Author Archive: Bryn Kirk

Edible Music: Chocolate Record

OK, this is interesting...  Ben Milne, a baker from Fife, Scotland, has developed what is believed to be the first chocolate record that can actually be played on a record player.  Wow!

The idea first came up when Ben was collaborating with his friends from the Edinburgh-based band "Found."  He decided to try making their latest single, Anti-Climb Paint, out of chocolate.

At first he just poured some chocolate onto the single, peeled it off, and attempted to play the grooves left in the chocolate.  But he soon realized that this actually recorded the reverse of the song. 
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Chex and Chocolate Party Mix

With the 4th of July holiday weekend coming up, it's time for a good party recipe.  Chex mixes are always good for munching.  This version is sweetened and has chocolate chips added. 

As far as I am concerned the coconut, peanuts, and raisins are all optional. The chocolate is required.  Modify the recipe to fit your tastes.
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Chocolate Hazelnut Tea

The Stash Tea Company makes a trio of “dessert teas”; chocolate hazelnut, vanilla cream, and almond cream.  These teas are made with decaffeinated black tea.

Stash Chocolate Hazelnut

I drank my chocolate hazelnut tea one afternoon when I was “in the mood for something.”  I didn’t actually know what I was in the mood for, but since I didn’t have my usual chocolate pick me up handy, I thought this tea might do the trick.
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1-Minute Chocolate Cake in a Mug

OK, I posted a bit of a tease on Monday with the Mug of Chocolate Cake article without actually including the recipe.

I won’t keep you in suspense any longer.  Here is the recipe:

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Mug of Chocolate Cake

A couple nights ago my teenage daughter had a craving for chocolate cake.  Although this sounded good to me too, we had one big obstacle in our way--no working oven.  Our oven called it quits one week earlier and we had not replaced it yet. 

The next day, with chocolate cake still on my mind, I looked up dessert recipes for the crock pot, microwave, grill, Nesco Roaster, anything that did not require baking it in an oven.  To my surprise, I found A LOT of recipes out there using alternate cooking devices.

Eventually, I found a recipe for a one-minute microwaveable chocolate cake in a mug. 
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Chocolate as Favorite Food

Is chocolate your favorite food?  Recently a study was completed that asked an open-ended question of people from 17 different countries to name their favorite food.  Chocolate made the published list of top 15 favorites in only 5 of those countries.

Today we can celebrate with the Australians.  Australia was the only country on the list that named chocolate as its number 1 favorite food!  A total of 8.9% of the surveyed population gave that answer.  I'm going to have to visit Australia and hang out with the abundance of chocolate lovers.
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Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Here's a delicious sour cream chocolate cake recipe.  The sour cream not only helps make this a moist cake, but the added fat also enhances the chocolate flavor in your mouth.

I'm also including a chocolate sour cream frosting recipe that you might want to use on top and between layers.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 4 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate, cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
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Chocolate Raspberry Drink with Stevia

I recently attended an outdoor BBQ and at the “drink station” was a pitcher of ice water with an assortment of small bottles sitting next to it.  Each bottle had a dropper style lid and inside was flavored liquid sweetened with stevia.  The host encouraged me to create my own sugar-free beverage.

I was intrigued, of course, and poured myself a glass of water.  Then, as instructed, put 6 to 8 drops of liquid flavoring into my glass.  This was a starting point as more can be added according to individual preference. 
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Crio Bru

If you've known me for a while you might know that I enjoy a good cup of coffee.  While it's not chocolate, it's still a flavor I look forward to.

Crio Bru - Brewed CocoaWell, that all might change a bit.  I just learned about Crio Bru.  It's a drink that is brewed like coffee, but it is made of 100% cocoa beans.  Like coffee, the beans are roasted and ground.  You put the grounds in your coffee maker.

And, according to a press release I read, "Crio Bru delivers the same intense, complex flavors of the finest cocoa beans found in artisan dark chocolate."

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Cocoacara Orange and Chili

Cocoacara Orange and ChiliThe Terravita Chocolate Company is a Polish chocolate manufacturer making some uniquely flavored chocolate.  I recently tasted the 77% Orange and Chili Dark Chocolate.

The Terravita line of dark chocolate uses 77% cocoa as a bold, chocolate base.  The added, exotic flavor combinations include orange peels and chili, as well as coffee and cardamom.

What I like most about the orange and chili combination is the intense chocolate and orange up front when you first bite into it, and then just when you think you have finished, the heat from the chili kicks in.  It is a pleasant finish albeit a surprise!
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