Dessert Report

Now that Valentine's Day is over, many people are returning to avoiding too much sugar for health reasons or personal preferences. Luckily there are still plenty of ways to enjoy sugar-free desserts. A spoonful of peanut butter topped with sugar-free chocolate chips or a quick sugar-free fudge or cheesecake will often hit the spot, but many people do enjoy something a bit more complex.

Sugar-free chocolate is one of the easiest types of desserts to make, so it's no wonder that this recipe for chocolate fondue looks so simple and yummy. This list of desserts also includes cranberry orange crumble and red velvet cookie bites, which both look awesome, too! And here are even more sugar-free desserts with a wider variety, from brownies to gajar ka halwa and amaranth chikki. 

What sugar-free desserts are you enjoying right now? Which recipes have you created, and which ones have you learned from others but know as tried and true recipes? Share your favorites in the chat. 

Disney is like a culture in and of itself, from the hardcore fans who make pilgrimages to the Mouse as often as they can to the rules of staying in character. The Mouse also has some really fun and cool "secrets," like the fact that their giant gingerbread houses contribute to the local ecosystem once the holiday season is over.

Disney recently shared an Instagram video depicting just what happens to these houses. They break down each piece and take them to a farm in Florida where bees eat them until they're gone, which helps keep the bees fed throughout the winter months. They noticed that the bees were especially interested in the structures each year and thought it might be a great way to help their declining populations thriv again. Then they wash up the structures used to hold the houses to reuse the following season! 

What other cool dessert facts have you learned about this week? Any fun recipes or fun tidbits about candy or baked goods that you've learned? Share them in the chat. 

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that really brings out the creativity of culinary artists, and lately they are really outdoing themselves with bold colors, fun flavors, and really pretty presentation. Some of it is really too pretty to eat while others are begging for consumption.

Take this incredible Cherry Buttercream Shortbread Tray. Just look at all that pink goodness! It reminds me of old Strawberry Shortcake cartoons from the 80s and I love it. Then there's this box of truffles from Godiva that looks like a bunch of witchy marbles--or maybe a bunch of worlds, like the ones that are referenced at the end of Men in Black. They're so mesmerizing it's hard to eat them! And Sugarfina has this beautiful box of delicacies that would be sure to please a lot of sweet teeth.

What other cute Valentine's treats have you run across lately? Do you make your own or bake with friends and family? Share your links and recipes in the chat. 

As a candy lover who doesn't get out much--and who tries to avoid sugar as much as possible for health reasons--I rarely get to see what new candies or sweets are released each year, but I'm definitely always interested! The sweet tooth runs deep in my family and it's super hard for me to say no if it's already in my house. How about you?

Glancing at some newly available sweets only confirms that there are many irresistable flavors out now in various candies and sweets. These white pineapple-flavored Sour Patch Kids look so good, and have you seen the video going around where you microwave them to make them enormous? Maybe I'll have to get some for scientific purposes. 

These giant-sized Skittles don't tempt me nearly as much as these Skittles Chewies, even if the former are three times as large as regular Skittles! Taffy is one of my favorites so the chewies look right up my alley.

What new candies are out that have piqued your interest? Which candies do you hope to try, and which ones look absolutely outrageous? Share them with us in the chat!