Varieties of Chocolate: How Do You Use Them?

Hope you are having a wonderful week. Did you know that there are many different kinds of chocolate?

Different forms and flavors of chocolate are produced by varying the amount of the ingredients. Other flavors can be obtained by varying the time and temperture when roasting the beans. It is an amazing process! Let's see what makes them all so different.

"Unsweetened Chocolate'' is pure chocolate liquor, also known as bitter or baking chocolate. It's unadulterated chocolate: Ground roasted chocolate beans with no other added ingredients imparts a strong, deep chocolate flavor in all the sweets you add it to. However, with the addition of sugar, it's used as the base for American style layer cakes, brownies, confections, and cookies.

Dark Chocolate is chocolate without milk as an additive, sometimes called plain chocolate. The US Government calls this Sweet Chocolate, and requires a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor. European rules specify a minimum of 35% cocoa solids.

"Couverture" is a term used for cocoa butter rich chocolates of the highest quality. Popular brands of couverture used by professional pastry chefs and often sold in gourmet and specialty food stores include: Valrhona, Lindt, Cacao Barry and Esprit des Alpes. These chocolates contain a high percentage of chocolate liquor (sometimes more than 70 percent), as well as cocoa butter, at least 32-39%, are very fluid when melted, and have an excellent flavor. Try these some time. The taste experience is extraordinary: It is a Chocolatier's delight.

In fact, chocolate of this quality is often compared to tasting fine wine because subtleties in taste are often apparent, especially when you taste a variety of semisweet and bittersweet couvertures with different percentages of sugar and chocolate liquor.

Milk Chocolate, is chocolate with milk powder or condensed milk added. The US Government requires a 10% concentration of chocolate liquor. European rules specify a minimum of 25% cocoa solids.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate is used for cooking purposes. It's a dark chocolate with a higher sugar content and often lower cocoa content than true dark chocolate.

Bittersweet Chocolate is chocolate liquor (or unsweetened chocolate) to which sugar, more cocoa butter, lecithin, and vanilla has been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate but the two are interchangeable in baking. The best quality bittersweet and semisweet chocolate is produced as couverture and many brands now print the percentage of chocolate liquor it contains on the package. Remember this rule: The higher the percentage of liquor the more bittersweet the chocolate will be.

Generally Europeans favor bittersweet chocolate and Americans prefer semisweet chocolate which has more sugar than bittersweet chocolate.

White Chocolate isn't really true chocolate as I mentioned before in my blogs. It's a confection based on cocoa butter without the cocoa solids and doesn't have the mood altering components. However, it's still rich with flavor and has so many uses which we'll discover in the future.

There are two types of Unsweetened Baking Cocoa available: natural cocoa (like the sort produced by Hershey's and Nestle) and Dutch-process cocoa (such as the Hershey's European Style Cocoa and the Droste brand). Both are made by pulverizing partially defatted chocolate liquor (unsweetened chocolate) removing nearly all their cocoa butter. There is a difference; however, and I'll share two important hints with you.

Natural Cocoa is light in color and somewhat acidic with a strong chocolate flavor. Hint #1: In baking, use natural cocoa in recipes which call for baking soda (because it's an alkali). Combining the two creates a leavening action that allows the batter to rise during baking.

Dutch-Process Cocoa has been processed with alkali to neutralize its natural acidity so it's darker often with a reddish cast. Dutch cocoa is slightly milder in taste and deeper in color than natural cocoa. Hint #2: Use Dutch cocoa in recipes that call for baking powder as its leavener (raising agent).

And then you have the old-fashioned Chocolate Bar that frequently contains ingredients such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, fruit, caramel, or even crisped rice. Other chocolate confections contain alcoholic liqueurs, or sometimes luscious flavors such as mint, orange, or starwberry. Chocolate is a common snack favorite with young and old alike all over the world.

Well, there you have it. A quick run-down of the varieties of chocolate found in the World of Chocolate. Hope this will be of help to you when choosing the right Chocolate for your recipes.

Till next time-May your kitchen be filled with joy and happy children.

Chocolate Is Actually GOOD for You

Chocolate is actually good for you, if used in moderation, says new research.
New research into flavonoids, which are found in chocolate, has shown that they can be very beneficial for your heart and can reduce your risk of cancer. In fact, the flavonoids in chocolate are actually more effective antioxidants than those in tea, which is also considered a very good source of these necessary compounds. However, scientists point out that chocolate is still not a replacement for fruits and vegetables, and that chocolate should contain a high percentage of cocoa and not too much milk and fat to be effective. If you find this article interesting, be sure to also read 'Cocoa is loaded with anti-cancer phytochemicals and compounds, says research.'See more articles like this one at www.Newstarget.com

Targeted benefits:

Original news summary: (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7339594/)
Since flavonoids seem to help prevent heart disease and cancer, the idea of eating chocolate sounds like a tempting and delicious way to better your health.
The complete message is, however, that although chocolate might be preferable to other treats, it is no substitute for vegetables and fruits, which also contain flavonoids.
The flavonoids in chocolate that laboratory studies demonstrate to have powerful antioxidant effects are called flavanols and procyanidins.
This rise in antioxidant levels helps protect us from damage to the heart and blood vessels, while it also guards our DNA from damage that can lead to cancer.
The antioxidants in chocolate have generated a lot of interest because studies show that these compounds are more powerful antioxidants than EGCG in tea, which is a strong antioxidant.
One study that compared the total antioxidant activity in single servings of cocoa, green tea, black tea and red wine scored cocoa markedly higher than the rest.
Because dark chocolate is more concentrated in cocoa content, it is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate.
For this reason, dark chocolate is used in research studies.
Beware calorie load A cup of hot or cold cocoa may sound like a health drink loaded with antioxidants, but almost all cocoa drink mixes contain cocoa treated with alkali (also called Dutch cocoa) to produce a darker, richer taste.
Surprisingly, the fat content of chocolate is not a reason to avoid it.
Technically, chocolate contains saturated fat, but the particular type of saturated fat -- stearic acid -- is unique because it does not raise blood cholesterol.
In comparison, a serving of vegetables and fruits contains a generous amount of health-promoting phytochemicals and only 25 to 80 calories.
Recent research on the flavonoids in chocolate implies that we can enjoy limited amounts of this sweet treat without guilt.

So go ahead and have that wonderful Spiced Hot Chocolate that was in my last blog. And, next time you are entertaining, try it for a meal finale with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Your guests will love it.

Good Health to you-

Having Hot Chocolate? Spice it Up!

Hope you are having a fantastic weekend. We have had a little rain today in our part of the country which we very much needed. It has made for a very pleasant, cool evening, however, which is great.

Did you see the new Willie Wonka movie yet? If you did, let me know what you thought of it. My sons thought it was good, just "very different from the the old classic."

A couple days ago, I gave you an old recipe, the Breakfast Chocolate Drink. Well, to continue the story of chocolate, when the cocoa beans were brought back to Spain, the Spaniards made their own special chocolate drink which became very popular with the wealthy who enjoyed it with their breakfast. They added spices to it, much like chai tea. They would add such spices as nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla.

So the next time you're stressed and need to take a break, make yourself some hot chocolate and indulge a little: Spice it up for an extra treat. Sounds delicious, doesn't it?

Have a lovely day tomorrow. Till next time, be happy.

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is Out!

Are you ready to enjoy a beautiful summer weekend? Time has sure gone by quickly, and the long awaited new version of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie with Johnnie Depp in the starring role is out today.

My grown sons have gone to the first showing in our area. I am waiting to hear how it compares with the first one with Gene Wilder. Chocolate definitely flows freely in this story. If anyone has any reviews, let me know what you think of it and if you think it is "kid" friendly. I'll have a new recipe for you tomorrow. Until then-

May you have a kitchen filled with joy.

Chocolate-Fruit of the Gods

Hope you have had a great day. Did you know that the term we know as "Cocoa" is actually really "cacao"? The small tropical tree is known to botanists as Theobroma Cacao from which we get a variety of preparations and foods under the name of cocoa and chocolate for eating and drinking. Theobroma cacao means Fruit of the Gods!

The name "chocolate" is nearly the same in most languages and taken from the Mexican name of the drink, Chocolatl or Cacahualtl. Originally the plant was from the Amazon headwaters and then cultivated in Central America by the Mayas and Aztec. Cortez discovered it during his invasion in 1519. The precious seeds were being used as food as well as a medium of exchange. The beverage made from the seeds was a sacred drink and drunk from golden cups. It was introduced to Spain around 1585, and, as they say, The Rest is History.

Just as many people have their coffee or tea in the morning, there are those who enjoy their Breakfast Chocolate Drink. Here is a nearly 100 year-old, old-fashioned recipe for a Chocolate Breakfast Drink:

3T Breakfast Cocoa
3T sugar
Few grains of salt
1 cup boiling water
3 cups milk

"Scald your milk in double boiler. Mix cocoa, sugar, and salt, and add water gradually, so that mixture is perfectly smooth; bring to boiling point and let boil 3 minutes. Pour into scalded milk and beat two minutes using a wire whisk or Dover egg beater thus preventing scum, which is so unsightly. This process is called milling." (Using a modern, hand-held Braun food blender or other such appliance speeds up the process.)

Do you remember or have an old-fashioned egg beater. I still have one I keep on a shelf as a remembrance of "days gone by." It has a red wooden handle. I used to use one like it. Aren't we fortunate to have the wonderful modern appliances that we do now. It certainly makes life so much easier.

Thank you for stopping by. Let me know, if you will, what your favorite recipes are and what you would like to see posted.

May you have joy in the kitchen.

"Live with a grateful heart."

What to Expect in Upcoming Blogs

I love to have fun in the kitchen. I enjoy entertaining and making those special meals and desserts for company that put a little "Wow" into the presentation. What about you?

So, in the upcoming issues of the World of Chocolate, I am going to be directing you to some amazing authors that will be able to show you step-by-step just how to create Chocolate Art. You know those special details such as leaves, curls, small sculptures, and so on. Those are the elegant little touches that make a desert something very special. And many are so easy to do once you see it displayed.

If you are like me, seeing a detailed illustration makes it so much easier to duplicate the steps involved. With a little practice, those "tricks of the trade" will make you a Chocolate Artist, too.

Until tomorrow: May you always live in joy.

Don't Just Eat Chocolate-Experience It!

Recent research has revealed that experiencing pleasure is an emotion that is a distinct neurochemical process, and that the body's defense system is more effective when experiencing pleasure. To the contrary, when we are sad, stressed, or depressed, our defense system becomes less effective and puts down the guard on our resistance to infection.

So it seems, when we are experiencing pleasure in satisfying a craving for chocolate, we needn't feel guilty. There is a secret to all this, however. The secret is not to over-indulge. Don't wait until the craving is so strong that there is no willpower to be moderate. Eat a small amount at a time slowly; a piece of perhaps no more than 2 or 3 bites. And, eat an exquisite, fine chocolate whenever possible. Savor the aroma, the taste, and smoothness on the palate. Many people savor fine chocolates as others do fine wine. It is a delight to the senses; so Enjoy!

White Chocolate? There's no such thing...

Did you know that white chocolate is technically not really chocolate? It tastes great; however, it contains no chocolate liquor. It is a confection made with cocoa butter with the cocoa solids removed. It contains no mood altering phenylethylamine or theobromine.

So, if you are eating chocolate to satisfy one of those real "chocolate cravings" there's no substitute for pure, dark chocolate.

Have a Great afternoon!

Welcome to the World of Chocolate

I'm so glad you stopped by. Do you love chocolate? I do. Chocolate is the decadent, sweet treat that is so hard to resist. Even just little bit can be so satisfying.

I'll be posting geat new recipes as well as old-fashioned ones centered around pure, scrumptious chocolate, chocolate tid bits from around the world, and so much more. So visit often. Let me know what your favorite chocolate treats are, and we'll share them with our friends. Have a beautiful day.

In love and joy,
Donna