chocolate education
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and Champagne
February 17, 2011
When you put a fresh strawberry into the bottom of a champagne glass and then pour the champagne, just watch the bubbles fly off the strawberry at a record rate of speed!
The strawberry gives more surface area from which to produce bubbles. For this reason alone, a strawberry in champagne is very romantic. And let’s not forget that a champagne soaked strawberry is oh-so-delicious!
Personally, I prefer the strawberry on the side, covered in rich, dark chocolate!
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The Power of Cocoa Powder
February 15, 2011
New research finding just released in the Chemistry Central Journal compares the antioxidant power of the powders; fruit powder vs. cocoa powder.
Cacao and a number of other fruits are often classified as super fruits. So which is the most super?
In the study, a variety of fruit powders were analyzed for their antioxidant capacity (ORAC) and total flavanol (TF) content. Cocoa powder was also analyzed.
After all the powders were tested, it was determined that cocoa powder had the most concentrated source of antioxidants and flavanols (ORAC and TF).
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Chocolate Tasting Interview
February 10, 2011
A few weeks ago I was interviewed for an article with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper. That article appeared in the print version yesterday and online the day before.
There's some great information about tasting chocolate as well as pairing chocolate and wine. Click this link for the full chocolate and wine article.
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Chocolate and Cocoa Substitutes
January 28, 2011
Have you ever discovered you were out of an ingredient? Of course that always seems to happen right in the middle of making something!
When the recipe calls for chocolate, cocoa powder, or unsweetened baking chocolate, using the correct substitution can mean your crisis is avoided. And no emergency trip to the grocery store!
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Wax in Your Chocolate?
January 13, 2011
No, do not add wax to your chocolate!
It seems like I give tempering advice all the time. And I know why. Tempering chocolate should be easy, but it isn’t. And when struggling, people do one of two things: seek advice or look for ways to cheat.
Tempering is just one of those things that takes a lot of practice, and you have to be willing to learn from your mistakes.
If you are making chocolate-dipped candies and have trouble with the tempering process, you may be tempted to put paraffin or baker's wax into your coating to help it set.
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Chocolate Dipped Spoons
December 18, 2010
If you are creative and crafty (as in talented in making crafts, not as in clever with intent to do evil) this may be the project for you. Spoons dipped in chocolate can make an impressive gift!
Before I get into the project, I would like to define some terminology for you.
couverture coating - this is a professional-quality chocolate coating that contains a high percentage of cocoa butter, allowing the chocolate to form a thinner coating shell than other chocolate.
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Chocolate in the Freezer?
December 17, 2010
A question I hear somewhat frequently is, "Should I store chocolate in the freezer?"
A friend once told me that the best place to store chocolate is in your mouth. 🙂
Now for a more serious answer, the best place to store chocolate is in an odor-free, air-tight container surrounded by a 65 to 68 F air temperature with no more than 50% relative humidity. How’s that for precise?
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Chocolate to Clear Your Head
December 16, 2010
'Tis the season – to be tired!
I know the holidays can be stressful and exhausting. Even if you aren’t in charge of preparing for the parties and family gatherings, you may find yourself having to do something unexpected that requires a tremendous amount of your time and energy.
One of two things usually happens to me in times of stress as it pertains to food; overeat or forget to eat. Neither extreme is healthy, and neither condition will do anything to keep a body going.
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Roasting Cocoa Beans
December 2, 2010
Here is a dose of chocolate science. You know you need it from time to time!
Roasting cocoa beans serve two purposes. First, it dries the beans, and second, it develops flavor.
Driving off as much moisture in the bean is important from a food safety perspective. The lower the water content, the more difficult it is for bacteria to grow and pose a health threat.
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The Fineness of Grind
November 18, 2010
Why does one brand of chocolate bar feel so velvety smooth in your mouth but the next one feel so rough?
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty, shall we? (pun intended!) It all depends on particle size, or the fineness of grind.
When cocoa beans are shelled and roasted, the nibs are ground up and heated to form fluid chocolate called chocolate liquor, cocoa mass, or unsweetened chocolate. When chocolate liquor is then blended with other ingredients like sugar and milk powder, the resulting paste is ground up even further. This process is called “refining.”
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