Achieving The Ultimate Chocolate Experience
It is a rare person indeed who does not succumb to the allure of chocolate’s melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Somewhere out there is probably an entire course involving many sciences attempting to dissect the magical chocolate experience. The mystique will be linked to words like ecstasy and euphoria and be almost, but not quite explained in terms of biology, chemistry, etc. It will likely mention stuff like serotonin and endorphins, as well as go through the virtues of caffeine. There’s also a good chance that Harry Potter books will be referenced.
Just like the next person, I love me some chocolates. I may not be as addicted as some true-blue chocoholics are, but you’ll have to catch me ignoring a chocolate treat present in my home. As for my dream chocolate experience, it is sipping hot chocolate at the Café Schober (now Café Felix) in Zurich. It is a wonderful mug of piping hot Swiss chocolate and fresh local milk topped with a thick foam of cream. I’d probably sprinkle it with shavings of more Swiss chocolate, but that’s just because I obviously need a lesson in moderation.
However, there are chocolate lovers and there are true fanatics. I don’t think I’ll qualify to be numbered among the latter, but I’m curious to find out what it’s like to feel such passion for the world’s number 1 craving. If I were truly ardent, I’d constantly be in search of the ultimate chocolate experience. I’ve done some research and I’m pretty certain that any chocoholic worth his or her sugar will find the following appealing:
Chocalate Festivals. There are several in the world and each one is something for a chocolate lover to be excited about. If you want your senses assaulted by all things chocolate – exhibits, TASTINGS, and other chocolate-themed attractions – a chocolate festival is in order. Some of these famous festivals are Ghirardelli’s in San Francisco every September, Ganong’s in New Brunswick every August and the Choco-Laté one in Burges every April. The biggest one, the Festival Eurochocolate, is held every October in Perugia, Italy.
Chocolate Tours. You have factories, museums, entire towns… For instance, there’s Cadbury in Birmingham, England. The official tour takes about three hours and offers activities such as writing names in chocolate and making customized chocolate treats. A deluge of sample goodies also showers those partaking in the tour. Another popular chocolate tour is the one given by the city of Melbourne in Australia. It is actually a selection of walking tours that involve delightful tasting sessions of the city’s excellent chocolate offerings.
Chocolate Cruises. If you’re truly serious about chocolates and plan on turning the obsession into something potentially lucrative, Chocolatier Magazine hosts an annual cruise every October and you can learn the tricks of the trade in a gorgeous setting. There are, in fact, other chocolate-themed cruises. Windstar, Regent Seven Seas and MSC are just some of the lines that offer chocolate cruises. It’s simply a matter of choosing which one caters to your tastes and needs the most.
Chocolate-Themed Parks. Many think that Hershey Park is one, but it’s more of a general amusement park than an actual theme park. Adjacent to it though is the actual chocolate-themed park, Hershey’s Chocolate World, which offers rides and other attractions inspired by Hershey’s products. It is one of the parks in a large entertainment complex holding other Hershey landmarks. For those in Asia, China has also recently opened to the public the World Chocolate Dream Park, which boasts of the chocolate versions of the Great Wall and the terra cotta soldiers among its attractions.
Chocolate Lodgings. Something that’s reminiscent of the palace Willy Wonka made for Prince Pondicherry was the Godiva Suite at the Bryant Park Hotel in Manhattan. It was a promotional Valentine’s Day gimmick back in 2008, but was revived the following year. There might be more encores so it wouldn’t hurt to be on the lookout for this every February. A completely chocolate-themed hotel, however, is found in Dorset, England. The Chocolate Boutique Hotel offers Chocolate Weekends that will have your mouth watering and your insulin level going berserk – chocolate fountains, chocolate portraits, chocolate cocktails… truly a chocoholic’s idea of paradise.
Chocolate Spa. How about chocolate spa treatments? The Chocolate Spa at the Hotel Hershey and Geneva’s After the Rain Spa are just a couple of places that feature services such as chocolate body wrap, chocolate bath, cocoa massage, etc. It certainly brings chocolate indulgence to whole new levels.
I hope reading this didn’t give you a toothache. On the other hand, if you’re serious about being a chocoholic, I guess it’s never too early to start making plans. There are so many ways to sate the chocolate obsession and businesses will continue to come up with novel ways to cater to the chocolate-loving public. Under the circumstances, chocoholism is guaranteed to flourish.
Written by wahmivy
freelance writer and translator
More Learn About Chocolate Articles
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: Achieving, CHOCOLATE, Experience, Ultimate
The Rule of 7… About Nigella Lawson
Nigella Lawson… stuff I didn’t know
1. *She was born in 1960… which would make her younger than I am, which seems to be case more and more the case these days, it seems lol.
2.*Her first book was entitled… How To Eat! I could have written a book with a title like that, but I’m not sure anyone would have paid money for it, but I do know how to eat! *She wasn’t educated in her field of cooking, but has a Masters in Languages. Hey, maybe I could pull off a cookbook after all!
3.*She has a pretty cool website with some amazing recipes. The one that she was featuring on the day I visited was Mexican Hot Chocolate. It did look rather scrumptious! Be sure to visit her site : http://www.nigella.com/recipe/
4.*She is quite comfortable in her own skin and her weight. Actually, isn’t she what we would term a normal size? More on this story can be found here: http://jezebel.com/329152/nigella-lawson-feels-bad-about-her-body
5.*What I love about her kitchen: it’s messy. Translation… she likes everything at her fingertips! That’s how I like my kitchen too! It drives my daughter crazy, but it’s my kitchen lol!!
6.”Although I think it is a duty to appreciate the good things in life (and by that I mean what used to be called blessings) I also feel a little anxious and apprehensive about shouting from the rooftops how lucky I am.” Nigella Lawson
7.. Now, you have to love this part… a peek at some of her recipes. For someone who enjoys food as much as she does, you just know that they are going to be good!
Recipes by Nigella Lawson: You are going to need a set of kitchen scales for these recipes, but I found them easily. I love the fact that all I have to wash up is one “measuring dish” instead of a whole bunch of measuring cups!
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE BROWNIES WITH HOT
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE SUNDAE
Can you tell that I love all things chocolate??
Written by HappyGoLucky
Very Nice Boss of SECOND OPINIONS
More Chocolate Education Articles
A Sweet Tasting Review of Stephen Lagorce’s ‘Chocolat’
You’d be forgiven for picking up chef Stephen Lagorce’s ‘Chocolat‘ and thinking you were about to unwrap the biggest bar of chocolate you’ll ever see. Lagorce’s book is an effective and equally delicious two sided affair with Chocolate. One side is the methods and styles of the tasting and evaluating experience itself, and the other side explores the various foods that partner well with chocolate, like certain fruits, vegetables and believe it or not even cigars.
Lagorce begins by trying to wean the average taster from the initial conditioned “I like or I don’t like” response to a more educated and objective assessment of chocolate. After the first few pages I could separate my ‘Gustatory, Olfactory and Physical’ sensations, the three sensations that combine to result in taste. We are even treated to a “tasting glossary” helping us to start labelling these new sensations with words I’d never think of describing chocolate with such as ‘Aggressive, Animal, Grilled or even Acid’.
‘Chocolat’ shows us exactly what criteria to use in rating a good piece of chocolate and the tools that we need to go about it. I was presented with the entirely new idea of tasting with my eyes and ears, and until now was completely unaware that one of the ways a chocolate could be judged is on the sound it makes upon being broken. In fact, even half way through I was very confident I could plan and execute a perfect chocolate tasting event from my own home. Every last detail is taken care of, from how many bowls might be needed, spatulas, spoons or forks, what temperature to serve the samples, and even the best time of the day to carry out an event. The early chapters certainly provide an informative peek through the door of professional tasters and chocolate veterans.
‘Chocolat’ also opens our eyes to the major types of chocolate and their forms found in the culinary world. The descriptions are written with the sweet-toothed food lover at heart, the layout is simple and yet even after the first few pages I was left feeling I knew everything there was to know about the tasty treat. I am now thoroughly impressed I can tell apart my ‘Specialty’ brands from the ‘Single estate chocolates’ as opposed to making my selection based on which looks the more appealing. What a pleasant surprise that such a favourite food most of us take for granted can be viewed in such a delicate and cultured manner.
Things that go with chocolate
In the “Good Things To Go With Chocolate” chapter you’ll find an unusual assortment of foods and drinks you never thought could be paired with chocolate without a sense of humor. It even tells you which cigars will go well with certain types of chocolate, the description of the taste and aroma alone gave me the urge to light up my nearest Montecristo. I was also surprised to find that everyday vegetables such as fennel, red pepper and avocado amongst others go very well with an injection of chocolate though I haven’t quite the courage to try these combinations just yet. So for the brave adventurers out there, there are some gems hidden away in this particular chapter.
The recipe part of the book consists of around 40 ridiculously sinful ideas to satisfy the sweetest palate, ranging from a mouth-watering ganache to butter chocolate squares. All to be enjoyed of course while sipping on a decadent Viennese hot chocolate. The recipes are quick and easy to follow, and those of us who like to see what the end result should (or might look) like will surely not be disappointed by Éric Fénot’s stunning full page eye candy photographs. There are many chocolate books on the market but never have I come across one that so shamefully exhibits the tempting and delicious lure of this humble little bean, the countless pictures almost melt from each page and invoke all the senses required to bring them to life.
The final chapters of Lagorce’s book gives good practical advice on how to buy chocolate, looking after it and also what types of strange and tantalising varieties of chocolate you’d expect to find in different parts of the world. Lagorce has given us an easy to use and fairly complete book with fresh takes on the subject of tasting and cooking with chocolate, accompanied with plenty of recipes and great tips to turn the average ‘just give me any old chocolate now’ person into a real connoisseur. Be warned however this book could be seriously hazardous to the cleanliness of your kitchen. The aroma of this wonderful little bean will start permeating through your home in no time at all, and no more will that bar of chocolate disappear before you’ve tuned into all of your senses. I would highly recommend this fascinating book to anyone who’s ever eaten a bar of chocolate but as for me, it’s time to unleash my three taste sensations on a chocolate roulade!
Written by BordersChai
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: 'Chocolat', Lagorce's, Review, Stephen, sweet, tasting
Types of Chocolate: Understanding the Differences
Sometimes baking with chocolate can cause a lot of confusion. There are so many different types of chocolate available today that it can often be a hassle to know which type of chocolate to use in which situation. This article will help you to understand the different types of chocolate, and when and when not to use them.
1. The Basics
Chocolate first comes from yellow pods that hang from the cocoa tree. When the time is right and the pods are ripe, they are gathered and opened to reveal about 40 cocoa beans within each pod. These cocoa beans are then dried in the sun and allowed to ferment. This helps to develop the rich flavour of chocolate. After that, they are washed again, dried, cured, roasted, and eventually crushed to remove the shells of the bean. This gives us the chocolate nibs, which are further roasted and crushed to obtain a thick liquidy paste known as chocolate liquor or cocoa mass. This is the essence from which all chocolate is made.
Cocoa mass is generally made up of 53% cocoa butter and 47% cocoa solids. The cocoa mass may be further processed to extract these two components for the making of chocolate. The different types of chocolate all vary based on the amount of cocoa butter, cocoa mass, sugar and milk solids present.
2. Unsweetened Chocolate
Unsweetened chocolate is also known as baking chocolate because it is very often used in baking. This is chocolate in the purest form of solid cocoa mass. No sugar or milk solids have been added to it at all, and it is very bitter in taste. It is actually not suitable for eating by itself, and is used together with sugar for baking pastries such as cakes or brownies.
3. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate generally refers to chocolate made with cocoa mass and added sugar, cocoa butter, and sometimes emulsifiers such as lecithin. This chocolate does not have any added milk solids. It includes varieties such as the bittersweet chocolate and the semisweet chocolate. Dark chocolate in Europe more commonly refers to the bittersweet variety, while in America it is usually meant to refer to the semisweet variety. At least 35% of cocoa mass is present in the chocolate.
Semisweet chocolate is taken to be generally sweeter than bittersweet chocolate, but there are no absolute rules governing this and it will vary based on the brand. Both types of chocolate may be substituted for each other in recipes.
4. Sweet Chocolate
Sweet chocolate is required to have at least 15% of cocoa mass, and is sweeter than semisweet chocolate. It contains also additional amounts of sugar, milk solids, and sometimes emulsifiers as well.
5. Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate differs from dark chocolate in that it contains milk solids. It has a lighter colour and milder, sweeter taste. The milk solids present in the chocolate make it less suitable for baking and it should not be substituted for dark chocolate in baked pastries, as the milk solids have a tendency for burning. Compared to dark chocolate, it is also slightly more difficult to temper.
6. White chocolate
White chocolate contains no cocoa mass or cocoa solids. The ingredients mainly present are sugar and cocoa butter. However, sometimes the cocoa butter is replaced with vegetable oil, giving a lower quality chocolate. It is sweeter than the milk and dark chocolates, and also much more difficult to temper.
7. Couverture
Couverture refers to chocolate that contains at least 32% of cocoa butter, thus making it a very fluidly smooth chocolate with a glossy texture. The high amount of cocoa butter also gives a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth experience. Couverture is much more preferred among chefs and chocolatiers.
8. Gianduja
Gianduja is a European style of chocolate that is made by combining ground roasted almonds and milk chocolate. It is used for a variety of purposes and is a very soft chocolate.
9. Coating Chocolate or Imitation Chocolate
Coating chocolate or imitation chocolate is chocolate with the cocoa butter replaced by vegetable oil. In general, its quality is not as good as real chocolate, but requires no tempering and is good for coating candy. It does not melt easily and so is useful for many purposes.
10. Chocolate Chips
Chocolate chips are small, tiny drop-shaped chocolate piece that are popularly used for making cookies and muffins. They can be bought in a variety of flavours and make great toppings.
11. Chocolate Melting Wafers
Chocolate melting wafers, such as pistoles, buttons, ribbons, and calets, are round or oval discs of chocolate that are very conveniently used for melting. The advantage of using them is that you don’t have to take the trouble of chopping up the chocolate for melting.
12. Cocoa powder
Cocoa powder can be divided into natural cocoa powder and Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is simply the brown powder that is left behind after you remove cocoa butter from the cocoa beans. This powder does not contain additional sweeteners, and is slightly acidic. It is light-brown and has a strong taste.
Dutch-processed cocoa powder is natural cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkaline solution. The alkaline solution neutralizes the acidity of the cocoa powder, giving it a milder flavour. It is also darker in color and does not clump together as easily.
Written by artyoung
Find More Chocolate Making Articles
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: CHOCOLATE, Differences, Types, Understanding
How to Make Chocolate Coffee Pudding
Chocolate Coffee Pudding is a treat for chocolate and coffee lovers alike. This recipe uses agar-agar powder instead of gelatin to make this lovely dessert healthier, because agar-agar is high in fiber. Everyone can make this simple dessert, even for those who do not like cooking. Just follow these steps to make your own fantastic chocolate and coffee dessert.
Ingredients:
For the pudding, prepare:
60g sugar
½ cup of espresso or 1 cup coffee
1 packet of non-colored agar-agar (7g)
650ml milk
50g dark cooking chocolate, chopped.
Sauce:
3 egg yolks
600 ml milk
90g sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla essence/ vanilla pod.
1 tsp rum or other sweet desserts liquor (optional)
Method:
Make the pudding:
1. Prepare the mold. Coat the sides of the mold with warm water.
2. Mix all the pudding ingredients in a pan, except the cooking chocolate. Stir over medium heat until boiled. Turn down the heat.
3. Put in the chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Simmer on low heat for about 1 more minutes while stirring. Pour into a pudding mold and let it cool and set.
4. Decorate with whipped cream and cherries if you like.
Make the sauce:
Boil the milk over low heat. If you use a vanilla pod, split the pod and let the pod infuse in the milk covered, for 10 minutes.
Take a tbsp of hot milk and use it to dissolve the cornstarch.
Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy. Pour the yolk mixture and the cornstarch to the milk. Continue to stir under very low heat until the mixture is thicken. Add vanilla essence and rum.
Stir until mixed. Remove from heat. Let it cool. Put a film plastic over the container to prevent the sauce from forming a crusty layer.
Written by Lidya Sin
Categories: chocolate articles, chocolate recipes Tags: CHOCOLATE, Coffee, pudding
How to Make Chocolate Milk Using Cocoa Powder
Who doesn’t love chocolate milk? A refreshing drink to cool you off in the summer. Whether it’s after school or after dinner. Everyone knows that milk is a good way to get your nutrients, but what about those fussy children? How about chocolate milk? Pre made chocolate milk and and chocolate syrup can be unhealthy and full of empty calories. How about using cocoa powder to make your chocolate milk instead? Cocoa powder is all natural and has been around for a long time. So instead of using syrup to make your chocolate milk, try cocoa powder instead.
The most common way to make chocolate milk is with syrup. .
What You Will Need:
1 tbsp. Cocoa powder
2 tbsp. Sugar
Milk
Glass
Spoon
Step 1: For the best results use a tall glass. Once you have your glass picked out, add 2 tbsp. sugar into the glass.
Step 2: Add 1 tbsp. all natural cocoa powder into the glass (I like to add the sugar first so that no cocoa powder gets into the sugar bag).
Step 3: Add just enough milk to wet the ingredients. Using a spoon, mix the contents into a paste.
Step 4: Fill the cup the rest of the way with milk. Stir thoroughly, making sure to scrape the bottom and the sides of the glass. There will be some left over cocoa floating on the surface the chocolate milk (don’t worry, this is supposed to happen), scrape it off.
Photo Credit: Joey Mullins
Written by poyomi
Incoming search terms:
- how to make chocolate milk with cocoa powder
- how to make chocolate milk with cocoa
- making chocolate milk with cocoa
- primal chocolate milk
- how to make chocolate milk from cocoa powder
- make chocolate milk with cocoa powder
- chocolate milk using cocoa
- how to make chocolate milk using cocoa powder
- how to make chocolate milk using cocoa
How to Choose Chocolate that’s High Quality and Tastes Good
Chocolate seems to be everywhere—in supermarkets, bookstores, convenience stores, hotels, at the airport, in salons and spas. You can find milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate with nuts, chocolate with fruit, and gourmet chocolate with superfoods such as acai, goji berries, and cacao nibs. Science has established that chocolate is full of antioxidants, flavonoids that can lower cholesterol levels and may prevent cell damage, and tannins which prevent tooth decay. Raw organic cacao (unsweetened chocolate) is the best way to consume chocolate, but many people have yet to incorporate this into their diets. Candy bars are much more appealing.
Before you rush to the store for a chocolate fix, there are certain things to know and look for. The drawback with buying prepackaged products is that you can’t see what you’re getting. Start with the ingredient list, then try out several different brands. In time you’ll find the right one.
Ingredients – The better the chocolate, the higher the chocolate content. Look for 50-70 percent cocoa solids in the ingredient list. Avoid vegetable fat and artificial flavors. Look for cocoa butter instead. A high percentage of sugar is an indicator of lower quality. The preferred sugars are unprocessed crystallized cane sugar, fructose, and agave syrup.
Appearance – Good chocolate should have an even color. Look for a dark or mahogany brown without streaks, blemishes, cracks, or air holes.
Touch – If you hold a piece of chocolate between your fingers, it should begin to melt in a few seconds. The more cocoa butter (fat content) the chocolate contains, the faster it will melt.
Aroma – The smell of good chocolate is amazing. Ask any woman (you can ignore those few who don’t drool over chocolate). Good chocolate has a wonderful aroma that’s well-balanced. You don’t want it to be overly sweet and there should be nothing that smells sour or off. Look for rich, heady, something that feels extravagant. These are signs of good quality.
Feel – You can tell a lot about chocolate by the way it feels when you break off a piece. A clean snap shows a high quantity of cocoa butter. If vegetable fats or other fats have been used, the chocolate will tend to crumble or splinter.
Texture – How chocolate feels in your mouth is one of the keys to its success in the food industry. People love that melting experience which is due to the fact that cocoa butter has the same melting point as our own body temperature. What you’re looking for is a smooth melting along with an explosion of flavor. Avoid anything that’s grainy, waxy, or powdery. Look for rich creamy chocolate with a buttery feel and complex flavors.
Finding good chocolate takes trial and error. Two bars with the same percentage of cocoa may taste worlds apart. Be patient and have fun. Help support small farmers and the ecology by buying organic and fair trade chocolate. Look for these words on the label. Remember that dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate. The amount of cocoa (or chocolate liquor) in these bars can range from 50-85 percent. The higher the number, the more bittersweet the chocolate.
Written by Nanette
More Learn About Chocolate Articles
