Drew's Chocolates- Dexter, Iowa

Jeffrey and I decided to go to Omaha for part of the Labor Day weekend.  We left Friday after work, and stopped in Dexter to fill up the car's gas tank.  I spotted a sign that said, "Drew's Chocolates - 3 blocks", and it didn't take much persuading to get Jeffrey to agree to check out the place.  I was pretty sure it was going to be closed, but we were in luck- the shop had about 10 minutes left before their normal 5:30 closing time.


We went downstairs to a chocolate- lover's paradise.

There were chocolate creams, caramels, toffee krunches, a wide variety of nuts dipped in chocolate, peanut butter cups, and just about everything chocolate you could imagine.  The small shop was decked out in beautiful fall colors, and the gift boxes were nicer than any I've ever seen.

This machine tempers the chocolate.



We got to see the chocolate tempering machine at work.  It moves the glossy chocolate around almost as if it was a miniature chocolate river.  Then the owner showed us how to fork-dip a cashew nut.  The fork is an antique - they've been in business since 1927 - and it looks almost like a flattened out Easter egg dipper, but much sturdier.

We sampled some dark chocolate on the spot, and it was very, VERY good!  The thing that really caught my attention was their salted nut rolls.  I don't think I'll ever be able to enjoy a Pearson's Salted Nut Roll again after tasting the Drew's version!  It's like comparing a can of store-bought peaches to a fresh, fully ripe Colorado peach pulled fresh from the tree on a perfect sunny day. 

I also indulged my sweet tooth with a cute little clear container of pure caramel, which came with a tiny white spoon on top.  I had intended to save it for a day I really needed a pick-me-up, but I couldn't wait.  I ate it today!

Just a small part of the candy counter

We had hoped to stop back at Drew's on the way home and buy another little box of treats, but our timing was off.  It's definitely worth a drive out to Dexter, and one we'll be making again!

Drew's Chocolates is located at 426 State Street in Dexter.  State Street is the main drag in town.  We took I-80 exit 100 and followed the signs to Casey's, then went another 3 blocks to the shop.  If you're coming from the west, you can also take exit 97 for a more scenic drive through part of the town, which includes some well-kept gravel roads.  Just watch for the Drew's sign, it will take you right to the shop.

Store hours are Monday-Thursday 9AM to 5:30 PM, Friday-Saturday 9AM to 5 PM, and Sunday 12 noon to 4 PM.  We highly recommend this place!

Simple Chocolate Truffles (Cook's Illustrated Recipe Test)

We previously wrote about another recipe we tested out for Cook's Illustrated, Spaghetti al Vino Blanco.  That one turned out pretty well, so I was pleased when a couple weeks back we received two more recipes to test out.   We haven't gotten around to trying one of them out, but last weekend I made the other one:  Simple Chocolate Truffles

The goal for this recipe was "a truffle that was easy to make and had a deep, pure chocolate flavor."  The technique seemed straight-forward enough:  Melt some high-quality baking chocolate (I used Ghiardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bars), stir in some corn syrup, vanilla extract and cream until glossy and pudding-like, then stir in some butter, pour it into a pan lined with parchment paper, then refrigerate for awhile.  Afterward, you cut the chocolate into 1-inch pieces, roll them into balls, then roll the balls in a mix of Dutch process cocoa and confectioner's sugar to coat.  Shake off excess coating and refrigerate them in an airtight container to serve later.  The recipe directions were clear, but it was a bit of a pain trying to line a small baking dish with enough parchment paper to overlap the sides of the dish, and then to keep that flat while pouring the chocolate mixture into the dish atop the parchment paper.

The results were mixed.  I thought the truffles were good, but not what I'd call great.  We both loved the rich, chocolate flavor of the ganache filling, but Juli at first found the cocoa coating a bit too bitter, though she eventually grew to like it.   Still, while I can't say the directions or techniques were difficult, I found the process more work than warranted by the results.   Plus, honestly, the finished truffles don't really look very attractive.  

The finished Truffles

They'd probably look better with a different kind of coating, which may or may not impact my overall impression, but I think I'd still consider these truffles a bit more trouble than they're worth.  I'm planning to post about this on the Cook's Illustrated Facebook page, and I'll be interested in hearing what some of the other recipe testers had to say.

Bing Bars

Twin Bing Bars are made by the Palmer Candy Company in  Sioux City, Iowa.  They're one of my favorite treats.  The only other candy that comes even close to their flavor is the Cherry Mash, which seems to have a lot more distributors. 


 I like Bing Bars  about a million times better than Cherry Mash, though, and every December when my handbell and vocal choirs have their annual Christmas Party, I make my own version.  I tried to bring something else one year, and more than one musician expressed their disappointment.  So now I just bring it every time.

Bing Bars

8 ounces               salted cocktail peanuts
1 12-ounce bag     semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup                 chunky peanut butter
1 16-ounce tub     cherry frosting
1 jar                     maraschino cherries, drained

Spray a glass 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Put the peanuts in a food processor and use the pulse setting until the peanuts look like large crumbs.  If you go too far, you'll end up with peanut butter, so be careful not to overprocess! 

Place the chocolate chips in a heat-resistant bowl and microwave until chips are melted.  Here's my procedure, since microwaves can vary in their wattage:  Heat for 1 minute, then stir;  then continue heating in 30-second intervals until chips melt as you stir.  Remove from microwave and add peanut butter.  Stir until peanut butter melts.  Add peanut bits and stir again.  Spread the mixture into the greased glass pan, and put the pan in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.


Drain the liquid from the maraschino cherries, and put the fruit on some paper towels to thoroughly drain.  Change out the paper towels after about an hour- you really want the cherries to be completely dry. 

When the chocolate mixture has completely chilled, frost with the cherry frosting.  Slice into small portions (this is why you need a glass pan) with a sharp knife. 

You can either use a scissors to slice the dry maraschino cherries in half, and top each piece with a cherry half, or you can use the scissors to cut the cherries into small pieces to sprinkle on top of the frosted chocolate.