Chocolate

Chocolate

Choosing a Bakery for Your Custom Needs

-by Ariel M Stein-

A cake, chocolate or pastries can really add to a special occasion. If you are ordering something sweet for a special occasion, you have a lot of things to consider.

Superfood Spotlight: Cacao

-by Jon S Dale-

A look at the incredible nutritional benefits that raw organic cacao boasts. Plus a bit about the magical superfood's history and current world market.

Harvesting And Processing Chocolate

-by Andy Wignall-

We all eat and enjoy chocolate, but not many of us know much about how it is produced or what it is made from even. Outlined here is the method used to harvest chocolate and the process of how the different elements combine to produce what we all know and love.

Is Chocolate Good for You?

-by Julie Winterton-

So chocolate is a superfood? Modern research suggests it may have many health benefits. Here we assess the benefits against any detrimental effects of chocolate.

Is A Chocolate Fountain Or A Champagne Fountain Right For My Event?

-by Jiahao Tu-

When most people throw an event, they want their party to have something different, which sets it apart from other events. What actually sets a party apart from other parties can be many different things, including a new and original theme, a brilliant colour scheme or a unique choice of entertainment.

Why Choose Cheap Chocolate Fountains?

-by Jiahao Tu-

Throwing a party where you need to feed a large number of people can be a stressful and costly experience, but it needs not be either of these things. If you are having a large party and need to feed tens or hundreds of people on a budget, but still want to maintain the wow factor with your dinner options, cheap chocolate fountains could actually be one of the best choices available to you.

Cuban Chocolate Marquise Recipe

-by Ben Axford-

If you a serious chocoholic and like your desserts ridiculously rich, then this is one of those dishes that will give you a real chocolate buzz. The term Marquise is French and used to refer to the wife of a Marquis or nobleman, much the same as Duke and Duchess in English. It therefore seems possible the dessert is using reference here to a dessert of high nobility or just hinting at its inherent richness. Marquises are dense, rich affairs, often made in terrine dishes then sliced or in ingot shaped moulds. In reality you can make it any form you wish. I use small silicon muffin moulds which makes turning out the marquises far easier. Many chocolatier recipes call for adding cream or butter, but really there is no need unless you really want a less dense texture and lighter flavour. But truthfully marquises should be thoroughly indulgent affairs. If you want light go for a chocolate mousse.

Double Chocolate Macarons Recipe

-by Ben Axford-

Surely just those three words are enough to have any gourmet, or for that matter gourmand, salivating. Macaron, as opposed to macaroon, are the delicate meringue based confection made ground almonds, sandwiched together with a cream, buttercream, chocolate ganache or fruit puree. When sandwiched like this they are called a gerbet in French. It is widely believed that Catherine de Medici was responsible for introducing the confection to France via the pastry chefs she brought with her from Italy upon her marriage to Henry. Whilst popular back in the 18th & 19th centuries, it was only in recent times when famous French pastry chef Pierre Hermé revitalised the macaron offerings of renowned macaron house of Ladurée that their popularity took off. Sometimes the macarons are made larger and filled with fruits as well as buttercreams then served a dessert or at afternoon tea. One of the most famous is Pierre Hermé Ispahan, a combination of rose macaron with lychees, raspberries and a rosewater buttercream, top with a rose petal.

Know About A Chocolate Melting Pot

-by Jiahao Tu-

Many candy recipes need chocolate, but you should melt the chocolate appropriately for using it in those recipes. One of the best ways to have molten chocolate is to use a melting pot. You can use the melted chocolate not only for candy making but, for other purposes like dipping, drizzling and also for molding.

Becoming a Chocolatier

-by Andy Wignall-

Becoming a chocolatier would be a dream job for many, however this is actually a very competitive industry to break into. Below we look at some of the things you should consider if you wish to break into this industry.

The 6 Main Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

-by Constantinos K Costa-

Did you ever believe that one day you would be reading that chocolate not only tastes good but is also good for your health as well? Well this is the day. However I do apologize to spoil this sensational information for you, but I need to point out that not all chocolate is healthy. The healthy chocolate is the one that you rarely see on the shelves of your local supermarket. You guessed it; dark chocolate. (I know, the title gave it away in the beginning).

Tips For Making Chocolate Covered Strawberries

-by Daniel S Harrell-

Chocolate covered strawberries are the most sought after written about chocolates to the delight of everyone. To the delight of everyone, these Chocolates rank among the best chocolates in the entire country and globally including parts of the undeveloped world at subsidized prices.

Chocolate - The History

-by Andy Wignall-

There are not many people who don't love chocolate, but not many of us know the history of this wonderful product. This article looks at the history of chocolate.

The Wonderful World of Dark Chocolate

-by Cookie Maxwell-

Dark chocolate is a truly decadent treat that has a nice little side benefit of making a positive impact on the health of those who indulge in it. Not to be confused with its close sibling milk chocolate, dark chocolate does not contain the milk solids that are mixed in with the lighter and sweeter version. However, even within the categories of chocolates, there are variations that offer their own unique tastes and properties.

Connoisseurs Hot Chocolate Recipe

-by Ben Axford-

The word chocolate is believed to have derived from either the Aztec word xococatl: xococ meaning bitter and atl meaning water or a similar Mayan word taken to mean hot water. Either way, the first use of the cocoa bean was in hot beverage form and was a clear forefather to the hot chocolate we know today. Cacao beans were a valued commodity in Aztec & Mayan times and were even traded as an early form of currency. In the drink form they were used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes. Whilst the earliest forms of the drink may have been as simple as infusing the cacao beans in hot water, it soon evolved to making a paste from the cacao beans and then mixing that paste with spices and chili to create the hot chocolate. Carvings and pots from the Aztec & Mayans eras show depictions of a stick akin to a whisk that was used to froth the beverage too.

Chocolate Pavlova With Spiced Pears And Butterscotch Sauce

-by Mohamed Sameh Khedr-

A super easy and quick recipe for making chocolate pavlova, one of the top loved desserts. Pears are spiced with butterscotch sauce to make it even tastier.

Simple Steps in Maintaining a Chocolate Fountain Machine

-by Lian J Plameras-

A chocolate fountain is not only exciting among the kids but with the adults as well. It always grabs anybody's attention in a party as it is quite fun to dip fruits, biscuits, candies, and other food treats into a flowing fountain of chocolate.

The Worlds Favorite Chocolate

-by Andy Wignall-

Chocolate is one of the most popular foods in the world, and many of us crave it on a regular basis, making it a huge money maker for the companies that produce it. Below we look at the top 4 big sellers, and also reveal which bar is the biggest seller across the globe.

What Is It About Chocolate That Makes It So Desirable?

-by Midge Hand-

All over the world people love chocolate - it's a universal love affair with men, women and even children (well... especially women). What is it about chocolate that has the comforting effect on us and makes us feel 'everything is alright with the world'. Is it a craving, a genuine taste for the cocoa bean or the primal craving for sugar that goes back to our forefathers?

Dark Chocolate Is Good for the Memory

-by Rodolphe Cote-

Universally appreciated for its exquisite taste, dark chocolate also contains large quantities of molecules that exert several positive effects on our health. Some recent results suggest that in addition to being beneficial for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, regular consumption of dark chocolate improves the memory of the elderly.

What Is Ganache?

-by Ben Axford-

Ganache comes from an old French word meaning pillow. And effectively that's what a ganache is, a little pillow of delicately blended chocolate and cream. The mixture is traditionally made by blending chocolate, cream and sometimes butter together. But modern chocolatiers have taken to making in with different ingredients and methods as we'll discover. Depending on how it is made it can be used to fill chocolates, cakes, macarons, to make truffles and as a glaze for cakes and desserts.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Recipe

-by Ben Axford-

Where do you stand when it comes to the chocolate cookie? There are those who track down the perfect crunch and snap, those who like a plain dough and the chocolate kick delivered by chips or better still chunks. Are you one who goes for sticky unctuousness? Perhaps you favour the addition of nuts as a counterbalance to the richness. Whatever your predilection, I am sure we have all at some moment tasted the perfect cookie and hoped to reproduce it ourselves one day.

The Popularity of Chocolate Celebrated During National Chocolate Lovers Month

-by Kym Gordon Moore-

How apropos is it that St. Valentine's Day falls in the same month that Chocolate Lover's Month is celebrated? Does chocolate really make you feel good? Is chocolate an aphrodisiac? Are there studies identifying certain chemicals and compounds found in chocolate that makes it beneficial for your health?

Giving Cakes As Thank You Presents

-by Emma Darling-

When someone does something truly nice for you, or gives you a really great gift, thank you doesn't seem to be enough to express your gratitude. There are many ways to say thank you to someone, and many gifts to be given as thank you presents, but nothing really says thank you like a home baked cake, personalised with the gratitude you feel.

Erythritol Sweetener - Natural Sugar Alternative

-by Jackson Andrew-

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol (also referred to as polyol), which has been approved to use as a food additive in the United States along with the rest of the world. The primary sources of Erythritol are some fruits as well as fermented foods.

Hershey: The Marmite of Chocolate

-by Sara Kadhim-

Either love or hate their chocolate, American company Hershey is the largest chocolate manufacturer in the United States, which produces millions of chocolate bars a year. However, despite being ever-popular with Americans, the trend does not seem to have hit the British shores quite so smoothly.

Healthy Candy Options for Your New Year's Resolution

-by Laurence Molloy-

How to satisfy your craving for candy while still staying true to your New Years Resolution to eat more healthy. Great candy choices for the New Year!. Healthy candy options that will not bust the waistline. There are several candy choices that do not have too many calories or too much fat so you can still satisfy your cravings without gaining weight.

The Ancient Origins of Chocolate

-by Holly Theonatale-

While we know chocolate dates back to the Aztecs, could chocolate be even older? What we know as chocolate is extremely modern but the tree has been used for millennia. How did chocolate come to be? Here we look at the earliest evidence to trace the history of chocolate...

Perk Up Your Health With Low Sugar Chocolate Containing Astaxanthin

-by George O Olushola-

Have you ever been in a position where all you desire is to devour that chocolate but was held back due to health concern? The good news is here and it's no fiction! The low sugar chocolate with astaxanthin is what you should give a try and you would be amazed at how your health would be greatly improved. It has been scientifically proved that this type of chocolate really works in enhancing your health.

Popular Desserts

-by Ariel M Stein-

Desserts are sweet treats which will make the perfect end to any meal. They can also be served at special celebrations, such as birthdays and weddings. This article lists some of the most popular types of desserts that are enjoyed around the world.