Leave me voice mail feedback at: 971-208-5493 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kitchencounterpodcast Twitter: @TKCpodcast Email: feedback@kitchencounterpodcast.com It's never too early to start thinking about holiday baking, and today I've invited a very special guest to the show to talk about some chocolate recipes that you can put into your holiday rotation. My wife is the baker of the family, and she agreed to help us out with some baking tips and yummy chocolate recipes. All Sugar is Not Created Equal One thing I was surprised to learn is that not all sugar is created equal. When you prepare for your holiday baking extravaganza, you need to be using the right type of sugar. You go to the store and pick up a bag of granulated sugar, you would expect that to be the same across brands. In reality, it isn't. Some sugar is made from sugar beets, and some is made from sugar cane. For baking, you absolutely want to be using pure cane sugar. Here's an interesting article explaining why. Chocolate There are several different types of chocolate that you can bake with. Here is a very quick run down of the most common types you'll run into in the kitchen. A Word About Parchment Paper If you aren't baking your sweets on parchment paper lined baking sheets, you should be! Using parchment paper has a ton of benefits; it makes clan-up a snap, it helps your treats bake more evenly on the bottom, and they won't stick to the pan. And you can prep your batches on parchment paper to easily slide onto the baking sheet when ready. Parchment paper is inexpensive and really a must-use when it comes to baking. Recipes From the Show Chocolate Biscotti Recipe Chocolate Truffle Cookies Recipe Resources The Spice House is a fantastic place to pick up cocoa nibs, and practically any spice or other interesting ingredient you need. If you are in Chicago, stop by in person, or order online.