First of all, don’t use the recipe they provide.  It’s a brownie recipe and it sticks to the pan.  This being so, I had to re-do the cake in a short amount of time. 

Typically I like to bake from scratch, especially if it is a special occasion.  But this was an emergency!  I bought a Pilsbury devils food cake from Safeway for about $2 and was on my way to cookie-cake take 2. 

Success! This mix turned out wonderful and according to my dad “the best chocolate cake ever, and I don’t like to eat a lot of chocolate.” 

Not eat chocolate?  I was very impressed by this cake mix!  So, if you have a chocaholic emerergency and need a new cake asap, try the Pilsbury line.  In about 30mins you’ll have a wonderfully moist cake!

They offer gourmet cookies of all types.  Go for the original chocolate chip, or if you are pink fanatic like me try the Pink Cloud. 

Chocolate Star Bakery Pink Cloud Cookie

Now what really attracted me to this place is the snickerdoodles that they sell.  I have been making snickerdoodles since I was in middle school and this one looks great! 

Of course, if you can’t make the Cookie-cake then pick up one of their Mother’s Day gift baskets.

I keep thinking that I need to take an hour or two to relax and regroup.  So, I was thinking about a spa to visit and decided to Google “chocolate facials” and came upon Spa Index.  Instead of going to a spa I found a recipe for a do-it-at-home Chocolate Facial Mask:

Chocolate Facial Mask
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tsp. cottage cheese
¼ cup honey
3 tsp. oatmeal
Mix all ingredients together and smooth onto face. Relax for ten 10 minutes, then wash off with warm water.

10 minutes?  I think all of us busy college students can spare that! Ingredients? Spa on a college budget is now attainable with this great mask.  I’ll absolutely be taking 10 minutes this weekend to relax and rejuvenate with some chocolate-inspired spa.

The most important tip they shared with me is to brush melted butter throughout the pans for the best results. There is so much detail in the pans that you have to make sure that you get ever detail.  They offered two tools that will help you make the best cookie-cake. 

First, if you choose to use the melted butter they have a great pastry brush that will help you cover all the cracks and crevices.  It’s called the Oxo Pastry Brush and you can buy it in stores for only $8.  Or, if you want a quick solution, you can purchase their Bak-klene all purpose, no-stick bakery spray, also for $8.  I couldn’t find them online, but you can find a store near you to get yours.

The second advice they gave me was to use a denser cake recipe or even a bunt cake recipe.  So, if you buy the pans, use your favorite bundt cake recipe or try the one that they provide on the back of the box.

Now, I am planning to make this for my mom for Mother’s Day, and since her favorite cookies are Oreos I will be turning this into an Oreo ice cream sandwich.  After the cakes cool and right before I’m ready to serve it I will be putting this vanilla ice cream in the middle.  Yummy!

Williams Sonoma has a wonderful Sandwich-Cookie Cake Pan to make your mom one big cookie that she will never forget. 

Think about the different cookies that you can create, or large ice cream sandwiches.  For $29.95 it’s a great investment for the baker of the family and perfect creations for birthday parties and special occasions. 

My favorite site to find recipes is Better Homes and Gardens.  Try their Best Ever Chocolate Cake Recipe:

Ingredients

Directions

These are no ordinary dark chocolate…these are even better!  Wei of Chocolate produces dark chocolate infused with herbs and spices and flower essence.

Wei of Life Organic Chocolate

Try one of the flower infused chocolates in Inner Peace, Inner Delight or Inner Clarity.  I personally would go for inner peace.  According to their website Inner Peace is blended with lavender petals, lemongrass and coriander.  Yum!

I was browsing the Ghirardelli website and come across their Savor Chocolate page.  Here, they provide some great tips on chocolate, including how to host a chocolate tasting. 

They provide everything you need to have a successful chocolate tasting.  From invitations, place mats, games and, of course, chocolate! 

Ghirardelli's Dark Chocolate Tasting

These Hershey’s favorites are part of the Whopper’s family.  According the Hershey’s website, they were introduced just a few years after the Whopper was. 

If you are a fan of these chocolate malt balls, then you have to try Harry and David’s selection of Maltballs.  With flavors like Dark Chocolate Maltballs and Peanut Butter Maltballs, you are sure to find a nice Easter treat.

Fairytale Brownies provide the ultimate brownie treat and they are located here in Phoenix! These brownies are made from a 50-year family recipe and, according to their website, have been providing brownie-lovers with their favorites for 16years.   It sure beats the mix I used straight from the box!

So, with the state of the economy it’s time we stimulate the local economy and our tastebuds.  Fairytale Brownies, can be purchased as various locations throughout the valley including at their factory and AJ’s Fine Food Stores.  

They make great gifts and tasty treats for you.  Of course, if you are watching the calories, don’t bother…you can’t be a chocaholic and count!

This past weekend the city of Glendale hosted their annual Chocolate Affair.  I am a big fan of this chocolate festival because it is a small community festival set in the downtown Glendale.

Here, you find yourself emerged in a variety of vendors selling you everything from chocolate covered strawberries and candied apples to chocolate syrup, fudge and everything else your chocolate-loving heart can imagine.

At the Chocolate Affair festival they offer tour buses to take people to the Carreta Candy Company that is in the near vicinity to the festival. The Carreta Candy Company contains a small tour of the factory as well as a small store where you can buy all of their chocolate treats.

Now when I say tour, I mean watch the candy belt go by, like the episode of I Love Lucy where Lucy and Ethel are trying to make chocolate.

Check out the pallets of chocolate the factory receives to make all of their chocolate goodies! 

They use Guittard Chocolate,a family owned and operated chocolate company.  Many candy companies and top chefs use this brand of chocolate because of the quality of their chocolates.  Even my mother was gushing about it when she saw these pallets!

My favorite chocolate treat?  The chocolate jalepenos…it sure gave my Valentine a sweet kick!