ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS: 

Chocolate proved to be the biggest dilemma since the quality can make a huge difference in the end result. Callebaut 811 bittersweet chocolate was chosen for its gourmet quality, ease of use, dairy-free ingredients, and reproducible fantastic results. Unfortunately, this brand can be difficult to find. However, it can be purchased at www.ChocolateSource.com (but search your local gourmet shops). You can also achieve good results but substituting the Callebaut 811 with Ghirardelli® Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (but, for the purposes of this cookbook, don't use the Ghirardelli® double chocolate chips).

The choice of dairy-free shortening was essential to the recipes but limited by the use of whey in most brands of margarine. Fortunately, Fleishchmann's® had insight to the dairy dilemma and produced a lactose-free margarine for baking. The lactose free Unsalted Fleischmann's® stick margarine was chosen (for the cookbook) due to its versatility, creamy quality, buttery flavor and 100% dairy-free ingredients.

Tofutti® brands Better than Cream Cheese® and Sour Supreme® were used extensively throughout the cookbook for their superior flavor and consistency. David Mintz, a soy genius, who lives and works by the highest of ethical standards, also runs the Tofutti® Company. You're assured high quality, 100% dairy-free ingredients in all Tofutti® products.

I also used only “cage-free” or “free-roaming” large eggs. If you’ve ever been to a chicken farm, you’ll understand why. If you haven’t, just trust me on this one.