proof whisky, the chocolate bunny, Vol. 126

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Today we are on a hunt for the best chocolate Easter treats available in the city. Enjoy this chocolaty Thursty Thursday drink.

the chocolate bunny 4 oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces • 1 cup heavy cream • 3 eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-14 oz can condensed milk • 1 1/4 cups proof whisky • 1 ¼ oz brewed espresso or strong coffee, cooled

Melt the chocolate with the cream in a double boiler over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth; remove from heat and set aside to cool. Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until combined. Stir the condensed milk into the mixture. Slowly pour the proof whisky into the egg mixture while stirring until completely incorporated. Add the chocolate mixture and the espresso; beat with the whisk until the mixture is uniform in color. Pour into a jar or bottle, cover and chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours before enjoying. Store in refrigerator. Serve over ice. (Makes 4 ½ cups)

We did a little searching to see what some of our favourite Toronto Chocolate shops were coming up with for Easter this year.
This is what we found.

Soma is one of the few artisan chocolatemakers in North American making chocolate in small batches directly form the cacao bean. They buy our cacao beans from plantation around the world including Conacado form the Dominican Republic, organic Sambirano from Madagascar, organic from Costa Rica and Panama. (Distillery District or 443 King Street W  www.somachocolate.com)

Delight Chocolate Jennifer Rashleigh, former restauranteur and pastry chef of Citron, along with her husband Jeff Brown, also hailing from the food industry, have come together to explore the sweeter side of their profession - Chocolate. Their style combines whimsy and decadence along with a creative attention to detail, not to mention a flair for the finest tastes and textures. Their fabulous chocolate is coupled with the decision to support a sustainable form of agriculture as well as the farmers who manage it; yum yum! (3040 Dundas Street West  www.delightchocolate.ca)

Moroco The owner savored her first taste of traditional French sipping chocolate (“liquid gold’ to her lips!) at the renown Café Angelina’s on Rue de Rivoli.  She recalls that the chocolate came to the table in a small pot, complimented by an oh-so-elegant side of fresh whipped cream. “It was so ceremonial and unique, the memory still lingers on the tip of my tongue – and I dreamed of bringing this experience to Toronto.” (99 Yorkville Avenue  www.morocochocolat.com)

Odile Chocolat is a Toronto based company that specializes in exquisite hand made truffles featuring unusual combinations of spices, herbs and flowers from around the world. For owner Odile Chatelain, making truffles is a family tradition. As a child growing up near Paris, France, she and her mother made truffles every Christmas. Odile went on to work in the food industry for more than twenty six years, with the best known caterers. Her passion is chocolate and keeping on top of the latest trends in food fancies. (829 Dundas Street West  www.odilechocolat.com)

Vosges It is one of our highest priorities to source the finest ingredients found in the world. Owner and chocolatier Katrina Markoff, originally trained in Paris at the renowned culinary school Le Cordon Bleu, has enhanced her confectionary artistry through training and stages under some of the world’s most revered chefs and in many of the most exotic and honored cuisines on the planet.)

If you really want to splurge – Standing nearly 6 inches tall and weighing 1.3 pounds, the $75 substantial Enchanted Mushroom is filled with a soft, dark chocolate, hazelnut and Reishi mushroom ganache. The white chocolate shell is decorated with red toadstool beauty marks. Each mushroom is made and decorated by hand. It makes an ideal centerpiece and dessert for a mad hatter's feast. Sprinkled with yellow nonpareils candy, our new petit Enchanted Toadstools round out our mushroom family and together create a picturesque springtime scene for a delectable Easter brunch.

Or try The Goose's Golden Eggs: Bacon & Eggs Redefining bacon and eggs. Five dark chocolate half eggs arrive nestled in straw-filled, pink gift box. Each egg is filled with buttery, soft, bacon caramel. Bite, crack, ooze, salty-sweet delight.

Some Vosges products are sold at a few of the high-end markets in Toronto, like McEwan and Puseteri’s, or you can order online (www.vosgeschocolate.com)

Although they do not sell chocolate, they sell a beautiful selection of other cakes and confections, like gourmet marshmallows. Check out Bobette and Belle in Leslieville. (1121 Queen St. East  www.bobbetteandbelle.com)

Choco-locate Discover all of the chocolate shops in your hood with this great app! (http://choco-locate.com)

 

If you are looking for a unique Birthday or Holiday gift,  The One of a Kind Spring Show runs this weekend from March 27^th-31^st (www.oneofakindshow.com)

Weekend Forecast

Saturday: Mainly sunny and a high of 11 degrees

Sunday: Light rain and a high of 9 degrees

Happy Spring!