Author Archive: Bryn Kirk
Chocolate Adventures in England – Digestives
February 24, 2010
“Could you go for a chocolate digestive and tea?” – my sister asked me shortly after arriving at her flat in London. There is nothing more refreshing than a digestive and tea after a long flight.
Digestive biscuits are extremely popular in the UK. They are a cross between a cookie and a cracker, slightly on the sweet side. The term 'digestive' probably came from the belief that the significant levels of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) used in the recipe aided in digestion.
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Troubleshoot Chocolate Tempering
February 18, 2010
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.
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Chocolate Adventures in England – Green & Black’s
February 15, 2010
Green and Black's Organic Chocolate. Have you seen these chocolate bars in the stores and pharmacies of your neighborhood? Green and Black's is definitely all over London! G&B is an English chocolate company started in 1991. The founders "set out to bring to the masses the world's first organic chocolate." You can visit them at www.greenandblacks.com.
The Green and Black's 70% Organic Dark Chocolate was the first on the scene. Since then, the product line has expanded to include more varieties of chocolate bars, baking chocolate, hot chocolate, and ice cream.
Yes - Ice Cream!
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Chocolate Adventures in England – Jaffa Cakes
February 11, 2010
Tonight I find myself sitting in my sister's flat in London, England eating Jaffa Cakes and sipping Frangelico flavored coffee. I am visiting my sister and my brand new niece, only 2 days old.
What is Jaffa Cake?
The Jaffa Cake is a British favorite. The cake is a three layered treat about the size of a cookie. It is made with a bottom layer of sponge cake, a middle layer of orange flavored jelly, and a top layer of rich milk chocolate coating.
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Chocolate and Romance: A Great Pairing
February 8, 2010
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.
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Chocolate Covered Strawberries
February 2, 2010
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.
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Healthy Chocolate
January 26, 2010
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?
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Spectacular Chocolate and Coffee Pairing
January 22, 2010
I was recently introduced to of Seattle Reign a coffee from North Star Fine Coffees. This morning I sipped a delicious brew of the coffee and quietly ate my chocolate donut, trying to get some work done.
At one point I was rolling the two around my mouth at the same time, coffee and chocolate, chocolate and coffee... Then I experienced a new flavor emerge as I swallowed.
This got me thinking about chocolate and coffee pairings!
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Chocolate Cheerios
January 18, 2010
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!
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