Tuesday, December 20, 2011

How to recognize which chocolate is which.

So, you've received a box of chocolates as a gift. Lucky you! Or maybe you bought one for yourself. Who could blame you? In any case you're sitting in front of your now open box, smelling the delightful aroma of cocoa wafting in your face, and you must decide which delectable treat to chose first.

Now some boxes of chocolates come with a chart that will help you tell which is which. Who wants so reach for what they think is a coconut creme only to bite into a molasses chew? But what if your box doesn't have one of those charts? And do you really want to sit there reading a piece of paper when you could be grabbing your sweet morsel already? Don't start poking holes in those candies. There is help!

Here's a basic guide to help you with the important task of recognizing your chocolates.

Truffles will be round and ball-like in shape, sometimes coated in cocoa powder or with a drizzle of chocolate on the top. Truffles are firm chocolate on the outside, but smooth creamy chocolate-cream in the middle. They are usually either milk or dark chocolate, but can also be flavored. 

A round shape with a V design on top will be the vanilla creme.

A rectangle-shaped chocolate with a smooth top is most likely a nougat. If the rectangular chocolate has straight lines perpendicular to it's length it is probably a molasses chew.

In the mood for something nutty? Look for a shapeless blob with peanut-like protrusions. Sometimes these nut clusters are presented in paper cups, like a peanut butter cup.

Brittles, toffees, and crisps are usually little thin rectangles. Though classic toffee will be hard to not recognize, as you will be able to see the crunchy, orange underside with chocolate and almonds on top.

A mint cream is usually a thin, flat, round shape, though this may also be a cookie. You can smell the mint through the chocolate to be sure.

Caramels will be square with either a smooth top or a V design. Don't confuse this with the round-shaped vanilla creme.

Coconut cremes will be either square or round, but not ball shaped. They will have a slight chocolatey embellishment on top. Not smooth like the caramels.

Chocolate covered raisins, almonds, and peanuts can be hard to distinguish. But if you look closely you can tell that the raisins will be more bumpy in texture. And peanuts will be smaller and rounder than their larger, more elongated almond friends.

So there you go! Now you can find your favorites easily and look like a chocolate connoisseur in front of all your friends!