Exotic Chocolate Tasting
This video will talk about their perspective about different chocolate. It will definitely improve your list for chocolate!
Also it will satisfy all your cravings to know what there is to know about exotic chocolate. The video will provide you information on how to enjoy chocolate tasting in a distinctive way.
You will be guided with tips and how to enjoy more with your friends regarding the proper way to do it when conducting occasions like this.
So have fun and learn more on exotic chocolate tasting that can help you discover chocolate in a awesome way.
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Categories: chocolate videos Tags: CHOCOLATE, Exotic, tasting
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
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The History Of Chocolate
Are you a chocolate lover? Do you know how chocolate all started? Are you ready to learn the history of chocolate?
Take some time to watch this video you are about to watch will take you back to the history years ago and show you how chocolate started.
It will talk about the important things you should remember on how our ancestors are able to discover chocolate and how they did it to make it the chocolate today that we always crave for. This will educate you more about chocolate and cacao beans on how they are being produced in a different and earlier time.
So enjoy and learn more about the history of chocolate.
Uncover the bittersweet story of this ancient treat (Amanda Bensen). Read more at
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Categories: chocolate videos Tags: CHOCOLATE, History
Q&A: What type of chocolate is used in making chocolate ice cream?
Question by gg: What type of chocolate is used in making chocolate ice cream?
Cocoa? Melted chocolate?
Do you have a favorite recipe? Lay it on me!
I’m making chocolate ice cream for my own birthday.
Best answer:
Answer by tbdw_tbdw
I think Tyler Florence makes some of the best Ice cream out there. Here is his basic recipe, plus some variations. His Chocolate ice cream is great. I use Dark chocolate chips (half melted like he does, and half added whole so the ice cream has chunks of chocolate in it. Give it a try
10 cups heavy cream
5 cups whole milk
Pinch salt
3 cups sugar
3 vanilla beans
24 large egg yolks
Variations:
Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream:
3/4 cup whole milk
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped in chunks
Strawberry Cheese Cake Ice Cream:
1 1/2 cups strawberry preserves, no sugar added
1/2 frozen strawberry cheesecake, cut in large chunks
10 large fresh strawberries, halved
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Ice Cream:
1 tube ready to bake peanut butter cookie dough, cut in large pieces
To make the vanilla ice cream: Combine the cream, milk, salt, and 2 cups of the sugar in a large pot. Split the vanilla beans down the middle lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife; add them to the pot and toss in the pods for added flavor. Place the cream mixture over medium heat, and bring up to a simmer; stirring with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Ideally, the temperature should reach 175 degrees F (just below scalding) for a smooth-textured ice cream; this should take about 15 minutes. Shut off the heat, cover the pot, and allow the cream mixture to steep for 15 minutes to further infuse the vanilla flavor.
In the meantime, combine the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and blend them lightly with a wire whisk. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup of sugar and continue to whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and the eggs are thick and pale yellow; about 6 minutes.
Using a large ladle or measuring cup, temper the eggs by gradually whisking in about 4 cups of the hot cream mixture. Return this back to the rest of the cream in the saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until the custard thickens and leaves a path on the back of a spoon when you run your finger across it, about 10 to 12 minutes (do not let boil.)
Pour the vanilla custard through a fine strainer into another pot* and chill completely in a sink full of ice, stirring here and there; this should take about 1 hour. Ideally, let the ice cream base “age” overnight in the refrigerator before churning in an ice cream maker to improve the flavor and texture of the final product – but it is still good if you decide to process it right away. Divide the ice cream into quarts** and churn each in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. When done, the ice cream will be the consistency of “soft serve.” ***To harden the ice cream fully, freeze in plastic covered containers.
Flavor Variations:
*To make the Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream: Heat 3/4 up of milk in a pot over medium-low heat. Add 12 ounces of the chopped chocolate and stir until completely melted. Pour 1 quart of the strained hot vanilla ice cream base into the melted chocolate and stir until very well incorporated. Chill and process as directed in the master recipe. Fold in the remaining 4 ounces of chopped chocolate after churning while the ice cream is in the “soft-serve” stage. Churn another 1 to 2 minutes just until combined.
**To make the Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream: Mix the strawberry preserves into the vanilla custard just before you start churning in the ice cream maker. Add the pieces of strawberry cheesecake and fresh strawberries after churning while the ice cream is in the “soft-serve” stage. Continue to churn for an additional 5 minutes or until combined but still chunky.
***To make the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Ice Cream: Add the pieces of cookie dough after churning while the ice cream is in the “soft-serve” stage. Continue to churn for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until combined but still chunky.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Categories: chocolate questions, chocolate recipes Tags: CHOCOLATE, cream, making, type, used
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
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Categories: chocolate articles Tags: CHOCOLATE, Differences, Types, Understanding
TCHO Chocolate, part 3: Taste Test Trip
Chocolate: Taste Test Trip
In this final installment of our TCHO Chocolate trilogy, Xeni and Pesco go on a magical mystery taste test tour — think Willy Wonka meets The Trip. Former NASA software developer Timothy Childs founded the tech-minded chocolate company, and was joined by WIRED co-founder Louis Rosetto.
In previous BBtv episodes we learned about the hacked-together, home-tinkered machines and high-tech wizardry that keep their factory humming. Today we dive in to the genetics of chocolate plants, and the hedonics — the tasting experience — of the finished product, where science meets sensuality meets sugar.
Oh hell, who are we kidding, you guys? We sat around and GOT HIGH on neuroactive cocoa alkaloids. We freebased theobromine and we LIKED IT. We liked it a LOT.
Warning: this episode is NSFC (not safe for chocoholics).
Categories: chocolate videos Tags: Louis Rosetto, NSFC, part, Timothy Childs
