Chocolate Gifts
Chocolate gifts always make almost anyone happy, from a mother for Mother’s Day to a friend who has just graduated from college or a couple who just got married. If you’re on the hunt for chocolate gifts, then there are myriads of choices, from milk and dark chocolate to white chocolate gifts.
A lot of individuals purchasing chocolate gifts opt for conventional items such as mixed boxes of different types of chocolate, but there are tons of other choices, including truffles and chocolate covered fruits or nuts.
There are chocolate gifts products you can buy by the kilo, and this makes some chocolate gifts stores a great option for bulk buyers that want to stock the shelves of their retail store with top-of-the-line chocolate gifts.
If you want chocolate gifts but you are unsure about what type to opt for, then check the list of the bestsellers.
You can use these chocolate gifts for a wide range of occasions, and a lot of individuals want these kinds of gifts for wedding, corporate events and parties. They may even include amazing chocolate buffets, which can be totally tailored to fit the needs of anyone.
Those who opt for this kind of chocolate gifts can pick their own type of chocolate, pretty much any bowl of container they want, any type of bag and as many scoops as they deemed necessary.
If you want chocolate gifts for a present for a loved one, or you want these chocolate gifts options to make your special day personal and very memorable, looking for stores that offer these treats is not very challenging these days. They are rampant already.
Anyone who gets chocolates for a gift would surely smile from one corner of the mouth to another.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: anyone, CHOCOLATE, couple, dark chocolate, Gifts, option, people, stores, type
Chocolate Fitness
Regular ingestion of chocolate has been recently associated with healthy weight, according to a study involving 1,000 adults done at the University of California at San Diego.
Dr. Beatrice Golomb, who led the research which is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, said: “People have just assumed that because it comes with calories and it’s typically eaten as a sweet… it would inherently have been one way: bad,”
This particular study involved 1,000 mostly middle-aged adults who had their dose of exercise thrice a week and had their dose of chocolate twice every week. Those who had more chocolate usually had lower body mass indexes.
It’s no surprise that chocolate makers will lay out the benefits of chocolate, and so will fitness trainers. Many personal trainers are now linking chocolate to fitness, especially when you eat it after a strenuous workout or right after exercising.
Blake Raun, a trainer at Lifetime Fitness in Chicago, said: “Chocolate can increase one’s resting metabolic rate,” He added: “Having a higher resting metabolic rate means better metabolism and the more calories one can burn.”
The resting metabolic rate (RMR) refers to the minimum amount of calories that the body requires in backing up the basic physiological functions. Nevertheless, fitness trainers are not suggesting chocolate to be a separate supplement to their client, but they know that chocolate really packs a lot of benefits in exercise performance.
Golomb also acknowledged the benefits of chocolate in fitness. She also mentioned how chocolate milk is so popular as a sports drink during and after a strenuous workout in this time and age. She cited the results from the research that involved lab rats.
She said: “Chocolate essentially acted as an exercise magnet, allowing rats to run farther and increase muscle mass,” She also said that the research involving rats have indicated that these animals had a noticeable increase in their endurance, thus giving a reason to anticipate this pattern in humans.
The next time you want to hit the gym, you might want to have some chocolate with you. You can share it with your gym buddies, as well!
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: chocolate studies, exercise, fitness, milk chocolate, research, week
Why Chocolate Is Associated With Acne
A study done at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center in the Netherlands, involved collection of blood samples from seven participants before and after consuming exactly 48 g of chocolate on a daily basis. This was done consecutively for four days.
The chocolate that was eaten had approximately 30% cocoa. The blood cells collected were exposed to bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes.
These bacteria are supposedly a contributory factor for developing acne when they grow inside clogged pores. When such takes place, the pores become inflamed. It then ends up in the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, another type of skin bacteria that could worsen acne.
The blood cells created more interleukin-1b after the participants had chocolate. Interleukin-1b is described as a marker of immune system inflammation when they were exposed to Propionibacterium acnes.
The scientists claimed that these findings indicated that eating chocolate may boost the inflammation which can contribute to acne. Chocolate eating also gave a boost to production of another immune system factor, known as interleukin 10, after having been exposed to Staphylococcus aureus, according to a report at MyHealthNewsDaily.
Interleukin 10 supposedly lowers the immunity against microorganisms. That said, higher levels of interleukin 10 may lead to conditions that would allow bacteria to infect pimples, and aggravate them, said the researchers.
In spite of the many talks about chocolate and some other foods that are associated with acne, little is known as evidence to display they actually cause acne, said Dr. Kanade Shinkai, a dermatologist at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, who has acne treatments as specialty.
Nevertheless, past studies have shown that high-glycemic foods, such as white bread, could be linked to acne. This is because they release sugar into the bloodstream quickly. While the acne problems of some people are impacted by diet, others’ acne issues are not influenced by diet at all.
This research was published in the journal Cytokine.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: Acne, approximately, bacteria, CHOCOLATE, chocolate science, done, system
Chocolate Diamond Necklaces
With their outstanding beauty, chocolate diamond necklaces can give oomph to any getup. I hate to state the obvious but the main reason why chocolate colored diamonds are unique is because of the color. The following are the most important things to consider when you go shopping for this kind of jewelry.
Some chocolate diamonds are synthetic. Meaning, their coloring is not natural. There is nothing wrong with buying diamonds that have artificial color. However, a lot of people are leaning toward having a diamond that is authentic in every aspect.
Each diamond possesses a natural color. The color observed in real chocolate diamond necklaces comes about because of the chemical makeup of these diamonds when they are mined. Nitrogen particles, at their smallest form, emit a hint of yellow coloring, hence the colored diamonds.
When diamonds have a high concentration of particles which are evenly spread throughout the stone, there is a coloring which is deeper and darker. A brown chocolate-like color is the end products of a very high concentration of particles.
Among the other reasons behind the popularity of these chocolate diamond necklaces is the fact that they are so rare. Only a few diamonds have a natural brown color. You may come across stores selling diamonds of this color, but they are likely to be treated or simulated diamonds.
Chocolate diamonds are treated or irradiated white diamonds, while simulated ones are composed of crystals, or cubic zirconia. Yup, not real diamonds.
When you go buy this jewelry and other chocolate-inspired jewelries, no matter the color or their make-up, see to it that you are shopping at a trustworthy jewelry store. It’s more crucial when you are buying diamonds. You only want diamonds that have a high quality and authentic.
Among the ways to be sure about the quality and authenticity of chocolate diamond necklaces and jewelry is to confirm by some means that the jeweler has all the paperwork and certifications for the diamonds.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: chocolate diamonds, chocolate jewelry, coloring, every, Jewelry, shopping
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
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: always, Baskets, CHOCOLATE, chocolate basket, famous, gift basket, Gifts, popular
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.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookie, chocolate chips, cookie dough, dough, eggs, instructions, soft chocolate chip cookie
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.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: Chocolates, coming, feed, Homemade Chocolates, making, roasting, Tempering