Archive for May, 2013

Chocolate Gift Baskets

Finding the perfect gift to give to a client can be quite a challenge. There are many options out there, though. Gift baskets are oh-so-famous. Food-related gifts have become commonplace as a way to show your appreciation or gratitude. That said, majority of people don’t want the usual generic food themed gift basket.

Thus, a good alternative to the generic gift basket would be something special, something the recipient will think has gotten a lot of effort. A chocolate gift basket is a perfect choice when looking for this kind of gift. Chocolate gift baskets are available in different sizes. There are also a long list of choices when selecting that perfect basket to let someone know that you truly care.

The most famous chocolate gift baskets are those that have many different types of chocolate treats. Many of us prefer milk chocolate, or is it a thing of the past now considering dark chocolate items are becoming increasingly popular? It is best to choose a gift basket that has a mix of chocolate items and of course, white chocolate has many fans also.

The chocolate treats that you typically see in these gift baskets are always very delish. Chocolate covered pretzels, truffles, and specialty nuts are the most common ones. A lot of companies include a good mix of items in the chocolate gift baskets so that the recipient has many choices. You know what they say, variety is the spice of life.

Another plus factor about chocolate gift baskets is that you can always find a size that will be good for everyone’s budget. You can opt for small baskets that cost less than $ 40 or you can go for large ones that will make you spend over $ 100. All these choices make it an easy item to pick when on the hunt for a gift to satisfy the chocolate lover in your client.

Find More Chocolate Making Articles

chocolate classes

Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Nikita Gould - May 29, 2013 at 12:45 pm

Categories: chocolate articles   Tags: , , , , , , ,

How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies may be soft, crunchy, or whatever you prefer. However, soft chocolate chip cookies have won the hearts of many. Making soft chocolate chip cookies is not that difficult if you just stick to these guidelines.

To begin, you have make the chocolate chip cookie dough. If you’re on the hunt for a good recipe, look around or make use of the recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips. This is typically a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Combine the sugars and butter together thoroughly. Go for an an electric mixer to do it fast and well. Don’t go for really fluffy texture, just aim to remove all lumps of butter and/or sugar. Then put in the eggs and vanilla.

This step is necessary to get soft chocolate chip cookies. Don’t beat the batter with the eggs so that it becomes fluffy and airy. Just stir until combined and you’re good to go.

Next, get a separate bowl. Then, in it, mix together the flour, baking soda, as well as salt. Stir it with using a spoon and sift according to the instructions. If it indicates sifted flour, then go ahead and sift it and then measure it. Doing so ensures that you get the right amount of flour.

Then, you can slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Put in a little bit out of time and mix in well. Mix it completely, then stir in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours or better yet, overnight. Preheat the oven so that it’s thoroughly heated before putting the cookies in. Roll the cookie dough into 2 inch balls and place them about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.

See to it that the cookie she is not warm especially between batches. Put the cookie sheet in a refrigerator beforehand to make a cold to ensure that it’s not warm.

Bake depending on the instructions until very lightly golden brown across the whole cookie. If it turns dark brown, it will be hard and crunchy. Still, see to it that you cook all the way or else it will just be gooey dough rather than soft cookie and gooey chocolate.

More Chocolate Making Articles

chocolate classes

Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Nikita Gould - May 27, 2013 at 12:23 pm

Categories: chocolate articles   Tags: , , , , , , ,

Making Home-made Chocolates

The process is actually similar to roasting coffee beans, however with gentler requirements. You need to roast them for 5-35 minutes at temperatures between 120-160 degrees C. What you should do first is expose the beans to a high temperature, and then lower the temperature eventually. Then, stop roasting when you have observed that the beans are starting to crack

After roasting them, crack using a hammer and get rid of the husks by hand if you work with a small batch. And for larger batch you may utilize a very coarse, Corona type mill when cracking the beans into nibs. Stir the nibs in a gentle manner using your hands or a spoon to winnow the nibs while you blow on them using a hair dryer up to the point where the husks are blown away.

You will be needing something strong enough in order to liquefy the nibs and separate the remaining husks. General food processors and majority of the juicers won’t do. A lot of individuals making chocolate at home are successful with the Champion Juicer. Feed the nibs in a lenient manner into the juicer one handful at a time. Otherwise, the motor might overheat. Cocoa liqueur will be coming out of the screen, with the mixture of husks and liqueur through the spout. Feed mixture through the juicer only until husk is coming out of the spout.

Conch and refine could be done at the same time with the use of a powerful wet grinder. Conch and refining rely upon the equipment that is utilized.

Tempering is practically the hardest part of making a chocolate. It guarantees you that your chocolate comes out to be shiny with a snap to it instead of being matte and soft that would melt in your hand. You have to take care that no moisture enters your chocolate. If moisture enters your chocolate it will ruin it. For that you can buy a tempering machine online.

Lastly, you mold the chocolate while it is still liquid. Gently pour it into the molds, making sure it won’t get spilled. You can pour them using a big syringe in the mould. You have the freedom to freeze, refrigerate, or let them harden at room temperature. Remove them after they have hardened into the mold. They must have a glossy appearance and must snap cleanly.

chocolate classes

Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Nikita Gould - May 13, 2013 at 12:08 pm

Categories: chocolate articles   Tags: , , , , , ,

Bittersweet And Semisweet Chocolate

Bittersweet chocolates are usually a sweetened form of dark chocolate that doesn’t have any type of milk whether in its liquid or powdered form.  It is fundamentally a combination of chocolate liquor, sugar, butter that is made out of cocoa and for the most part – vanilla. Typically, a substance known as lecithin is added which acts as an emulsifier. Cocoa produced through grinding its beans into a liquid form is usually called chocolate liquor, which ironically has no alcohol and what not. Unsweetened baking chocolate is the outcome of cocoa liquor that has been solidified.

In the North America, a standard is being set by the FDA or Food and Drug Administration that such bittersweet chocolates must be required to contain at least 35% of chocolate liquor. Whereas in the United Kingdom, the figure can be as high as 43%. It is readily understandable that the more chocolate liquor the chocolate has, the more intense the flavor can be. Even some high quality chocolates have chocolate liquor as high as 65 to 70%.

Terms like bittersweet and semisweet are oftentimes mistaken for each other in conversations and printed materials, but there are specific traits that separate and define the two. Bittersweet chocolate consists of more chocolate liquor and less amount of sugar as compared to the semisweet one. On the other hand, semisweet chocolates only have 35% of liquor, making the two types of chocolates pretty similar to each other. This is the main reason why the terms semisweet and bittersweet are always used interchangeably in cooking and baking processes which typically produce good results.

Recent studies in the previous years have shown that the regular consumption and intake of minor quantities of bittersweet chocolates have specific health benefits. These health benefits lessen heart diseases caused by the high flavonoid contents of this dark chocolates. Flavonoids such as epicathecin and gallic acid are actually abundant in these types of dark chocolates. Blood pressure lowering is also an attribute which are linked to these bittersweet chocolates. These chocolates are available in different forms like chips and bars that definitely cater to a vast market.

chocolate classes

Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Nikita Gould - May 4, 2013 at 12:10 pm

Categories: chocolate articles   Tags: , , , , , ,

What is the substitute of cocoa butter and how much we should use for i1 cup of sugar for white chocolate?

Question by chhaya r: What is the substitute of cocoa butter and how much we should use for 1 cup of sugar for white chocolate?
I want to make raw white ,dark and milk chocolate at home i want to know the substitute of cocoa butter and the quantity for one cup of coco powder and one cup of sugar in white chocolate .

Best answer:

Answer by 10K.BC
If you don’t have access to cocoa butter, and assuming you aren’t selling it, you can substitute butter or palm oil along with a 40% mix of bee’s wax to harden it up. Basically any saturated fat will work.

If you’re making it for sale though, most countries require you to use a minimum amount of cocoa butter in order to legally call it “chocolate.”

Give your answer to this question below!

chocolate classes

Be the first to comment - What do you think?
Posted by Chocoholic - May 1, 2013 at 1:44 pm

Categories: chocolate questions   Tags: , , , , , , , ,