All your chocolate are belong to me.
December 31, 2013 12:37 PM Subscribe
I received an 11 pound bar of Callebaut MILK chocolate last year. I have about 10 pounds of it left. What on earth am I going to do with it??
I am a baker and a crafter, so I can do just about anything and I am super open to suggestions, but most recipes do not call for milk chocolate and if it does, the amount used doesn't even put a dent in my supply. I would ideally like to use up all 10 lbs and give it away, as no one is enjoying it sitting in my pantry but currently it is packaged in 1-2 pound chunks and no one wants that (or if they do, I'm not about to give anyone a 1.8 pound chunk of milk chocolate out of the blue. I'd like to make something with it and give all of it away.
Just FYI, it has been sealed air tight in a dark place for a year, so I'm not terribly worried about spoilage.
Go!
I am a baker and a crafter, so I can do just about anything and I am super open to suggestions, but most recipes do not call for milk chocolate and if it does, the amount used doesn't even put a dent in my supply. I would ideally like to use up all 10 lbs and give it away, as no one is enjoying it sitting in my pantry but currently it is packaged in 1-2 pound chunks and no one wants that (or if they do, I'm not about to give anyone a 1.8 pound chunk of milk chocolate out of the blue. I'd like to make something with it and give all of it away.
Just FYI, it has been sealed air tight in a dark place for a year, so I'm not terribly worried about spoilage.
Go!
You can chop it and replace chocolate chips with it for cookies. You can make it into chocolate pudding or mousse. Chocolate covered nuts or pretzels or fruit.
posted by jeather at 12:45 PM on December 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by jeather at 12:45 PM on December 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
If I had that much chocolate sitting around, I'd be making a lot of chocolate milk.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:56 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:56 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Seconding bark. If you want something more impressive, go for truffles--they're usually done with dark, but there's no reason they can't be made with milk chocolate.
Also, dip things in it. Chocolate dipped pretzels, chocolate dipped fruit... Actually, you should have a party and feature chocolate fondue--just melt it with a little cream and keep it in a crockpot all evening.
posted by MeghanC at 1:12 PM on December 31, 2013
Also, dip things in it. Chocolate dipped pretzels, chocolate dipped fruit... Actually, you should have a party and feature chocolate fondue--just melt it with a little cream and keep it in a crockpot all evening.
posted by MeghanC at 1:12 PM on December 31, 2013
Most things made with dark chocolate can be made with milk chocolate instead and most non-foodies are not going to care much.
posted by Aranquis at 1:16 PM on December 31, 2013
posted by Aranquis at 1:16 PM on December 31, 2013
Like you, I really only bake with dark or unsweetened chocolate, but I love really high-quality milk chocolate for nibbling on. If someone were to give me a huge craggy 2-pound lump of Callebaut milk chocolate I would not be inconvenienced, I would be very very happy.
Alternatively, this may not work for gift-giving, but bananas seem like they would work with milk chocolate . . . how about the classic chocolate-dipped-frozen-banana?
posted by ostro at 1:31 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Alternatively, this may not work for gift-giving, but bananas seem like they would work with milk chocolate . . . how about the classic chocolate-dipped-frozen-banana?
posted by ostro at 1:31 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I recently worked in a coffee shop which used milk chocolate chunks for a variety of purposes:
- Chocolate chip cookies, obvs.
- Any other baked good + milk chocolate use you can think of: pain et chocolate, chocolate chip muffins, etc. etc. etc.
- Mocha syrup for coffee drinks. Chop up chocolate, mix with hot water to make ganache of the required consistency. Also works just fine for hot cocoa and other choclety beverages. (Steamed milk + ganache + vigorous stirring or shaking = hot cocoa, at least in the coffee shop I worked in.)
- That ganache I mentioned above? Use it to frost cupcakes. Drizzle over ice cream. Add to milkshakes. Garnish cheesecake slices. Dip strawberries or pretzels. Make fondue.
posted by Sara C. at 1:33 PM on December 31, 2013
- Chocolate chip cookies, obvs.
- Any other baked good + milk chocolate use you can think of: pain et chocolate, chocolate chip muffins, etc. etc. etc.
- Mocha syrup for coffee drinks. Chop up chocolate, mix with hot water to make ganache of the required consistency. Also works just fine for hot cocoa and other choclety beverages. (Steamed milk + ganache + vigorous stirring or shaking = hot cocoa, at least in the coffee shop I worked in.)
- That ganache I mentioned above? Use it to frost cupcakes. Drizzle over ice cream. Add to milkshakes. Garnish cheesecake slices. Dip strawberries or pretzels. Make fondue.
posted by Sara C. at 1:33 PM on December 31, 2013
This question is baffling to me, I can't conceive of sitting around for a year with chocolate in your house and not eating it. But if you don't like chocolate:
-bark is a great idea
-chocolate fondue party, or give as gifts with little packages of marshmallows, berries, other fondue stuff
-melt and dip strawbwrries, dried apricots, green apples, let dry, pack in pretty wrapping and give away
-give as is to chocolate-lover who will happily gnaw on it for months
posted by DestinationUnknown at 1:38 PM on December 31, 2013
-bark is a great idea
-chocolate fondue party, or give as gifts with little packages of marshmallows, berries, other fondue stuff
-melt and dip strawbwrries, dried apricots, green apples, let dry, pack in pretty wrapping and give away
-give as is to chocolate-lover who will happily gnaw on it for months
posted by DestinationUnknown at 1:38 PM on December 31, 2013
I think you are in a tricky time for gift-giving because people have been eating Christmas candy and treats and are about to start on fitness/weight loss resolutions. If you or people you know are Easter people, you can hold on a few more months, and you're comfortable tempering the chocolate, you could make some formidable solid chocolate bunnies or chocolate eggs from hollowed-out shells.
posted by payoto at 1:48 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by payoto at 1:48 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you do want to use some of it for gifts and can guarantee they'll be used in the short term, grating it into a nice jar is basically creating the gift of fancy hot chocolate powder - "just add hot milk!"
posted by terretu at 1:50 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by terretu at 1:50 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Buy little moulds and melt it into the shapes. Give away for valentines, Easter etc.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:00 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:00 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Given that it's already adulterated with milk products, why not just use it as the chocolate in ganache centers for truffles. Of course that means buying a shload of dark chocolate for coating, but...
posted by straw at 2:16 PM on December 31, 2013
posted by straw at 2:16 PM on December 31, 2013
Fwiw, I've been to places that make hot chocolate by ladling melted milk chocolate into a cup of hot milk. It's worth doing at least once.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:30 PM on December 31, 2013
posted by Thorzdad at 2:30 PM on December 31, 2013
If you can wait until Easter I'd suggest using the chocolate to fill real (emptied) eggshells. There are instructions over on the Martha Stewart website. The recipe calls for three pounds of chocolate for a dozen eggs so your chocolate would get used up quickly. Also, since it's inside the eggshell you wouldn't have to fuss too much with getting the chocolate to temper. These chocolate eggs are regular Easter treat in France, sometimes mixed with praline, and they might be a new surprise for people in the US.
posted by Miss Matheson at 2:32 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Miss Matheson at 2:32 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
A reminder to other answerers that this is MILK chocolate, which may not always be apt for things like flourless chocolate cakes and such, which often call for dark chocolate.
Seconding the barks or the Easter treats. Especially if you make up a bunch to give to any kids you know, because I think kids prefer milk chocolate anyway. I know I certainly did.
I've also just found a whole collection of Food and Wine magazines that use milk chocolate specifically.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:42 PM on December 31, 2013
Seconding the barks or the Easter treats. Especially if you make up a bunch to give to any kids you know, because I think kids prefer milk chocolate anyway. I know I certainly did.
I've also just found a whole collection of Food and Wine magazines that use milk chocolate specifically.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:42 PM on December 31, 2013
A friend of mine makes gigantic Hershey's Kisses as gifts and party favors, cast in appropriately-shaped kitchen funnels, usually with nuts or dried fruit.
posted by XMLicious at 2:48 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by XMLicious at 2:48 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
No need to wait for Easter. Melt it down and pour it into these heart shaped molds and give them away for Valentines Day!
posted by fancyoats at 2:55 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by fancyoats at 2:55 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh, do like the Dutch and shave it onto thickly-buttered white bread and eat for breakfast!
Try to stop after 3 slices.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:21 PM on December 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Try to stop after 3 slices.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:21 PM on December 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Make candy bars or something else large and chocolate-covered?
Each of the candy bar recipes in the Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook* calls for five pounds of melted chocolate for enrobing the bars. Most call for dark chocolate, but at least one specifies milk, so I think it could be substituted in any of the recipes without disaster. (And they recommend Callebaut brand particularly.)
* Just noticed the Kindle version is on sale for $2.51 right now.
(I promise I am not a shill for this book; I just got it for Christmas and I would be making candy bars right now except I am intimidated by the idea of buying that much choocolate at once.)
posted by teditrix at 5:09 PM on December 31, 2013
Each of the candy bar recipes in the Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook* calls for five pounds of melted chocolate for enrobing the bars. Most call for dark chocolate, but at least one specifies milk, so I think it could be substituted in any of the recipes without disaster. (And they recommend Callebaut brand particularly.)
* Just noticed the Kindle version is on sale for $2.51 right now.
(I promise I am not a shill for this book; I just got it for Christmas and I would be making candy bars right now except I am intimidated by the idea of buying that much choocolate at once.)
posted by teditrix at 5:09 PM on December 31, 2013
How about Mendiants?
Personally, I prefer dark chocolate and a lot of the recipes are for dark chocolate, but as long as you can think of some flavours that go with milk chocolate, it should work.
This is one recipe
Fits because it will use up a lot of chocolate, and they make beautiful gifts.
posted by kadia_a at 1:54 AM on January 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Personally, I prefer dark chocolate and a lot of the recipes are for dark chocolate, but as long as you can think of some flavours that go with milk chocolate, it should work.
This is one recipe
Fits because it will use up a lot of chocolate, and they make beautiful gifts.
posted by kadia_a at 1:54 AM on January 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
My mother use to melt down Easter bunny chocolates, you know the big bunnies with the eyes and ears, and pour it into sucker molds, making smaller, delicious chocolate suckers that she would then hand out to children for all kinds of occasions.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 10:38 AM on January 1, 2014
posted by QueerAngel28 at 10:38 AM on January 1, 2014
Chocolate covered popcorn! Melt lots of it and then pour some popcorn into the melted chocolate, making sure it's all entirely covered (you need a pretty high chocolate to popcorn ratio to really fully coat). Transfer popcorn to a baking sheet and cool in the fridge or freezer.
posted by loveatfirstsite at 8:21 PM on January 1, 2014
posted by loveatfirstsite at 8:21 PM on January 1, 2014
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We make lazy-people bark (no tempering) and it doesn't really matter, since the bark doesn't last long enough to make the lack of tempering an issue.
posted by rtha at 12:41 PM on December 31, 2013 [1 favorite]