19th March: Chocolate Caramel Day

A great combination is celebrated each year on Chocolate Caramel Day. On March 19th, enjoy chocolate and caramel in your favorite candy bar, ice cream, or dessert.  It’ll put a smile on most people’s faces!  The combination also invokes some cravings for chocolate caramel coffee, milkshakes, or just about any treat with this hard-to-resist combination. The origin of caramel is lost to the annals of history, but what historians do know is that it lies somewhere in the 200 years between 1650 and 1880. Originating in the Americas, the intrepid settlers were making hard candies in kettles sometime after they arrived. https://youtu.be/dvhp7kL5g6E This is the candy-making process that would eventually culminate in caramels when some bright individual added fat and milk to the boiling water and sugar. Thus, the caramel was born. It is also worth noting that, during this time, refined sugar was both rare and expensive, so candies were often made with juice from sugar beets, which were easier to source. Consider trying these types of Chocolate Caramel Day treats that are fairly easy to make but no less enjoyable: Chocolate Caramel Brownies. Starting with a simple brownie mix makes this super straight-forward. Prepare the brownie mix per the box instructions and place the batter in the pan. Add thick caramel sauce (often found in the ice cream topping section at the grocery store) by drizzling a generous amount on top in parallel lines. Draw a knife perpendicular to the lines to create a swirled effect. Bake as directed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6ZcjIXJLmc Add Caramel and Chocolate to Almost Anything. Chocolate chip pancakes with caramel sauce, chocolate ice cream with caramel topping, even a cup of coffee can taste great with a bit of chocolate and caramel swirled in (a barista will probably be happy to do this on request!). Enjoy this delicious Dark Chocolate Caramel Corn recipe.