The History of Truffles

The chocolate truffle today is at the top of all the collections of self-indulging delicacies and has remained a superior chocolate candy in France, Italy, Switzerland, North America, and the rest of Western Europe for more than a century. Thanks to the invention of the cocoa press and the ideas of a few prestigious chocolatiers, the history of truffles remains a very rich one. By definition, a truffle is not just a truffle unless it contains Ganache inside, which is a paste of dark chocolate and heavy cream.

Chocolate started out as a beverage for the Aztecs during the Maya civilization dating all the way back to 400 AD. It ws introduced and spread all over Europe after some Kekchi Maya nobles were escorted by Dominican Friars to Spain in 1544 to visit Prince Phillip. The Kekchi gifted him with many gifts including their chocolate beverage which they called "Chocolatl". Since then large shipments into Europe of cocoa beans allowed Royals to enjoy Chocolatl and different chocolate beverages as an elite drink.

Eating chocolate alone was not possible due to its very bitter taste. When the Cocoa Press was invented in 1828, the process of separating the cocoa solids from the cocoa butter in the beans gave chocolatiers the ability to add sweeteners and other ingredients and shape them into candy. The first edible chocolate bar was introduced in 1847 by Fry Chocolate Factory in Bristol, England. In 1879 Swiss chocolatiers Henri Nestle and Daniel Peter added two ingredients to the chocolate: powdered milk and sugar, making the now famous milk chocolate. Continued experimentation of adding other ingredients back in France and Switzerland lead to the mixture of heavy cream and cocoa powder, which was named Ganache. Check out what the cocoa press looks like here.

One christmas day in 1895, French Patissier Louis Dufour in Chambery, France had run out of ideas for his christmas confections. Instead of going to suppliers to get more sweets, he put together the Ganache mixture, rolled it into a ball, dipped it once in melted chocolate and then into cocoa powder. It looked just like the rough round black mushroom truffles grown in the deep forests of France, so these chocolate ganache balls were named right after the mushrooms, Truffles.

The recipe was brought back to London by Antoine Dufour and introduced in his new Prestat Chocolate shop in 1902 in order to take advantage of its growing popularity in England. He named the cocoa powdered truffle the "Napoleon III", after the 19th century Emperor that spent many periods in exile with his loyal chef. The shop made chocolates for Queen Elizabeth II and many other future royals including Princess Diana.

Chocolate truffles were considered an exquisite dish to be enjoyed by the royal wealth due to the high costs of imported cocoa beans. Today it is still considered a luxury, however it is rejoiced worldwide and in different varieties. Decorated in powdered sugar, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut are just a few of the kinds of coatings truffles are dipped in and relished.

Ana Gonzalez
Vanillana.com - The Art of Chocolate
For more information on chocolate history, the Maya Civilization and their chocolate legend, click here.

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When Can You Gift Chocolate Gold Coins?

Chocolate gold coins have been around since the times of Julius Caesar! These coins were engraved with the ruler's face and gifted to the courtesans. However, they were draped with gold sheet so that the countrymen also received something valuable along with the chocolates. Today, we have identical coins covered in golden foil which are highly popular as gifting items. You can also choose to personalize them in whichever way you please. In order to customize it, you can get the coins engraved with special dates, logos, photos or even religious symbols.

Chocolate gold coins can be gifted for a host of occasions and purposes. However, their value would be more appreciated when they are gifted on certain special occasions. Read up on the occasions when you can actually gift chocolate gold coins before you buy them.

Best Uses of Chocolate Gold Coins

Chocolate gold coins can be offered as gifts for one of the following occasions:

1. Hanukkah celebrations

Coins made from chocolate are substituted for "gelt" which is the Yiddish term for money, during the holidays of Hanukkah. Confections are distributed around this time instead of cash coins, for playing the game of Dreidel. These confections can also be stored in small organza pouches to make it presentable. However, make sure that you place your order for these coins well in advance so that you can receive them at the desired time.

2. Baptism

You could use chocolate gold coins souvenirs to commemorate the event of being baptized. You can have the coins distributed among women attendees. Alternatively, they can also be thrown along with real money, as a part of the ritual performed by the godfather of the baptized child.

3. Anniversary centerpieces

Chocolate gold coins can be suitably used to decorate the centerpiece of your anniversary party. They would be most suited for your silver or golden jubilee celebrations! You could also have them distributed among your guests with the anniversary year printed or engraved on it.

4. Birthday parties

These coins could also be used as confections for birthday parties. You can fill up balloons and toys with them and gift them to young children. Having your child's name or date of birth engraved on them would also be a suitable personal touch. You could simply hand out coins to your guests as a part of the return booty they would take back home as well.

You can buy chocolate gold coins from ChocolateFavorWorld.com. The range of options hosted by the shop is truly amazing and you can easily find ones that suit your gifting needs perfectly.

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Chocolatey, Chocolate Brownie Recipe Without Nuts

I know I have written about chocolate brownie recipes, with everything but the kitchen sink in them, but sometimes a Chocolatey chocolate brownies, is what you need, the rich dark decadent and intense flavour of chocolate brownies, without nuts. The sort of Chocolatey chocolate brownies that can only be achieved by a good organic cocoa and also chocolate. The sort of Chocolatey chocolate brownies that intensify in flavour if you leave them in a tin for a day or two. At least I suspect that they would if they were left in the tin long enough, which they never are, in my house they are lucky if they get to go cold.

Why I like Chocolatey chocolate brownies

Like wine, chocolate has a complex layers of flavour, it is are bitter, sour, astringent, fruity, figgy, raisiny, nutty, smokey, floral flavour which is the essence of the cocoa beans. When chocolate beans are made into cocoa, it eradicates only some of these layers of flavour. Usually the fruity,bitter, sour and astringent qualities of chocolate are taken out, which is why I like to add fresh flavour as well, especially dark chocolate.

This recipe also doubles up as a hot pudding for a cold winter's day, it is wonderful hot with ice cream over it, but use a coffee or vanilla ice cream as a rich chocolate one detracts from the flavour of the brownie. Even I have to admit that too many conflicting flavours of chocolate can be a bad thing. The centre of this brownie is as rich and dark as the mud of the Mississippi, but the crust is actually quite light. It only uses a little flour to stop it from falling in itself. I like to add coffee ice cream and single cream, because as the ice cream melts it mixes with the cream in rivulets, and then I am in brownie recipe heaven.

The quality of the chocolate is important here, the cocoa should be organic Green and Black's is good but the chocolate should have a high cocoa solid content, cheap baking chocolate won't cut it here. I quite like to make it with chocolate over 85% cocoa fat, but the family say that is quite bitter and they won't eat it, so horror of horrors, someone has to bite to bite the bullet and eat them and it always me! A high fat cocoa solid chocolate should be over 70%.

I like to bake my brownies in a glass pyres dish, but any roasting or baking tin will do, but if it is not non stick them put aluminium foil inside and put the brownies in that.

Ingredients
300g caster sugar
250g butter
250g chocolate (at least 70 per cent cocoa solids)
3 large organic eggs plus an extra egg yolk
60g flour
60g good quality organic cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder

You will need a baking tray about 20cm x 20cm.
Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

Method

Grease the baking tray with butter. Put the sugar and butter into the bowl of a food mixer and cream them together for several minutes until they are pale and fluffy.

Put a bowl over a pan of hot water, but make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, or the chocolate will go grainy when it melts. Keep 50g aside and break the rest into small pieces and leave it in the bowl over the water. leave it for five minutes and stir, as soon as it has melted remove it from the heat. Break the remaining 50g into chunks the size of large plump raisins.

Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl. Sieve together the flour, cocoa and baking powder to remove the lumps and make it light and airy, add a pinch of rock salt to intensify the flavour of the chocolate. Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar a little at a time, it will curdle if you add it all at once. Once the egg has all been incorporates, fold in the melted chocolate and the chopped chocolate. Gently fold in the flour and cocoa, do this slowly and do not overwork, as you need to be sure not to knock the air out of the flour mixture.

Pour into the prepared dish or baking tin and shake on the work top, to flatten the top slightly. Bake for about thirty minutes, the chocolate brownies are ready when the edge is pulling slightly away from the dish, but the centre still looks soft and squiggly. If you are not sure insert a metal skewer in the centre and it should emerge slightly wet, but not with raw mixture sticking to it.

Brownies continue to cook and solidify in the tin when cooling so make sure that it is not overcooked. If it is not quite ready then return it to the oven but check every two to three minutes.

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