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Easy homemade Vanilla fudge recipe

February 19th, 2015

Have a sweet tooth? Well, the good news is that you do not have to rush to the nearby patisserie to get your fill of the sweetness. With easy-to-make recipes at home, you can make your own goodies and they will be filled with the goodness of hand selected products and time-tested recipes.

So, whether it is a celebratory occasion or just the sweet cravings that wake you up in the middle of the night, here are some easy recipes that we think will easily become your go-to-recipes for all things chocolate:

CREAMY VANILLA FUDGE

Ingredients:

  • Granulated sugar – 1 lb
  • Butter – 3 0z
  • Milk – 150 ml
  • Evaporated milk – 6 0z
  • Vanilla extract – few drops
  • Vegetable oil

Method:

  • Take the sugar and tip it into a heavy based pan along with the butter, milk, and evaporated milk. Heat gently and remember to stir frequently until the sugar has completely dissolved.

  • Bring the mixture to a boil without stirring, and continue to boil until the sugar thermometer reads 116°C (240°F). If you do not have a sugar thermometer, you can test the readiness of the fudge by taking a small amount of the sugar syrup and spooning it into iced water – the sugar should immediately curl into a soft ball.

  • Keep stirring the sugar fudge mix so that it does not stick and burn. Then, remove the pan from the heat and add a few drops of the vanilla extract into the mix. Beat the fudge mix with a wooden spatula or spoon until it thickens.

  • Pour the fudge mix into a shallow square tin that has been brushed with a little vegetable oil. Leave it at room temperature for about 10-15 min to set. If you are in a hurry, you can pop the tin into the fridge and cool the fudge faster.

  • Now, cut the fudge into small squares. Cool completely before eating.

  • For decoration, you can use sugar sprinkles or edible sugar pieces. Fruits like frozen strawberries and crushed honeycomb also work well and enhance the subtle vanilla flavouring of the fudge. You can use the fruits as flavouring or just sprinkle them on top while the fudge sets to add the extra crunch.

  • Once you are done, you can seal the fudge pieces in zip-seal bags for storing.

 

Cooking time involved: About 15 min

Total time taken: 35 min

Expert tips:

  • To add a little zing to the fudge, you can sprinkle in some salt while you are cooking. Adding a teaspoon full of sea salt to the mix when it has reached the soft-ball stage will only bring out the delicate flavours.

  • While cooling the fudge in the fridge, do not leave it there for a long time or the sugar will congeal and harden and it will become impossible to cut it into pieces.

Homemade treats are great but if it seems tedious, then online chocolates delivery – does help in moments of crisis! This easy recipe makes great treats for kids, as well as for gifts. So make it, bag it, and share it – after all a sweet tooth deserves a royal treatment doesn’t it?

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Easy homemade chocolate gift recipe

February 18th, 2015

Chocolates make for great gifts. Whether it is Valentine’s Day when giving chocolates is considered a norm, or any other special occasion that calls for exchange of gifts, you can never go wrong with a hamper of assorted chocolates that everyone can enjoy. There are so many different varieties of chocolates that you will almost always find something to suit the other person’s tastes. Almost, unless the person in question just happens to not have a sweet tooth as some sort of a genetic quirk!

Now, as much as chocolates are great there is something even greater – handmade chocolates made with tender loving care and dripping with all the goodness of organic products sans preservatives. So, if you are one of those people, who love everything handmade, this recipe for simple homemade chocolate gifts will come as an absolute delight

 

CHOCOLATE NUT BARK

What you need:

 

·         Chopped semi-sweet chocolate – 12 ounces

·         Mixed nuts – 2 1/2 cups

 

What you need to do:

·First, take a heatproof bowl and start melting the chocolate. You need to set the heatproof bowl over a saucepan with gently simmering water (take care not to put the bowl inside the pan) and stir continuously as the chocolate melts.

·Take a baking pan lined with parchment paper. For the purpose of making this nut bark, a 9-by-13 inch baking pan would do perfectly.

·Spread the melted chocolate in the pan forming a thin even layer.

 

·Sprinkle the chocolate layer in the pan with a layer of nuts. Depending on your taste, you can keep the nuts whole or chop them up to get fine pieces.

 

·Refrigerate in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate layer hardens perceptibly.

 

·Break the bark into pieces. Remember this chocolate bark will keep at room temperature for up to a week.

Storing and packaging the gift:

This chocolate bark, as with other homemade chocolates, will keep up to a week at room temperature. Refrigeration will not help much as the chocolate may just happen to ‘bloom’ – this happens when the cocoa butter separates out leaving white spots in the chocolate layer – so remember to tell the person you are gifting the chocolate this. Also, it is always best to prepare the chocolate bark the day before or on the day of the celebration since it hardly takes time to make. This way, you would prolong the shelf life of the chocolate.

For packaging, ensure that you buy a tin box which is airtight. If you are making an assortment of chocolate gifts, you can package them in layers with wax paper strips or food-safe coloured tissues between each layer. You can then decorate the box with handmade name tags, and colourful paper and ribbons for a festive feel.

Chocolates and sweet treats often rule the day. And they are easy to make, try this simple recipe at home! If it seems difficult, you can always buy chocolate gifts online for your loved ones.

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Delightful chocolates for your needs

January 23rd, 2015

Chocolate is a product made from cocoa mixed butter and sugar. The products made from the cocoa beans are called by different names in various parts of the world. The type of chocolates made usually depends on the amount of cocoa used in the process. The chocolate industry uses chocolate liquor containing equal proportions of cocoa butter and milk solids. Cocoa butter is the fatty part of the cocoa bean extracted through segregation methods. On the other hand, cocoa solids are the non-fat parts of the cocoa bean. Different flavours of chocolates are produced by varying the quantity of the ingredients used in the process of making chocolate.

Types of Chocolates

Unsweetened chocolate

The taste of this chocolate is bitter and used for baking. The flavour is far from good and it is not eatable. This type is best used for making recipes that absolutely require adding of unsweetened chocolate. The chocolate is bitter as it contains 100% cocoa solids and half of it might be the cocoa butter.

Bittersweet chocolate

This bittersweet chocolate contains at least 35% of cocoa solids. The best quality of bittersweet chocolate contains 60-80% of cocoa solids according to the brand. If the chocolate is bitter, the content of sugar is usually less giving it a rich chocolate flavour. Bittersweet chocolate is usually used for baking and cooking. European style of bittersweet chocolate may contain a larger amount of cocoa solids making it bitter taste.

Semi-sweet chocolate

This is known as a classic baking chocolate that is available in the most grocery stores. Semi-sweet chocolate is often used in baking to make cakes, brownies, and cookies. As this chocolate has a good sweet flavour with 40% cocoa solids, it is well suited for baking.

Sweet dark chocolate

Sweet dark chocolate is very similar to the semi-sweet chocolate. It is very difficult to distinguish them. If sweet dark chocolate needs to be added to a recipe, the semi-sweet chocolate can also be added instead.

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate contains a high amount of cocoa solids and a small amount of milk. Dark chocolate can be any one of sweet, semi-sweet or bitter, bittersweet. If you need to use dark chocolate for a recipe, you need to use semi sweet dark chocolate first.

Milk chocolate

The milk chocolate is made with 10-20% of cocoa solids and more than 12% of milk solids. Milk chocolates are never used in baking. In some cases, milk chocolate is used for baking cookie.

White chocolate

The white chocolate is made from cocoa butter, emulsifier, milk, vanilla, and other flavourings. There are non-fat ingredients from the cocoa beans used in making white chocolates. White chocolate cannot be called as white chocolates in some countries as it contains very little amount of cocoa solids. The white chocolates are used to make desserts because of its mild chocolate flavour.

Hope this information helps you to find the right type of chocolate for gifting or simply to eat delights, and with the internet at your disposal, one can get their favourite chocolates delivered next day without any hassles.

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It’s a choco-delicious gift

January 21st, 2015

Chocolates have stormed the gift market with so much ease that whenever somebody says gift, a chocolate treat is what comes into mind. The chocolate sales are up on the rise given the festivities and occasions that are being celebrated. Gone are the days when the sweet box was the gift to be accompanied with wishes, chocolate is the new sweet.

Chocolate can be gifted because, firstly the sweetness of chocolate can be controlled, and it is also available in various forms like dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, etc., hence a variety of choice is provided. Secondly, any combination of dry fruits, nuts, and fresh fruits can be mixed and enjoyed with chocolate.

Let’s see why chocolate has become a prime gift at present:

Convenient:

Chocolates are easily the go to gift when in distress, be it due to having no idea or having limited time and access. The chocolates are, undoubtedly, a lazy man’s gift. They are readily available, be it a supermarket or the store next door. They needn’t be booked in bulk to shop unlike traditional sweets.

There are many stores that gift wrap chocolates and make them feel like a present. Home deliveries of bunch of chocolates are also provided during festive seasons to further reduce the burden of carrying the soft melting piece of deliciousness to your safe haven.

Best thing about chocolate is that nobody says no to them.

Long lasting shelf life:

Chocolates have a long shelf life, more than traditional sweets, which have natural ingredients, which result in getting spoilt if unattended. Chocolates on the contrary have a longer shelf life and purer quality due to being packed and parcel from the company itself.

Traditional sweets have few takers now due to adulteration and media crying hues for mixing and mincing harmful chemicals to make the sweets in huge amount costing fewer amounts. Hence, chocolates have boomed this festive season and traditional sweets are becoming tradition.

Appealing to the eye:

The public has always been attracted to the brands, and hence, chocolate brands and quality provided by them has always been a major attraction. Producers like Mars, M&M, Lindt, Afterdark have been top leading brands for ages and people shell out money more than required for buying such top end chocolates to make their loved one feel special.

The common human emotion always believes that more costly the gift, more special it will be for the occasion. Hence, premium brands have been springing up in the competition.

Value and worth:

Chocolates have been available since long and were always branded to be kid’s goodies, before long adults started buying their way in with chocolates, and hence the value, worth and taste came into the game. It is readily available for gifts via online shopping.  The quantity and the quality provided by chocolate in the value is very satisfying than that of any traditional sweet, and hence is a major buyout gift nowadays. Chocolate always wins.

Chocolate gifting is the new tradition of saying anything you wish with a smile and sweet way. Sending chocolates to people back home is considered a ritual when travelling abroad. Many online shops now help delivering gift wrapped chocolate boxes all over the world helping consumer reach his dream. Chocolate once and for ever!

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Be our Valentine to get Unique Ideas for Your Valentine

February 7th, 2013

The New Year starts with all the hustle and bustle of life with new expectations, positive beginnings and startling emotions in relationships. People all around the world make efforts to start afresh or to revive their relationships on the basis of one factor i.e. Love. Thus Valentine’s Day is destined to come early every year to provide the best opportunity to express this emotion in the most amazing and festive way to the loved ones.

Love is a feeling which needs to be expressed with all the intensity, creativity and awesomeness. It needs to be so well planned and well executed that your beloved is left with no other option but to mesmerize on your preparations. Therefore, we thought to provide you some unique and expressive Valentine gift ideas to make this special day more enjoyable and memorable for your special ones.

v  Plan before you reap

It is important that you plan your valentine day beforehand in order to avoid any main event crisis. First know about your partner well. What is their personality, what is their favorite turning on point? Which thing will bring an immediate smile on their face? You should be well assured about the stage of your relationship so that your surprise for Valentine gift would not end up in an unusual astonishment for you.

v  Words alone do not work anymore

Gifts are the easiest and exclusive way to express your feelings accompanied by beautiful wordings. Wordings can be of your own if you are confident to convey your emotions otherwise you can choose some beautiful poetry or love quotes to describe your love. (You can also check our blog on unique Love quotes for someone special)

v  Flowers are the language of Love

Feelings and emotions are useless until they are communicated properly in a proper context. Hence if you are out of ideas or short of time, then sending beautiful Valentine flowers to UK will surely delight your beloved as they have the power to say it all. However flower selection should be done carefully keeping in mind the taste and personality of your special one.

As per the occasion red roses will never let you down as they are the universal symbol of love and affection. We offer 12 red roses delivery in UK for your loved one to help you send your love all the way. There is a reason behind these 12 red roses that we offer and that is each rose is a reminder to your beloved that your love is pure, consistent and exhilarating every passing month of the year.

v  No love without Chocolates

If flowers are the language of love then chocolates are the mood changer. Girls can never get enough of chocolates and no Valentine can be sweetened without chocolates. Whether your partner is with you or is far away we provide you the best delivery of Valentine Chocolates in UK. So if you can’t reach yourself to celebrate this special day with your beloved then we send your greetings with ravishing Valentine’s Chocolate delivery to UK. Chocolates are just stereotyped to women but they can be a delightful gift for men as well depending on the taste and mood of your boyfriend or loved one.

v  Valentine Gift for Her

She is your priority as she is the most special one in your life. So why not enlighten her about your intentions by buying some lovely Personalised Valentine gift for her. Women are always sensitive and delicate hence they should be given such a Gift Hamper which can prove your love for them.

 

Women love jewelry as they are elegant so rings, bracelets, or a pendant symbolizing your love for her can make her feel special. If your girlfriend or loved one is a bit soft spoken, simple and sweet then a cute fluffy stuff toy teddy bear will surely excite her. If she is romantic and bold in nature then some romantic surprise like a romantic lunch on lake side or a dinner date at her favorite restaurant would be ideal. If you are away from her make a quick Valentine Gift Hamper delivery in UK so she can feel your presence and celebrate this day with full support of your love.

v  Valentine Gift for Him

He is your Prince Charming or He is the dream man. He is there to fill your empty world with his love and to protect you. So why not get some elegant and chic Valentine Gift Hamper for Him which reminds him of your concern and devotion whenever he use that hamper. Men are always attracted towards extra care and love to be pampered so just plan out something extraordinary which he loves to do.

Apart from gifts, make an outing plan something like an adventure trip to a nearby place or a ski ride. Gift him something related to his favorite sports as men are fond of sports as well besides women. Find a new wardrobe for your loved one only if you think he will consent it. Make him feel special in front of his colleagues and friends and specially your family as this will give him pride in his circle.

v  Valentine Gift for Him/ Her

There are certain ideas which can be used for both men and women. Suppose you can dedicate a song to your valentine on radio with special announcement message. Participate in valentine day events with your partner for adventure and fun. If you are good with music, always use it for your loved one to express your emotions. Get a classy painting or sculpture of your loved one. Nowadays both men and women are fond of technology hence gift them any gadget which they are looking forward to get. This will be a great surprise I tell you!!!

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