The Lake Champlain Chocolates blog, where you'll discover
the latest news from the factory, tutorials, and all things chocolate!
As a Certified B Corporation®, we are dedicated to using business as a force for good. This means giving back to our local community and supporting local organizations, like the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program.
Did you know that a group of bunnies is called a fluffle? A fluffle is what our neighbors to the north, in Canada, call a group or herd of rabbits. Here at Lake Champlain Chocolates, we know a thing or two about fluffles— fluffles of gourmet chocolate bunnies that is! Each year we handcraft over 175,000 delectable chocolate bunnies for Easter in our Burlington, Vermont factory. Our chocolatiers took a break from the factory to share some fun facts about what goes into making all of the different kinds of chocolate bunnies.
To make a fluffle of chocolate bunnies that is truly extraordinary, you need to start with only the highest quality ingredients. That’s why our chocolatiers use only the best-tasting, fair trade and organic certified chocolate. This means your family can enjoy their Lake Champlain Chocolates Easter bunnies knowing that they are sustainably and ethically made, and do not contain GMOs!
What makes our bunnies so irresistible? They have a good temper! Before any fuffles can be made, our chocolatiers must first temper the chocolate. This step gives the chocolate bunnies a clean snap and lustrous shine. The chocolatiers use a special tank with giant spinning wheel to keep the molten chocolate in constant motion. This helps the chocolate to stay tempered while it is being used to create the bunnies.
Our Classic Bunnies are our most popular Easter treats. To craft these solid milk, dark, and white chocolate bunnies, our chocolatiers fill three dimensional, bunny-shaped molds with tempered chocolate — four bunnies at a time. The bunnies then get treated to a brief period of rest and relaxation in our cold room. Once the chocolate sets up, the bunnies are removed from the molds and then hand-wrapped and dressed with a beautiful bow.
There’s nothing cuter than a group of tiny baby bunnies, unless of course, they are chocolate! Enter our small bunny table favors. These miniature chocolate bunnies are perfect for decorating a table or tucking inside an Easter egg. To make these hollow chocolate bunnies, our chocolatiers use a special depositor, which allows them to control how much chocolate gets put into each mold. Just a dollop of chocolate perfection!
Now it’s time to get things rocking and rolling. Once half of the bunny mold is filled with tempered chocolate, the other (empty) half is attached to the top. The chocolate molds are then placed on the magnetic tumbler. This innovative machine spins the molds in two directions causing the chocolate to coat the outside of the mold while leaving the center hollow. Voila, a fluffle of hollow chocolate bunnies is born!
Looking for a fluffle that is truly unique? Our Cruisin’ Bunny rabbit and giant Mr. Goodtime Bunny are hand-decorated. Crafting these extraordinary bunnies takes time and a steady hand. Our chocolatiers take bottles filled with white chocolate and dark chocolate and carefully paint each detail; a marbled dark chocolate blazer, beautiful white chocolate flowers, or flashy white chocolate fenders. Talk about a custom paint job — each bunny is a unique work of chocolate art!
Interested in learning more? Want to see the chocolatiers in action? Come take a tour of our Vermont chocolate factory! Happy Easter! May it be filled with joy, fluffles of delicious bunnies, and extraordinary chocolate moments!
You know how hard it can be to find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift that will express just how you feel about someone. Well, we have the perfection solution to your gift-giving dilemma. Share the love with extraordinary chocolates from Vermont.
Yes, that’s right. We are ringing in 2017 in style with four amazingly delicious new organic chocolate bars. With the addition of boozey caramel, tart and crunchy raspberries, spicy and sweet honey, and cacao nibs and bold coffee, you are sure to find a new favorite!
Whether you trim the tree, light the menorah, indulge in the feast of the seven fishes, or spin the dreidel for chocolate gelt, the holidays are a time to embrace tradition. Our busy chocolate elves, took a minute from crafting, packaging and shipping irresistibly delicious chocolate to share some of their fondest holiday traditions.
