Chocolate University Online Blog
Cocoa (or Cacao) Nibs are made from cocoa beans after they get separated from their thin shells and roasted. The bulk of nibs produced are ground into chocolate liquor, either used as unsweetened baking chocolate or as the main ingredient of chocolate bars and candies.
Roasted cocoa nibs are not for everyone. They taste rather bitter because they are not sweetened. If you can get past the bitterness, you’ll find they do taste rich and chocolaty and have a crunch similar to nuts. In fact, nibs are often used to replace nuts in cookies and granola recipes.
 Why would a person even eat cocoa nibs? Well, nibs are one of nature’s superfoods. They come packed with generous amounts of anti-oxidants, flavanoids and vitamin E. I can tolerate nibs by themselves, but would rather enjoy them coated in chocolate – DARK chocolate.
Trader Joe’s brand Dark Chocolate Nibs are enrobed in a 65% cacao dark chocolate. I find them delicious and addicting. The first flavor that comes off is an intense chocolate, as you would expect. Then nutty, and subtle fruity notes follow. The finish is a long lasting cocoa taste with a hint of coffee.
The nibs come in a 1 oz. tin. Tiny bits of yum!
Categories: chocolate education, chocolate review
Tags: cocoa beans, dark chocolate, grocery product, nibs
Recently I was asked about tempered chocolate that fails to keep a good shine and what can be done to fix that? (See comments on how to temper chocolate page.)
That’s a really good question. Concerns about the streaking and the lack of shine make me think about how temperatures, crystal development and the appearance of chocolate are all connected.
Properly tempered chocolate is shiny and uniform in color. When chocolate has streaks and does not shine, it indicates that at some point in the production process, the chocolate solidified without being in a properly tempered state.
I am sorry to have to get technical here, but see if you can follow this. Cocoa butter has to solidify or form crystals within a narrow range of temperatures. Tempering means all crystals become as identical in size and shape as possible and we can do this by controlling the temperatures.
There are essentially 3 major stages in the making of chocolates that you have to be particularly careful to achieve the right temperature:
Stage 1 – The Starting Product
If you make your own chocolate candy center, like toffee or ganache, make sure it is absolutely at room temperature before you dip in chocolate. If you don’t let it cool down enough, the heat will eventually push through your coating and cause it to lose its temper – either entirely or partially. On the flip side, if you let the center get too cold, you essentially “shock” the chocolate. This causes really BIG crystals to grow and the coating appears very dull, a flat finish.
If you mold your chocolates, use the molds at room temperature. This could be another source of unintended heat or cold introduced as the chocolate is solidifying.
Stage 2 – The Tempering Process
This is the most likely stage to produce streaking.
Agitating or stirring the chocolate during the tempering process is crucial to prevent streaking. Imagine adding red food coloring to white frosting to make it pink. If you stir in the coloring using only a few strokes, you will see streaks of red among the white. Continually stir and the frosting will eventually turn pink. Something similar happens when you temper chocolate without a thorough mixing. Temperatures along the bottom and sides of the tempering pan will be several degrees different than its center. Each temperature gradient grows different crystals at different rates. This causes light to bounce and bend irregularly and we see alternating streaks of light and dark chocolate after it dries.
Too much stirring will cause air bubbles to form and get trapped within the coating. Air bubbles cause crystals to form unevenly which gives the chocolate a grainy appearance on the surface.
If you use a tempering machine it may have separate milk, dark, and white chocolate settings. If not, you’ll need to set up the temperature and mixing parameters differently for each type of chocolate that you use. Milk chocolates temper at a lower temperature range than dark chocolates. Milk chocolates are tricky because there are different percentages of milk in any given brand or formulation of milk chocolate coating. The higher amount of milk (milk fat), the lower the temperature. White chocolates can be even more sensitive to temperature than milk chocolates.
Stage 3 – The Cooling Process
This is the most likely stage to produce dull looking product with no shine. The ideal temperature for cooling chocolate is between 65 and 68 F. The relative humidity should be 50% or less. I use a fan on a medium setting pointed right at my chocolates. The fan will lift the humidity out of the air surrounding them. Make sure the cooling tray is elevated off the counter top enough to let air circulate underneath and take away excess heat from the bottoms. A refrigerator hovers around 40 F and a freezer around 30 F – these temps are too low to encourage a nice shine. Rooms that heat up during the summer spell disaster for chocolate. Anything over 78 F is too warm and makes the chocolate soft and slightly sticky.
One obvious sign that the cooling process was unsuccessful is the formation of bloom. Bloom is a gray dusty film that covers the surface of chocolate. It can happen within hours, or days, after tempering and cooling.
To summarize, this particular tempering problem description appears to be a temperature issue at one of more stages of the process.
Categories: chocolate education
Tags: chocolate lessons, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, tempering chocolate, white chocolate, working with chocolate
 No one knows for sure how St. Valentines Day became synonymous with romantic love. There are a number of theories, but that is not really important. Once the tradition got started, all kinds of things naturally presented themselves as part of the language of love…
Like chocolate, for instance.
Chocolate and romance go together.
Throughout history, people have believed chocolate to be an aphrodisiac. It is said that Montezuma drank chocolate to increase his amorous energy and stamina. From ancient Mexico to Europe and then to America, this legend spread across the globe and survived the centuries as a powerful love potion.
Chocolate is a complex food and scientists try to unlock its secrets. When eaten, it changes human behavior, especially in women. Chocolate contains two substances called Phenylethylamine and Seratonin. These are responsible for lifting one’s mood and making us experience feelings of well being, love and happiness.
When Phenylethylamine and Seratonin are released into the body, they can produce arousing effects and give us instant energy. No wonder chocolate has gained a reputation as an aphrodisiac. Women are more susceptible to the effects of Phenylethylamine and Seratonin than men.
Still, the debate continues as to whether or not there is scientific evidence proving chocolate as an aphrodisiac. Sure, there are chemicals in chocolate that makes us “feel good” but so does the act of eating the chocolate because it TASTES good. And I, for one, feel good when I receive chocolate as a gift. It gives me feelings of being loved.
There is no doubt about one thing – chocolate and romance do go together.
Enjoy some chocolate this Valentines Day!
Categories: chocolate education, fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate facts, chocolate history, holidays
Have you ever cut corners while cooking? Ever used short cuts that the original recipe had you make from scratch?
 I have. And why not? Most often those “changes” don’t affect the final product and it saves lots of time. Yes, sometimes I even buy frosting in a can (shhh, don’t tell my kids!).
One thing I have learned from my experience working with chocolate is that there are some short cuts that work and some that don’t.
Let’s consider the making of chocolate-covered strawberries. Can you cheat at making chocolate covered strawberries without anyone noticing?
Yes, but………
The real timesaver when making chocolate-covered strawberries would be to figure out how to quickly temper, or harden, the chocolate coating. Normally, the tempering process takes time and certain amount of skill gained by practice. Although there are ways to speed up the solidification of chocolate, there is no good way to fake a tempered chocolate.
There are many recipes you can get your hands on that tell you how to make chocolate-covered strawberries. And almost all of those tell you to melt the chocolate, dip the strawberries, and then put into them in the refrigerator to harden. Voila, done!
That method is indeed fast and easy but it only works if you eat the strawberries within seconds of taking them out of the fridge. If you want to put those remarkably delicious works of art out on a plate for your guests to admire before eating, the quality of the experience will certainly be diminished if you took the easy way out.
The chocolate coating should be tempered. This is not a step I recommend you skip. An un-tempered coating will start to melt in your hand almost immediately. It will bend when you bite it – giving you a soft and pasty feel in the mouth. The chocolate will melt quickly on your tongue and the flavor will be gone before you can savor it.
A tempered chocolate will give a crisp snap when you bite and won’t get all gooey on your fingers while you hold it. The chocolate will melt slowly in your mouth and allow a full blast of chocolate flavor to come through.
If the strawberries with un-tempered chocolate sit long enough, they may start to bloom. This means they will develop a white dust over the surface and look very unappetizing.
Try dipping strawberries in tempered chocolate and notice the difference. If needed, refer to my earlier blogs on how to temper chocolate. It will be worth the effort.
Categories: chocolate education
Tags: chocolate covered fruit, chocolate lessons, working with chocolate
According to the USDA website, www.usda.gov, chocolate and cocoa powder contain “hefty quantities of natural antioxidants called flavonoids…..antioxidants are thought to be effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke.”
How do anti-oxidants help us? “Anti”-oxidants counteract the negative effects of oxidation on our bodies. Oxidation damages cells and tissues. What is oxidation, you ask?
 Here’s a simple example that you’re familiar with. Think of a slice of apple turning brown shortly after you cut it. This is discoloring demonstrates the damage that oxidation causes on the cells of the apple. If instead of leaving the slice out in the open air, you dip immediately in some lemon juice, the brown oxidative damage slows w-a-y down. In this case the lemon juice is the antioxidant.
Our bodies are naturally good at fighting oxidation but it becomes more difficult as we grow older. Eating foods high in antioxidants can give our aging bodies a boost. Research has shown that red and purple colored fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, but chocolate and cocoa are among the highest in antioxidant power!
Researchers measure the effectiveness of foods containing antioxidants. Here is a handy chart of the top five foods packing a punch.
| Foods High in Antioxidants |
ORAC Score* |
| Unprocessed Cacao Bean |
26,000 |
| Goji Berries |
25,300 |
| Acai Berries |
18,000 |
| Dark Chocolate |
13,120 |
| Black Raspberries |
7,700 |
* Note that numbers will vary based on sample and other factors, but generally the order remains the same.
By the way, milk chocolate comes in a little lower, with an ORAC score of 6,740.
Some studies suggest that we should eat between 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units a day, while the average person only takes in about 1,200 ORAC units per day.
You know what that means, don’t you? EAT MORE CHOCOLATE. You don’t have to tell me twice!
Categories: chocolate education
Tags: antioxidants, cocoa, dark chocolate, healthy chocolate, milk chocolate, research
It has been a while since I had Cheerios for breakfast. For me, Cheerios was the cereal I fed my toddler to keep him quiet in church, not something I was interested in eating for breakfast. What got my attention recently is the new Chocolate Cheerios.
 According to the Cheerios website, Chocolate Cheerios is “a perfect balance of whole grain goodness and a delicious touch of chocolate taste in every bite.”
I am a fan of whole grain goodness, but I am even more a fan of chocolate!
Chocolate cheerios is delicious. I prefer it in milk as the chocolate flavor is more pronounced, but a handful of the dry cereal makes a great snack at the office. In addition to the chocolaty flavor, there are only 9 grams of sugar per serving.
The cheerios are coated in cocoa processed with alkali. What does that mean?
Cocoa powder is made when chocolate liquor (made from ground up cocoa beans) is pressed to remove most of the cocoa butter. The cocoa solids that remain are processed to make a fine unsweetened powder. There are two types of cocoa powder: natural and processed with alkali, also called Dutched cocoa.
Dutch-Processed or Alkalized Processed Cocoa Powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids. The result of this process turns the cocoa powder a deeper, darker color and provides a more well- rounded, less bitter chocolate flavor.
Dutched cocoa has many applications. And, now with Chocolate Cheerios, there’s another.
Categories: chocolate education, chocolate review
Tags: chocolate cereal, cocoa, dutched cocoa, grocery product
In my opinion, everyone involved in the early evolution of cacao plant into an edible substance we call chocolate should receive a “get into heaven free” card regardless of their religious beliefs!
While there is no one particular person who invented chocolate, most experts believe the ancient Maya discovered the delicious secrets of chocolate between 250-900 A.D.
They learned how to harvest cacao (the fruit/pod of the Cacao tree), then ferment, roast, and grind the seeds found within. The Maya used liquid chocolate in their religious and social lives. The seeds (cocoa beans) were considered to be very valuable and were often used as currency.
Ancient chocolate was very different from the chocolate we know today. The ground cacao seeds were mixed with water, chili peppers, cornmeal, and spices to form a paste. Then they used the paste to make a frothy, spicy chocolate drink. The drink was unsweetened.
Chocolate was first brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus and Hernan Cortez.
Christopher Columbus is believed to be the first to bring cacao seeds to Europe when he returned from his fourth voyage to the new world (landed on the island of Guanaja off the coast of Honduras) in 1502.
In 1519 Cortéz reached Mexico City and was received by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. Cortéz recognized the value of the cacao bean, he drank the chocolate, and learned its formula.
When he returned to Spain he presented the beans as a gift to King Charles V. He also brought back the knowledge of how to make the chocolate beverage. Later, monasteries were designated as storehouses of the beans, and monks were charged with making the chocolate drink.
It is believed that the Aztecs drank their chocolate cold. In Spain in the 1500’s, purveyors of the drink served it hot.
Around 1830, a solid form of chocolate was developed by a British chocolate maker named Joseph Fry. He called it “eating chocolate.” In 1847, the Fry’s chocolate factory molded the first ever chocolate bar that was suitable for widespread consumption.
Thus it was the Fry family who first brought chocolate to the masses in a form most recognizable today (though having had today’s chocolates you probably wouldn’t like their earlier version). Others have since refined their processes and formulas to give us the variety of wonderful options we have now.
Categories: chocolate education, fun chocolate facts
Tags: cacao pods, chocolate bars, chocolate facts, chocolate history
Yes and No.
White chocolate is a blend of cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla. There is no chocolate liquor (chocolate solids) present, so, can you really call it chocolate? Perhaps not.
However, there is a legal definition for white chocolate to separate it from other “white stuff,” so perhaps yes.
According to U.S. regulations, white chocolate needs to be at least 20% cocoa butter and at least 14% total milk solids.
Beware – there are white chocolate look-a-likes out there!
If white chocolate doesn’t contain cocoa butter then it is made with a vegetable fat like partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil. A product containing this type of fat is called white confectionery coating and cannot be called white chocolate. White confectionery coating can also be called white almond bark or white candy coating.
I think white chocolate looks and tastes remarkably different than white confectionery. Compare these two items sometime, side by side, and you’ll understand what I mean.
Look at the difference. The first thing you will notice is that white chocolate looks pale yellow when compared to white confectionery. This color difference is due to the cocoa butter which is naturally more yellow in color than other vegetable oils.
Taste the difference. The cocoa butter in white chocolate provides a subtle, but distinct “chocolate” flavor which is lacking in white confectionery coating. More often than not, white confectionery coatings are sweeter and less milky tasting than white chocolate.
Now that you know the difference, which do you prefer?
Categories: chocolate education, fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate facts, chocolate lessons, white chocolate
As a follow-up to a few recent posts about tempering chocolate, I thought it might be useful to discuss some common mistakes you might make when tempering.
The most common mistakes I see are the lack of temperature control, lack of proper stirring, not choosing the right chocolate for the job, improper storage, and letting moisture contact the chocolate.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these situations…
Hot and Cold
Temperature control is really important when melting chocolate as well as tempering chocolate. Chocolate can burn easily, so use a low temperature, take it slow, and stir often. After the chocolate is melted, it is too hot to support good crystallization of the cocoa butter. The chocolate must be cooled to the correct temperature depending on the type of chocolate being used (87˚ – 89˚ for dark and 85˚ – 87˚ for milk). Improper temperatures keep the chocolate from hardening and it will remain wet and sticky instead of dry and glossy.
Working up a sweat
Stir, stir, and stir! Constant stirring of the chocolate will force the crystals to form into the proper size and shape until solid. It will also evenly distribute the temperature through out the whole mixture. Lack of stirring means the chocolate will become discolored and dry with white streaks or dots.
Choosing the right chocolate
Using the wrong type of chocolate for your tempering project is bound to add frustration on top of disastrous results! For example, don’t use chocolate chips for melting and dipping. The viscosity, or “flow” property, of a chocolate chip is too thick to be useful for coating. It would be like trying to cover a strawberry with pudding – not exactly the easiest way to do it. :)
Making it last
Chocolate has a long shelf-life, if stored correctly. Chocolate should be stored in an air-tight container, away from strong odors, air temperature around 65˚ – 68˚ and a relative humidity of no more than 50%.
Water Phobia
Water and chocolate get along like cats and dogs. If any moisture comes in contact with chocolate, you’ll know it right away – it turns into a grainy, sodden mess that it difficult to stir. This mistake even has an impressive name: “seizing.” If your chocolate seizes, throw it away and start over. Seized chocolate will not melt or temper.
Avoid these problems and you’re well on your way to a good tempering experience!
Categories: chocolate education
Tags: chocolate lessons, tempering chocolate, working with chocolate
Before modern science began discovering the much talked about health benefits of chocolate, the Mayans (central America) and Aztecs (ancient Mexico) considered it a powerful remedy to many ailments.
Theobroma cacao, or the “chocolate tree,” has been used in folk medicine as an anticeptic, diurectic, and parasiticide. It has been used to heal burns, cough, dry lips, fever, listlessness, malaria, nephrosis, rheumatism, snakebites, and small wounds.
The cacao tree was thought by the Aztecs to be a gift from their god Quetzalcoatl, which means “feathered serpent.” The Aztecs would drink ground cacao in religious ceremonies to thank the gods for their generosity. The drink was said to give feelings of euphoria and stamina.
When cacao beans were introduced to Europe, the stimulant effects (now known to be caffeine and theobromine) gave it the reputation as an aphrodisiac. Europeans drank cacao more as a love potion than religious offering.
In Mayan times, incense consisting of cacao beans would be burned as an offering to the gods for safe travel and speedy return.
In ancient America, cacao was also used to try to cure malaria and other types of fever diseases by inhaling the smoke during healing rituals.
Today, we hear chocolate is rich in “flavanoids,” “anti-oxidants,” and phenylethylamine (PEA). The science and benefits seem to change over the years, but chocolate has always been seen as good for us.
Categories: chocolate education
Tags: aztecs, cacao tree, chocolate history, folk medicine, mayans
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