♪ The falling leaves drift by my window, the autumn leaves of red and gold ♫… I love that song! November is the perfect month to cozy up with some blankets and tea while listening to jazz. The crisp air makes me crave warm flavors, something comforting and relaxing. So grab a book or find a movie, cuddle up with a warm blanket, and enjoy the chocolates this month!
The November chocolate flavors are inspired by autumnal offerings and traditional Thanksgiving foods. The cookie flavors are a little nostalgic, while staying fun and relevant.
This Month's Flavors
Foliage
Walnut Praline with Sage Dark Chocolate Ganache
The walnut praline is rich and almost a little tangy or sharp which offsets the ganache beautifully. Sage gives a lovely herbal, kind of minty note to the decadent ganache. Overall, this chocolate is like being next to a fire on a bear skin rug – sumptuous and indulgent!
Autumn
Masala Spice Coffee Milk Chocolate Ganache
I love this twist on a coffee ganache! Masala spice is a mix of cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It gives a touch of savory-ness to the ganache which is so fun! Plus, the baking spices in the mix play off the coffee bitterness perfectly.
Chilly
Apple Butter with Rum Dark Chocolate Ganache
There are few things more fall appropriate than mulled apple cider (spiked or otherwise). I made the apple butter with Granny Smith apples, Ceylon cinnamon, star anise, and cubeb pepper. It is very reminiscent of mulled cider, but a little more sour from the apples I picked. The ganache is so smooth, with a funk from the rum agricole I used. Together, they warm you up perfectly!
Thankful
Lemon Ruby Chocolate Ganache with Candied Cranberries
Maybe a bit controversial, but one of my favorite Thanksgiving foods is the cranberry sauce. Growing up, my mom made hers with orange zest, fresh cranberries, and sugar. Now that we are adults, she plays with lemon and other spices to change it up. Lemon and cranberry are such a good pairing. The homemade candied cranberries gives a lovely chew to the chocolate. The ruby chocolate brings red fruit tanginess that is brightened by lemon. So delicious!
Cozy
Earl Grey and Rose Chocolate Ganache
A good cup of Earl Grey tea can turn your whole day around. Smooth and bright from the bergamot, it is almost a no brainer to pair with chocolate. The dried rose petals add this wonderfully subtle note of floral earthiness. The ganache is a mix of milk and dark chocolates to get the best of all worlds – sweet creaminess from the milk chocolate, bitter complexity from the dark chocolate. Impossibly smooth, this ganache just dissolves on your tongue to leave a lingering bergamot flavor. Wow.
Crisp
Maple Candied Pecans with Dark Chocolate Caramel
This one is a take on pecan pie. The pecans are crunchy and delightful, with the maple syrup brightening the overall flavor. Meanwhile, the caramel is luxuriously bitter and sweet. Though there is no molasses, the caramel comes close to the tangy depths so familiar in a pecan pie. I’ll take this for dessert any day!
#1 Oatmeal Rum Raisin Cookies
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I do love to take fun twists on a classic cookie! The raisins in these cookies have been soaked in rum overnight so they are plumper and juicier (plus, rum!). Even a little tweak like that takes these cookies to a while new level! They just cry out for a cup of coffee or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
#2 Pumpkin Cookies
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These wonderfully cakey cookies are almost like a pumpkin whoopie pie. Soft and pillowy, they still get a bit of texture from the sugar on top. Lovely spices and pumpkin earthiness make these cookies perfect autumnal treats!