Friendly Aspen Grove Dental Staff Shares their Favorite Chocolate Holiday Treats
It’s the Holiday season and at Aspen Grove Dental, we’re all about celebrating the season with our families and friends. Those who have known us for any length of time know that we’re also all about Chocolate! Dark chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate with fruit, chocolate with herbs and spices. Chocolate abounds during the holidays and we love it!
Of course, we recognize that chocolate is usually accompanied by a good deal of sugar. As family dentists, we always caution to limit sugar. Over-abundance can lead to tooth decay. But when the Season is upon us, we believe that a little indulgence coupled with heightened hygiene is the perfect recipe for celebrating this joyous time of year.
Remember to moderate your sweets intake and brush often. In addition to your regular routine, consider brushing as soon as possible after eating to remove sugar and food that may remain on your teeth. With that advice in mind, you can have your (chocolate) cake (or cookies or candy) and eat it, too!
We’ve gathered a few of our favorite seasonal chocolate recipes from around the Internet we think are worth the splurge.
Chocolate Nibbles
Peppermint Marshmallow Bites warm your insides with the cozy tastes of chocolate and mint. These little brownie bites deliver the perfect balance of chocolate and peppermint coated in a white chocolate shell.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles. Need we say more? This recipe from Better Homes and Gardens will transport you and your guests straight to the stars.
Cookies
Sure, regular sugar cookies are great, but they rise to a whole new level when you add chocolate. Here’s a basic chocolate shortbread recipe and one for you gluten-free folks. For a delightful surprise consider adding rosemary to the dough.
Farmgirl Fare gives you a great excuse to enjoy chocolate for breakfast. On her site, she offers a recipe for making easy chocolate biscotti that you can enjoy with your morning coffee.
Beverages
Jacques Torres, a James Beard award-winning pastry chef, is so serious about his chocolate that he opened his own chocolate factory in New York in 2000. His hot chocolate recipe starts with high-quality chocolate and doesn’t add much else.
If eggnog is your holiday beverage of choice, Jamie Liver delivers with a fabulous homemade chocolate eggnog that delivers a punch, spiked or not.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Bliss
No one should go without (chocolate) during the holidays; not even those with food restrictions. This gluten-free cake recipe from King Arthur flour delivers the flavor without the fret.
Surprisingly, the flour producer also has one of the best Flourless Chocolate Cake recipes we’ve ever tried. It’s not only gluten-free but an elegant option for a Passover dessert as it contains no leavening agents.
We hope you’ll try a few of these recipes out and let us know how you like them. Or, leave a comment and share your personal favorites with our extended dental family.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Aspen Grove Dental.
