Chocolate Recipe : Hot Chocolate - ChefChocolate

Hot Chocolate

Presented to 1 person:

1 1 / 2 cup nonfat milk
1-2 tablespoons of sugar
1 1 / 2 tablespoon of cooking chocolate
1 cup boiling water

how to make:

1. Mix milk, sugar and cocoa in a mug or glass
2. enter the water boil mix
3. ornamental with cream (whipped cream), according to taste
4. Serve warm

Yummy Chocolate Desserts: Chocolate PB Cookies, Chocolate Passion, Also With Diabetic Directions

Chocolate seems to be the universal language of love. We are not just talking romantic love but also food loves. Chocolate is everywhere from the simple chocolate chip cookie to fancy desserts in expensive restaurants. The next time you want to share love with your family, entertain guests, or take a dessert to a pitch-in meal, try one of these yummy chocolate recipes. Starting with the lowly cookie, we have a recipe for a decadent Chocolate Chunky Peanut Butter Cookie, the pairing of two favorites. If you want a fancy scrumptious dessert, the Chocolate Passion for Chocoholics is just what you need.

CHOCOLATE CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the peanut butter and canola oil in a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and the granulated sugar to the peanut butter mixture. Mix together well. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract mixing in well. In a small bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture stirring until blended. (This is a sticky dough.) Stir in the mini chocolate chips. Drop the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets by a rounded teaspoonful. Place approximately two inches apart. Using a fork, flatten cookies slightly making a crisscross pattern on the tops. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes until the cookies are set and the tops are cracked. Cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Yield: Approximately 48 cookies.

CHOCOLATE PASSION FOR CHOCOHOLICS
3 cups cold milk
2 pkgs (4-serving size) Chocolate Instant Pudding and Pie Filling Mix
1 container (8-oz) frozen whipped topping, divided
1 9-inch square pan of baked brownie, cooled, cut into cubes
2 cups fresh raspberries

Pour the milk into a large mixing bowl. Add the dry pudding and beat with a wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended and all pudding is dissolved. Gently stir in 1 cup of the thawed whipped topping.

Put half of the brownie cubes in a 2-quart clear glass (if available) serving bowl. Top with half the pudding mixture then half the raspberries and half of the remaining whipped topping. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until serving time. Store leftovers, if there are any, in the refrigerator.

NOTE: This dessert can be made for diabetics by using sugar-free pudding mix, sugar-free whipped topping, and homemade brownies made with Splenda instead of sugar.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com.

For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com.

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The Chocolate Gift Basket Experience

Everyone loves to receive gifts. As a chocolate lover I always hope and pray for a chocolate gift. Last week I received my favorite gift of all time. It was an amazing gift basket overflowing with chocolates of every type. It truly had some of the best chocolates in the world. It was a basket of divine gourmet perfection. I had large luscious truffles that were rich and hypnotic. They were a true treasure on my tongue. It even had small chocolate cheesecakes that were so rich and dreamy I had to take a nap after eating them. The basket came with a healthy amount of crunchy chocolate biscotti and dark chocolate covered coffee beans. This was enough to leave me breathless from consumption. Of course it also came with high quality traditional chocolate flavors like milk, dark and white. This basket was like an edible chocolate sculpture. It was pure art and represented the pinnacle of chocolate gift perfection. I received my wonderful chocolate gift basket almost two months ago. I still think about it every day even though I consumed all of it many days ago. If there is a any down side to a chocolate basket it has to be eating the last chocolate. On my last chocolate I always get a nasty twinge that all addicts must feel when their stash is about to expire.

I have found many varieties of chocolate gift baskets online. I expect many are truly delicious but you should always be on the lookout for only the highest quality fresh chocolates. Sometime price should not be an issue since you will get what you pay for. You will find chocolate baskets are versatile gifts that come in many forms. They can be used to make a perfect birthday gift for your favorite chocolate lover or a great all purpose gifts for corporate and fund-raising events. With some research you can even find sugar free baskets if need be. If you really want to go all out for someone special a gourmet basket will make a big impression. They come in many shapes and sizes and some companies even offer towers and complex boxes with engraving so you can personalize it. One great thing about the basket is well the basket. It can be used for anything from a flower pot to a knitting bucket for many years to come. This will make the memory of your gift last for a long time. Some of the baskets are so large you can make a nice bed for your dog or cat out of it. I can think of nothing better than sleeping in a nice chocolate basket.

Chocolate gift baskets are available almost everywhere. You can deliver them to almost any location in the world. Buying online will give you many options to find best prices. The biggest concern should always be how fresh the chocolates are and if they can be delivered with climate controlled shipping. There is nothing worse than a melted chocolate gift basket. Do not forget to look at the actual basket to make sure it is well made and interesting. This will help your gift make the greatest impression. As a dedicated chocolate lover I promise you that a chocolate basket is the best gift option for your favorite person. As for me I have moved beyond baskets now I want buckets of chocolate.

For more chocolate information visit Sharon Karen at Chocolatefly.com

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Dark Chocolate - A Great Stress Reliever

Chocolate is the most luscious, the most tempting and the most irresistible sweets in the whole planet. One look at it is enough to tell you that it is very delicious and just a small bite could start your craving and you would end up asking for more. What is it with chocolate that it lures everyone to it? I myself am a chocolate lover and I always see to it that I get to eat chocolates every now and then because that's what I love to do. I love to eat chocolates. But I am nothing compared to how L.A. Lakers superstar; Lamar Odom is addicted to it. He's so into it. He brings a pack every practice and eats a lot of it.

However, the thing is that chocolate is not good for our health especially in huge quantities. It is the main reason why people gain weight. It is also said that it could give you diabetes and other health problems as well. People used to say that if you want to live long and healthy, chocolates are one of the things that you should avoid. That has changed now. Science has proven that dark chocolates are good for you. It could help prevent high blood pressure and even heart disease. Weird, right? Well, I will explain to you further.

Warning: dark chocolate is really good for you but that doesn't mean that you are now allowed to eat sacks of it per day. Too much of anything is bad.

There are case studies that tested subjects by feeding them dark chocolate. The results are astounding. These subjects had indeed shown signs of lowered blood pressure, the majority of them, at the very least. It is also proven that it is much healthier than prescription drugs. Dark chocolates also contains anti-oxidants. This anti - oxidants are very beneficial because they remove toxins from the body and other free radicals. These toxins and free radicals are the reasons behind many types of diseases and that definitely includes heart disease. Dark chocolates also relieve stress and help you get into a good mood. The reason is the cocoa content of dark chocolate which has phenols, a known anti - oxidant. So if you are planning to eat sweets, eat dark chocolates instead of other sweets.

Before you dive into these chocolates, a friendly reminder. To get the full effect of the anti-oxidant in the dark chocolate, you should eat it alone, you should not partake any other food or drink together with it because it would cancel the anti - oxidant. Also, remember to partake it in moderation because too much of anything is bad. Also, take care of your teeth. After eating dark chocolates, you should always remember to brush your teeth.

So now all you chocolate lovers have an excuse not to avoid it. Eat in moderation; eat it for your health. Eat it because you love it.

Interested in the benefits of chocolate?

All about chocolate and more go now => http://chocolate-addict.com/

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Is White Chocolate Really Chocolate?

Is white chocolate really chocolate? Truth must be told I also asked myself this question long ago. And after some research I learned that white chocolate is not really chocolate, if you know what I mean. But before that, let us discuss more about chocolates.

Chocolates are known all over the world. For me, it's the number one stress reliever. One bite and you know it's magic. How can something so delicious and luscious exist on this planet? These are one of the few things that make me think that life is indeed good. Now, wouldn't it be appropriate to learn more about it?

Chocolate is actually made up from natural stuff;it's from the cacao bean which is taken from a cacao tree.

To create chocolate, you need to first extract cocoa from the cacao bean. This is done by harvesting cocoa pods. After harvesting them, you need to crush them and extract the pulp. When the pulp is extracted it is then taken to undergo fermentation. Natural fermentation would take about six days and it could either be executed through the use of boxes or just lay they all down in open heaps. Artificial fermentation does exist but the natural method is much favored because it brings about the best tasting chocolates. After fermentation, the beans are categorized by grades and it is roasted. The roasting itself varies depending on the size and the kind of cocoa beans present. The roasting has a lot to do with the taste of the chocolate afterwards. Some manufacturers add the nibs to enhance flavor which is disapproved by some purists. These nibs contain high - fat content or what we also call the cocoa butter.

Now, to create white chocolate, manufactures uses only the cocoa butter in making it. The process is pretty much similar with dark chocolates the U.S> Food and Drug Administration considers it not chocolate because it doesn't use chocolate liquor in creating it. Calling it white chocolate is the best way to address it however, it is still not chocolate. To make white chocolate, makers would only use the butter and add up some milk solids, sugar, vanilla and lecithin to complete this recipe.

However, you should also be aware that there are manufacturers who use substitutes for the real thing. Like for example, instead of using the natural cocoa butter, they use vegetable oil. Mind you, it's not the same. Using substitutes would definitely change the taste. Genuine white chocolate are usually ivory in color. When you eat it you would instantly taste vanilla and cream which is irreplaceable. You will know it if the white chocolate is made up from vegetable fat. The taste is different.

So basically, to answer the question, white chocolate is not chocolate in a sense, but also chocolate if you really look at it at a certain perspective. It's different but it is made up of the same cocoa seed.

Are you an addict of chocolate like me?

All about chocolate => http://chocolate-addict.com/

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Gift Ideas for the Coffee and Chocolate Lover

Loving chocolate and coffee is not unusual - but thinking of the perfect gift idea for a lover of these tastes is as simple as sharing a Gourmet Hamper. Plus, you get all the benefits of a delivered gift, featuring a selection of your favorite inclusions, add-ons and personal messages. Coffee is best shared a simple freshly ground coffee, preferably from a local grinder who makes her own blend. Similarly, a chocolate maker who understands the finer points of the craft adds a special touch to the whole gift experience.

Chocolate gift hampers are easy to share and are widely popular across all demographics. After all, who doesn't love chocolate? But consider building the gift into an experience so the recipient is impressed with more than just a collection of chocolate. Think for yourself - does the recipient have any particular favorites? Could the chocolate hamper be combined with some other items, like fruit, or wine or pamper items? Having a thorough knowledge of your recipient's preferences and tastes makes the final decision a lot easier. But if you are sending a gift basket to someone and you are unsure of their tastes, always ask the hamper company for advice.

Coffee gift baskets are increasing in popularity as the boutique blends of niche coffee grows and the market is literally flooded with multitudes of distinct craft blends. A quick search online will reveal a wide array to choose from, and you should be confident and a little adventurous when choosing a coffee blend for your recipient. Firstly, as a coffee lover myself, it is always refreshing to experience a new blend and I am always grateful for the opportunity. Secondly, it is difficult to get it wrong with a craft coffee blend - most recipients will be delighted to have a new source for coffee revealed to them.

As an experienced gift basket and gourmet hamper maker, in my time I have made plenty of coffee and chocolate gifts, and quite a few combinations of the two. Just as wine and cheese are a marriage made in heaven, so too are coffee and chocolate, so don't be shy in requesting a customized gift for your recipients.

After all, you are sharing an experience and passing on your personal thanks to your recipient, so have fun, enjoy yourself and make the coffee and chocolate gourmet hamper a statement about yourself as much as a gift.

BP Murphy is a makes hampers and gift baskets for a living over at http://www.huntervalleyhampers.com.au and has considerable experience working with large Corporates making their Christmas Gifts.

Hunter Valley Hampers is a Gourmet Hamper specialist, the best known business for Gourmet Hampers Australia. Visit http://www.huntervalleyhampers.com.au anytime for all your hampers and gift baskets.

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Chocolate Bars - Delicious Bite

Chocolate bars are usually in the form of a bar or rod, and is covered in attractive wrappers. These wrappers make them attractive for children and adults alike, and in addition they have an exquisite taste enjoyed by many. Bars are available in various sizes and most manufacturers have been clever to include a snack size, which makes it an easy and convenient snack to eat on the run.

The basic constituents of most bars are cocoa solid and milk, sugar and milk. By varying the composition of these in the mixture, manufacturers are able to get the various colors which chocolates are found. In the manufacturing process the chocolate is hardened by using emulsifiers. Different additives are used for taste, such as vanilla for example. These include dark, milk or white chocolate. Chocolate bars are not always solid, but are also found filled with a variety of fillings which are too many to name all. Some of these include fruit, nuts, caramel, toffee, etc.

Some manufacturers also make chocolates which have a specific nutritional value. Often these include proteins, vitamins and nuts. Many of these are marketed as energy bars. Great care is taken however, that even these special chocolates still retain their sweet taste that many people love.

There are many companies which make bars. Once again there are too many to mention, so we will all mention some of the more commonly known brands. One of the biggest known brands is Nestle, and is one of the brands found throughout many areas on the world. It also shares this honor with the Mars brand. Hershey is found predominantly in the USA, while Cadbury is found mostly in South Africa, the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Although we have specified countries and regions, some brands are exported beyond the areas where they are manufactured.

If you have the experience and the will power, you can make your own chocolate bars with the filling of your choice. There are many recipes which are easily available and fairly easy to make.

There are few interesting ways of serving chocolate. One the most popular ways is probably with ice cream. An unusual way of serving chocolate bars is by deep frying them in vegetable or peanut oil. In this serving the chocolate is served slightly hot with a warm sauce or whipped cream.

Chocolates remain a treat enjoyed by many, and is often used as a gift to show affection.

Get to know more on chocolate bars.

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Why Is a Chocolate Truffle Box an Ideal Gifting Idea?

Interestingly, cocoa beans were used as currencies even as late as the 19th century in Latin America! Therefore, cocoa, or chocolates as we know them today, have always been valued by people. Today, they make for excellent gifting ideas, both at the personal and professional level. What makes a chocolate truffle box an ideal gift item? Well, of course, a lot has to do with the exotic taste and the artistic packaging which makes the recipient feel special. They can even be personalized for that unique touch.

So, are the advantages limited to such superficial attributes alone? When you gift someone a chocolate truffle box, do you really express that you care? Well, you certainly do! Besides titillating the taste buds, chocolates bring along several health advantages which are extremely important in today's world. Therefore, a chocolate truffle box works as a gift that facilitates happiness and health.

How Does a Chocolate Truffle Box Prove Beneficial?
Listed below are some of the health benefits that a chocolate truffle box can bring along:

1. The primary cause behind cardiovascular illness is rise in bad cholesterol or the LDL. In case LDL levels rise they cause depositions within the artery walls, reducing the passage for blood flow. Chocolates thwart the process of oxidation of the LDL and helps in reducing the levels of LDL in the blood. Therefore, a chocolate truffle box can actually work towards a healthier heart.
2. Concurrently, chocolates also help in raising the levels of HDL in the blood. HDL is the good cholesterol which improves cardiac health.
3. Chocolate also controls the process of activation of platelets.
4. Chocolates help in enhancing insulin sensitivity, thus managing diabetes in the process.
5. Chocolates also help in managing high blood pressure, thus proving to be beneficial for patients suffering from hypertension.
6. Chocolates are also known to be excellent mood enhancers. Having a truffle when you are really down or depressed can truly help in enlivening your spirits.
7. The aphrodisiac properties of chocolates have also been extensively spoken about.

Gifting chocolate, therefore, can truly bring along several health benefits. Some of the goodness can be neutralized by the amount of sugar present in some forms of chocolate preparations. Therefore, it would be a great idea to opt for makes which go a little easy on the sweetening part, for keeping the health benefits intact. Striking a balance between health and taste would perhaps be the best option.

For gifting a chocolate truffle box in all its goodness, have them personalized at ChocolateFavorWorld.com. Exotic flavors and innovative packaging art facilitated by personnel at the shop can make your gifts truly special.

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Organic Milk Chocolate Blocks at Home: Tips on What to Buy and Use

People often times underestimate the simplicity of making chocolate and chocolate treats. In fact it can be ridiculously easy and inexpensive.

Often times with out busy life styles we feel that we do not have much time for anything. So we by microwave dinners, visit drive thrus, and buy prepackaged foods.

Also, the horrors of buying processed individually rapped cakes!

There is nothing like homemade delicious foods. It is the best hands down!

However, the key is not succumbing to the microwave society. We have to find quick solutions that have REAL ingredients.

I am surprised at all of the membership sites that are available to help with delicious recipes and dinner ideas.

For instance, I just found out that you can make homemade milk chocolate with only 5 ingredients!

Just think of all of the money that can be saved when making chocolate-based desserts!

Not to mention eliminating all of the processed fake crap that is in the traditionally bought prepackaged stuff.

The 5 Ingredients are

Powdered Cocoa
Salt
Shortening
Powdered Milk
Confectioner's Sugar

Powdered Cocoa

Buy the good stuff! Do not skip this step! Depending on what you are going for you can use organic cocoa powder or dark chocolate this will be up to you. There are a lot of great brands out there: Hershey, Ghirardelli, Navitas Naturals. This step is critical because you want to have a quality treat when you are finished. Choose a quality Cocoa!

Salt

Only a pinch is needed

Shortening

This is what will hold the recipe altogether. There is a shortening that is organic by Spectrums. The consistency is fluffy and smooth.
It's great for confectioneries! Loved the results when I used it.
This is a stupendous alternative to other shortenings.

Powdered Milk

Where the milk in milk chocolate comes from. You can go organic. Which many of us are seeing the benefits of it. I found that the product Organic Valley Organic Nonfat Dry Milk Powder is definitely superior to other store brought powdered milks! The best part is that it does not have that "processed, plastic" taste that regular grocery store milks have. Plus, the fact that it is organic only adds to the wholesome nature of this item.

Confectioner's Sugar

I used to eat this by it self! Wholesome Sweetener's Fair Trade Organic Powdered Sugar has a wonderful taste to non-organic traditional powdered sugar. I also used this to make my homemade butter cream frosting for my cakes and the taste is amazing!! Everyone who eats it raves about how good it is. You can try another organic brand as well!

You need to know that you can be a bit naughty and still consume foods that your body can break down. The easiest thing to do when you have a recipe is to simply substitute it for organic!!

Find out how to make homemade milk chocolate on video visit http://candymaking101.net/how-to-make-chocolate-video and sign up for free recipes, resources and time saving candy making tips!!!

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Gourmet Sugar Free Chocolates, The Perfectly Delicious Gift

Gourmet chocolates are relished by people of all age groups. This is a good gift option as well as a great stress buster. Chocolate gift baskets are now in great demand. People customize these baskets and send chocolates to their near and dear ones. There are a variety of chocolates like unsweetened, slightly sweetened, dark chocolates, milk or white chocolates, liquor chocolates to name a few. Diabetics, who are chocolate lovers, need not feel left out any more. There are now delicious chocolate options available for them called gourmet sugar free chocolates.

When you go to the market to get chocolates for yourself be cautious in reading the label that mentions the laxative effects that the chocolate might have. Maltitol is sugar liquor used in these chocolates and too much of its consumption may cause diarrhea. More than 50 grams of sorbitol or 20 grams of maltitol every day may lead to digestive disorders as stated by American Dietetic Association. These can be great chocolate gifts. Although this type of chocolate has been available for many years, you should still read the instructions regarding content level of sugar liquor in it.

Maltitol is a natural form of sugar usually derived from starch and is the main content in the new version of sugar free chocolate. Maltitol is in a stable form and melts fast enabling it to be used to make these delicious sugar free treats.

These high quality chocolates do not have a bitter taste which usually is present when made from artificial sweeteners. Maltitol makes chocolates taste as sweet as original but with less in calories causing no tooth decay and not adding to your weight in terms of fat. Maltitol still gives that rich creamy texture to chocolates. But make sure you keep a check on the amount you consume every day. The next time you need to give something to a diabetic person, choose something along the lines of this type of chocolate gift.

What's great about the new gourmet sugar free treats is that they come in all kinds of styles, tastes and with some incredible additions mixed in. No longer do you just have to suffer with a bland sugarless bar, but gourmet sugar free chocolates now are found in glorious gift baskets and wonderfully elegant boxes as well. There are some incredible selections as well. You can get chocolate peanut clusters or delicious sugar free almond buttercrunch and so many other scrumptious options!

So not only can you pay attention to your weight and still enjoy gourmet chocolates, but you can show that you care by sending some scrumptious sugar free chocolates to others that are health conscious or have diabetes. What better way to share something sweet than to make it a delicious box of gourmet sugar free chocolate?

Colleen Maguire -
Writer, Traveler and Chocolate Lover
For More Delicious Chocolate Ideas and Tastes:
http//www.UltimateChocolateShoppe.com

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Hershey Foods Corporation and the Love of Chocolate

Among the largest manufacturers of chocolate and confectionery products in America is known as a company called The Hershey Foods Corporation. The company is a major exporter of chocolate-related products and has additional factories in Canada and Mexico. This company was founded in 1894 by Milton Hershey which is located in Hershey Pennsylvania.

By the age of fifteen, the young Hershey, following a candy apprenticeship attempted to run his own candy shop in Philadelphia which failed after six years. But undeterred by his failure he continued to operate on his business idea of making caramel with fresh milk until in 1886 he returned to Lancaster founded the Lancaster Caramel Company and made a success of the company until he sold it for $1 million in 1900.

Seven years after founding the Lancaster Caramel Company, Hershey made a decision to concentrate on making chocolate-covered caramels after buying a German chocolate-making machine and in 1894 he established the Hershey Chocolate Company that manufactured baking chocolate, chocolate coating, sweet chocolate and cocoa. A dedicated chocolate manufacturing plant was constructed by the company in 1905 and shortly the local community was dominated by the Hershey name together with the company's activity for chocolate for love.

The firm went from strength to strength although Hershey would not trust in advertising and marketing and he made a poor investment in Cuban sugar in the 1920s. The Great Depression saw a downturn in the market but to survive Hershey open his doors to public tours to promote his chocolate by referral and kept the regional population employed through various construction projects.

However, Hershey generously did not stop there, he and his wife, who were childless established a school for orphans in 1909, the Hershey Industrial School, which has eventually renamed the Milton Hershey School in 1995 and still owns 35.5 percent of the company's stock via a trust fund.

In 1945 following Hershey's death the firm continued in the 'giving' tradition of its founder and established the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of Pennsylvania State University in the town of Hershey.

The company continued to prosper during the 1960s and began diversifying its product range outside of chocolate for love towards pasta and it brought two pasta companies established the company name to Hershey Foods Corporation. As the company expanding into Europe it started advertising and marketing and in 1980 it acquired rights of the British candy maker Cadbury Schweppes PLC. The expansion grew with acquisitions in Canada, Sweden and the Ronzoni Foods Corporation, that make Hershey the most significant supplier of dry pasta in the north American market.

The following is a snap shot of the more popular Hershey products:

Hershey: milk chocolate bars, Kisses chocolates, Jujyfruits candy, Twizzlers licorice candy, cocoa, chocolate syrup, baking chocolate, peanut butte, ice cream toppings, Cadbury's chocolate bars, York peppermint patties, Luden's throat drops, Jolly Rancher, Whoppers, Milk Duds, Good & Plenty, PayDay, Heath, asaU Chuckles, dry pasta

Reese: peanut butter cups, Almond Joy and Mounds candy bars. Pieces Candy

Canadian Products: Chipits chocolate chips, Eat-More candy, Glosette candy. Pot of Gold boxed chocolates, Oh Henry! chocolate bar

To date Hershey remains committed to producing chocolate for love for all their clients.

Find out more about healthy chocolate visit chocolate for love and to get immediate access to my FREE email chocolate health mini-course, visit Extraordinary Health Benefits of Chocolate. Steve Campbell has a keen interest in chocolate, health and nutrition.

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How to Make Chocolate Recipes Better

When you're wanting to learn how to make chocolate recipes better there are a few things you need to remember.

1. Follow the recipe before you make changes to it.
2. Use good quality, fresh ingredients only.
3. Make sure your measurements are right e.g. tsp is teaspoons, tbsp is tablespoons, gram to cup conversions vary depending upon the ingredient/s.

The main item I would like to focus on here to help us all make better chocolate recipes is the Star ingredient - Chocolate.

Chocolate would have to be one of the best ingredients ever! I thank God for the Theobroma Cacao tree from which chocolate is made. The scientific name Theobroma actually means "food of the gods".

If we stop long enough and just think about chocolate all by itself we would quickly realize what a magnificent food it really is. Here is a food type that will cheer up anyone who is feeling sad. It says "I love you" better than any other food type. When we think of Valentine's Day chocolate, flowers and jewelry usually come to mind.

It also makes an excellent gift for birthdays, Easter, Christmas, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, is a great way to say sorry, makes a good excuse to get together, is delicious with practically any beverage, it markets and sells well generally and for charity drives, has featured in so many movies e.g. Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Like Water for Chocolate, Chocolat, In Search of the Heart of Chocolate and so many more.

Then we start to think of chocolate as an ingredient. Possibly the best place to begin is by thinking about chocolate bars. Brand names like Cadbury, Hershey's, Nestle have made very successful businesses by adding fruits, nuts and flavors to it. Change the shape and sell it again e.g chocolate chips, blocks of chocolate, little chocolate bars, milk or dairy, dark and white chocolate etc.

Put chocolate in biscuits, cakes, drinks - both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, mousse, brownies, pies, icing, desserts and the list goes on.

Chocolate really is superb!

If are wanting to know how to make a chocolate chip cookie recipe you would find a cookbook, website or blog that is dedicated to chocolate. You want to make sure that the author of the recipe/s really knows the ingredients they promote.

Also, remember the guidelines mentioned above - follow the recipe, fresh ingredients and correct measures.

Recently I decided to make chocolate brownies. A friend suggested I double the ingredients, which I did. I poured all of the brownie mix into a deep baking dish and baked it for the suggested time. Because of this the brownie recipe was a flop however, the chocolate lava cake was a huge success - thankfully. My mistake here was I should have stuck to the recipe and poured the mix into two shallow baking dishes just like it said.

Once you are confident, then experiment to your heart's desires. Have a go at using additional ingredients. For example where the chocolate chip cookie recipe calls for rolled oats, try a natural muesli. The addition of fruit, nuts and bran to these cookies is outstanding.

Finally, when most people think of chocolate they think of fun times. Chocolate and cooking are both fun, so relax and enjoy working with different recipes. This alone can improve the quality of your hard work and time in the kitchen.

Hello. My name is Geoff

I am the author, owner and photographer of http://www.chocolate-recipes-galore.com

I have enjoyed eating chocolate as a child and have worked with chocolate in many different recipes for many years.

My passion for chocolate is seen in the recipes located at the above website. All of the recipes listed on this site are actually made and photographed by me.

I hope you are or become as passionate about chocolate as I am and that you too would share these chocolate tips and recipes with your friends and family.

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How to Make Chocolate Peanuts, Turtles and Other Chocolate Covered Products

One of the most interesting ways chocolate candy is made is a modern method that involves a machine called an "enrober". Imagine a cupcake cup in which you place a pretzel. Fill the cup up with warm chocolate. Then make slits or slots on all four sides so that the extra chocolate will run out of the cup and into a catching tray.

Now when you flood the cup with chocolate it coats the pretzel, but as the chocolate flows back out of the cup the pretzel remains coated. If you move this cup on a belt through a cooling tunnel the chocolate will harden to its final form. Suppose there are 12 cups in a row on a conveyor line, all filled with pretzels. The cups pass beneath a nozzle that fills the cups with chocolate. The overflow runs out through the slits in the cup.

The above method would not be perfect if you need to have chocolate on the bottom of the piece. When you make chocolates in an enrober that needs a chocolate bottom first, before you place an item in the cup you add a small amount of chocolate in the cup bottom. The cup then passes through a chilling tunnel where the bottom sets. The cup is then filled with a nut or fruit center. Then the cup is top flooded with chocolate. The entire piece passes through a cooling tunnel to make the final hard set. Often this is the way production chocolate pieces are made for the large companies.

The excess chocolate recirculates and is used again to flood the next cups with chocolate. This is an enrobing line and you can always tell enrobing because there is a flat bottom on the chocolate item.

Smaller chocolate makers hand dip the chocolates - one at a time - and this is slower but more individualized. An enrober give constant quality, appearance, and large volume of products.

This method of chocolate coating is machinery intensive and requires expensive equipment. A normal plant might make 2,000 pounds of enrobed chocolate pieces on a typical production run!

Have you ever wondered how it is that we can dip nuts into chocolate so that the chocolate comes out distributed evenly all around the nut?

When the nut is coated commercially it goes through an enrobing process. If you had a cup and poured a little chocolate in it and set the chocolate, then placed a nut in the cup on the chocolate bottom, and then flowed chocolate over the nut with the excess flowing out of the cup, you would be enrobing. The finished coated nut goes through cooling tunnels to harden the chocolate and is then popped out of the cup.

You can not do that at home. About the best you can do is to pour chocolate in a mold and then push the nut into the center. As it sets the nut will form a core. Sometimes you can buy these molds at cake decorating specialty shops. They are usually made of flexible rubber or plastic.

You might also try an easier method, but more specialized. Take the nut in your hand and dip the nut into the chocolate and give your wrist a quick turn as you lift the chocolate-coated nut out of the bowl. The chocolate will run off, but some will stay on the nut forming a thin layer. Set on wax paper to dry. You can dip several times and this will build up a mass.

This method is an art-form and when you hear of "hand-dipped" chocolates, this is what they mean. It takes about a year of steady dipping and twisting to get talented so don't be discouraged if it does not go well.

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Why Retro Sweets Were Made for the Internet

The internet because it can reach a bigger audience has been a godsend to a niche market seller and none more so than retailers of retro sweets.

If you went back to the fifties and sixties in the UK every high street would be able to support a sweets shop selling a range of sweets. These were slowly replaced by corner shops who sold all manner of items from newspapers, tobacco, spirits and essential food items such as bread and milk to attract sufficient custom because high street traffic was and still is in a downward spiral.

The reason for this was the growth of supermarkets and out of town shopping malls. Many independent retailers such as grocers, bakers' tailors and hardware stores have disappeared through a lack of custom off UK high streets.

Supermarkets and shopping malls have the advantage of selling many products under one roof with free parking on the door step. Some independents have successfully transferred to shopping malls but they do tend to be dominated by national companies who can apply economies of scale to their business.

Some independent sweet shops have managed to stay in business and tend to be located in fashionable tourist type cities of York, Harrogate, Chester, Ely, Oxford and Cambridge and in the larger UK cities where there is high footfall. Rent and rates at these locations is high and a sweet is a low margin item, so huge volumes need to be sold which also means a higher ratio of staff.

As a result, the number of locations capable of supporting a shop only selling sweets has dwindled enormously, meaning that customers have got out of the habit of buying their favourite sweets and would only visit these shops if they were visiting these locations for other reasons.

Thanks to the world wide web this has all changed and the customer can visit their own retro sweets shop from the comfort of their own home and look for the sweets of yester year.

These include such classics as aniseed balls and twists, caramel merry maids, fruit salads and black jacks, taverners bob bons, liquorice all sorts, midget gems, Kendal mint cake, orange creams, Turkish delight, walnut whips, the list just goes on and on.

The beauty of these products is postage fees are relatively low with £5.50 for deliveries in the UK being the maximum amount you will pay, with orders over £50 usually free. Given the ridiculously high cost of petrol or diesel in the UK postage will work out far cheaper.

Indeed many people will often buy in bulk with family and friends which will more than cover the cost of the postage. Buying in full jars instead of 200g packages dramatically cuts the cost by as much as 30 per cent. For example Retro Sweets shop sells aniseed balls in 200g packs for £1.70 and in 3kg jars for £19.50 making a saving of £6 or 30 per cent if you buy the jar.

American Sweets have always been popular in the UK starting way back when candy first became a hit. The current top of the pops is nerds and Wonka sweets which kids in the UK cannot simply get enough of and it is through the wonder of the internet and social networking that these products become almost an instant hit in the UK as they do in America.

Lynne has operated a Retro Sweets shop in the small town of Retford for many years and latterly a second unit at the Meadow Hall shopping mall in Sheffield.

In response to customers who are only able to visit the shops every once in a while and to offer our range of Retro Sweets to a wider UK audience Retro Sweets Shop web site has been built providing over 500 different sweets.

We therefore welcome new and old customers to visit our http://www.retro-sweets-shop.co.uk and browse at your leisure your favourite sweets that will bring back fond memories of your childhood.

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Guess What? There Is a New Healthy Dark Chocolate Drink - Yum!

About 14 months ago my daughter informed me that she and her husband where having another child. She is 35 years of age and we did not expect this blessing. My new grandson was born on the 19th of October and Jaxon is my second grandson. My last goals in life was to see my grandson Ben graduate from college. Now I want to see Jaxon graduate, too. I will now need an extra 24 years of life to reach this goal. Yes I can get run over by a bus tomorrow but I need to do my part and stay healthy so I will reach my goal. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. My BP is 138/72, my L.D.L. is great, my heart is strong, my lungs are clear, I'm 20 pounds overweight and my blood sugar is slightly higher than normal. My doctor told me loss 20 pounds and when I do I am positive the my blood sugar will not be a problem. I have a wish to help people who want to stay healthy. The American diet is deplorable mostly because of lobbyists, the US Government interference, fast food, trans-fatty acids, and high fructose corn syrup. My niece is blind or correctly stated visually impaired because of diabetes, my oldest son is type 1 diabetic.

My sister 's health is poor because of diabetes and heart disease, and my grandfather had his legs amputated because of diabetes before he died from that progressive disease. My three closet friends died in their 50s, two from heart attacks and one from A.L.S. Out of the three David was the only lucky one. He was watching the Comedy Channel one night with his wife, started laughing hysterically and then suddenly died at age 59. My close friend with A.L.S. died a miserable death at age 56. The other friend had a major drinking problem, smoked 2 packs a day and developed cancer; died in his sleep at age 54. Dying is inevitable; it is as natural as birth. It is how we die that's important. I refuse to lie in a hospital bed for months and put that terrible burden on my children. So my choice is working on staying healthy avoiding things that are known to cause degenerative diseases and to share my findings and success with others. A few weeks ago we met to a gentleman that had developed new products that fits my needs perfectly. These products tastes wonderful, makes one feel good and have more nutritional value than anyone could dream. Just imagine enjoying chocolate without guilt, no calories, almost no fat, no caffeine, no gluten, no dairy, no trans-fats, no corn syrup, no sodium, no sugar and no soy.

Let us share why we are so enthused about this new series of products. As we mentioned before there are almost no calories, almost no fat or carbohydrates, no caffeine, no gluten, no dairy, no trans-fats, no corn syrup, no sodium, no sugar and no soy. The point is that everyone can use this product and not concern themselves with that dietary or cardiac condition. Side bar: No one should ever ingest; trans fats and high fructose corn syrup.

Fact: Not many people would drink roasted and brewed cacao beans if it did not taste good. This beverage is incredibly tasty. Most who try it love the taste hot or cold. For those few that prefer the lighter taste of mild chocolate a pinch of stevia and some almond milk will fit that lighter taste. News! We found a new product today in the grocery store, coconut milk coffee creamers. All ingredients are natural and/or organic.

Note: We strongly suggest watch the video on the brewing of cacao beans for the best results. Roasted and brewed cacao beans are brewed like coffee but there are differences. Don't put your already brewed or used grounds down the garbage disposal! No, do not put them in your compost pile. OK, so what is done with them? Cook with the ground cocoa beans. Great cooks add those "already brewed" roasted and brewed cacao beans grounds to their cooking and baking recipes. There are incredible recipes using brewed roasted and brewed cacao beans grounds for taste sensations like brownies and Oatmeal that all youngsters will love.

This is what is really important. The ancient Mayan culture knew the cacao bean is one of nature's perfect foods. Cacao is the base ingredient to chocolate and most of us have heard about the benefits of dark chocolate offering high antioxidant value, essential mineral benefits and natural energy. Today dietary professionals refer to healthy dark chocolate as a super food and these dietary pros suggest 70% dark chocolate is a part of a healthy diet. This is why! Just 10 calories and 1.5g carbohydrates per serving, it helps curb appetite, promote weight loss. It has a very safe natural stimulant, not caffeine but gives one a noticeable increase in energy without feeling nervous or jittery; it is long-lasting and non-addictive. Cocoa (or cacao) has the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world and has an abundance of minerals or trace elements helping the immune system, liver, pancreas and skin, also helps prevents colds. It is known to stabilizes blood sugar levels, supports the heart, aids digestion, balances brain chemistry and builds strong bones. Lastly roasted and brewed cacao beans have natural plant chemicals that makes one feel great, increase focus, reduce stress and even helps us sleep better.

What we now know, roasted and brewed cacao beans tastes good, has no waste, if desired the entire product is used. It is free of gluten, fats, dairy, caffeine, sugar and soy. Roasted and brewed cacao beans has many trace elements, phytochemicals, endorphins, antioxidants, theobromine, and natural fat blockers. So adding roasted and brewed cacao beans, the healthy chocolate drink and other cacao beans products to the family diet will help everyone take advantage of the many nutrients and benefits natural to the cacao bean, enabling the entire family to lead a healthier and happier life.

Of course we want to sell products that is why we are in business but we understand that customer service is the most important product we have. For our customers we offer information about the cacao and coffees and their health benefits, a lot of it; the information we offer is simplified so no one has to have a science degree to understand. Come visit us, http://www.smallbatchroaster.com. The site is a good read. Book Mark it, you will want to return. Register while at Small Batch Roasters for a free eBook by our Master Chef Cacao the eBook has very interesting, tasty and healthy recipes. Thank you.

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Chestnut Chocolate Cake

hocolate cake with chestnut filling

I made this cake because one of my sons very often eats chestnut cream. So I came up with the idea of a chestnut filling, and I don't regret it, because this chestnut filling cake came out delicious. The chestnut cream in a jar is very thick, that is harder, and it must be mixed with whipped cream so that it is easier to spread on the cake layer. I could have made a separate chocolate cream or ness coffee cream to soften the chestnut cream, but I thought it's better to put whipped cream so as not to mix the fillings too much, and it came out very good. It takes some time to prepare this cake, but the result will be a truly special one.

Ingredients:

• 1 chocolate cake layer
• 2 chestnut cream jars
• 2 jars of cherries in cherry juice
• 1 box of liquid cream from the brand "Hulala" (500 ml)
• 2 packages of chocolate icing
• 300 gr. of nutmeats, cut into small pieces with a knife
• Raw sugar for the whipped cream, 3 or 4 spoons
• 50 ml amaretto liqueur for the syrup

Preparation:

First, we prepare the chestnut cream using the 2 jars, mixing it then with some "Hulala" whipped cream spoons. I've used 6 whipped cream spoons for 600 gr. of chestnut cream. We thoroughly mix the cream with a wooden spoon, so that the cream homogenizes well and then we put the cream into the refrigerator. We also prepare the "Hulala" whipped cream, to which we add 4 spoons of raw sugar. After that we put it into the refrigerator.

We prepare the syrup for moistening the cake layers. I've prepared it out of 250 ml of water, to which I have added 4 or 5 spoons of raw sugar, depending on your taste. We put the kettle on the fire, until the sugar dissolves entirely, and then we add 50 ml of amaretto liqueur. We pass on to moisturizing the cake layers, we add plenty of cream and on top of the cream we also add a generous layer of nutmeats, crushed or cut into small pieces with a knife. I've cut the nutmeats with a knife, because we like it to be a little bigger, not finely crushed. After we have moistened the cake and added the cream and nutmeats, on top we put the icing, the whipped cream and the cherries taken from the jar. The cake is served after keeping it into the refrigerator for a while, and then it is cut into squares. Enjoy!!!



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Tempering Chocolate Simply

I thought this would be incredibly difficult, but it just takes patience and a very accurate candy thermometer that can read from 20-50 degrees celsius (68-122 degrees fahrenheit). This is a very simple guide on tempering.

Tempering your chocolate gives it a lovely shine and allows it to stay solid at room temperature and when picked up. It gives the chocolate a lovely crisp snap and is absolutely necessary if you intend on making chocolates as gifts or to keep. Non tempered chocolate melts almost instantly in your hands and is pretty unusable.

What you'll need
2 bowls, one big enough to place over simmering water without it touching the water.

A good thermometer

Dark, milk or white chocolate, (minimum 400g)

A helpful short guide
Melt to
Dark chocolate 46C/115F
Milk or white 43C/110F
Add seed chocolate and cool too
Dark 32C/90F
Milk or white 31C/88F
If you need to reheat to work with the chocolate, heat only to 33c/92F

Rules
Never, ever get water in your chocolate. This cannot be stressed enough. It will ruin your whole batch.

Be patient and love your chocolate. Let the temperature rise and drop slowly, turn the simmering pan down if needed.

Detailed instructions
1. Grate your chocolate so that it all melts evenly.

2. Separate into three piles, add 2 piles to the bowl you will be placing over the simmering pan. Put the last pile into a separate bowl. Make sure the bowl that will be heated does not touch the water whilst over the simmering pan.

3. Place a large enough pan of shallow water over the stove and bring to a low simmer. Turn off heat, place chocolate over the pan (remember, not touching the water.) Melt to

Dark chocolate 46C/115F
Milk or white 43C/110F
4. Remove and wrap bowl in towel, add the remaining chocolate from earlier and stir.

5. Cool too

Dark 32C/90F
Milk or white 31C/88F
6.You should notice it becoming very shiny and pretty. Being in a hot or cold place here makes all the difference. If you need to move to a warmer/colder place to reach the temper stage, you can.

7. Place back on hot pan and reheat to maximum 33C/92F to make the chocolate usable.

8. Thats it! You're done. You have tempered chocolate. You can use it for dipping, or make your own chocolates as gifts.

To check it is properly tempered, place some on a knife and place in the fridge for a couple of minutes. It should be smooth, slightly shiny and when placed between your fingers it melts slowly. Instead of putting it in the fridge, I usually place a piece on some baking paper with a knife, and it should peel off neatly and not melt in your hand.

Remember, smooth, matte/shiny, crisp, doesn't melt easily. It also snaps nicely.

I hope you have enjoyed this article! For more great methods and recipes, visit my blog

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Classic Candy Bars That Are Perfect For The Holidays

Candy has existed in one form or another for thousands of years. Ancient peoples enjoyed honey right out of the hive and later combined it with nuts and fruits to create tasty confectionary treats. Sweets were typically served at the end of a meal for dessert or were eaten as a snack. For most of its history, candy made from sugar was too expensive for commoners. It was a delicacy only the rich could afford.

After the Spanish rediscovered cacao, from which chocolate is made, in Mexico in 1519, the price of candy fell precipitously. By the 17th century, hard candy was wildly popular in North America and chocolate was all the rage in Europe. Large factories were suddenly springing up on both sides of the Atlantic. Though the chocolate bar was invented in England in 1847, it was popularized by an American company at the dawn of the twentieth century.

The Hersey Company introduced the first wrapped chocolate bar in 1900. Its success encouraged countless candy makers to develop their own candy bars. The Hershey Bar has been one of the best-selling candies on earth for most of its history. However, it is not the company's most popular product. Miniature chocolate droplets called "Kisses" were introduced in 1907. The Hershey Company ships about sixty million of them each day! Their diminutive chocolate bars, Hershey's Miniatures, are also extremely popular with chocolate lovers everywhere.

Holiday Candies

Chocolate bars have never been particularly popular during the holiday season. As you might expect, the nearly ubiquitous candy cane is the most common holiday treat. According to reliable estimates, about 1.76 billion of them are made each year! But chocolate bars and candies have gained a loyal following of late.
Hershey's Kisses

As we mentioned, Hershey's Kisses are one of the most popular products in the history of chocolate. Tens of billions of them are shipped and sold each year. Though annual sales peak just before Halloween, they also spike during the holiday season. They are so popular, in fact, that Hershey's produces a special holiday edition of its famous candies wrapped in festive red, silver and green foil. With 7 ounces of milk chocolate, the Giant Hershey's Kiss has also become a trendy stocking stuffer and holiday gift.

Hershey's Holiday Miniatures

Modeled after their original chocolate bar, Hershey's Miniatures are a common holiday gift. Whether deposited into stockings or left out in bowl, miniatures make for a tasty treat when the weather gets cold. Just like their more famous cousins (the Kisses), Hershey's Miniatures are wrapped in festive foils for the holiday season. They are sold in variety packs at most major supermarkets and department stores.

Advent Calendars

The holidays are a hectic time of year for any parent. Crowded stores, annoying in-laws, and boring office parties make the season a chore for most. Of course, most parents forget all about those minor frustrations when their kids open their presents. An easy and affordable way to prolong the air of magic and mystery that surrounds the holiday season is to give your little angel an advent calendar.

The standard advent calendar contains twenty-four doors, and behind each one is a tasty milk chocolate treat. Most calendars also include information about the holiday, so that your child can learn the story and meaning of Christmas as the big day approaches.

Chocolate Ornaments

As popular as candy canes are, they are rarely eaten. Sure, the kids might have one or two of them. But if you decorate your tree with dozens of cane-shaped candy treats, most of them will probably end up in the trash. We're not saying that candy canes have fallen out of fashion, but a little variety never hurt anyone. Chocolate ornaments wrapped in festive foils are an attractive and tasty accessory for any tree. And don't worry, they will not melt!

Chocolate Dreidel

A dreidel is a popular toy Jewish children play with during the holiday of Hanukkah. The four-sided spinning top is used in a gambling game where contestants bet raisins, chocolate, pennies or candies. Chocolate dreidels may not spin like their wooden brethren, but they are far tastier!

Holiday-inspired chocolate candy bars can be purchased from reputable sellers on the internet.

David Shirey is a freelance writer who writes about shopping and food products including candy bars.

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A Brief History of the Candy Bar

Most people have had a craving for a candy bar at some point in their life. They're easily accessible at work, at home, or at the supermarket. It can give you a "pick me up" for a burst of energy. If you're hungry, it can curb your appetite until lunch or dinner. When you're feeling down, eating one can put a smile on your face. Chocolate, the prominent ingredient, has been around for hundreds of years, but it wasn't until the nineteenth century that it was developed into a candy bar. Here is its brief history:

1500 BC to 400 BC - The Olmec Indians of the Eastern Mexico lowlands are thought to be the first people to grow cocoa beans as a domestic crop. It took hundreds of years before cocoa became widely used as a remedy and as an aphrodisiac, and so it became known as a food from the gods. The Aztecs used cacao beans as currency and as a drink for people with high social status. Europeans were first introduced to chocolate as a beverage, and they loved it so much that a chocolate house was opened in London in 1657 where drinks were served to the upper class. Within twenty years, chocolate was found in tea cakes and other sweets. It took almost ninety years after Europe discovered chocolate before it was introduced to the United States. Dr. James Baker and John Hanan built America's first chocolate mill, and soon after, they were making Baker's chocolate.

1830- A kind of solid chocolate was developed by a British company called Joseph Fry & Sons.
1847- Fry's chocolate factory molded the first chocolate bar.
1866- The Fry's Chocolate Cream bar is produced for mass sale.
1900- Milton S. Hershey introduces the first Hershey milk chocolate bar in the United States. It sold for a nickel.
1920- The Baby Ruth candy bar is first sold. There is still an ongoing dialogue whether is was named after President Cleveland's daughter or Babe Ruth.
1923- Mounds, a double chocolate coconut concoction, is first made.
1924- Milky Way is introduced.
1928- Heath Bar, a chocolate coated toffee is introduced.
1936- The 5th Avenue Bar is created.
Hundreds of candy bars have come and gone. Some popular ones are: 100 Grand Bar, Almond Joy, Charleston Chew, Chunky, Clark Bar, Goo-Goo Clusters, Marathon Bar, Milkshake, Mr. Goodbar, Nestle Crunch, Oh Henry, Powerhouse, Seven-Up Bar, Skybar, Snickers, and Three Musketeers. Most candy bars are made with chocolate, but an occasional non-chocolate one becomes a favorite, such as Payday, Zero, and Zagnut. Time will tell which ones will be favored by future generations.

Bridget Sweeney is the owner of Woodstock Candy, an online store that specializes in retro and nostalgic candy gift boxes. Please visit Woodstock Candy for all your favorite old time candies.

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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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