Chocolate Confections

I make sweet treats using white, milk and dark chocolate.  I also like to eat white, milk and dark chocolate! Who doesn’t? But have you ever wondered what the difference is between milk chocolate and dark chocolate? What white chocolate really is? And did you know there is Ruby Chocolate?

Milk Chocolate: Milk chocolate is sweet and creamy and is a solid chocolate made with milk (in the form of either milk powder, liquid milk or condensed milk) and unlike white chocolate, milk chocolate is made with cocoa solids. When tempered correctly, milk chocolate has a beautiful shine to it when unmolded.

Dark Chocolate: The difference between milk chocolate and dark chocolate is that dark chocolate does not have any milk solids added. Dark chocolate will generally have a higher percentage of cocoa solids and can range from 30% to 80% in cocoa solid make-up. Because of this, it is fuller in real chocolate taste and results in a drier, more chalky texture. Perhaps the most pronounced difference in taste is the deeper bitterness of dark chocolate which tickles the palette in aftertaste. It is also argued that dark chocolate is better for you! It is nutritious in fiber and minerals; it is a powerful source of antioxidants; and it may improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. Surely, this is an added bonus to the wonderful taste that it delivers.

White Chocolate: The most important thing to know about white chocolate is that it’s not chocolate at all! Whereas milk and dark chocolate are produced from various proportions of the non-fat part of the cocoa bean, white chocolate contains no cocoa solids whatsoever. Instead, white chocolate is made from cocoa butter, a pale-yellow edible vegetable fat which has a cocoa aroma and flavor. Because cocoa butter does not taste good on its own, milk, sugar and sometimes vanilla are added to deliver a sweet and creamy product.  White chocolate is the sweetest of all chocolates. I love creating with white chocolate because I can change its color using food dyes that are specially formulated for chocolate.

Ruby Chocolate: Ruby chocolate is a variety of chocolate introduced in 2017 by Barry Callebaut, a Belgian–Swiss cocoa company. The chocolate is characterized by a taste that has been described as slightly sweet and sour, which is comparable to that of berries, as the chocolate’s main characteristic is its acidity. In a comparison between varieties of chocolate, ruby chocolate is rated between milk and white chocolate. The chocolate is made from “ruby cocoa beans”. These are existing botanical cocoa bean varieties that have been identified as having the right attributes to be processed into ruby chocolate. I first started experimenting with Ruby Chocolate this past Christmas and am still searching for the best use of it within my business.

Chocolate Molds:

I have 100’s of chocolate molds! Chocolate molds are hollow containers used to give shape to liquid chocolate when it cools and hardens. They come in so many shapes and sizes, and I use them for all sorts of confections!

Weddings: How cute would it be to give each of your wedding guests a chocolate covered Oreo with your monogram on it? Or to gift your bridal party with heart shaped chocolates? Even better, decadent chocolate covered strawberries in the bridal suite? 

Theme parties: My collection of molds includes everything from Marvel characters, Dr. Who’s Tardis, and Star Wars ships to Unicorns, Elephants, and Flowers. I often use molded chocolates as cupcake toppers to tie into a theme, or as decorations on a cake. Recently I created cupcakes with spark plugs on them! 

Molded chocolates are most popular for Holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s Day & Easter. I make chocolate Santa’s, Rabbits, and heart shaped suckers. “Smash Hearts” and other “Smash-ems” have become extremely popular this year. These are hollow chocolate figures filled with candy, mini cookies and even cookie dough. 

I also use chocolate molds to make the extremely popular “Hot Cocoa Bombs”. These are a hollow chocolate sphere filled with hot cocoa, cappuccino, coffee, or creamer and marshmallows. These are most popular at Christmas time, but I make them year-round. Using colored white chocolate drizzles and sprinkles, I can customize these amazing treats for any occasion. We love to take them camping! 

I can practically guarantee you that I have a mold for any and every occasion. Baby showers, bridal showers, anniversaries, retirement, bachelor & bachelorette parties, children’s parties, appreciation gifts, all holidays and so much more! So, dream big, and just ask.