Monthly Flavors for March – What an A-peeling Month!
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
Wow, the end of summer is here already! With school starting and vacations ending, I thought this was a great time to highlight one of my favorite hobbies: Dungeons and Dragons. Here at The French Door Cafe I have been running edible adventures every month or so, and I started thinking about what all the classes would taste like. So, the chocolates this month are based on some classic D&D classes! Let me know if you agree, or if you want to see any other classes done!
Salted Caramel
Fighter is one of the most iconic Dungeons and Dragons classes. It’s your stereotypical knight type – armor, sword, wants to fight monsters. So a nice classic salted caramel made sense to me! This caramel is just slightly bitter (probably about being overlooked so often), a little salty (blood, sweat, and tears are notoriously salty), and just dependently excellent.
Raspberry Jam with Nettle Dark Chocolate Ganache
Druids are a slightly newer class to Dungeons and Dragons. They were originally a cleric subtype and finally branched off on their own in fourth edition. They revere nature above all else, and draw their magic from nature. So, of course I had to look to the forests for flavor inspiration! The raspberry jam is a bit tart (wouldn’t you be with the destruction of nature all around you?) and sweet with the ganache being earthy and dark (you know, like the earth that all things depend on).
Chamomile Milk Chocolate Ganache
Another original class in Dungeons and Dragons, clerics are healers and fighters. They are the intermediaries between the mortal world and the planes of the gods. While they are actually decent fighters, the stereotypical use is for healing. So, chamomile tea! Feel embraced by the gods’ care and get ready to get back up and beat that dragon!
Wine Reduction with Mulled Wine Dark Chocolate Ganache
Bard is one of my personal all time favorite classes to play. A fairly ridiculous class, bards weave their magic through stories and songs. They are generally a support class, giving aid to their party, demoralizing the enemy, and doing some healing. Also, famously they are often found in taverns getting drunk. So I knew I needed to do something around wine. The reduction is a bit sweet but retains the tannins of the red wine, and the mulled wine ganache is comforting and familiar but new and different!
Spicy Dark Chocolate Caramel
Previously known as the thief class, rogues are sneaky and extremely dangerous. They pick locks, they skulk in darkness, they are your typical sneaky thief/assassin/con artist. So I went with this lovely caramel – it is silky smooth with a little dark chocolate bitterness, and then hits you with a lingering spice. Devilish!
Coffee Hazelnut Duja with Lemongrass Milk Chocolate Ganache
Another absolute classic of Dungeons and Dragons, the wizard is the studious magic powerhouse. They spend decades learning all of the innerworkings of magic, and they are ready to show off all they have learned. With a love of big powerful spells, I knew I needed something with a good bit of pizzazz here for the wizard. The coffee hazelnut duja is crunchy and will help you with those long, late night study sessions. The ganache is big and bright and unexpected – just like a good fireball!
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These cookies are a little spicy from black pepper, rich with molasses, and addictive. Perfect for a game on a crisp autumn evening. Serve with a glass of cold milk or a hot cup of tea!
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What a wonderfully summery combination – coconut flakes, lime zest, brown sugar. You’ve almost got the start to a cocktail! Enjoy these with a beer or a glass of iced tea, and enjoy the end of summer.
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