The Greek chocolate company ION is renowned for its chocolate bars, including the delicious ION Amygdalou, featuring milk chocolate and almonds, created in 1947, but perhaps less well-known is their line of products for baking and for creating your own confections.

ION Cocoa with its aroma and light texture that set it apart from all others is found in kitchen cabinets throughout Greece. For years, ION’s 100% natural cocoa, with nothing added, has graced all pastries – or beverages – with the genuine taste of ION.

Also among the ION products are various kinds of couverture chocolate which is a type of chocolate used to make pastries, bonbons, truffles, and other confections. ION Patisserie Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, and White Chocolate can be used for any homemade sweet or pastry.

Try the following recipes that feature ION products.

Hot Cocoa

4 cups whole milk or unsweetened almond milk

4 tablespoons ION cocoa powder

3 ounces ION dark chocolate bar, chopped

2 teaspoons sugar per mug

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. When the milk is warm, add cocoa powder, chopped chocolate, and sugar, and whisk to combine. Continue cooking on stovetop until completely combined and cocoa has reached your preferred temperature. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Taste and add sugar, if preferred.

Cupcakes with ION Chocolate Surprise

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened ION cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon Greek sea salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12 ION Noisetta chocolates, or ION pralines, unwrapped

Frosting of your choice, optional

ION chocolate bar, chopped for garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper baking cups and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Beat until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups halfway with the cake batter and place one of the ION chocolates in the center of each, spoon a bit more of the batter on top to cover the candy. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes and the tops are firm. Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove them from the pan and allow them to cool completely. Frost, if preferred, and top with chopped ION chocolate bar to garnish.