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If you want your Chocolate Candies to have a smooth, shiny finish and a hard snap, you have a few options: temper real Chocolate, or use chocolate-Flavored candy coating. Tempering Chocolate makes a tasty product with a great finish, but requires special equipment and is not always consistent. Chocolate-flavored candy coating is the easier option, but the coating often tastes terribly artificial.

Felchlin’s Ultra Gloss Dark Chocolate is a molding chocolate designed to be an alternative to tempered chocolate. This product consistently produces smooth, shiny chocolates that have an authentic dark chocolate taste.



The Benefits of Using Felchlin Ultra Gloss Dark Chocolate

Felchlin Ultra Gloss Dark Chocolate is the best molding chocolate I have ever worked with. Like other chocolate-flavored coatings, it contains hydrogenated oils instead of cocoa butter, but unlike those other coatings, this one actually tastes good! In a side-by-side comparison it won’t be mistaken for real chocolate, but compared to most of the competition, it has a deep, rich Chocolate Taste that comes from good-quality cocoa powder. It’s nice as a coating but also as a stand-alone candy.

The main benefit of Felchlin Ultra Gloss is convenience. This chocolate will produce perfectly even results without the need for tempering. All you have to do is Chop Chocolate it and melt it, and it is ready for dipping. The chocolate hardens to a thin layer and has a smooth satin gloss. It does not need to be refrigerated to set, and holds up well in higher temperatures (although if it is hot, it will get soft and eventually melt in extreme heat).

I recommend Felchlin Ultra Gloss for dipping truffles, molding small chocolates, drizzling and writing on pastries, creating three-dimensional accent pieces, and creating chocolate curls and decorations. If you are making gourmet candies with an emphasis on quality and taste, you probably want to stick to real chocolate, but if you are interested in convenience and a beautiful appearance, I highly recommend Felchlin Ultra Gloss Dark Chocolate.

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Definition: Often, Glacé Fruit is simply another name for Fruit Candy. Sometimes, the term glacé fruit is used to refer to a finishing process wherein candied fruit is moistened, then dipped in ultra-concentrated sugar syrup and left to dry, thus creating a finishing glaze.

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Have you ever seen a cake wrapped with a seamless band of glossy decorated Chocolate, and wondered how this effect was accomplished? This seemingly complicated decorating trick is actually very easy to do, and requires only a few special ingredients. This tutorial will show you How to use Chocolate Transfer Sheets to wrap a cake in Chocolate and create Chocolate cut-outs to decorate the top of your cake. There is an additional tutorial with several different examples of using transfer sheets to decorate cakes, cupcakes, and dipped cookies or candy.

To begin, you will need to assemble several specialty ingredients. First, you will need one or more Chocolate Transfer Sheets, which are acetate sheets embossed with Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Powder food coloring. When the wet chocolate is spread on the sheets, the design transfers to the Chocolate, producing a lovely visual effect. Chocolate Transfer Sheets are often sold at cake decorating stores and on the Internet.

You will also need Chocolate Flavored candy coating, or Molding Chocolate. This candy product is flavored like Chocolate, but has vegetable or palm oils instead of cocoa butter. You can use Tempered Chocolate instead, but it is more time-consuming and less predictable. It is wise for beginners to use them with candy coating, a much more reliable substance, to achieve consistently good results. Candy coating is often sold at cake decorating and craft stores, with Wilton Candy Melts being one of the most popular brands. The amount of candy coating needed will vary depending on your project, but you will probably want at least 12 ounces to wrap a small cake.

Finally, you will need an offset metal spatula to easily spread the Chocolate in a thin, even layer. You might also want a pastry bag and tips to finish decorating the cake.




We will first discuss how to make Chocolate cut-outs for decorating cakes and cupcakes. Begin by melting the candy coating in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the coating for 45 seconds and stir gently. Continue to microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until the coating is melted and smooth.

Depending on your needs, you may not need to use the whole transfer sheet, so if necessary, cut the chocolate transfer sheet to your desired size. Place it on your workstation with the textured side face up and the shiny side face down on the counter.

1. Spoon some of the Melted Chocolate onto the transfer sheet in even intervals. Remember that it is going to be spread in a thin layer, so apply it sparingly. You can always add more later if you need to.

2. Using the offset spatula, spread the Chocolate in a thin layer over the entire sheet, so that all of the edges are covered. It’s okay if the Chocolate goes past the edges. Allow the Chocolate to sit for 5-7 minutes, until it begins to set around the edges but is not fully hard or brittle.




Once the Chocolate has begun to set but is not yet hard, you can cut it into your desired shapes. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a large sharp chef’s knife. Simply press the knife down into the Chocolate and create squares, rectangles, or triangles. If you find that a large amount of Chocolate is sticking to the knife, or is being “dragged” through the cuts, wait another minute or two for the Chocolate to set further. After you have made the cuts, let the Chocolate set completely at room temperature, or speed up the process by carefully placing the sheet in the refrigerator.




Once the Chocolate is hard, carefully peel the Chocolate pieces from the transfer sheet. You can use these beautiful shapes to decorate the tops of cakes, cupcakes, or plated desserts. The cake pictured above was decorated with chocolate transfer sheet cut-outs and wrapped in an outer layer of Chocolate. You can learn this wrapping technique by viewing this photo tutorial showing how to wrap cakes in Chocolate.




You do not have to limit yourself to cutting the Chocolate with a knife. You can produce almost any Chocolate shape you can imagine by using cookie cutters. Sharp, well-defined metal cutters work best, as some plastic cutters have edges that are too wide and dull to be effective. Once again, wait until the Chocolate is at the intermediate stage between melted and fully hardened, and firmly press the cutters into the Chocolate all the way to the bottom.




After the cuts have been made, allow the Chocolate to set completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator before carefully popping them away from the sheet. Use them to decorate cakes, cupcakes, or other pastries. This method typically produces more waste, as the Chocolate that surrounds the cut-out shapes is often oddly formed and unattractive. If the Chocolate is dark, you can save it and re-melt it with additional candy coating. The small amount of cocoa butter and coloring from the transfer sheet will not be visible once it’s re-melted.




You can also create free-form decorations and custom designs with Chocolate Transfer Sheets by using the candy coating to pipe words or shapes directly onto the sheets. To create this effect, place some melted candy coating into a paper cone or pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. The coating should be well-melted and free of lumps (even small bits of Chocolate can clog the narrow tip) but not so hot that it flows uncontrollably.

Carefully draw or write your desired design directly onto the textured side of the transfer sheet. It is best not to make it too thin or fragile, otherwise it might break upon removal from the sheet.




Allow the Chocolate to set completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator before carefully peeling it away from the sheet. I like to use this technique to make abstract shapes for topping cupcakes—I love the added height and dramatic look it gives ordinary cupcakes. You can also use this technique to spell out words. Imagine how nice a cake would look with “Happy Birthday” spelled out in glossy, gorgeously decorated letters.




All of the techniques above are intended for producing cake and pastry decorations. But you can also use transfer sheets to decorate Chocolate-dipped treats. This method works best with a flat surface, so I recommend using it for dipped sandwich cookies, or caramel, toffee, or ganache squares. The example above uses Chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookie, which are excellent dipped in Chocolate!

Begin by cutting your transfer sheets into small squares slightly larger than the objects you will be dipping. You will need one transfer sheet square for each dipped item. Dip a cookie or piece of candy in the melted chocolate, and place it on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or foil. While the Chocolate is still wet, place the textured side of a transfer square onto the top of the Chocolate and gently use your finger to press down and make sure that the entire surface of the Chocolate is contact with the sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining Candies and transfer squares.




Place the baking sheet of dipped goodies in the refrigerator to set the Chocolate for about 20 minutes. Once the Chocolate is firm, peel the transfer sheet from the top. The result will be a gorgeous, glossy decoration that makes even the simplest Chocolate-dipped cookie or caramel look professional. If you have used candy coating, your treats should remain stable at room temperature. Enjoy making beautiful desserts with your newfound skills!

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Unsweetened or Bitter Chocolate is Chocolate without any type of sweetener added. It is often used in baking and other projects in which the cook wants to personally adjust the level of sweetness. Bitter Chocolate is also the base for all over Chocolate products, since it is Chocolate in its pure and unadulterated form. As most people who have tried to nibble on a piece of Baking Chocolate know, Bitter Chocolate is indeed bitter, and highly unpalatable.

Chocolate Making starts with harvesting the pods of the Cacao plant, Theobroma cacao, native to South and Central America. The pods are split apart to yield the cacao nibs, which are in turn fermented and then ground into a paste called cocoa liquor. The cocoa liquor is processed to yield a wide assortment of Chocolate products.

When processed properly, cocoa liquor yields approximately half cocoa butter and half solids. This is what is turned into Bitter Chocolate. Many nations have laws which dictate the composition of Bitter Chocolate, along with other Chocolate products, so that consumers know what they are buying when they read a label. The cocoa liquor can also be treated in other ways, which include the separation of cocoa butter and cocoa solids for use in products such as cocoa and White Chocolate.

To make Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate, Chocolate producers add a small amount of a sweetener to Bitter Chocolate to temper the intensely bitter flavor. The addition of larger amounts of sugar results in sweetened Chocolate. The Unsweetened cocoa liquor can also be blended with milk to make Milk Chocolate , and other seasonings such as Vanilla or chili powder can be added for specific desired flavors.

By using Bitter Chocolate as the basis of Chocolate Candies and other desserts, cooks can control the level of sweetness in the final product. Bitter Chocolate may also be of a higher quality, since the Chocolate producer cannot hide shortcomings behind milk and additives. It is also highly shelf stable, and can keep for several years if tightly wrapped and stored in a cool dry place.

Several things can impact the flavor of Bitter Chocolate. Different types of cacao beans have different flavors, and the handling and processing of the beans can alter the Flavor as well. Mishandling may cause any sort of Chocolate to become rancid or soured, which is why it is important to buy Bitter Chocolate from a reputable source.

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A Chocolate Maker is a person who produces Chocolate out of freshly harvested Cacao beans. The profession is often confused with being a chocolatier, a person who Flavors already prepared Chocolate with other ingredients, such as flavor extracts, citrus zest, or nuts, and molds it into individual pieces before decorating them. Chocolate Making is generally a long scientific process that requires precise techniques to ensure the most flavorful product.

The process of Chocolate Making begins with the harvesting of Cacao Beans, husked seeds that grow on the cacao tree. The Cacao Beans, also referred to as cocoa beans, are then removed from the husks and heated to dry out the beans and enhance their natural flavors. Once the beans are heated, a Chocolate Maker may process them into a powder or liquid, or shape them into a block.

Pure Cacao Beans have a bitter taste, even after being heated, so one of the main duties of a Chocolate Maker is to mix the pure cacao with other ingredients to sweeten it. Chocolate is typically classified by the ratio of pure Cacao Beans to sweeteners. If the product contains no additional ingredients, it is classified as Unsweetened Chocolate or baker’s chocolate and is usually only used for desserts that already contain other sweet ingredients. Chocolate Makers can sweeten pure cacao by mixing it with sugar, butter, or milk; however, the exact ratios of pure cacao to sweeteners may vary depending on the specific Chocolate factory’s sweetness classifications. For example, Milk Chocolate is one of the sweetest Types Of Chocolate and may contain less than 50 percent pure Cacao Beans, while the rest of the mixture is made up of sugar, butter, and milk.

To become a professional Chocolate Maker, a person will typically be required to take courses at a culinary or pastry school. The coursework will often focus on not only the process of making chocolate, but also the chemistry behind the products and the history of chocolate. Once an aspiring Chocolate Maker completes a Chocolate Making educational program, he or she can find employment at Chocolate factories as a laboratory technician, a position in which he or she may help develop new chocolate recipes or oversee the production of large amounts of Chocolate for national Chocolate or candy companies. Chocolate Makers may also be able to work at smaller, artisan Chocolate companies to make gourmet Chocolate by hand.

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Chocolate Chips are small, round, processed dollops of Chocolate that are uniform in size and used for baking. Baking Chocolate chip cookies is the most well-known use for Chocolate Chips. However, Chocolate Chips may also be baked in muffins or cakes and can also be sprinkled on top of a warm cake to form a sort of instant chunky frosting. The main types of Chocolate Chips include bittersweet, semisweet, milk and white.

Bittersweet Chocolate Chips are dark in color and contain more cocoa than the other varieties of Chocolate Chips. They have some sugar added but are not very sweet. Bittersweet chocolate chips are the perfect choice when a rich, intense Chocolate Flavor is desired.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips are the most common type available today. They contain Cocoa Butter and a mix of Unsweetened Chocolate and sugar. Semi-Sweet chocolate chips are much sweeter than the bittersweet variety, but not overly sweet. The semisweet variety of Chocolate Chips is versatile and can be used in many recipes.

Milk Chocolate chips are quite sweet and creamy in texture. They are lighter in color than Semi-Sweet chocolate chip due to the milk solids. White Chocolate chips also contain milk solids and are extremely sweet. White chocolate is technically not Chocolate at all since no Cacao beans are used in it. White chocolate chips are often used for color and flavor contrast in deserts using other types of Chocolate Chips or Chocolate.

Chocolate Chips are uniformly round in their size and have a peak on top. Mini Chocolate Chips have the same look but are smaller in size. They are good for smaller cupcakes or mini desserts. Chocolate chunks are larger rectangular pieces of Chocolateschocolate chip and not chip-shaped. They make a chunkier alternative in favorite desserts such as chocolate chip cookies.

Unlike Chocolate baking squares and other Chocolate that melts easily, Chocolate Chips are made to hold their shape when baked. Chocolate Chips have hardly any cocoa butter and that is why they do keep their shape. Chocolate Chips are not usually good for melting as they may be lumpy and some types may even have a gritty texture after melting. All types of Chocolate Chips should be stored in a cool, dry area.

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Oaxaca is the center of Chocolate production in Mexico, so it should come a no surprise to learn that Oaxaca Chocolate is famous, not just in Mexico, but abroad. The history of Oaxaca Chocolate goes back for centuries, and the residents of this region consume significantly more Chocolate than other people in Mexico, thanks to the pervasiveness of Chocolate in Oaxacan culture. Many visitors to this region of Mexico indulge in its famous ingredient, taking advantage of the culinary heritage of Oaxaca Chocolate in a wide assortment of both sweet and savory dishes.

Chocolate is made from the beans of the Cacao tree, after they are picked and carefully fermented. The seasoned beans are ground into a gritty paste which can be seasoned with an assortment of ingredients to bring out its Flavor. In Mexico, Chocolate has historically been consumed in a wide assortment of things, but perhaps most famously in the form of a hot spiced drink, which European explorers brought back with them. This drink, in a slightly different incarnation, is known today at hot Chocolate, and it is popular around the world.

Traditional Oaxaca Chocolate is prepared in a number of ways. It is often ground with sugar, cinnamon, and Almonds, and formed into bars which can be used to prepare hot Chocolate and other dishes. You may hear this form of Oaxaca Chocolate referred to as “Mexican Chocolate” and it is readily available in many grocery stores, often in beautifully packaged octagonal boxes with thick wedges of Chocolate which must be broken apart for use.

Oaxaca is also famous for its mole, a savory dish which sometimes includes Chocolate. Mole is savory, not sweet, which may be strange for people who are accustomed to Chocolate in the form of desserts only. Mole is also extremely spicy, and it is a rich, piquant sauce which pairs well with a wide assortment of foods. Mole can be found pre-mixed, and it is also possible to assemble your own, using the ingredients which Oaxacans have used for centuries.

A lesser known use of Oaxaca Chocolate is tejate, which is a cold Chocolate drink. It can be difficult to find tejate outside of Oaxaca, which is a great pity, since this drink is quite delightful. It is made with Chocolate, masa, flowers, and the pulp of the mamey fruit. The ingredients are ground and blended into a rich, frothy drink which is extremely refreshing in the summer.

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Whipped Cream is cream which has been beaten with air, causing the fat droplets in the cream to form little pockets which approximately double the volume of the cream. The result is a very rich, frothy dairy product which can be used in a variety of ways, from frosting cakes to topping hot Chocolate. Whipped Cream can be purchased in pressurized canisters which are typically packaged with nitrous oxide as a propellant, and it can also be made quickly at home; the advantage to home-made Whipped Cream is that it tends to be denser and richer, and the flavor can be better controlled.

In order for Whipped Cream to set up right, the base cream must have a fat content of at least 30%. When Whipped Cream is made by hand, cooks use some form of beater to whip the cream, beating either by hand or with a hand-held mixer. As the cream starts to whip up, ingredients like sugar and Flavorings can be added. When the cream has almost doubled in volume, the cook must stop beating, or he or she will end up creating butter.

Whipped Cream in pressurized canisters is actually whipped as it comes out of the canister. When the user presses down on the nozzle, the pressurized gases inside the canister whip the cream, causing it to come out in a frothy stream. Because of the use of pressurized gas, this form of Whipped Cream is much lighter and frothier. However, it is also more prone to dissolving back into liquid form, which can be especially important to remember if one is preparing a dish with Whipped Cream which will be served later.

As a general rule, the fresher the cream, the better the Flavor of the Whipped Cream. Heavily stabilized cream like that in Whipped Cream canisters at the store sometimes acquires an unpleasant, almost metallic flavor which causes people to prefer hand-Whipped Cream. However, it is also possible to find re-usable canisters which can be loaded with pressurized gas and fresh cream for a more home-made flavor without the hassle of whipping by hand.

The light, frothy texture of Whipped Cream can be deceptive, tricking people into being unaware of the high fat content. When sugar and various flavorings are added, Whipped Cream can take on a more rich flavor, suitable for dipping fruit, topping desserts, and garnishing various drinks. The rich nature of Whipped Cream causes some people to regard it as a luxury or special treat.

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Mexican Chocolate is a Type Of Chocolate which is prepared with an assortment of spices for a very distinctive and rich flavor. It is available in many markets, especially those which stock basic Mexican foods, and it can be found in the form of bars and discs of solid Chocolate, along with powders and syrups. In addition to being used to make hot Chocolate, Mexican Chocolate can also be used in traditional Mexican dishes like mole, and it can be used in baking for an unusual Flavor.

Chocolate has a very long history in Mexico and Central America. The Theobroma Cacao plant, which produces the Cacao beans used to Make Chocolate, is native to South America, and archaeological evidence suggests that Mesoamericans made dishes with Chocolate for centuries before the arrival of Europeans. Although many people associate Chocolate with sweetness today, the original Mexican Chocolate was actually rather sour and intense, and it was highly prized. When the Spanish were introduced to Chocolate, they brought it back to Europe, popularizing it among the upper classes; for quite some time, hot Chocolate drinking was rather trendy.

Typical Mexican Chocolate is made with roasted and ground cacao nibs, sugar, and cinnamon. Other spices such as nutmeg and allspice may be added, along with nuts, and chilies are sometimes used as well. Mexican Chocolate tends to be rather granular in texture, with a creamy finish from the Cocoa Butter. The natural sweetness from the sugar makes the addition of extra sweetener unnecessary.

In Mexico, Chocolate is often used to make a hot beverage, as it has been used for centuries. Traditional Mexican hot Chocolate is foamy; originally, this was accomplished by pouring the drink back and forth between vessels, but today it is foamed with a molinillo, a specially designed whisk. These tools can also be used to foam other drinks to taste. Many people in the United States along the Mexican border have developed a taste for Chocolate Mexicano, and it is often available at shops as a result.

Some people develop their own techniques for preparing Mexican Chocolate, including special ingredients which they like to add. Mexican Chocolate right out of the package is, of course, perfectly usable for whisking with water or milk to create a hot beverage, but you may also enjoy experimenting with additions and toppings like Whipped Cream. Mexican Chocolate can also be used to make desserts like puddings and flans, and some people enjoy eating it straight, savoring the rich and sometimes intense flavor.

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Vanilla has both a literal and a figurative meaning. Literally, Vanilla refers to a plant. the seedpod of the plant, which is often referred to as a Vanilla bean; Vanilla powder, which is produced from grinding the entire bean after it's been dried; and the bean's extract or a synthetic imitation which is used to Flavor a whole range of culinary products from cakes and cookies to ice cream.

Since 1975, Vanilla or plain Vanilla has been used figuratively to refer to something basic or lacking adornment. This use arises from the fact that Vanilla has long been considered the standard and basic ice cream choice, among the many and varied Flavors offered. The term plain Vanilla has come to be used in business to describe a type of security that does not have special features.

Vanilla is the genus name of a group of tropical vines that are in the orchid family and grow in the Americas. The word Vanilla comes from the Spanish vainilla and refers to the shape of the plants' seedpods. The seedpods have been used for flavoring food for many years: in pre-Columbian times, Aztecs employed it in Making Chocolate. Today, the particular plant that is are used for commercial Vanilla preparation is often Vanilla planifolia.

The three kinds of Vanilla beans now available are Bourbon-Madagascar Vanilla beans, Mexican Vanilla beans, and Tahitian Vanilla beans. Some products made from the Mexican Vanilla beans have been found to contain coumarin, which is potentially toxic, so care should be taken when using products from this source.

It's also important to be aware of the technical meaning of Vanilla product names. Natural Vanilla means that the product is made 100% from real Vanilla. Imitation Vanilla is entirely synthetic, and is primarily made from byproducts of the paper industry. Vanilla flavored has a combination of natural and synthetic Vanilla, while artificial-flavored Vanilla is also entirely synthetic.

Vanilla figures prominently in a chapter of Anne of Green Gables called "A New Departure in Flavoring" in which Anne makes a cake especially for the minister's wife and unintentionally substitutes anodyne liniment - a salve for sprains and similar pains - for Vanilla. Needless to say, the cake doesn't have the desired flavor, and the error is typical of Anne's struggles.

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A Chocolate Egg is a Chocolate confection that is shaped like an egg. Chocolate Eggs are most commonly seen around Easter, where they are exchanged as gifts or included in Easter egg hunts. The egg is a traditional symbol of Christ's resurrection in many Christian faiths, but the Chocolate Egg has transcended religious boundaries to become popular with people all over the world. Chocolate Eggs can be kept in a candy bowl near the door for guests, exchanged as Easter gifts, or hidden for Easter egg hunts and parties.

Many candy manufacturers produce Chocolate Eggs in the weeks leading up to Easter, with an array of styles available for consumers. One of the most famous is the Cadbury Cream Egg, which is filled with a creamy fondant. People can also make Chocolate Eggs at home, using egg-shaped candy and chocolate molds as a basis, although some enterprising cooks have been known to use actual eggs as a mold for confections.

Some Chocolate Eggs are solid, in which case they are usually made from a soft chocolate so that they are easy to chew, and the chocolate is relatively light, as rich chocolate could be too intense for many consumers. Filled Chocolate Eggs made with a chocolate shell and various fillings are also available. In addition to fondant, a Chocolate Egg can be filled with ganache and various fruit preserves, among other things. It is also possible to find hollow Chocolate Eggs without filling. Hollow eggs tend to be oversized.

Designs on the outside of a Chocolate Egg can vary. Textured or patterned molds may be used, or the egg may be covered with a candy coating. Decorations can also be applied by hand, as in the case of a Chocolate Egg covered in stripes of candy, or decorated with small candy flowers and other ornaments. When Chocolate Eggs are made at home, some people enjoy lavishing time over the decorations, creating miniature works of art with their confections.

For people who enjoy Chocolate Eggs year round, many types of chocolate can be safely frozen, which allows the eggs to keep better. Chocolate Eggs can also be stored at room temperature for an extended period of time, although it is important to avoid exposing them to moisture or temperature fluctuations, which can cause the chocolate to develop an unsightly whitish “bloom.” Homemade Chocolate Eggs are, of course, available at any time to cooks who are comfortable working with chocolate.

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A Truffles is a rare, edible mushroom that is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. Generally harvested in the wild, they are quite expensive. Truffles are often confused with Chocolate-covered Truffles, a confectionery that has no relation to mushroom Truffles.

Requiring climates with mild weather changes, Truffles grow in a limited number of places including France, Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia. Truffles are also collected in the United States, in states like Oregon and Washington, as well as parts of the Middle East and North Africa. They grow approximately one foot (30 cm) underground among the roots of oak, elm, chestnut, pine, and willow trees where they form a symbiotic relationship with the environment.

There are dozens of different types of Truffles ranging in size from a walnut to an apple. Truffles are irregularly-shaped with sometimes smooth, though usually bumpy or wrinkled caps.

Truffle hunting is big business during Truffle season, which generally lasts from fall to spring. Each year, trufficulteurs use specially-trained dogs that find the buried treasures, usually at night. In the past, female pigs or sows were used to hunt for Truffles, as the pungent odor that the Truffles emit is similar to that of a male pig. The sows were difficult to hold back once the Truffle was located, however, and would readily consume the expensive delicacy. For this reason most hunters now use Truffle dogs.

The taste of a Truffle is often compared to garlic blended with an earthiness or pungent, mushroomy Flavor. They are most often served uncooked and shaved into foods like pasta, salads, or omelets. They are also served in light sauces, on fondue, or even on pizza.

Of the many varieties of Truffles, some of the most famous are the Italian white Truffle, the French black Truffle, the summer black Truffle, and the March Truffle. The white Truffle, often referred to as the white diamond, is considered the rarest type of Truffle, demanding one of the highest prices. In general, Truffles are among the most expensive natural foods in the world, selling for hundreds or thousands of US Dollars (USD) per pound (0.45 kg).

Many species of mushrooms look similar to Truffles but are actually poisonous. Avoid eating wild mushrooms of any kind without the highly-educated guidance of an expert who can positively identify the species as edible. The safest way to taste a Truffle is to order it from a menu.

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Chocolate Candies are sweet confections made from Chocolate or incorporating Chocolate. They are popular sweets in many regions of the world, as a huge number of cultures are very fond of Chocolate, in a variety of forms. Candy shops usually stock an array of Chocolate Candies, and people can also obtain them at drug stores, grocery stores, and directly through the manufacturer in some cases. Some manufacturers even allow tours of their production floors, giving people a chance to see how the candy is made before they purchase it.

Chocolate has its origins in Latin America, where it was originally used in the preparation of savory foods, a usage which continues to this day with dishes such as mole. When Chocolate was brought back to Europe, people explored the possibility of using it in sweet confections, and people quickly acquired a taste for the exotic ingredient. The development of more advanced refining methods for Chocolate made way for Chocolate bars and other sweets.

Some Chocolate Candies are made from solid Chocolate. More commonly, they include Chocolate and other ingredients. The Chocolate may be coated in a candy shell, or a candy may be dipped in Chocolate to create a flavorful coating. Chocolate can cover cookies, wafers, bars, and candied fruit, and it can be used in a variety of ways. In addition to dipping, companies can also use techniques like enrobing, in which candies pass through a curtain of Chocolate to become coated in an even layer of Chocolate.

Chocolate Candies may be made with Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, or White Chocolate, depending on the candy and the manufacturer. Some manufacturers may cut corners with a chocolate coating known as mockolate, which technically cannot be considered true Chocolate because it does not contain Cocoa Butter, a key constituent in Chocolate. Some companies have attracted ire from formerly loyal fans by replacing expensive Chocolate coatings with mockolate in the interests of keeping production costs low.

In addition to being produced commercially, Chocolate Candies can also be made at home. People need some familiarity and skill with candy, and they also need to be comfortable with handling Chocolate. Making candies at home gives people a chance to use custom ingredients and to play with Flavors and designs. Basic candymaking kits are available from some cooking and home supply Stores, and people can also order specialty products such as molds for Chocolate Candies, including custom molds which can be used to make personalized candies.

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