Either you picked your flavors at The French Door Cafe or you let me create a box for you. These chocolates are some of my recent favorites! Some flavors may have been featured in other months, some are from custom orders, and some might be flavors I was playing around with (and may be future flavors). Take a look through the list of potentials to see what flavors you got in this box – each box is unique, so next time you will get something new!
Carrot Caramel with Cream Cheese White Chocolate Ganache
Of course I have to start the month with my favorite cake! I think the earthy sweetness of carrots with tangy cream cheese frosting is just one of the best flavor combinations possible. And, of course I love caramel. So here is my newest take on carrot cake chocolate – let me know if you think I got the balance right!
Coconut Pecan Praline with Dark Chocolate Ganache
German chocolate cake is my dad’s birthday cake – and has been since he was 8 years old! Did you know it has nothing to do with Germany? It is named for the chocolate brand, German! I really wanted to get that sticky sweet frosting flavor, and I think the praline does a very nice job here.
Cream Cheese White Chocolate Ganache with Graham Cracker Almond Duja
A classic choice, cheesecake! My French grandmother adored cheesecake. She discovered it when my mom moved to the US, and when I started my training as a pastry chef she was so excited that I could make her cheesecake. The graham cracker is backed with caramelized white chocolate and almonds to help with emulate the baked flavors.
Cherry Gel with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Vanilla White Chocolate Ganache
A true German delicacy, delicate layers of chocolate sponge, vanilla chantilly, and Amarena cherries make up the classic Black Forest cake. I actually usually make this cake with raspberries instead of the cherries because I do not like the flavor of Amarena cherries. Here I went more classic with the cherry gel, but I added back more acidity to help emulate the raspberry a little too.
Spiced White Chocolate Ganache with Banana Caramel
I am not very familiar with hummingbird cake, but it sounds like something I would love. Unfortunately, it is made with pineapple and I am sadly allergic to that tasty fruit. I used passion fruit for the fruity acidity in the ganache. This cake is spiced similarly to a carrot cake but with bananas and pineapple! So I hope I got the general idea across with this combination.
Orange Olive Oil White Chocolate Ganache
This is one of my mom’s favorite cakes. Very easy but packed with flavor, the orange brightness pairs so wonderfully with earthy olive oil in this cake – and in this ganache! The ganache is so smooth, and so delicate.
Raspberry Jam with Orange Sour Cream Caramel
Sufganiyot are such a quintessential Hanukkah food. They are orange scented doughnuts filled with raspberry jam, and they are so good. This caramel, in my opinion, does a shockingly good job of conveying the flavor of a doughnut! And, best part is, you don’t have to fry these and deal with oil all over your stove. Hanukkah in a chocolate!
Ingredients: Sugar, Raspberry Puree, Half and Half (Milk, Cream), Orange Juice, Sour Cream (Cultured Cream, Enzymes), Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Sorbitol, Cocoa Butter, Butter, Citric Acid, Pectin
Eggnog Custard White Chocolate Ganache
I was never a fan of eggnog until relatively recently. My partner made Alton Brown’s aged eggnog, and I was amazed that it could be complex and utterly delicious! I wanted to pay homage to that thick and creamy drink with this ganache, so it is a custard base to give extra body and mouthfeel.
Ingredients: White Chocolate (Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Whole Milk Powder, Nonfat Dry Milk, Palm Oil, Soy Lecithin), Heavy Cream, Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Milk, Sorbitol, Egg Yolk, Butter, Cocoa Butter, Vanilla Paste, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Bourbon Extract, Rum Extract
Apple Pâte de Fruit with Spiced Wine Dark Chocolate Ganache
Starting off with one of the oldest aphrodisiacs, alcohol! Wine and other inebriants have been used to lower inhibitions in hopes of increasing likelihood of sex since humans first started fermenting alcohol. The wine is mulled with clove and nutmeg, both of which have been studied to show increased sexual partners in male rats. And, of course dark chocolate has been considered an aphrodisiac since at least the Aztecs. There are records showing Aztecs trading cocoa beans to have a night at the brothel, and the Aztec emperor Montezuma was rumored to drink 50 cups of chocolate a day to satisfy his many wives. We have known for a while that chocolate has some potential health benefits, including chemicals that cause happiness and passion and could potentially be considered an aphrodisiac. So this ganache is jam packed with science already! The curvaceous apple has been thought of as an aphrodisiac for most of European history. Native to Central Asia, apples were extremely expensive in ancient Greece. And of course, if something is expensive and/or rare, it must be great to give to a desired partner! Gaia gave a golden apple tree to Hera for her wedding, and so apples were given as a declaration of love. All in all, an excellent start for this sexy, science-y month!
Ingredients: Sugar, Red Wine, Dark Chocolate (Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vanilla), Apple Cider, Apple Sauce, Corn Syrup, Butter, Lemon Juice, Pectin, Orange Zest, Star Anise, Cinnamon, Cloves
Peanut Praline with Passion Fruit Caramel
Peanuts have a certain chemical that is a dopamine precursor, and dopamine inhibits prolactin, which can lead to infertility. When male rats were given an aqueous extract, there was a significant rise in testosterone and pregnancy. The same article claims that peanuts could be used in treatment for hyperprolactinemia induced infertility and early stages of Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson’s is linked to a dopamine deficiency, so peanuts could help stimulate more dopamine production). Peanuts and passion fruit leaves also have compounds that could potentially help with erectile dysfunction! What a useful legume. A methanol extract of passion fruit leaves was linked with increased testosterone in rats. Also, though it seems like the etymology of passion fruit should be based on the feelings the fruit evokes, it is actually from 16th century Spanish missionaries comparing the flower to the Passion of Christ. But hey, I think that we should go with a romantic take anyway!
Ingredients: Sugar, Peanuts, Passion Fruit, Water, Butter, Heavy Cream, Mango Puree, Sorbitol, Milk Powder, Sea Salt
Apricot Serrano Jam with Espresso Dark Chocolate Ganache
Historically, spicy peppers have been considered aphrodisiacs in many places throughout the world. When the spice trade to Europe became bigger in the 14th century, many exotic spices became thought of as aphrodisiacs including spicy peppers. In the Kama Sutra, there is mention of men using chili powder on their nether regions to be more seductive. I don’t think I need disclaimers here, but please do not do this. In reality, some spice can be stimulating, but be careful to not overdo it! The capsaicin in chili peppers is a natural stimulant, and can increase the production of adrenaline and endorphins in the body. Apricots have been used as an aphrodisiac for many different cultures. Throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe there have been ideas of the apricot as a sexual stimulant and a labor inducer. Scientifically, the apricot has lycopene, an organic carotenoid that gives many fruits and vegetables a red color. Lycopene has been shown to help with sperm count in rats by helping protect from cyclosporine A-induced oxidative stress. Stimulants being used as aphrodisiacs naturally leads us to coffee. In rats, it was shown that female rats were significantly more interested in sex after having caffeine – though this was the first time the rats had ever had coffee, and so the results are unlikely to be the same in human women who have coffee often. Men who take 2-3 cups of coffee every day are less likely to report ED. Also, this study showed that female rats had an increase in sexual motivation and locomotion activity with caffeine.
Ingredients: Sugar, Dark Chocolate (Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vanilla), Distilled Vinegar, Espresso, Bell Pepper, Butter, Dried Apricots, Corn Syrup, Sorbitol, Serrano Peppers, Trimoline, Pectin, Dextrose
Burnt Honey and Black Tea Ganache
Fun vocab alert! Concupiscence means strong sexual desire, or lust. Perfect for this chocolate, as in classical Arabic, honey can imply eroticism and fertility – indeed the word for a small piece of honey is the same as the sweetness of sexual intercourse. Honey was also a common aphrodisiac in ancient Greece. Hippocrates believed it would increase sexual vigor, along with many other philosophers. Camellia sinensis, more commonly known as black tea, has been thought to be a male sexual stimulant in Sri Lankan traditional medicine. Studies have shown that mainly through reducing anxiety and elevating testosterone, black tea can help male sexual ejaculation latency. This ganache is smooth, a little bitter and a little sweet.
Ingredients: Heavy Cream, Milk Chocolate (sugar, powdered whole milk, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, soy lecithin, vanilla), Dark Chocolate (Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vanilla), Honey, Butter (Cream, Salt), Corn Syrup, Assam Tea, Sorbitol
Strawberry Pâte de Fruit with Poppy Filling
In ancient Rome, the heart shaped strawberry was seen as a symbol of Venus (the goddess of love, fertility, beauty, and desire among other things). In addition, strawberries have an obviously large amount of seeds and so were tied to fertility. Poppies are an interesting one – their narcotic effects have been documented as far back as 3400 BC in Mesopotamia. Since they do help you relax, it is possible that is part of the historical belief in their aphrodisiac qualities. Also, much like strawberries, poppy pods have many seeds and so have been tied to fertility. They do also contain compounds that potentially help with erectile dysfunction. I wanted to lean into the bitter, earthiness of poppy seeds here – the pâte de fruit is very sweet as a balance to the poppy.
Ingredients: Heavy Cream, Milk Chocolate (sugar, powdered whole milk, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, soy lecithin, vanilla), Dark Chocolate (Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vanilla), Honey, Butter (Cream, Salt), Corn Syrup, Assam Tea, Sorbitol
Coconut Duja with Ginger Milk Chocolate Ganache
Coconut is thought to enhance sex hormone production due to higher levels of manganese and vitamin C. Also, a study has shown that coconut husk extract helps regulate male sex hormones in rats. Ginger is a possible help for male erectile dysfunction. But, I think this might be my favorite chocolate this month, and I am kind of obsessed with the combination here. The coconut and almond duja is crunchy, a little bitter from the caramelized almonds, and pairs perfectly with the incredibly smooth ganache. The ganache is made with fresh pressed ginger juice, so you get all the spiciness and freshness which is just so good against the creamy milk chocolate. A perfect end note for this month’s chocolates!
Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (sugar, powdered whole milk, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, soy lecithin, vanilla), Heavy Cream, Butter, Almonds, Sugar, Desiccated Coconut, White Chocolate (Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Whole Milk Powder, Nonfat Dry Milk, Palm Oil, Soy Lecithin), Invert Sugar, Ginger, Cocoa Butter, Sorbitol
Welcome to March, the height of citrus season! Citrus is really interesting and somewhat complicated to use in baking and chocolate. While the flavor feels