The Sweets & Snacks Expo happens every year in Chicago, and I've watched TV shows on it, read about it, and dreamed of attending for years. Finally, this year was it. Jen and I headed to the Windy City to check out this year's chocolate trends (you can find other highlights from the show here). Of course there are loads, but what were the ones that kept popping up? More

The nuttiness of tofu provides a nice base for the rich chocolatiness and bitter edge of coffee in this mousse. The flavors play nicely together, but definitely don't bother making this if you're not a fan of tofu—there's no mistaking it. More

This chocolate "clay" is great for modeling freehand, pressing into molds, or even as a substitute for rolled fondant. More

Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite words: eutectic. A eutectic, in confectionery terms, is a combination of fats that melts at a lower temperature than any one of the fats by itself. The eutectic you probably most often encounter on a day-to-day basis is milk chocolate. The magical power of the eutectic is particularly well (and tastily) illustrated in the center known as a meltaway. More

This recipe calls for mint extract, but you can use any extract or oil you like - just add to taste. More

I'm a huge fan of David Lebovitz's fantastic recipes and entertaining writing, and have always been intrigued by his chocolate bread. What in the world would it taste like? Chocolate mixed into the bread itself? But how bready would it be? Yeasty at all? What about the sweetness level? More

This is my twist on a David Lebovitz's recipe. The resulting crumb is somewhat denser and crumblier than ordinary bread, but the taste is really fantastic, and goes well with a hot cup of tea or a cold glass of... More

There are few things in this world more comforting to me than squishy, sweet, creamy desserts, especially when they come in a ready-to-eat cup. But pudding is really easy to make at home, too. I call these Le Snaque-Paques. More

What I like about this recipe (aside from its simplicity and delightful flavor and texture) is that it uses egg yolks, which I hate throwing away after making a meringue or something. It can be layered in individual serving cups,... More

Now, I love me some old-school Oreos, and subscribe to the "if it ain't broke" school of philosophy, but was curious about two unfamiliar varieties of Oreos. Peanut Butter Creme and Double Stuf Heads or Tails. ZOMG OREOS! Ehrm, sorry. It's my professional responsibility to stay abreast in the chocolate industry and report back. Find out how they tasted. More