Who does not crave chocolate from time to time? Whether for a quick bite or a luxurious dessert, chocolate hits the spot. Instead of buying pricey chocolates full of preservatives, why not whip up some at home?  Making chocolates is fun and cost-effective. Furthermore, homemade chocolate allows you to use the best ingredients and precise quantity, ensuring they are healthy for you and your family. Ready to dive into some tasty chocolate recipes? Let’s go! Delicious Chocolate Recipes to Try at Home Dark Chocolate  Ingredients 1/4 cup butter, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon milk powder, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence. Instructions First, add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk powder into a sieve. Sift the mixture well into a bowl, discarding any remaining particles. Mix thoroughly and set aside. In a saucepan, boil water and place a dry bowl over it, ensuring the base does not touch the water. Then, add butter to the bowl and whisk until fully melted. Gradually add the sieved ingredients in two batches.  Read more: Aamshotto: 5 Mango Pulp Candy Recipes to Try at Home After the first addition, add the rest portion and whisk until it gets smooth and lump-free. Add vanilla essence and stir quickly. Next, turn off the heat and immediately pour the mixture into moulds. Tap the moulds to remove air bubbles, refrigerate for an hour, and gently remove the chocolates. Enjoy your homemade chocolates!   White Chocolate Ingredients 40 grams of cacao butter, 40 grams of milk powder, and 20 grams of white powdered sugar.  Instructions First, chop the cocoa butter into smaller pieces for faster, and even melting. Set up a double boiler by placing a heat-proof bowl over simmering water, ensuring the water does not touch the bowl’s bottom. Melt the cocoa butter over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to avoid scorching.  Once melted, stir in powdered sugar until dissolved, then add the milk powder and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor to make it smooth. Now pour the melted white chocolate into a baking pan and refrigerate or freeze until set.  Read more: 10 Tasty Bangladeshi Recipes with Flu-fighting Nutrients Store the chocolates in an airtight container in the freezer.  Milk Chocolate Ingredients 40 grams cocoa butter, 15 grams raw cacao powder, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 20 grams milk powder, and ⅛ teaspoons sea salt or less.  Instructions First, set up a double boiler by adding water to a saucepan and placing a heat-proof bowl on top, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Bring the water to a gentle simmer. Chop the cocoa butter into small, even pieces and melt it in the bowl. At this stage, stir frequently to avoid scorching.  Once melted, sift in cacao powder and milk powder, stirring to combine. Then, add powdered sweetener and mix until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Next, pour the mixture into a candy baking pan and place it in a deep fridge for around 20 minutes.  Read more: 10 Tasty Ilish Recipes for Bangladeshi Kitchen You can store the chocolates in an airtight container in the freezer.

During busy office hours, a healthy snack can pacify those inevitable hunger pangs between meals. Finding nutritious, dry, and easy-to-store snacks keeps office employees energized and focused. Here are ten simple and healthy snack ideas that can be easily incorporated into a busy workday. 10 Healthy Office Snack Ideas to Keep You Productive Almonds: The Powerhouse Nut Almonds are a perfect snack for busy employees during office hours. They offer numerous health benefits and are packed with healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E. Almonds help lower cholesterol levels, reduce hunger, and manage weight. Their high protein content supports muscle repair, while magnesium boosts energy levels and promotes relaxation. The antioxidants in almonds also protect against oxidative stress, making them a nutritious and convenient option to keep you energized and focused throughout the workday. Read more: Health Benefits of Different Types of Nuts Cashews: Nutritious and Convenient Cashews are a convenient and nutritious snack for everyone. Rich in healthy fats, protein, magnesium, and vitamins, cashews support heart health, boost energy, and improve bone strength. Their high magnesium content helps reduce fatigue and muscle cramps, while the protein aids in muscle repair and keeps you feeling full longer. Cashews also contain antioxidants that protect against cellular damage and promote overall well-being. Easy to keep and enjoy, cashews are a perfect mid-morning snack during office hours. Walnuts: Brain-Boosting Goodness Walnuts are an excellent snack choice for busy employees needing a nutritious boost. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamin E, walnuts support brain health, reduce inflammation, and improve heart health. Their high fiber content aids digestion and keeps you feeling full longer, while the protein provides sustained energy throughout the day. Walnuts also contain essential minerals like magnesium and phosphorus, which help maintain bone health and muscle function. All these benefits make walnuts a convenient and healthy snack option for staying focused at the office. Read more: Top 10 Healthy Seeds to Eat Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: Crunchy and Nutritious Roasted pumpkin seeds are a nutritious and convenient snack for busy employees. They are packed with antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids, offering numerous health benefits. These seeds support heart health, regulate blood sugar levels, and boost the immune system. Their magnesium content aids muscle function and relaxation, while zinc enhances cognitive performance and immunity. Roasted pumpkin seeds also provide a satisfying crunch and are easy to store, making them an ideal mid-morning snack. Dried Mangoes: Sweet and Healthy Dried mangoes are a tasty and nutritious snack during office hours. Rich in vitamins A and C, fiber, and antioxidants, dried mangoes support eye health, boost the immune system, and improve skin health. The natural sugars in dried mangoes provide a quick energy boost, while the fiber aids digestion and keeps you feeling full longer. Additionally, the antioxidants help protect cells from damage. Easy to store and carry, dried mangoes are a convenient and healthy option to keep you energized. Read more: How to Make Baklava at Home: Versatile Recipes from Different Cultures

From babies to older people, it is hard to find anyone who doesn't like chocolate. From chocolate bars to chocolate cakes, chocolate milkshakes, chocolate brownies, chocolate pastries, everything is mouthwatering. Chocolates have different varieties. Among them, the ‘Dark Chocolate’ satisfies not only the taste buds but also the soul. The habit of eating Dark chocolate provides a bunch of benefits to the mind and body. Let’s find out the health benefits and nutritional value of dark chocolate. What is dark chocolate? How is it different from regular chocolates? The main ingredient in chocolate is cocoa beans, which are rich in antioxidants and it is great for our body. Usually, the cocoa has a bitter taste, and Fat or sugar are usually added to remove the bitter taste of chocolate. But, in this process, the quality of chocolate is lost. So, to get the benefits of chocolate, you need to eat at least 70% or more of the cocoa in the chocolate. Dark chocolate is one of the food ingredients full of antioxidants. It is basically a form of chocolate that contains cocoa butter and solid cocoa. Unlike regular chocolate, it doesn't have any milk or butter. Usually, dark chocolate contains 50-90% of cocoa solids, sugar, and cocoa butter. However, the amount of butter is extremely low. Read Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Fish Oil: Natural Sources, Benefits, Risks Common Types of dark chocolate Usually, dark chocolates are distinguished by the availability of the percentage of cocoa solids in the bar. Normally most common types of dark chocolates are bittersweet, semi-sweet, and sweet.  Although the best quality dark chocolates should contain at least 70% of solid cocoa, the amount of cocoa in commercial dark chocolate may start from 30%. Usually, commercially produced dark chocolates contain 30-80% or higher for extremely dark or bitter bars.  The bitterness depends on the cocoa percentage. That is why the chocolate brands put the percentage of the dark on the level so that buyers can buy according to their needs. Read Panta Bhat: The Amazing Health Benefits of Water Rice How is dark chocolate produced? Solid cocoa and cocoa butter are the main ingredients of dark chocolates. However, dark chocolate containing 100% cocoa will have an extremely bitter taste and might not be edible. Hence, to make it edible, producers add milk ingredients and sugars to reduce the bitterness. Furthermore, chocolate liquor and cocoa powder are also added. But the percentage of cocoa remains higher than other types of regular chocolate. Benefits of dark chocolate Dark chocolate is rich in active organic ingredients, which act as antioxidants. These ingredients are polyphenols, flavonols, etc. A study suggests that dark chocolate contains more antioxidant content than many fruits. While antioxidants prevent cell damage it also works on cancer prevention. Moreover, dark chocolates have other health benefits too. Read Cooking Oil: Best and Worst Oil for Health Improves Heart health The antioxidant ingredients available in dark chocolate can increase good cholesterol levels and lower the levels of bad cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. So, taking dark chocolate daily can reduce the chances of any coronary heart disease. Studies have shown that dark chocolate is more beneficial than milk chocolate. The study also found that dark chocolate can reduce the risk of death from heart problems by 50% over 15 years. Reduces depression Depression can hamper our body as well as the mind and various deadly diseases nest in the body. Eating dark chocolates regularly can fight depression. The antioxidant-rich ingredients in dark chocolate regulate blood flow to the brain. As a result, a type of hormone is released, which helps to keep the mind fresh. Also, other nutrients in dark chocolate help to increase mental strength by storing energy in the body. Read Egg Diet For Weight Loss: Does It Work?