Friday, April 10, 2009

Chocolate Sauce Gifts

A chocolate sauce gift, whether on its own or as part of a gift basket, will be well-received.


Chocolate is an ever-popular ingredient, and a gift of chocolate sauce is always sure to be appreciated. You can give a jar alone or with other ingredients that will complement the sauce. Be sure to include a card with your gift that lists suggested uses for the sauce. There are obvious ideas, including as a topping for ice cream, cake or brownies, but chocolate sauce can also be used as a chocolate fondue or stirred into coffee.


Store-Bought Chocolate Sauce


When buying chocolate sauce for a gift, choose one from a small company that focuses on quality products. An inexpensive chocolate sauce from a grocery store may be fine as an ice cream topping for your kids, but a quality sauce can be used to top gourmet desserts at a dinner party and not be out of place. Look for one from a company that uses the best quality chocolate in its products. The sauce should be made in small batches, without added preservatives or high amounts of sugar, so that the flavor of the chocolate, not the sweetness, shines through.


Homemade Chocolate Sauce








When making chocolate sauce, remember that the higher the quality of the ingredients is, the more delicious the end result will be. Use the best quality chocolate or cocoa powder you can afford. Other ingredients typically include water or cream and sugar or corn syrup. Be sure to include storage instructions on the jar. Homemade chocolate sauce, since it doesn't have the preservatives of store-bought varieties, usually must be stored in the refrigerator and used within seven to 10 days.


Packaging Chocolate Sauce


If you're giving someone a container of homemade chocolate sauce, wrapping it simply will highlight the sauce itself. Consider packaging the sauce in a Mason jar and topping the lid with a square of fabric, allowing some of the fabric to hang over the edge, for a rustic, homemade look. Tie the fabric to the jar with coordinating ribbon or a piece of twine. For a more practical approach, pour the sauce into a squeeze bottle and tie ribbon around the container as you would a Mason jar.


Accompaniments


Once your jar is sealed and labeled, consider placing it in a basket with other items that will complement your chocolate sauce. Include other sauces, such as caramel or strawberry, and a set of sundae dishes with an ice cream scoop. Alternatively, include a package of gourmet cookies, brownies or cupcakes that can all be dipped into the sauce. Coffee and chocolate are a natural pairing, so for a coffee lover, add some gourmet coffee beans and/or chocolate-covered coffee beans.

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