Chocolate, when eaten in moderation, can be the quick pick me up you need. And let’s face it, many people profess to be ‘addicted’ to chocolate, one reason why so many of us try to kick the habit. But chocolate candy bars can be more than just a ‘quick’ sweet treat. They can deliver a range of flavours, making them the ideal choice for the treat cupboard, buffet and baking.

For the party buffet table

With loads of great foods on offer from sandwiches to fruit, the buffet table at a party is a feast for the eyes and the stomach.

But when we are celebrating something, whether that’s a birthday or an important anniversary, it’s common to relax the strict diet rules we set ourselves.

Chocolate candy bars make a great addition to the buffet table but think beyond just laying out the bars for people to grab as they leave.

Freeze caramel candy bars until they are hard and then, using a sharp knife, chop them into small cubes. Use a cocktail stick to pierce them and then lay them on a large plate or two before adding to the buffet table.

By the time your guests arrive, they will have thawed and will be the perfect bite-size chewy delight that your guests will be looking for.

Liven up your cookies

If you cook or bake using chocolate, you’ll need to buy good quality chocolate candy bars.

The higher the cocoa solids in the chocolate, the better quality it will be for cooking but it can also taste a lot more bitter, the actual true taste of cocoa beans before they are mixed with sugar and other sweeteners.

Adding chocolate pieces or drops to your cookie mix livens up the final result. Mix your cookie dough as normal, adding pieces or flecks of intense dark chocolate before you roll out and cut your cookies.

The final taste is delicious, more so if you gently melt chocolate and then dip your baked cookies for a truly indulgent chocolate cookie.

Chewy flapjacks with a difference

Another great idea is to give your flapjacks or other chewy bars a lift with chocolate and colour.

Most chocolate candy bars will work well in recipes, giving a really great finish in both looks and flavor, like Wazzo candy bars which come in two great flavours – blue razz and wild berriez.

Mix together your flapjack or Rocky Road mix as normal, adding chopped up chunks of the candy bars before your bake. Stir the mixture well so that the pieces are well distributed.

Bake as normal and when cold, slice into thin fingers. Perfect for a sweet treat in lunch boxes or for when nothing else will do!

Chocolatey decoration

The next time you bake and ice a cake or muffins, add a sprinkle of chocolate heaven by grating a chocolate bar over the surface of the cake. Of course, you’ll be looking for the tastiest chocolate to do that – is there anything better than a Hershey’s chocolate bar?