Chocolate Tasting

March 17, 2008

If You Crave Chocolate – Fudge It

Filed under: Chocolate, Chocolate Recipes — Tags: — Tuppy @ 5:42 am


Creative Commons License photo credit: vanlaarIf you love chocolate – and really, who doesn’t? – the holiday season is ripe with opportunities to take a chocolate break. Chocolate is a delicious treat with many faces and forms. Just because it tastes wonderful is no reason for guilt. Remeber, recent studies have confirmed that chocolate is good for your heart, so if anyone tries to make you feel guilty, simply point your finger to that fact. Then, invite your accuser to join you in a healthful treat. Try and avoid clutching your heart, falling to the floor, and writhing. It spoils the treat.

There’s simply nothing like chocolate. Chocolate is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A chocolate croissant is the perfect accompaniment to a morning cup of coffee. A brownie is a wonderful ending to lunch. Chocolate truffles are elegant after-dinner treats. And there’s one chocolate treat that seems right at any time of the day, as a pick-me-up, a snack, an evening dessert, or a shared moment in bed – chocolate fudge.

If you google chocolate fudge, you’ll get millions of results, attesting to the popularity of this dessert. Everyone’s got a recipe for this versatile goodie, any of which you may find tempting.

Chocolate fudge brings back memories of family gatherings at Grandma’s house, with a big tin of little squares of fudge just waiting to be popped into your mouth, and savored with a sigh of great enjoyment.

It seems everyone’s Mom or Grandma has the very best fudge recipe. That doesn’t mean there’s not room for experimentation and new discoveries of chocolate heaven.

Among the basic chocolate fudge ingredients are chocolate (duh!), butter, cream and perhaps sugar if you’re using baking chocolate. It’s the add-ons that personalize your fudge, making your chocolate fudge sing in the memory of your appreciative recipients.

Add-ons make your fudge distinctive. Try nuts, such as crushed almonds, pecans or walnuts. Get flamboyant with some marshmallow creme. A bit of quality, high cocoa butter chocolate can make your fudge extraordinary. Just a couple tablespoons of liqueur, such as Kahlua, rum or Orange Marnier mixed in with the batch can produce a mysterious and intriguing chocolate fudge, made all your own with a little experimentation and imagination.

Along with a couverture quality chocolate, heavy cream lends a sensuous, rich texture and flavor to your chocolate fudge. Butter adds calories, it’s true, but the taste overcomes any foolish qualms you may have.

Presentation is the final gilding of the lily. Party stores sell small gold and silver foil cups to hold the treasured treat. Once the chocolate fudge has set, cut it into tiny bite-sized pieces, set in the foil cups and box them up. You’ll have no shortage of customers.

March 13, 2008

The Luxury of Lindt Chocolate

Filed under: Chocolate, Chocolate Manufacturers — Tags: , — Tuppy @ 6:40 am


Creative Commons License photo credit: *g.a.p.*The Swiss company, whose full title is Lindt & Sprungli, started production in 1845 and now has a factory in Switzerland, Germany and New Hampshire in the USA. The product range was extended when the company bought the American chocolate brand of Ghirardelli in 1998.

The chocolate is of such a high standard because top quality cocoa beans are used and there is a high percentage of cocoa used. This quality combined with imaginative flavor combinations has resulted in Lindt chocolate being a best seller across the world. American and British consumers, more used to their domestic chocolate being made with lots of sugar, love the products as much as their European counterparts.

One of the most popular items in the range is Lindor, which are truffle balls that come in various flavors. The range includes milk, dark and white chocolate with fillings such as mint, hazelnut, orange, raspberry, amaretto and peanut butter. There is also an extra dark variety and a coffee flavored truffle that is popular in Italy. Lindor is also available as a chocolate bar.

Blocks of chocolate are also very popular and they are made in a wide variety of flavors. One of the best selling Lindt chocolate products is the mint with dark chocolate. There is also dark chocolate on its own and with orange. Milk chocolate fans prefer the extra creamy variety and nut lovers like the pistachio. The caramel flavored block has a crunchy texture and the Madagascar is rich, containing Madagascar cocoa beans. Poire Intense is flavored with pears.

Chocolate flavored desserts are the perfect end to any meal and Lindt chocolate has made this possible with its Petit Desserts range. This line combines chocolate with well known continental desserts and includes Tarte au Chocolat, Crème Brulee, Tiramisu and Crème Caramel.

The company has gone into the direct retail business with the opening of two chocolate shops and cafes in Sydney, Australia. In addition to the sale of chocolates, customers can buy hot chocolate, cakes and ice cream. Ice cream comes in various flavors, including Black Forest with cherry, White Chocolate with Raspberry Sauce, Hazelnut with Chocolate Chip and Almond Praline. There is also an online store on Lindt’s web site, with lots of ideas for beautifully packaged gifts.

March 8, 2008

Up A Creek With Chocolate Chip Cookies

Filed under: Chocolate, Chocolate Recipes — Tags: — Cora @ 2:07 pm


Creative Commons License photo credit: georgie_grdEach year in the spring my husband takes several canoeing trips. The destinations are usually within six to eight hours from our house so he takes extra days along with a weekend to relax. He has many different buddies that he goes on these trips with. There are some family trips that include his brothers and nephews and then there are trips that include long time kayaking pals.

Regardless of where he is going and who he is with, he always wants me to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies for him to take along. This started the first year we were married because I made a batch of the cookies for him to take along on the water. He likes them so much that I can hardly keep up making them during the spring months.

The chocolate chip cookies that I make are a cross between several recipes that I have seen in cookbooks or have eaten. There are some recipes for cookies that have many ingredients for energy including oatmeal, peanut butter and honey, and then there are the standard chocolate chip cookies recipes. I have combined the two and added a few touches of my own to create a cookie that is very tasty as well as packed with energy producing ingredients.

I started experimenting with the recipes because one of my husband’s friends did not like oatmeal. I wanted to leave the oatmeal in for the nutritional value. I had read that one of the famous chocolate chip cookies that are sold in the shopping malls uses a ground oatmeal. I decided that I would try using the blender. This works very well. I simply put a cup of oat meal at a time into the blender and push the grind button. The result is oatmeal flour that I add in with the wheat flour. The texture of the chocolate chip cookies no longer has that oatmeal feel.

I also do not stop with the basic chocolate chips. I also add toffee chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, anything that I have on hand. The oat flour keeps the cookies moist. I also finely chop walnuts and pecans and add them to the chocolate chip cookies. I drop the dough in big balls that I make with the ice cream scoop.

This year I spent one afternoon making a huge batch of the chocolate chip cookie dough. I multiplied all the ingredient amounts by ten. I had a huge stainless steel bowl as well as my largest mixing bowl full of dough. I rolled the dough in long strips like the ready to bake cookies in the grocery store. Now I can bake them as he needs them without having to make the dough each time

March 4, 2008

Healthy Chocolate? Bar None, It’s The Tastiest Health Food

Filed under: Chocolate — Tags: , , , — Tuppy @ 3:31 pm


Creative Commons License photo credit: terren in VirginiaMost people have a craving for chocolate on occasion. It’s thought of as something that happens to women, but men have the same problem. Plain chocolate bars are popular, but people also love the many different bars that add a variety of different ingredients like caramel, nuts, and all sorts of yummy things. Most think of chocolate as a sweet treat, and it is, but at the same time, new research is saying there are some health benefits to the treat as well.

The chocolate bars that are said to have the best health benefits are the ones made with dark chocolate. Some just naturally love dark chocolate, but it’s honestly not my first choice. It does have a different taste and is usually not quite as sweet as milk chocolate candy bars. You don’t even need to eat an entire bar to get the benefits, and small bite a day is all they are reporting is needed. Who would have thought something as decadent as chocolate might actually be recommended by your doctor?

Finding chocolate bars is easy, but you haven’t really tried chocolate until you have found some from the far reaches of the globe. Chocolate bars and other candies are distinctive in different places, and there are some amazing choices out there. If you have never tried a Violet Crumble from Australia, I highly recommend that you do so. You may find that chocolate from Europe is better than what you can get at home, or you may find that your favorite brand is still the one you fancy.

When thinking about trying new types of chocolate bars, have a look online to see what you can find. You will find places to order chocolate products from all over the world. There are sites that have ideas for popular chocolate bars from around the world that others have tried and loved. You may also be able to find some new ideas to try if you have a World Market near your home. If not, they also have a web site you can use for your order. Look for descriptions before you buy. Some chocolates have less sugar than what you are used to having, and some may have more. If you have a special diet, you can usually find some that are made just for your way of eating.

March 3, 2008

Chocolate & Peanut Butter – A Marriage of Ingenious

Filed under: Chocolate, Chocolate Recipes — Tags: — Cora @ 2:07 pm


Creative Commons License photo credit: bonimoIf you want to get a big “Whoopee!” from me, all you have to do is offer me something that is made with chocolate and peanut butter. I don’t know who first thought to put these two ingredients together, but they have my vote for genius of the century. You can find chocolate peanut butter desserts of all sorts almost anywhere you go. Just when you think there’s nothing more you could do with these two ingredients, someone else comes up with something amazing. It’s no wonder I can’t seem to stay on my diet.

Like most people, I first found this combination when I had chocolate peanut butter candy. There are a few different companies that make these types of candies, but no one does it as well as Reeses. There is just something magical about the chocolate peanut butter cups that you just can’t find anywhere else. My husband will often come home from the store with a four pack of these. He puts them in the freezer, and a few hours later we get them out. You don’t need to eat a lot of them, as just a few bites are enough to send you to heaven.

Just recently I tried chocolate peanut butter pie for the first time. I was avoiding it because I knew once I started I would not be able to stop. Thankfully, I had about a half of piece and was able to push it aside. I must admit though, the chocolate peanut butter pie was one of the most luscious desserts I’d ever tried. The one I bought did not cost very much, and I would imagine if I found an expensive version I probably would eat more than I wanted. My husband has strict instructions that he is not allowed to buy me chocolate peanut butter pie unless I specifically ask for it. And even then, he may not want to bring it home.

There are many other chocolate peanut butter desserts out there, and I am trying my best to avoid them. A friend in Australia tells me that the chocolate peanut butter combination is not very popular there, and I told her this might be one reason why I couldn’t live there. She said that American peanut butter is much sweeter than what they have there, and she isn’t sure why the chocolate peanut butter combination has never caught on. I told her that I can’t imagine life without a chocolate peanut butter cup, so she mailed me a box of Tim Tams. I have to say they are wonderful, but I’m wondering when they’re going to come out with a peanut butter version.

March 1, 2008

Callebaut Chocolate – A History of Excellence

Filed under: Chocolate — Tags: , — Tuppy @ 2:55 pm

Belgian chocolates have a reputation around the world for excellent quality. The Callebaut Chocolate Company has been a major part of the industry, supplying chocolate makers and the consumer. They started production of chocolate bars in 1911 and introduced their famous confectionery coating line in 1925. Today, they have 35 factories employing 9,500 people and are the second largest company of its kind in the world.

The company has a variety of products available, the most popular being cocoa powder and baking chocolate to the public and to trade. Callebaut chocolate caters for lovers of dark, milk and white chocolate. In these health conscious times, the company addressed concerns in 2005 and introduced Acticoa, a product said to lower cholesterol levels. There is also a range of no added sugar chocolate.

The popular cooking show on PBS, America’s Test Kitchen, has given awards for the company’s products. In response to the interest in organic products, organic Callebaut chocolate is available and organic Fair Trade chocolate is also for sale. The company developed Origine, a type of chocolate that is widely used in pralines, chocolate bars, pastries and desserts. They also supply powder for chocolate mousse and chocolate for nut pastes and hazelnut creams. Dark and white chocolate products are also used in bread, bread rolls, cakes, croissants and pastry bases. They take different shapes in drops, sticks or chunks.

Flavored chocolate is very popular and the Callebaut chocolate range includes white and milk chocolate with caramel, cappuccino, fruit or honey flavorings. Dark and milk chocolate is also used for chocolate fountains, the latest craze at dinner parties and events. The line of coatings includes soft glazes for cakes and biscuits and hard coatings for other sorts of confectionery. White or colored icing is sold for home made cakes and there are also piping bag and cornet sets for decorating. The drinks industry has benefited from modern café culture and the demand for new flavorings in coffee etc. Callebaut developed Choc-o-Late, a chocolate drink that can be drunk hot or cold and mixes with coffee, milk, cream or even orange juice.

The company web site has an inspiring collection of recipes including ones for bread, pastries, biscuits and brioche. Books are also available with instructions on how to make chocolate and making decorations for confectionary. There are three languages in print; English, Dutch and French. Callebaut can lead to a whole new hobby as well as a quick snack at coffee break

February 26, 2008

Belgian Chocolate – A Fine Place to Start

Filed under: Chocolate — Tags: , — Tuppy @ 8:51 am

Chocolate lovers everywhere appreciate quality. Good ingredients make good chocolate and Belgian chocolate has a reputation for being the best. This may have been the boast of the Swiss at one time, before the Belgians raced ahead. There is a long tradition of chocolate making in Belgium, which only needed a good marketing campaign to bring it to the attention of the rest of us. There are even chocolate museums there!In 1912, the filled chocolate recipe known as the praline was invented in Belgium. The residents there have always been fond of exchanging chocolates as presents and they are very proud of the worldwide popularity of their export. The key to the high standard of Belgian chocolate lies in the selection of the best cocoa seeds and other ingredients. It’s apparent when inferior cocoa is used in any chocolate as it leaves an unpleasant after taste. Good chocolate always gives a rich, full flavor which lingers in the mouth. The Belgian manufacturing process is done mainly by hand, including the final decoration.

The range of products is wide, with different center fillings in plain, milk and white chocolate. The attention to quality applies to the packaging too, and Belgian chocolate makes the ideal gift, all tied up in a ribbon. Fillings include liqueurs, fruit, caramel, buttercream, ganache and mocha. There is also nougat, whipped cream, ginger, almonds, coffee, cinnamon spice and rum. If you feel like experimenting with unusual flavors, try coriander, lime or jasmine tea.

Chocolate can be taken in many forms and is gorgeous in chocolate mousse, cake and truffles. Belgian chocolate that is used in cooking will make everything taste better than normal. It’s also a good idea for chocolate fountains. This marvelous invention is all the rage for parties and receptions. They are the answer to a chocoholic’s prayer, with rivers of warm, liquid chocolate. The idea is to dip things like fruit and biscuits into the chocolate goo. Strawberries and bananas work very well, as do marshmallows and fudge. You can get Belgian chocolate refills for the fountain, so you never have to run out. You can even dismantle the fountain to put in the dishwasher.

Continental chocolate in general has much to teach the rest of the world. Some chocolate is overfilled with milk or sugar, preventing the full flavor of the cocoa to come through. The Aztecs knew the value of the cocoa bean and didn’t have any sugar to sweeten it.

February 20, 2008

For The Gourmet, Chocolate Has Many Variations

Filed under: Chocolate — Tags: — Tuppy @ 1:36 pm

Almost everyone has a love for chocolate, even if they would rather deny it. The way its texture feels in your mouth as it melts is very satisfying and its richness takes this pleasure to a whole new level. Some people even prefer chocolate to other acts that may bring a lot of pleasure. Although chocolate is delicious, some chocolates are more enjoyable than others. A Snickers bar is full of chocolate but it also is jam packed with peanuts and caramel so you have to eat your way around the candy bar to get your dose of pure chocolate. Thankfully, there are gourmet chocolates available to satisfy any chocolate lovers fix.

There are many different cocoa inspired delectable treats out there to please anyone. There are types of chocolate that some people probably never thought possible. Chocolates now can come in a chocolate-wine combination to serve as a decadent topping to any dessert. Some flavors include a chocolate espresso merlot or a chocolate raspberry cabernet. No one would have thought that wine and chocolate would fit well together but these gourmet chocolates, when paired with ice cream, are sure to ticket anyone’s taste buds.

Truffles of all kinds are also available for those with an extra sweet tooth. Whether you love dark, milk or white chocolate it is all available out there for you. There are also boxes of chocolate to suit anyone’s needs containing a wide variety of different gourmet chocolates. Some people really enjoy coffee-filled chocolate or cherry-filled chocolate. In a box of chocolate, all of these are possible and even things you never thought imaginable will be waiting for you when you open the lid.

Maybe you just want a plain chocolate bar? Dark, milk or white chocolates are available for chocolate bars so you’ll get your chocolate fix. You can break off a piece of the bar and simply let the chocolate melt slowly in your mouth as you let all your worries escape you.

These small scrumptious treasures make a perfect gift for anyone. If you know a chocolate lover, then they will greatly appreciate the sophisticated taste of these gourmet delights. They will know that you spent your time and money buying them the only gift they really need. Stores that sell these delicious treats also have gift certificates available so if you can’t pick out the perfect gourmet chocolates you can certainly let them do it with your gift for them.

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