Love comes in many forms, and on Valentine’s Day, we have a habit of focusing on that butterfly-inducing, rom-com style of young love. The beautiful reality for most of us, though, is that we share love with lots of people in our lives, and Valentine’s Day is a celebration of […]
Cherry Cordials
Makes 50 pieces There is something special about cherry cordials: all of that delicious syrup waiting to be released when you bite through the chocolate. The most difficult part of making cordials is the patience required to allow the fondant time to liquefy before you eat them all. Ingredients 50 […]
Chocolate Mousse
Makes 4 to 6 servings Heating the egg whites and egg yolks not only pasteurizes them, making them safe to eat without further cooking, but it also dissolves the sugar and denatures the proteins. This creates a smooth and strong structure in your egg foams that helps to keep your […]
Coconut Joys
Makes 81 pieces This coconut filling is similar to some well-known candy bars. It can be dipped in either milk or dark chocolate, depending on your taste. Placing a whole almond on each piece before dipping adds a nice crunch. Ingredients 2 oz (1/4 cup) water 6 oz (3/4 cup) […]
Decorating Holiday Cookies
Decorating cookies is fun any time of the year, but ‘tis the season for extra special treats to share with your friends and family! Whether you bring them as a gift to your teachers or to grandma’s house, there are so many easy ways to dress up your favorite cookies […]
French Recipes for a Romantic Dinner at Home
French may be the language of love, but for us, French food is our love language. Try one (or more) of these classic French recipes to wow your love for un dîner romantique. Duck Confit Duck confit is rich duck legs cooked completely submerged in duck fat. After a nice […]
Fruit Powders for Colorful Fruit-Flavored Desserts
You probably buy fresh fruit, and you may love the sweet and chewy dried fruits—but do you ever buy freeze-dried fruit? Unlike chewy dried cranberries and apricots, freeze-dried fruit is crisp and crunchy with an ultra-concentrated flavor. They are a great snack, but we love them for their baking and […]
Fudgy Walnut Brownie Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie The filling for this pie is reminiscent of a fudgy, dense brownie studded with walnuts and bittersweet chocolate chunks. The crispy chocolate crumb crust is an added bonus in both flavor and texture. If you prefer a moister, denser texture to the filling, bake for 35 […]
Hard Candy
Makes about 150 individual candies This basic recipe can be used in many different ways: poured into molds, poured into pools with a stick for lollipops, put in a pan and cut before it completely cools, or dipped into to make candied apples or candy-dipped fruits, to name just a […]
Homemade Pasta for Two on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is less about being in love and more about sharing love, whether that’s with a partner, a family member, or your very best friends. We may be biased, but here at The CIA, we don’t think there’s a much better way to show someone you care than to […]
Making Homemade Fudge
Fudge is without question the quintessential homemade candy; it has been made in home kitchens for over 100 years. Mention fudge, and most of us immediately think of chocolate, but chocolate is not the defining ingredient in fudge; it can be made using a wide variety of flavoring ingredients. The […]
Meltaways to Celebrate your BFF!
The best part of Valentine’s Day (besides the chocolate!) is celebrating the people we love—whether that’s our parents, our brothers and sisters, girlfriends and boyfriends, or just our besties! And, sure, we think part of celebrating your BFFs is doing something fun, a special little treat can certainly help. We […]