Cooking With Chocolate — Tips and Hints
Melting Chocolate
1. Melt in a Double Boiler
This is the best method for melting chocolate. Put the chocolate in the top of a double boiler; put water in the bottom pot and heat until the water is hot, but not boiling. Stir the chocolate until it is melted. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a heat proof bowl in the top of a pot whose top is smaller than the bowl. Put water in the pot, but don’t let it touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir until the chocolate is melted.
2. Melt in the Microwave
Place the chocolate in a glass custard cup or glass measuring cup. Microwave on high for 20 seconds. Remove and stir. Repeat as needed until the chocolate is not quite throughly melted, then stir so the chocolate’s own heat completes the melting process.
Tempering Chocolate
1. Chocolate that is to be used for dipping and molding must be tempered. Chocolate that is used in baked items, frosting, puddings or other such desserts does not have to be tempered.
2. For home tempering, you can purchase a small home tempering appliance for about $150. You only have to put the chocolate into the machine.
3. For home tempering done by hand, these are the steps:
* Shave about 4 ounces of the chocolate called for in a recipe.
* Chop the rest of the chocolate very fine.
* Melt the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Do not let the water touch the chocolate. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and has reached a temperature of 100-105 degrees on a candy thermometer.
* Remove the top of the double boiler off the bottom pot.
* Stir the shaved chocolate into the mixture, one tablespoon at a time to bring down the temperature of the mixture to 86 degrees.
* If chocolate is too warm or too cold, it will not be shiny and will not set properly.
Storing Chocolate
1. Store chocolate wrapped in brown paper or aluminum foil in a cool, dry place (65-70 degrees). Plastic wraps and storing in the refrigerator may cause the chocolate to develop moisture, which can ruin chocolate for cooking. Temperatures over 78 degrees will cause the chocolate to melt. Should the chocolate get too warm and develop “cocoa butter bloom,” grayish discoloration or “sugar bloom,” sugar rises to the surface and chocolate becomes grainy, melting will restore the original color. Generally, chocolate stored at the right temperature will retain freshness for over a year.
2. Store cocoa powder in a tightly closed container to retain freshness almost indefinitely.
Chocolate Substitutions
1. For one (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
Substitute 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa and 1 tablespoon shortening.
2. For one ounce semisweet chocolate
Substitute 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips or 1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate and 1 tablespoon sugar.
3. For one cup (6 ounces) Semi-sweet chocolate
Substitute 6 tablespoons cocoa, 7 tablespoons sugar,1/4 cup shortening
4. For one bar (4 ounces) sweet baking chocolate
Substitute three tablespoons cocoa plus 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 2 2/3 tablespoons shortening
The Types of Chocolate
The Start of Chocolate–Chocolate Liquor
Chocolate starts with the cacao (cocoa) bean. It grows on a tropical evergreen tree only 20 degrees north and south of the Equator, mostly in West Africa and Latin America.
Cacao Nibs are the main part of the bean. The Nibs are cleaned and roasted. They contain more than 50% cocoa butter.
The Nibs are ground with enough heat to liquefy the cocoa butter, creating chocolate liquor, liquid essence not alcohol.
Cocoa butter is a vegetable fat that is removed when the chocolate liquor is pressed under pressure. This butter gives chocolate its distinctive texture.
The Chocolate
Unsweetened (bitter, pure) chocolate is 100% chocolate liquor with nothing added to it. It is molded into one ounce blocks and sold eight blocks to a package. It is used for baking and cooking.
Semisweet (bittersweet, extra bittersweet) contains at least 35% chocolate liquor, but can contain 35-60%. It has sugar and extra cocoa butter added to it. It is sold in blocks or chocolate chips and is used mostly for cooking and baking.
Sweet (Dark) chocolate (also called German sweet chocolate) contains the same ingredients as semisweet, but has more sugar. It must contain at least 15% chocolate liquor. It is used mostly for baking and cooking.
Milk Chocolate is sweet chocolate with milk added. It contains at least 10% chocolate liquor. It should not be used in cooking unless a recipe specifically calls for it.
Cocoa Powder Is a form of pure chocolate with almost all the cocoa butter removed and no additives or preservatives. Since the cocoa butter is removed, cocoa powder has the lowest fat content of any chocolate product.
White Chocolate is not really chocolate at all since it contains no chocolate liquor. High quality white chocolate is made with cocoa butter, sugar, vegetable oils, milk and vanilla, but lower grades have had all the cocoa butter removed and replaced with another vegetable oil. It is used in cooking and candy making.
Chocolate Flavored means that a product has its flavor derived from chocolate liquor or cocoa, but not enough to meet the government standards to be labeled “chocolate.”
Artificial Chocolate is mostly chemical, not chocolate. It contains nothing derived from the cacao bean.
Belgian Chocolate Gift Baskets: A Truly Wonderful Treat For Everybody
Belgian chocolates provide many options that can meet everybody’s needs when talking about chocolates. Belgian chocolates have become the food of the champions, the indulgences of wealthy people, the sole favorite of the average masses, and the lures of lovers. Yearly, Belgium can produce about 172,000 tons of chocolates from 2,000 chocolate outlets all over the country. So, the supply is unlimited for your gift baskets.
Chocolate gift baskets are increasingly becoming popular. Belgian chocolates have soothing tastes that fits any age group. Belgian chocolate gift baskets can work effectively because most everybody is a chocolate lover. Some people just love chocolates with particular flavors and some don’t care about the brands anymore as long as it is chocolate. People have different reasons why they like chocolates. Some like its sweetness, some like its bitterness, some like its nuts, and some like its caramel fillings. Others may prefer white chocolates. Different varieties of Belgian chocolates in gift baskets can satisfy chocolate lovers all day. Belgian chocolate gift baskets suit all types of occasions.
Most kids also love to receive such gifts during special occasions. Rose or heart shaped Belgian chocolates are perfect for your gift basket if it is intended for your girlfriend. She could never resist such a wonderful treat. In addition, Belgian chocolate baskets can be combined with a bottle of wine if you are planning for a romantic evening. Chocolates are known to be aphrodisiacs. It is associated with simple sensual pleasures upon consumption. Some studies revealed that serotonin as well as other chemicals such as phenethylamine is responsible for mild sexual stimulation. However, giving chocolate gifts to your sweetheart is a traditional ritual of courtship.
There are also different methods when packing Belgian chocolates in gift baskets. It depends on the receiver. There are also chocolates in gift boxes already with finest materials. If you prefer this, you don’t need to make the basket gift wrapping. One good idea to make Belgian chocolates gift baskets really especial is to send it to someone you do not know really well. The recipient can be surprised that such an expensive gift is given to them. Likewise, you do not have to worry whether the person likes your gifts or not.
Low calorie Belgian chocolates are fine for health conscious people who are afraid of calories. They can appreciate it well since you are also concerned with their health as well as never deprive them of enjoying chocolate treats. Recently, some research claims the highly medicinal benefits of eating chocolates.
You can try the most sublime confection of chocolates called Belgium pralines. These chocolates are beautifully sculpted in shells concealing a central filling of surprising flavors and textures. Many chocolate manufacturers still make Belgian pralines by hand. There are also luxury chocolates which provide the best ever tasting chocolates ever manufactured. However, this is not a good gift for allergy sufferers and diabetics. Instead you can select from chocolates that are dairy-free, sugar-free, and which suits diabetic people.
The creation of Belgian chocolates is truly a genius undertaking. The manufacturers really see the importance of chocolates in the lives of many people even from the past centuries until now. These treats make people happy regardless of whatever reasons. So, never fail to incorporate chocolate gift baskets into your lives and continue the tradition in touching other people’s lives. It is only a matter of giving chocolates.
Cocoa Beans
Cocoa beans come from the heart of the Caribbean where the climate and genetic origin of cacao trees create conditions for producing some of the best quality cocoa beans in the world. The Dominican Republic is the leading source of Fair Trade cocoa and boasts 70% of the world’s organic cacao production grown almost exclusively on small family farms.
We seek to balance the desires of our customers for the highest quality organic cocoa products with the basic economic needs of cacao producers in the developing world while sustaining a healthy environment for their well-being.
Our Core Values are Social Responsibility, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Economic Justice, Quality, Customer Service, Environmental Sustainability, and Education.
