Do ‘Belgian Techniques’ make Belgian chocolate?
Question by Gir-een: Do ‘Belgian Techniques’ make Belgian chocolate?
Chocolove claims to make Belgian chocolate in Boulder, Colorado. Their ‘about’ page reads: “all-natural ingredients and the classic techniques of Europe’s finest chocolatiers”
http://www.chocolove.com/about.htm
Best answer:
Answer by Koenraad
I don’t think that if you follow Europe’s techniques, you will make Belgian chocolate, since Belgium is only a small part of Europe. It is however a major chocolate producer.
When saying something is all natural and produced with classic techniques, it is in fact saying the creation of chocolate is going through the following steps:
1. Picking the Cacao beans
2. Drying and Fermenting the Cacao Beans
3. Mixing of the Cacao Beans
4. Burning the Cacao Beans
5. Grinding the Cacao Beans
This is where they send it to the country of production of the actual chocolate
6. Mix Cacao Beans with ingredients (sugar, extra flavours,…)
7. Grinding and mixing together of everything
8. Heating up the mix to 45° Celcius to 75° Celcius while adding Cacao Butter or Natural Soy Lecithine.
9. Transforming it into shapes.
So when this technique is being used, you could say that this could be Belgian chocolate, regarding the right amounts of sugar, Cacao Butter and other ingredients have been used.
What do you think? Answer below!
Categories: chocolate questions Tags: Belgian, Cacao Beans, CHOCOLATE, Question, Techniques, think
Math And Chocolate
It’s no secret that many of us dread numbers, especially when it comes on a test paper. Many of us have math as waterloo. You might deem this irrelevant as nonsensical, but chocolate and math actually have a strong link. How come? Read on.
A group of researchers presented a study during the annual Brighton Show at the British Psychological Society that showcases how chocolate containing compounds of flavanols which is a part of a group of chemicals called polyphenols can make mental arithmetic easier for people by means of boosting the blood supply to the brain.
According to the said research, the volunteers who were given 500mg of flavanols in their cocoa drinks had lower chances of experiencing mental draining. Professor David Kennedy who is the director of the performance and nutrition research centre at Northumbria University and co-author of the study said “For things that are difficult to do, mentally demanding things that maybe crop up in your work it could help.”
Such researcg involved 30 volunteers in groups of three were instructed to count backwards randomly between 800 and 999 as chosen by the computer. These people were provided with cocoa drink first and was discovered that they were quick and accurate with the calculations later on. The participants were observed to be less tired in spite of being asked to do the task over and over again within an hour.
If you lack in the department of math problem-solving skills, a cocoa drink or anything rich in flavanols and you can continue getting on with your life without having to fear numbers. Okay, that’s pretty sugarcoated, but you get the picture!
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: CHOCOLATE, chocolate studies, cocoa, math, numbers, people
Chocolate Melting & Tempering Machine 1.58 Gal
Chocolate Melting & Tempering Machine 1.58 Gal
- 15.74 in. x 12.99 in.
- h 5.31 in. 110V. Capacity 1.58 Gal – Basin 12.59 in. x 1.04 in. h 3.93 in.
- Manual Thermostat to control the temperature desired.
- Removable Stainless Steel basin and lid.
- Thermoresistant plastic material.
Available capacity 0.92 Gal item # MC01110V, 2.37 Gal item # MC03110V, 3.61 Gal item # MC04110V
Melt 70% of your chocolate setting the Melting Machine at 40 – 45°C;
Wait until the chocolate will be melt completely while checking the thermometer. This operation is necessary to have the butter crystals melt;
Add the rest 30% of your chocolate to the mixture already melt. This procedure represents the insemination of cocoa butter present in the chocolate;
Mix strongly the chocolate in order to lower its temperature: The ideal temperature is different depending on the type of chocolate that we are working
Dark chocolate 32° – Milk chocolate 30° – White chocolate 29°. By lowering the temperature of the chocolate we have the stabilization of the cocoa butter crystals;
Once reached the right temperature, you need only to keep this temperature for the required time to work it.
Advantages of the well temperated chocolate:
The removal of the praline will be easier and it will look shinier because the sugars and the cocoa butter will not appear on the surface causing that unpleasant white coating;
The praline or the chocolate bar will have that crunchy effect when you break it or bite it;
The praline will not melt in your hands.
In case the surface of the chocolate in the basin should start hardening, because of the room temperature, just use the hair-dryer to melt it. Do not increase the temperature!!!
The same technique can be used if the temperature of the chocolate starts going down. In this way you catch up the temperature. If the temperature increased, act on the thermostat and lower 2 – 3 degrees, mixing the chocolate.
KEEP the chocolate always stirred to have the butter crystal stable.
DO NOT PUT pieces of chocolate left from molding into the tempering machine!!!!
Keep them for next time while starting the whole procedure from the beginning. The reason is due to the cocoa butter stabilization.
List Price: $ 1,120.00
Price:
Related Chocolate Making Products
History of Chocolate: Loving All Things Chocolate
History of Chocolate: Loving All Things Chocolate
Do you love chocolate? Do you love history? Do you have a thirst for knowledge? If you can answer yes to all three of these questions, then this book is for you.
It covers all things chocolate from a historical background of several millennia to a wealth of terminology used within the chocolate-making business.
It even comes information on the types of chocolate, the difference between just melting it and tempering it as well as an extremely useful section on how to pair your favorite wine with your favorite chocolate.
What more could you ask for?
Chapters Include:
Chocolate’s Early History
What is Chocolate?
Chocolate Terminology
How Chocolate is Made
Tempering
Melting Chocolate
Who Loves Chocolate?
So… Is Chocolate Good for You?
Chocolate Myths vs Facts
How to Taste Chocolate
Enjoying Your Chocolate with Wine
The Rules of Chocolate
Price:
Categories: chocolate products Tags: CHOCOLATE, Early History, favorite, historical, History, Loving, section, things, three
History of Ghirardelli chocolate
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is among the pioneers when it comes to chocolate companies. In America, it is the second oldest. An Italian, who was born in Italy, by the name of Domingo Ghirardelli, moved to California after having worked in South America for a stretch of time. It was in 1862 that the company was incorporated. Ghirardelli has been a leading brand since then.
Ghirardelli’s father did food importing, and learned his way around chocolate making by means of working as a helper in a local candy shop. Then, he came to Uruguay and worked with a chocolate company. Later on, he moved to Peru to start his own confectionary shop. It was in 1947 that he began making Ghirardelli chocolate.
In 1949, he came to California and worked on gold mines. After which, he had a shop which supplied fellow miners with general items. Then, he had his own coffee shop, and by 1852, he began making guittard chocolate, after importing good quality cocoa.
The flavors and taste were a breath of fresh air, and became an instant hit. Shortly after, Ghirardelli chocolate gained remarkable popularity. With the huge success of single chocolates, Ghirardelli then began making chocolate bars, as well. Being a hit in the market, it began growing as a giant in the chocolate industry.
However, not everything and everyday is smooth-sailing for Ghirardelli. It was mentioned that he used to sell general items, and although he improved his business and put up on more, it got gutted in fire and lost almost everything. He was still able to get back on his feet, though, and worked around what was left. This story speaks of the willpower and the determination of a man behind the major success of Chocolate Company.
Fighting for its existence is a thing of the past for Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. At the moment, it is one of the most sought after chocolate brands in America and in many other countries. This is only proof that success comes with perseverance and hard work.
Categories: chocolate articles Tags: CHOCOLATE, Ghirardelli, History
Can you melt chocolate chips or chocolate bars then cool them into one big bar?
Question by Katy Noe: Can you melt chocolate chips or chocolate bars then cool them into one big bar?
If i can do that how would i let it cool? Is there a certain type of chocolate i need? How would i melt it? I’m doing this for a class project. I am making it look like chocolate “tree bark”. I was planning on carving in the wood design once it was cooled. Thank you for your help if you answer!
Best answer:
Answer by Nikki Davidson
I’d melt the chips and spread it evenly over some wax paper. Regular chocolate chips work just fine (I have done something similar before), but some grocery stores and craft stores also sell special melting chips that melt more easily.
If you really want a “tree bark” look, buy some dark chocolate chips and some milk chocolate chips. Melt them separately and then swirl them together slightly before you spread it out. It’ll have different tones of brown in it, making it look even more like real wood
Add your own answer in the comments!
How do you make Hand Made Chocolate?
Question by Cheergale01: How do you make Hand Made Chocolate?
Is it possible?
Best answer:
Answer by Luke Wood
Well its really really hard!!!!!!!!
Here are the chocolate manufacturers and chocolate makers that have a section on recipes. Lots of great ideas for ways to use your favorite chocolate.
Askinosie Chocolate
Barry Callebaut
Belcolade
Cacao Barry
Chocolates El Rey
Felchlin Switzerland
Guittard Chocolate Company
ScharffenBerger
Taza Chocolate
TCHO
Valrhona Chocolat
For more chocolate recipes, you simply have to put something like “chocolate recipes for candy making” in your favorite search engine. You’ll find a whole world of recipes out there.
For those new to chocolate work – The following chocolate recipes for filling chocolates and bonbons are quick and simple to make. Use them as a platform to make your own handmade chocolates. Enjoy!
Handmade Chocolate Truffle Center
Ingredients:
8 oz 250g Dark* Chocolate (chopped fine)
1/3 cup 75mL Whipping cream
*Click here if you want to substitute Milk or White Chocolate
Recipe:
Bring cream just to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat.
Beat cream into the chocolate by hand or using a hand-held emulsion blender. Beat until smooth and all chocolate is melted.
Chill in refrigerator until firm (approximately 1-3 hours).
Scrape spoon or melon-ball cutter across surface of mixture; quickly press with fingertips into 1-inch (2.5cm) balls. Freeze well wrapped in plastic.
Store your handmade chocolates in the refrigerator well wrapped in plastic for 1 week or freeze in freezer bags for 1-2 months.
Gianduja – emulsified nuts and chocolate YUM
Ingredients:
5 oz 125 g Roasted Hazelnuts, Peanuts, Cashews or Almonds
8 oz 225 g Dark or Milk Chocolate
Recipe:
Grind the nuts to the consistency of butter. A food processor works well for this. A blender can produce too oily a product as the mixture gets warmed during the blending.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave until just melted but not warm. Remove the pan from the heat.
Mix the melted chocolate into the nut paste until thoroughly combined.
Allow mixture to harden slightly and scoop into balls (it may still be very sticky) or pipe into cups.
Or you can temper the mixture just exactly as you would chocolate and pour onto parchment paper to harden and when cool, cut into desired shapes for dipping in chocolate.
Store your handmade Gianduja in refrigerator in a plastic tub for 1-2 months.
Praline (Nut Brittle) Center for Hand-made chocolates
Ingredients:
1 cup 250 g Nuts blanched, toasted and still warm
2/3 cup 150 mL Water
2 cups 500 mL Sugar
Recipe:
Bring sugar and water to a boil stirring constantly to dissolve all sugar. Brush down sugar crystals from around edge of pan during this time.
When syrup boils stop stirring and boil until temperature reaches 320° – 330°F (160° – 165°C). Syrup will be a light caramel color.
Immediately remove from heat and put bottom of pan in cold water to stop cooking. Add warm nuts – shaking pan carefully to mix quickly.
Pour nuts and syrup onto parchment paper or oiled counter, spreading quickly with a spatula to make a thin layer.
When brittle has cooled, it can be broken into pieces and dipped in chocolate.
Store your hand-made chocolates in an airtight container immediately as the praline tends to get sticky if left at room temperature.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Categories: chocolate questions Tags: CHOCOLATE, Hand, Made
