Dark Chocolate Sticks Recipes

EASY CHOCOLATE-COVERED PRETZEL STICKS

Steps:

• Cover tray with waxed paper. Dip pretzels halfway into chocolate; gently scrape off excess chocolate.
• Coat lightly with sprinkles; place on prepared tray.
• Refrigerate 15 min. or until chocolate is firm.

HOT CHOCOLATE STIRRERS

Steps:

• You will need:6 cupcake cases, pencil, pastry brush, 6 empty 47g fromage frais pots (washed and dried), 6 wooden lolly sticks, cellophane and string or ribbon for wrapping, 6 gift tagsPush a small hole in the middle of the cupcake cases with a pencil and put aside for later.
• Dip the pastry brush in the sunflower oil and paint a very thin layer of oil over the insides of the fromage frais pots.
• Put the chocolate in a bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-sec bursts until runny, stirring after each blast. Or melt it in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (get an adult to help you). If you're using different types of chocolate, you should melt them separately.
• Carefully pour the melted chocolate into the pots. Put a lolly stick in the middle of each and sprinkle your chosen decorations around it.
• Sit a cake case on top of each pot so that it covers the chocolate and the stick pokes through the hole. Put them in the fridge to set overnight.
• The next day, carefully pull the chocolates out of the pots and throw away the paper cases. Wrap each in cellophane tied with string and write a tag to read: 'Simply stir into hot milk.'

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE ORANGE STICKS

Steps:

• Soften the gelatin in cold water and set aside.
• Combine sugar and hot water, stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the gelatin mixture and slowly boil on medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients.
• Pour into well-greased molds. I've used silicone molds and mini loaf pans and the loaf pans work just as well as the silicone mold.
• Let stand over night and then dip into melted chocolate. I also drizzled a little white chocolate on top just for fun. Enjoy!

DARK CHOCOLATE COCONUT BITES

Steps:

• Pulse the coconut in a blender or food processor until the texture becomes like thick flour. Transfer to a bowl and add the honey or maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir until a thick paste forms.
• Using your hands, squeeze the mixture into about 18 small balls. I found that rolling was difficult because they weren't sticky enough, but I was able to shape them into balls by first squeezing them in my palm a few times (you'll get some oil on your hands), and then gently shaping it from an oval into a round ball. Place the coconut balls in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or until firm. I could tell that mine were ready because there was a small white ring of solidified coconut oil around the base of each ball.
• Melt the chocolate slowly and gently until smooth and spreadable. We don't have a microwave, so I had the best results melting this in a stainless steel bowl placed in a hot oven for about 10 minutes.
• Lay out a sheet of wax paper. Using two forks, roll each coconut ball in the chocolate until completely covered. Scoop the ball out with the fork and let the extra chocolate drip off the fork. Gently nudge the chocolate covered ball onto wax paper and chill until the chocolate has hardened. Store in the refrigerator.

HOT CHOCOLATE ON A STICK

Steps:

• Place 2 (15 squares ~ 1.5in.x1.5in.x1.5in. per each square) silicone molds onto a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
• In a large bowl add the milk chocolate chips and the broken up pieces of the semi-sweet chocolate baking bar. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, on medium heat, add the sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. Heat the mixture until it reaches about 120-130*F. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
• Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the chocolates. Your chocolates should be completely covered by the hot milk mixture. Allow this to sit, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes before whisking it to completely incorporate the hot milk and chocolate to make a smooth chocolate sauce.
• Transfer the melted chocolate mixture to a large piping bag, or zip top plastic bag with the corner snipped off. You will want to make sure that you keep the open tip facing up until you are ready to pipe the chocolate into the silicone molds.
• Pipe the melted chocolate into each of the square openings about ¾ full. You want to leave some space to top each of your chocolate squares with 4-5 mini marshmallows, gently pressing them down. If you choose to omit a garnish topping then you can fill your squares all the way full.
• Place 1 stick into the center of each chocolate square. Place the tray of hot chocolate squares into the refrigerator to chill, and firm up, for 3 hours up to overnight.
• Once the hot chocolate squares have firmed up you will remove 2 individual squares from the silicone mold to make 1 mug of hot chocolate.
• To make the hot chocolate you will place two hot chocolate cubes on a stick into a large 10-12 oz. mug. This will serve 14-15 (1 cup) servings of hot chocolate drink (2 squares per 1 cup milk)
• In a microwave safe, 2 cup measuring cup with a spout, add the whole milk and heat on high for 2 - 2 ½ minutes. This will scald, not boil, your milk so that it is hot enough to melt your hot chocolate cubes. Pour the hot milk into the mug, over the hot chocolate cubes. Using your lollipop sticks you will stir around the chocolate until it is completely melted and you have a rich cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. You will discard the lollipop sticks once you have made your mug of hot chocolate.

DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED BUTTER TOFFEE

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed skillet (NOT a non-stick skillet), over medium heat, combine the butter, sugar, water and salt. As the butter melts, stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to combine. (I use a wooden one, because the mixture does not seem to stick to it as much as a metal or plastic one.) Bring to a boil and then don't stir or mess with the mixture again until it is caramel colored.(Do not walk out of the kitchen though. Never ever leave something this hot boiling on the stove unattended. Also, if you have children in the house, please use a rear burner to make this. The toffee is going to be boiling at an extremely high temperature.)
• Set a brown paper bag near the stove and let the mixture boil until it matches the bag in color. This takes between 18-20 minutes and I ALWAYS set a timer. Just in case I find myself distracted, the timer prevents me from letting the candy burn. While the toffee is boiling, prepare two large baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silpat mats. (Do not use waxed paper, it will melt.) The pans will be extremely hot when you pour the toffee onto them. I always set them on hot pads or a folded towel on top of the counter.
• Once the toffee is caramel colored, remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Stir to combine. Quickly divide the toffee between the two baking sheets. Using a spatula or an offset knife, spread the toffee as thinly as possible across the baking sheets. Let it cool completely. I like to set the pans in the refrigerator to speed up the process, but it will also cool at room temperature.
• When the toffee is cool, blot with a paper towel to remove excess oils from the surface. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. The chocolate can also be melted in a microwave at 50% power, checking and stirring every 60-90 seconds.
• Spread the warm chocolate across the toffee and then place in the refrigerator to cool completely. It would probably cool fine on the counter as well, but I have never been that patient. Once cooled, break into pieces. Share with friends and Enjoy!