her stuff....

Because I love her, and because I love all of you, and really want you to enjoy her creations....Im asking Emmy to host my giveaway....

You'll love it, it's something sweet and delicious, of the edible variety.

Hurry over to www.confessionsofapaperfreak.blogspot.com to enter for the yummmy prize!

Tell Emmy, The Chocolate Lady sent you!

xoxo

When Im not making chocolate....

2010-04-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

Follow on over to my "mommy blog" and find out what I do when Im not making chocolate creations.

www.heartshapedhedges.blogspot.com

Kids Culinary Academy

2010-04-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

If there is a job as fun as being a Dove Chocolatier, it's gotta be owning Kids Culinary Adventures.

My friend Gigi is an award winning chef and former Dean, Le Cordon Bleu program; California Culinary Academy ! She has created Kids Culinary Adventures, a premier professional cooking school for kids and teens. It is in the San Francisco Bay area, home to great food and fun.

KCA has classes, camps, and birthday parties - so much fun!!

KCA is on facebook, and recently Gigi posted this BEAUTIFUL cake....

She was sweet enough to give me the step-by-step low down on creating those chocolate walls, as well as the HOT TIP to put straws in the cake (inwhich to place the flowers!)...and now, I cant wait to make a pretty spring cake.

Id love to see what pretty things you are making this Spring....feel free to leave your link in the comments section.

Easter Chocolate Treats

2010-03-28T20:31:00.000-07:00

Im doing a Women's Boutique this week, and between Easter and the tempering unit sale, I thought it would be nice to whip up some goodies to show off.

I would like you to keep in mind, that I made all of this with one tempering unit....and used two types of chocolate. That meant, it took twice as long....and still, I made all of these goodies in less than 90 minutes;

Pretty white chocolate medallions, with dark chocolate swirl...

I made a think bark, and then used cookie cutters to cut out circles...in this picture there is one larger disc with 2 smaller ones (one laying against the large one.) These would be an elegant accent on top of a cupcake.

These green curls are made of white chocolate, and were decorated with a green "grass", cocoa butter transfer sheet.

These curls can be made longer, shorter, thinner, thicker, depending on how you score the chocolate. Imagine these atop your Easter cake, along with truffle eggs or jelly beans. And with so many pretty spring designs, it will make your entertaining table look fabulous!

I LOVE these! White chocolate tulip cups....took seconds to make!

Im making them for Easter brunch, just not sure if Im serving chocolate mousse or fresh berries inside.

Dove Dark Chocolate candies with the blue floral transfer design.

I make these candies often, I can make 75 at once....less than an hour, with a variety of designs. And, for those super special occasions, Ill fill them; irish cream truffle, raspberry sauce, or peanut butter!

My new favorite treat! Mini ice cream cones, filled with marshmallow and covered in white chocolate. No melting here!

We made these covered with dark chocolate and pink, heart sprinkles for Valentine's favors....so many ways to serve up this adorable goodie!

Are you buying chocolate animals for Easter baskets? Im making my own.....lambs, chicks, bunnies....

So many of you have emailed me this week, wanting to know how to create your own creative sweets. The sky is the limit with tempered chocolate....feel free to contact me with questions or ideas.

.

chocolate accents

2010-03-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

I am making some fun chocolate accents today...will post pics soon.

In the meantime, the sale on the tempering unit ends March 31. Several of you had called me...so here are the answers to FAQ.

1. The tempering unit is used to harden real chocolate. There are "wafers" and "candy coatings" that will harden up, but if you want REAL chocolate to harden up (chocolate covered goodies, candies, bark, etc.) you need to temper (precisely cool and heat) the chocolate.

2. This unit is made by Chocovision, and comes with a 1 year warranty. You can google the Chocovision Rev1 and see that they normally retail for at least $429.

3. You can contact me to order the machine, the $154 cost includes; 1 pound white Dove chocolate, 1.5 pounds milk OR dark Dove chocolate (your choice), and 3 spring cocoa butter design sheets. This will all be shipped directly to you.

4. You can contact me directly at 949-584-7577 or at thechocolatelady@cox.net

While you are waiting for my new pics....browse through some of the fun things we have made at my classes in the past...pics re located in the blog archives.

Enjoy!

Butter my roll

2010-03-25T07:26:00.001-07:00

I have come across so many yummy blogs, but in my old age, I often forget the name of the sites I have visited. It's definitely time for me to update my Blog Roll...and I need your help.

If you have a blog that you want to share, either your own or a favorite that you visit, please tell the rest of us.

Leave the blog address in the comments section, along with a brief description of the type of blog, so that everyone can enjoy them.

Spring Cake

2010-03-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

It's official, Spring has arrived!

My friend, MJ, created a delightful cake using a floral transfer sheet, and I want to share it with you.

MJ used the curl technique, shown here. You may have noticed, that MJ did it correctly, making nice long curls (unlike mine that were cut too short.)

While I have seen the curls used to accent the tops and sides of desserts, this display of creating a flower is just darling.

Thank you MJ for showing us an easy way to fancy up our desserts this Spring!

And the winner is.......

2010-03-21T00:20:00.000-07:00

Geisme

Geisme, you have won the Tempering Unit, New Spring Transfer Sheets, 1 pound of Dove White Chocolate, and 1.5 pounds of Dove Dark Chocolate OR Dove Milk Chocolate.

Congratulations!!

Please email me with your shipping address (must be in continental US, and no PO Box) and SELECT YOUR PREFERENCE for Milk or Dark chocolate.

For the rest of the entrants....thanks for playing! Come back soon to learn more about chocolate, including giveaways.

If you had your heart set on this fun machine...the winning package is available for $154 Just email me thechocolatelady@cox.net and let me know....this sale is for March ONLY. And...if you purchase it by Sunday, March 21, it will arrive in time for Easter.

Thanks again for playing :) Please follow my blog, and follow me on twitter; chocladykim

xoxo

It's a Give Away!

2010-03-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

I love showing you all the fun things you can do with a tempering unit....and Ive decided that I want to know what YOU would do with a tempering unit.

Before I give the details of this sweet prize...let me explain a few things....

When you see chocolate that has been molded into candies, or covering yummy treats (chocolate covered strawberries, cookies, etc.) ...it's either real chocolate that has been tempered, or a confectionary coating (think fats and wax). So, when you make candies out of little colored wafers...it's cool and all, but it's not real chocolate.

In order for REAL chocolate to be shaped and harden up with a nice shine, with a snap (not a bend)..it must be tempered.

Tempering is the process of heating AND cooling, to very precise temperatures, so that the chocolate will stabilize into it's original molecular state.

That might sound very geeky and weird...when actually, its super cool!

The Revolution 1 Tempering Unit is made by Chocovision, the leader in commercial tempering units. It retails for $429 when purchased at Chocovision, and I have seen prices as high as $700....Dove, typically sells this machine for $300, which is a steal!

For March only, the machine is part of a package deal....$154, and it INCLUDES;

Revolution 1 tempering unit
1.5 pounds of Dove milk or Dove dark chocolate
1 pound of Dove white chocolate
New Spring transfer sheets (cocoa butter designs for your chocolate)

This is a savings of $213 off the regular Dove price....and truly an amazing deal.

And this generous deal has put ME in the giving spirit....so.....

Im going to be giving away (free) the Tempering Unit & Candy Making Bundle

Here are the rules.....

1. You MUST post to the comments, what YOU would make with your new tempering machine.
2. One post per person, per household
3. Dove chocolatiers or Dove/Mars, Inc. employees are not allowed to play
4. Posts must be submitted by 11:59pm, PST, Saturday, March 20, 2010.
5. Winner will be randomly selected and posted on Sunday, March 21, 2011.
6. Winner must send me their mailing address (no PO Boxes) by Monday, March 22, 2011, 5pm PST, or a new winner will be selected.
7. Winner must live in the continental USA

So, tell me, if you win, what will you make with your Tempering Unit and Dove Chocolate Candy Making Bundle??? (if you need some ideas, scroll through my old posts on this blog)

beautiful chocolate creations

2010-03-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

At my baking class tonight, we focused on making beautiful designs in tempered chocolate. Tempered chocolate is different than melted chocolate, as it will set up and harden nicely, with a shine and a crisp snap. It is perfect for making candies, or dipping strawberries or other treats, making bark and more. For this class, I wanted to focus on some creative accent items that could be made.

Now, as a disclaimer....I tried to cram 3 different items into one, 1.5 hr. class. It did impact quality, a bit, but I felt it was more important to show off a variety of techniques...so here we go....

DECORATIVE CURLS
The first item, is some decorative chocolate curls. These are perfect for topping desserts...a cake, cupcake, ice cream sundae.

We used the blue flower transfer sheet, but there are many options (several floral designs, pink polka dots, squiggly lines, checkers, hearts, pumpkins, firecrackers and more!). They are printed on the sheet in cocoa butter..they are simple to use, and edible.

We then took tempered, dark chocolate, and spread it onto the sheet.

Once it starts to dry (you can tell by the matte finish that replaces the wet shine)

You can then take a knife and make strips

Then you will take and roll up the sheet, and place it in the refrigerator (seam down), for approx. 15 minutes.

Now...I made the mistake of making strips in both directions, and making them too close...so the outcome was not exactly curls, but smaller pieces of chocolate...but you get the idea, and all of them were dark chocolate, with blue flowers on one side. They would be a beautiful accent for any dessert.

Texture designs
Our next decorative treat, was a white chocolate bark with a dark chocolate design. We used a textured transfer sheet. Instead of having a cocoa butter design, it has a raised imprint, that leaves a 3 day effect. You can use it with one type of chocolate, or use two different colors, like we have done here.

We laid out the sheet, and added some tempered dark chocolate;

When you spread the chocolate, it will fill in the indents of the design.....beautiful!

We placed it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, to make sure the chocolate had solidified, we dont want it to run with the white chocolate.

We then added tempered white chocolate, and spread it across the sheet.

It was the refrigerated for about 10 minutes, so the chocolate would set up.

This could be kept as a solid piece of chocolate, but we decided to use a cookie cutter to make a round medalion..it would make the perfect accent for a dessert.

We then placed it back into the refrigerator to harden up completely.

I dont have a picture of the medallion itself, but here is the chocolate that was cut around it. You could cut out any shape of accent, or you could break it into pieces. While we have made this as a white bark with brown design, you could use it as a dark bark with a white design....or get creative, and use a colored (white + candy coloring) design on a white or brown chocolate. Whatever your color combination, it is an elegant accent.

Chocolate tulip cups
This final project is SO easy, and has an incredible WOW factor. We made chocolate cups, using tempered chocolate and a balloon. There are many variations on this....but with Easter around the corner, I thought a beautiful tulip design would be perfect.

Make sure to clean off the balloon before using. Do not submerge it into water, as liquid will ruin the tempered chocolate...rather wipe off the exterior, and make sure it is completely dry.

We had some white tempered chocolate left over from our previous textured medallion. If I had more time, I would have tempered more chocolate, because these tulip cups would have been much better with more, thicker chocolate. However, you still get the idea...

Place the balloon in the chocolate. You can dip straight in, but for the tulip look, you will rock the balloon back and forth, and side to side.

Set the balloon on parchment paper, so that it can set up. Place it in the refrigerator to completely solidify (15 minutes)

Imagine how beautiful this cup would look, filled with mousse, fresh fruit, or even jelly beans. Your guests will be impressed with the gourmet look, they dont need to know it was so quick and simple!

If you want to add color or a design, you could add a second color of tempered chocolate...just add to the bowl, before dipping the balloon.

If you have any questions about how to make these items, feel free to contact me at thechocolatelady@cox.net

Remember, the tempering unit is 67% off for the month of March only. Now is the time to get this fun tool, which will allow you to make gifts and fun entertaining treats for all occasions.

Candy Making Class TONIGHT

2010-03-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

My class tonight will be focused on making fun chocolate goodies that are perfect for Spring entertaining.

My house....we start promptly at 7:30pm and will be done before 9pm. $10 per person and you will take treats home.

contact me if you need more info 949-584-7577

xo
kim

Tempering Chocolate

2010-03-05T16:47:00.000-08:00

Would you love to temper chocolate?

Our tempering unit makes it SO EASY!

March only, we are having a sale....

$154...for the machine AND $68 worth of chocolate and candy making supplies....WOW!

The machine is a Revolution 1 by Chocovision.....google this to see just what a deal Dove is offering.

Id love to see what YOU would create....hmmm...maybe a photo contest is in order!! :)

Personalized Chocolate Accents

2010-02-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

Andrew loves being a Boy Scout, and this weekend was the organizations 100th Birthday Party AKA The Blue and Gold Celebration. Every family pitched in to bring something to the potluck, and naturally I signed up for dessert. Im always looking for an excuse to make a fun treat.

The symbol of the Boy Scouts is the trefoil. So I made chocolate trefoils, and put them in mini mousse cups.

As I laid the platter onto the table, people ooohed and aaahed (isnt that the whole point?) and one woman commented, "You spent way too much time on those for this event." To which I responded, "It took 40 minutes, MAX." I stress that point, because I want you to realize how QUICK and EASY this dessert is to make. The mousse takes less than 5 minutes (seriously!) and the chocolate decorations (trefoils) took 35 (25 for the chocolate to temper, and 10 to make the trefoils.) So, keep that in mind, as you imagine your own variations of this fun treat.

The first step, is to get the tempering unit going.....once you put the chocolate in, you can walk away....to make the mousse, or watch the Olympics :)

When tempered chocolate is piped onto parchment paper, it will harden and lift of easily. No need to refrigerate (in fact, refrigerating will make the chocolate get condensation...and we dont want wet chocolate.)

I decided to create a trefoil, the symbol of the Boy Scouts. Since I knew these would be gobbled up quickly by a bunch of little boys and their parents, I just drew the design by hand (Im admittedly no artist)...but you can print any design or picture off the internet....butterflies, fans, initials, flowers, are all popular accents. Lay parchment paper out on your counter, and then put the picture underneath, so you can just pipe on top of it.

Once the chocolate is ready, you will scoop it into your piping tool. A pastry bag with a small tip, a squeeze bottle, or ...as I have done here, use a plastic baggie with a small whole snipped out of the corner.

Carefully pipe the chocolate onto the design.

I used Dove Chocolate Discoveries, mini chocolate cups.

Using the Dove piping bag, I piped in our Dark Chocolate Mousse

NOTICE....this would be an impressive dessert, all by itself...it's petite and beautiful, and if this were all I were serving, it would have only taken 5-10 minutes total.

But this post is about personalizing our desserts with chocolate accents...so, I added the trefoil...

This was a simple dessert, with that extra touch that made it special....and best of all, it was DELICIOUS!

Valentine's treats with the kids

2010-02-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

Our awesome Dove chefs came up with some adorable new chocolate treats, and I was eager to get home and make them with my kiddos.

They are these cutie patootie ice cream cones!

Dont you just love them????

You start off with some mini cones....this brand is the perfect size.....

Use giant marshmallows, they fit perfectly inside

My daughter is, "Star of the Week"...which means she gets to bring the class frog home for some good times. He helped her put the marshmallows in the cones.

I tempered Dove Dark chocolate in my tempering unit. Tempering the chocolate means it will harden up, nice and crisp, with a pretty shine. By the way, the tempering units are going on SUPER SPECIAL in March.....if you are interested, let me know, this will be the lowest price EVER, lower than our previous wholesale cost.

But back to the treats....

I dip the marshmallow into the chocolate....

Because it's Valentine's Day, I will top them off with some pink and white hearts....

Just a few sprinkled on top....

Beauty and her frog are so proud of their creation!

and the winner is.........

2010-02-08T22:53:00.001-08:00

Congratulations Gina!!

You win either the Dove Peanut Butter and Chocolate Smoothies, or Dove Chocolate Espresso Beans....Im assuming from your post that your going to choose the Espresso Beans...they are delicious!

Send me your address, and Ill get those shipped out to you.

Thanks for entering! Enjoy!

XO
kim

The new products are here...and I want to share with you!!

2010-02-05T22:22:00.000-08:00

Whew!

Well after an exciting day at the Culinary Institute, I am finally back at the hotel, and able to get onto a real computer to post this give away.

Our new products include peanut butter and chocolate backing bits, chardonnay caramel sauce, chardonnay wine (peanut) brittle, chocolate baking bits, spring design transfers and more!! And with DOUBLE HOSTESS CREDITS in February, now is the best time to book a party and taste these new treats.

Now for the PRIZE....

Let me know which of Dove Chocolate Discoveries goodie (new or old) is the one that sounds most scrumptious to you.

I will randomly draw a winner from the comments listed...one entry per household, and you will get to choose between these two FAB NEW ITEMS:

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Smoothies

OR

Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

YOUR CHOICE!

The give away deadline is Monday noon PST. and the winner will be announced Monday night.

New product give away!!

2010-02-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

I'm at the Culinary Institute and Dove will be announcing our new products soon. I'm so excited about them and want to share with you! Check back tonight as I announce our new product give away!

Napa and the Culinary Institute of America

2010-02-03T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well Friends,

The big day has arrived, and Im leaving for the Dove Chocolate Discoveries President's Leadership Conference. We will be holding our event at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California.

Ill be boarding my plane shortly, to travel from S. CA to N. CA....packing my "warm clothes" and ready for a great time.

We will hear several experts talk on a variety of subjects, and will also learn what our NEW SPRING products will be.

Stay tuned, I will be updating as I can. More immediate updates and photos will be posted on Facebook; become a fan of Dove Chocolate Discoveries Independent Chocolatier Kim Sprague.

Bon Appetit!
kim

Dont miss Valentine's Day

2010-01-30T08:21:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the deadline for Valentine's orders.

Our truffle package is amazing, and we also have a variety of other yummy treats for your sweetie. The catalog is available on www.dovechocolatediscoveries.com

All items can direct ship TO YOU, if you are in the Continental USA. I accept MC and Visa.

Dont procrastinate and end up running to the local convenience store on the 13th, for stale chocolates.....order now and relax.

thechocolatelady@cox.net

xoxo

What's a Chocolate Party????

2010-01-27T10:17:00.000-08:00

What's a Chocolate Party?? When people find out that Im a Chocolatier with Dove Chocolate Discoveries, and that I do Chocolate parties for a living, their eyes light up. They arent always sure what a chocolate party is, but chocolate + party must be good, right? RIGHT!

Imagine watching a live food show, surrounded by your favorite friends, where Chocolate is the main ingredient and samples abound. During my presentation, I make designer chocolate candies, and create beverages such as Java Chip Smoothies, and show you how to present an elegant dessert like Chocolate Mousse in Petite Chocolate Cups - in less than 5 minutes! There is plenty more, and it's all made with premium Dove Chocolate.

People have a blast at the chocolate parties, and the hostess has the option of serving Dove Chocolate Martini's too.

This is the party that your friends want to attend....and in February, the hostess will earn DOUBLE CREDIT to stock up on her own goodies, like Spiced Chai Tea and Raspberry Dessert Sauce, or Double Chocolate Truffle Brownies.

Im thankful that I have found a business that is so much fun, and flexible too.

White Chocolate Tiramisu

2009-05-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hellloooo Chocolate Friends,

At our last baking class, we made White Chocolate Tiramisu. This is a recipe from our Dove Chocolate Discoveries Entertaining Guide. I had tried it at our President's Leadership Conference in February, and LOVED it. Im not a big fan of white chocolate, but this is the perfect combination of deliciousness.

The recipe calls for more than a few ingredients, which may seem intimidating, but you'll soon see that this is simple! Our class made this in less than 30 minutes....so, it's really a do-able dessert for everyone!

First of all, you know this dessert is going to be fantastic, because it involves, "Lady Fingers"....now, I dont know about you, but Lady Fingers sounds very high class to me. First of all, it's a dessert for a "Lady"...not a girl, or a kid, but a high falootin' Lady! The fingers....I dont know what to do about that...so anyways....

This recipe has 3 steps that then get added together.

First, the milk is put on the stove, and heated on low. You will keep it there, warming up, while you do the other steps.

Now whisk together the granulated sugar with the marscapone cheese. This will make a yummy, creamy mixture.

Take the white chocolate, and finely chop it up. Leave it in a bowl to the side for now, it will be added later.

In it's own bowl, whip the whipping cream with the vanilla.

Now, your milk should be getting little bubbles around the edges, like this....can you see the tiny bubbles??

Now, pour the hot milk onto the chopped white chocolate. Whisk until completely melted.

So, to recap, we have 3 bowls;
1. has the milk and white chocolate all melted together
2. has the marscapone cheese and sugar whisked together
3. has the whipping cream and vanilla whipped together.

Now....
Whisk the chocolate mixture into the marscapone cheese mixture

Then, fold the whipped cream mixture into the chocolate/marscapone. Folding should be done gently, you dont want to "mix" or "beat". (arent you glad this is educational?)

Now that you have all that yummy richness combined, set it to the side.

In a shallow dish, combine espresso (I dont have coffee at home, so just bought some at Starbucks)

and in the same dish, you will add the Kahlua.

I recommend that you now take your dessert glass,.... which could be a plastic cup, like I have here, or a fancy wine glass, or even you can make one large dessert in a beautiful trifle...whatever it is, set up your ladyfingers, so you know how many you need and you can see how they will fit.

Then, you will take your "lady finger" (love that name!!!) and dip them one at a time into the Kahlua/espresso. Be forewarned, it is quite strong...and the ladyfingers soak up the liquid quickly. So, quickly dip them, you can do one side or flip to both...your preference.

Then, place them back in the dessert dish.

Now, take the white chocolate mixture and pout it into the glass, filling it to the top.

I happen to have a fancy-shmancy "ruffle roll maker", which is a solid piece of chocolate (milk, chocolate and edged in white)...that has a blade that goes around, making beautiful chocolate ruffles.

I then placed the chocolate ruffle on the top of my dessert....

I added some sliced strawberries, and here you have White Chocolate Tiramisu.

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, and the white chocolate mixture will firm up.

I hope I was able to convey how truly simple this was. It took less than 30 minutes from start to finish. AND....I know I cant truly convey how DE-LISH this is!!

Special thanks to Sheila, our class photographer. She loved this dessert so much that she is going to make it again for Father's Day. Yummmm!

Decorated Chocolate Cups

2009-04-20T11:52:00.001-07:00

At my April baking class, we made white chocolate cups, decorated with transfer sheets. I think these are so darn fancy, and yet...they are incredibly simple to make. Come along (motioning with my arm for you to follow me), let me show you!

Here is the sample I made, prior to the class. I wanted something to show the gals, and made this earlier in the day:

Now the fun starts with this little baby; the Tempering Unit. Just a quick review....tempering chocolate is the process of precisely heating AND cooling, so that the chocolate will set up into it's original state If you want to make chocolate candies, bark, decorations, or dipped strawberries that have that crisp, sheen...you'll need to temper your chocolate.

Melting chocolate is great for dipping, but it wont "set up" like tempered chocolate.

You can temper by hand, I did it at chocolate school, and it sure made me appreciate my machine. Hand tempering involved heating the chocolate to a specific temperature, and then adding solid ("seed") chocolate, and having it cool to a precise temperature, and then it is ready to use. This is a fragile process and it's easy to mess it up.

Many people, rather than tempering real chocolate, resort to fake, waxy, chocolate flavored wafers. They arent bad, but they are NOT chocolate! :)

So, this machine is amazing...it will temper the chocolate fairly quickly. You can walk away once you get it going, as it does all the work, and beeps when it's ready. It doesnt get hot, at all....it's kid friendly, and mom-brain friendly too!

So, to get it going, you "prime" it, by rubbing chocolate on the rubber spatula and inside the bowl. This will help it run smoothly.

Once you prime it, you can select the setting; milk, dark or white. The process is so delicate, that it has a different setting for the different types of chocolate.

Then, walk away and go aboutyour business. Or, stare at it, because it's your new best friend! See how the solid chocolate is on one side (you can add up to 1.5 pounds) and the tempered chocolate remains on the other side. The "baffle", which is the bar in the middle, is attached to the rubber spatula, which goes around and around and around, making you dizzy! Dizzy with EXCITEMENT!!!

Now, it was time for the class to select their design. We use "transfer sheets", which are colorful and decorative. They are plastic sheets that have cocoa butter designs. There is no taste, and they are fun and easy to use.

I have Prairie (looks like grass), Blue Flowers....

There is Kiwi or Daisy

Bonnie is going to be using our Heart design.

These transfers are often used to make candies (they come in a variety of holiday and special occasion designs too!)..but when I saw them used for these cups..well, I couldnt wait to do this at my baking class. You simply cut them into a rectangular shape, approx. 2" X 4", and put them on parchment paper.

The tempering is done! It took about 15 minutes, and it gave a cute little "beep" to let me know it was ready. The chocolate will harden if left in the bowl, and white chocolate sets up (hardens) the quickest...so, let's get to work!

Im using my ladle to put some on Bonnie's transfer sheets.

***FOCUS ON THE PROJECT PLEASE. I see your eyes wandering, and this is not the "muffin top" class, it's the "Decorated White Chocolate Cups" class....pay attention!!

Bonnie spreads the chocolate onto the sheet, making a thin layer. It's ok if it goes off the sides, it's on parchment paper, making clean up easy.

Sheila, our class photographer, is making 2 sets, one in Kiwi and one in Daisy..perfect for an Easter celebration!

Once the chocolate is spread, you simply put them in the fridge for about 3 minutes.

***IMPORTANT NOTICE*****

It might be best to do this project alone. If you have chatty friends, or a chatty baking class instructor, or just someone that is rambling on and not paying attention, you may forget to take your chocolate out of the fridge, and it might be "set up" (too hard) to work with. Im not saying it happened here, and if it did, it was probably Melissa's fault, as she is a real talker.

After a few minutes in the fridge, bring them out and shape them. The chocolate will be tacky, but you can still bend the transfer sheets nicely. Here we pinched the sides together and stood them on end. We were able to move the pliable transfer sheets and get the center of the cup to take shape.

Then, we put them back in the fridge for another 20 minutes, until they were completely solid. The transfer sheets will come right off when ready to eat.

Now, if you are wondering what you can do with these pretty things..well, you can pipe in some mousse, fill them with beautiful berries. Close your eyes and imagine if you will, **dont really close your eyes, I need you to keep reading**...that you are having friends over, or a ladies brunch....you have your favorite dessert plates, which you accent with a few drops of a dessert sauce..just to make things special. You set out a cup, pipe in some mousse, and Wa-laaa....you are so Top Chef-ish!

Arent these amazing? And it took us less than 45 minutes, from start to finish! If you want to see a more professional version...scroll down a bit. Our catalog shows them off in the Kiwi design, with the mousse already piped in. GORGEOUS!

By the way, Tammigirl asked me to show some of the Easter Chick cake pops that were made with tempered white chocolate (colored yellow)...here they are:

I had made more, to give to all my kids' teachers, but my youngest kept stealing them!!! No kidding!! They do look tempting :)

The REAL cake pop chicks of the OC

2009-04-09T16:24:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun last week, preparing for Easter. I really wanted to make the adorable cake pops that I saw on Bakerella

So, I got out all my supplies and set forth on this task:

First, I made a chocolate cake, and it wasnt just any old chocolate cake...no siree...nothing but the best for me and my friends, it was a Dove Chocolate Discoveries "cupcake kit" cake. (You can make cakes or cupcakes from this versatile product!) I baked it, and let it cool, look how serene it looks. It has no idea that it will soon be torn apart for some wild fun.

Next, it was time to make some frosting. Again, Im all about good taste, so it's Dove Chocolate Discoveries buttercream frosting (included in the cupcake kit)...

And, you might think, oh whatever with the frosting, but guess what, this frosting has REAL Dove chocolate in it! YUM!

And, if Im going to stir up all that high quality chocolate, might as well be with a high quality rubber spatula, right????

Ok, Ok, I promise this is not a Dove Chocolate Discoveries commercial, but I just wanted you all to see that cake pops can be high quality treats.

Now the frosting is complete.

That poor, quiet, unassuming cake was torn to bits, broken into a fine crumb, and mixed together with the yummy frosting. After they were mixed well, I rolled them into balls and laid them out on parchment paper.

This was a lot of fun and I was getting so excited as my little chicks were taking shape. Although, I did have a few *teeny* *tiny* concerns about the little buggers...as some of them seemed, well, less than perfectly round. But I figured that would all work itself out.

While those little cake balls firmed up in the fridge, I took to sorting out the little noses and feet and hands....

Soon it was time to cover my pops in chocolate. Now, I had a big dilemna of the moral type. I mean, Im all about chocolate, REAL chocolate, right? No fake, waxy "chocolate flavored wafers" for me! HOWEVER, I was making 2 batches of these chicks....about 40 that would be inhaled by 2nd graders, and another 10 for teachers with exquisite taste.

It seemed a waste, to dip the chicks for kids in real chocolate. Sorry, Im an ageist, Ill admit it right now! So, the pops made for kids got faux chocolate. I did use real Dove Chocolate Discoveries white chocolate (with yellow coloring) for the adult pops, and they looked identical, just an FYI (although, as the official taste-tester - WELL, someone's got to do it!! - I can tell you the real chocolate tastes even better!)

I melted my little wafers in a narrow coffee mug....I wanted more depth for dipping....

Here is the first chicky....

Ill admit, I was disappointed. I wanted a perfectly round, evenly covered chick. That's how Bakerella's look, that's how mine should look.

Chick after chick came out looking, well, less than perfect.

Take this poor chick:

Now, earlier in the week, we had all gone and had our pictures taken. The very nice gentleman taking the picture was covered (and I mean, COVERED) in skin tags. I can tell you, that throughout the entire photo session, I was worried that my kids would comment or ask about his skin tags. Honest. Young children, might get curious and ask, "what are those bumps hanging off his face?"...and I feared it. But they didnt ask, but anyways....

I had asked My Honey,

"How does this guy look?"

I was feeling discouraged at the less-than-perfect appearance, and his response didnt help,

"It looks like that photographer we had for our pictures."

THANKS! Now I feel confident!

But you know, I realized, that nobody is perfect.

That photographer was a very nice man, and after a few moments, I hardly even noticed his skin tags anymore (ok, I did, but they didnt matter!) He was a person, a man made in God's image, and he was not defined by his outward appearance.

And, there are many other people that go around looking less than perfect (ok, mostly everyone) and it doesnt interfere with their ability to live meaningful lives, successful lives.

Take Donald Trump, with that hideous hair, he still has a nice life:

Perhaps living in the OC, and watching that horrific reality show, about the Housewives, has skewed my perception. That world where everyone looks perfect, it doesnt really exist, not even here in the OC....do you remember this post that I did? With the REAL housewives of the OC???

So, who cares of my chick pops look like they missed their botox appointment. They were adorable, with character and personality. Look at this guy, what mother wouldnt love that face!!??

Actually, after a while, I sort of got the hang of dipping. And with the white chocolate, I let them dry with a generous coating (I wasnt trying to spin off all the drippy excess) and they came out even nicer.

But here is the clan, looking, well, cute, but kind of sad, as they were about to be devoured by hungry 2nd graders. No since getting all dressed up for that, right??

talk about a wild ride

2009-04-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well, when I signed on to be a Chocolatier with Dove Chocolate Discoveries, I knew I would be having fun, but I never knew how amazing it would be.

I am now on YouTube, the video is at the bottom of this page.

AND...hurry back, because I made (copied) Easter cake pops, created by Bakerella. Mine didnt come out *quite* as perfect, and Ive got pictures to prove it!

My Honey promised to upload them for me tonight, so stay tuned!

My weekend gift to you!

2009-03-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have such a fun weekend planned...trips to Disneyland with friends, and Dove Chocolate Tasting parties.

Im feeling so guilty for all the pleasure that is lined up for me, that I wanted to share some pleasure with you.

You MUST check out these two websites.

You will pass out from the cuteness at www.bakerella.com A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.N.E.S.S. at it's finest (and perhaps a project for one of my future baking classes!)

Make sure to have smelling salts handy, so that you can perk back up and enter this amazing contest at www.thepioneerwoman.com Click over to the "Home and Garden" tab (she is so high tech now!) and enter for a fabulous prize!

You're Welcome :)

Fun with chocolate transfers

2009-03-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

One of the things that first caught my eye, when I saw the Dove catalog, was the chocolate transfers.

Transfers are images made out of cocoa butter, that can easily be put on chocolate. I loved that they had designs for all occasions, such as orange pumpkins, Christmas holly, red/white/blue firecrackers, blue flowers, multi-colored flowers, bubbles, checkboard, swirls and more!

In my next baking class, we are going to make these pretty ladies!

Now, you may wonder...what are those??? They are white chocolate cups, with a transfer design, filled with mousse.

When I went to our Dove President's Leadership Conference, I watched our Chef, Mark, make these in about 10 minutes, and I was so impressed. He simply took the tempered white chocolate, spead it onto the transfer design, and popped it in the fridge for a few minutes. He then pinched the ends together, and stood it up, and put it back in the fridge to solidify.

Once the cup is made, it's perfect for a petite dessert, such as piping in some yummy mousse!

For my next class, we are going to make some. I want to use the transfer design with flowers, or hearts....and serve a special dessert for Mother's Day.

Ill try to take pictures showing how to do it step-by-step, and put them up on this blog.

Stay tuned!

My first baking class

2009-03-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

This past week, I had my first monthly baking class, and boy did we have fun!

When I do Dove™ Chocolate Tasting parties, the guests get to see new entertaining ideas, I show them fun recipes, and they sample a variety of delicious treats...but we dont get to actually make the decadent desserts. So many women asked me if I would start a class so they could learn to make these goodies...and that is how my class was born.

I have done classes for kids, mostly Girl Scout troops....usually making decorated, designer chocolate bark, and again, so many of their mommies wanted a class for themselves.

For my first class, I taught the gals how to make 3D, hollow Easter animals. I made one at the Mars™ Chocolate School, and wanted to share this fun activity with others. I didnt take pictures (thanks to leaving our camera at the American Girl Store) but here is an example of what we made:

With my handy tempering machine, we made bunnies, lambs and chicks. AND, all with Dove™ chocolate (no waxy, immitation chocolate for us!)

How fun to make your own yummy animals to fill the Easter baskets of your loved ones, or just to give to your teachers, coaches, etc. to say, "Happy Easter".

The gals are all excited for future classes and even helped me pick out what our next projects will be; chocolate mousse cups, molten lava cake, white chocolate tiramisu, decorated strawberries and more! Stay tuned, as hopefully I will have step by step instructions with pictures :)

Dove™ comes to California

2009-03-13T23:41:00.001-07:00

Tonight was one of those special nights, where I am reminded of the great opportunity I have been given.

I just returned home from dinner with Betty Palm, President of Dove Chocolate Discoveries™. Myself and two other Chocolatiers enjoyed her company, as we discussed our training event for tomorrow.

Since Dove Chocolate Discoveries™ is so new, the Chocolatiers are eager for new ideas, training, and just a chance to get together to share our enthusiasm about this amazing business.

I will be doing a presentation on, "Dainty and Decadent" desserts, as well as discussing recruiting. Im so excited! I love what I do, and cant wait to share my passion with our Dove® Chocolatiers and their guests.

Im also excited that tonight, Betty gave me the green light to blog about Chocolate. I have wanted to share so much about this fun adventure, and now will be able to post pictures, recipes and entertaining ideas with all of you.

Deliciously yours,
Kim