Couverture is tempered so that it will form a thin, smooth, shiny coating on delicious hand-dipped candies. The extra (good for you) cocoa butter content, generally 36% to 39%, makes it easier to work with.  It also allows for a thinner shell coating and gives it a different texture and consistency than non-couverture chocolate, like chocolate bars.  Chocolate bars for eating can be 25% to 33% cocoa butter, depending on the quality of the bar.

Can you eat couverture? Of course you can!  Some people might even prefer it because of the extra cocoa butter, which creates a creamer feel in your mouth. One of the highlights of trade shows is digging into a huge block of white Chocovic—one of the best white chocolates ever tasted by a human.  Unfortunetly it is not available for purchase as a consumer product.

Technorati Tags: chocolate, couverture chocolate, flowers, gifts, mother's day, mother's day chocolate

We couldn’t get enough of Hotel Chocolats Chocolate Dipping Adventure here at Daily Grommet. It’s a chic, delicious treat for gourmet chocolate lovers. bit.ly

Technorati Tags: caramel, chocolate, chocolate box, chocolate fondue, Chocolates, chocolatier, cocoa bean, Daily Grommet, dark chocolate, dipping sauces, fine chocolate, Florentines, fondue, gourmet chocolate, Hotel Chocolat, milk chocolate, nuts, pretzels, pure product, salty, savory snacks, white chocolate

by Bryn Kirk

Those two things, Mother’s Day and Chocolate, just fit together nicely, don’t they?

Mother’s Day is celebrated on different days and different months depending on which country you live in.  In the United States, it is always celebrated on the second Sunday in May.

We can thank Anna Jarvis for this great day.  She is the one credited for founding Mothers Day in the US.

How do you choose the perfect chocolate for Mom?

The choices are plentiful (overwhelming, really) and if you have not gone chocolate shopping in a while, you will be amazed at the variety of exotic new flavors and the gourmet quality of old classics.

Narrow down the choices by focusing on Mom’s fondness:

Floral:  try chocolate truffles made with lavender, rose or my favorite, orange and geranium!

Tea:  milk chocolate made with flavored teas and chai spices are absolutely delicious.

Fire:  chili peppers added to chocolate bring out the intensity of the chocolate and of course, give it a kick.

Savory:  don’t judge a book by its cover: chocolate with crystallized ginger, mushroom ganache or goat cheese taste better than you think.

Unique:  www.chocomize.com.  Just go there and check it out!

Posh:  opening a gift box of molded chocolates decorated with sprayed on cocoa butter designs, gold, and glitter will take her breath away.  They might look too beautiful to eat, but do it anyway.  They taste just as good as they look.

Technorati Tags: chocolate, chocolate covered fruit, chocolate gifts, flowers, mother's day

Part 2 of 3

Between 20 and 50 cream-colored seeds is the usual yield of a typical pod. The seeds, called beans, are strung in five chains or rows around a single placenta within the pod. Bean size varies with the species. The beans are embedded in a white mucilaginous flesh whose harsh, yet sweet taste is highly appreciated by many animals. In some regions, natives use it for preparing a refreshing drink, as well as a sort of jam. The husk and inner membrane are discarded.

The cacao bean consists of a leathery seed coat, rich in tannin, which envelopes each seed, and itself consists of two halves. It contains cocoa butter, proteins, starch, alkaloids, essential oils and various substances, which will release their aroma at the roasting stage of chocolate making. In fact, the pleasant chocolate aroma is not at all apparent in the fresh seed.

Harvested cacao seeds are placed in piles and covered with banana leaves. This starts the fermentation process, lasting three to nine days, and generating temperatures up to 125° F. The cacao beans themselves do not ferment; the pulp sugars outside the bean are converted into acids, primarily lactic and acetic. At the same time, within the bean, the germ is killed, and hydrolyzing and oxidizing reactions occur which give the cacao bean its characteristic flavor after roasting. After fermenting, the beans are spread on racks to dry in the sun. For protection from the rain, the racks can be slid under roofs, or roofs moved out over the beans.

In some countries beans are dried mechanically in driers of various sizes and types, depending on the size of the operation. Hot air is forced through the beans, which are stirred regularly during the drying period. The process reduces the moisture content of the fermented beans from 60 percent to 5 to 7 percent, and the beans from an average pod weigh less than two ounces; and approximately 400 beans are required to make one pound of chocolate.

Technorati Tags: cacao bean, chocolate, chocolate is made, fine chocolate

What differentiates fine chocolate from other chocolates? We look at the processing and manufacturing processes that create outstanding products.

The definition of “fine chocolate” can be as elusive as the definition of fine coffee, fine wine or even fine art.  Everyone has their own definition and, of course, they are right, in their opinion, of course.

At the heart of many creations that are considered “fine” is a purely aesthetic expression.  The saying “Art for art’s sake,” for example, means that art which is not intended to be produced in any quantity or widely sold, but is to be shared by anyone who loves art.  However, it doesn’t make sense not to make and sell chocolate because consuming chocolate is really a key purpose of making chocolate in the first place!

Another problem in defining “fine” is the fact that personal subjectivity plays a major role.  You may enjoy a rich roast coffee without any cream or sweetener while your best friend prefers a mild roast with sugar and frothed milk.  The coffee used in both your drink and that of your friend’s may be from the same bean but handled very differently in order to deliver two very distinct beverages.  A high quality coffee bean and roasting processes help ensure that both you and your friend have a very pleasant coffee beverage experience.

Fine chocolate may be defined by both a selection of high quality ingredients and also by the unique artistry that a Chocolatier uses to create chocolates, truffles and other chocolate confections.  In general, there are five areas that combine to define a fine chocolate product:

* cacao origin and processing
* chocolate production practices
* non-chocolate ingredient quality
* chocolatier’s technical expertise
* artistry and presentation

In later articles we will discuss these five areas.  So be sure to come back.

Technorati Tags: cacao bean, fine chocolate

You have given chocolates before, just never like this!

Technorati Tags: chocolate, chocolate gifts, dark chocolate, fine chocolate, luxury chocolate, zchocolat

Exquisitely creamy chocolate and artistic mastery combine to create our Lindor Truffle with an irresistibly smooth center guaranteed to melt the heart of every chocolate connoisseur on your gift list. Each Ultimate bag contains 50 divine Milk, Dark, White, Peanut Butter and Extra Dark Chocolate Truffles. Net Weight: 21.2 oz/600 grams.

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ANOTHER  GREAT  RECIPE

Mayfield  Muddle

7 ounces real dark chocolate

7 ounces boiling water

2 or 3 soft, but not too ripe, mangoes

6 passion fruit

1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

1 cup plain yogurt

for the meringue:

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

4 large egg whites

4 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (plus more for sprinkling)

1 cup finely ground blanched almonds

oil for greasing

Make the meringue:  Heat the oven to 225 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with baking parchment.   Whisk a spoonful of sugar into the egg whites and start to beat.  When they start to inflate, add the remaining sugar, bit by bit, until smooth, glossy, and standing in soft peaks.  Stir in the cocoa and almonds.  Spread into a rough sheet or pipe into nests on the cookie sheet.  Bake 4 hours, until dry and crisp.  (This quantity makes almost double what you need, but this meringue will keep for a long time, so it can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container.)

While the meringue is baking, make a water ganache with the chocolate and boiling water.  Leave to cool for a couple of hours at least until thick

ganache:

8 ounces real dark chocolate

1 cup boiling water

Break or chop the chocolate into pieces, put in a heat proof bowl, and melt in a low oven (100-200 degrees).  Leave in oven 5 minutes, then check with fork.  If it isn’t all melted wait 1 minute and check again.  Repeat every minutes or less till all is melted.  When melted, make the ganache by adding the boiling water to the chocolate, spoonful by spoonful.  It will thicken quickly at first, but it should become a smooth mixture when all the water is incorporated.

Break about half the meringue into bit-size pieces.  Cube the mango flesh.  Cut the passion fruit in half and squeeze into the same bowl.  Mix together the cream and yogurt.

In large glasses, layer the meringue, chocolate, fruit mixture and the yogurt and cream.  Dust with unsweetened cocoa powder and serve.

Serves  6 – 8

brought to you by ‘Real Chocolate’ by Chantal Coady

Real Chocolate: Sweet and Savory Recipes for Nature’s Purest Form of Bliss

Technorati Tags: assorted, chocolate recipess, Lindor, Lindt, pieces, Truffles

A Great Gift Idea for Your Loved Ones!  

If you are having any trouble thinking of a gift idea for your wife’s birthday, on mother’s day or Valentine’s Day, you should consider getting one that everyone will love. One kind of a great gift idea is chocolates.  You can’t ignore the fact that everyone loves to eat chocolates.

Ever since chocolate was discovered in the Americas, people have cherish and love them.  Even considering them as food of the gods.   Chocolates, in some form, have been around for centuries and  today are still very popular candies that everyone loves and loves to receive.

Diet fanatics use to consider chocolates as a dieting nightmare because they could never stop eating them when they were on a diet.  Often saying to themselves that they will eat only one piece but before they know it they have consumed a whole box.  Not a worry today as there are sugar free chocolates to be had.

Delicious chocolate candies can be addicting.   However, the regular chocolates you see in your regular store are nothing compared to eating one of the world’s finest chocolates called Belgian chocolates.

Belgium has been producing the same chocolate (with a much more refined process today)  that had been discovered by the Spanish in the Americas.  The original chocolate, a slightly bitter drink,  is still available and this refreshing slightly bitter (versus sugary sweet of today’s cheap chocolate candies) can still be tasted through Belgian chocolates.   Belgian chocolate candies are one of the most popular in the world and it is also one of the finest chocolates available.

Belgian Chocolates offers fine tasting chocolate that many people have claimed to be something to be treasured and one that they cannot get enough of.  

Unlike the cheap brands of chocolates which you can easily get sick of, Belgian chocolate candies offers a one-of-a-kind taste that will make you crave for more.  Chocolate lovers from all over the world have testified that Belgian chocolates are indeed the finest chocolate in the world.

If you let it melt in your mouth and savor the taste of Belgian chocolates, you can be sure that you will end up wanting more.  You may end up like this chocolate lover  when she was given a Belgian chocolate as a gift.  She planned on consuming it for five days, one for each day.  However, when she ate the first one for an  after dinner desert, she just couldn’t get enough of the Belgian chocolate.    The whole box of five Belgian chocolates were consumed in less than thirty minutes, savoring each chocolate as it melted in her mouth.

Technorati Tags: belgian chocolates, chocolate, fine chocolate, valentine's day chocolate

Our truffles deliver a deliciously complex chocolate experience that represents our commitment to craftsmanship and exceptional quality. Each rich chocolate, fruit, nut, ganache filling is perfectly paired with a dense shell of milk, dark, or white chocolate. Including Hazelnut Praliné, Double Chocolate Raspberry, Extra Dark Chocolate, Smooth Coconut, French Vanilla, Cappucccino, and more.8 pcs. (5.25 oz.) Kosher OU-D

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Technorati Tags: chocolate, chocolate gifts, fine chocolate, Godiva, Truffles

It’s time again for gifts and one of the best things about gifts is the wrappings.  What the gift comes in.  Like it or not beautiful boxes or gift wrap boxes go along with the gift.  And you will know if you hit it just right if the box is saved.  Who doesn’t want to show off a beautiful box.  Hey!  It shows you cared enough to add a special box.  (great move if you are in the dog house)

Besides, if the box is special the gift inside must be special and that special gift is for that special someone…Right?  Of course right!  It’s Valentine’s Day in a couple of weeks so it’s time for the special gifts.

Fine chocolates are always a winner.  But there is one additional thing about fine and luxury chocolates that always make them a desired gift.  The beautiful box they come in.  The Ballotin Box.

Here’s a short lesson on Ballotin Boxes.  It is a patented box for pralines which protected chocolates better than previous packaging.  The box was designed and made by Neuhaus, Mrs Neuhaus in particular.  The boxes have an angle that creates a wider area at the top of the box and then tapers down.  Ballotin Boxes typically hold more chocolate than the regular candy boxes with the same base size.

Ballotin Boxes have always been associated with fine high quality chocolates.  Indeed chocolatiers have their own distinct Ballotin Box design.  Their box designs may come with specially designed ribbons, monograms, colors and foils.  While every chocolatier has created a unqiue twist on the today’s Ballotin, the original design of the box has changed little.

You can design your own Ballotin Box to put your choice of chocolates in to give away.   Decide on the color and size of the box, what material will be on the outside of the box such as gold foil.  Do you want ribbons or cords.  What about designing a personal Crest to represent you, business or family and placing that on the box.  What type of tissues to use inside.  Type of announce card or phamphlet inside the box to describe the chocolates included and a little about you or a special note to the recipient.

Image the delight and surprise when your special gift arrives.  It won’t take long before friends, family recognize that special box and know something special is inside.

Technorati Tags: ballotin box, chocolate gifts, valentine, valentine's day chocolate

While not a chocolate manufacturer, Jean Neuhaus and his family contributed significant developments for chocolatiers.

1857 saw the ambitious Swiss, Jean Neuhaus, leave his native city of Nechatel and set himself up in  Brussels Belgian.  With his brother-in-law, a pharmacist, he opened his “first pharmaceutical confectioners” at 25-27 Galerie de la Reine, Europe’s first covered shopping gallery.

Jean Neuhaus and brother-in-law made cough sweets, liquorice for stomach complaints and a bitter belgian chocolate bar.

Meanwhile, Jean’s son Frederic, learned the art of confectionery and joined his father’s blossoming “confectioners” which was fast becoming famous across the city.  Both devoted themselves to producing caramels, jellied fruits and vanilla chocolate.

The pharmaceutical products gradually disappeared and the old pharmacy became the finest confectionery in Brussels. In 1895, the name of the business was changed to “Confiserie et Chocolaterie NEUHAUS-PERRIN”.

The chocolate store grew within the family hands and in 1912, Jean Neuhaus, the grandson of the founder, created the first bite-sized filled chocolate and named it praline.   The Belgian Praline is born.  This new technique created a revolution in the chocolate making business.

His wife, a few years later invented the ballotin, the iconic luxury box used to package fine chocolates. The precious handmade pralines could now nestle alongside one another in covered layers. The practical gold and green packaging with its embossed letter “N” has barely changed to the present day.

To Jean Neuhaus’s credit, his confectionery became of such note that a royal visit was made at the end of the war in 1918 by the young Prince Leopold and the Prince of Wales.  They had apparently stopped in to try a new praline that was the rave of the day.

Since 1991, the Neuhaus Company has been the market leader in the luxury praline sector in Belgian and Luxembourg.  It has an international network of nearly 2,000 sales outlets and more than 2400 tons of Neuhaus products are sold annually in 50 countries.

In 2000 His Majesty King Albert II, after the Royal Festival, bestowed upon Neuhaus  the title of Accredited Supplier to the Belgian Crown.

Technorati Tags: ballotin, chocolate, confectionery, praline

Leonidas Kesdekidis, nothing more than an ordinary Greek citizen, was the founder of Leonidas Belgian Chocolates. His company  makes wonderful delights like pralines, truffles and other heavenly chocolate assortments.

Mr. Kesdekidis arrived at Brussels in the year 1910 and short while later married a local and decide to settle there. He made a large array of pralines in his place situated close to Rempart de Moines.

Mr. Kesdikidis and his descendants’ goal was to get his home-made wonderful delights of pralines as close as possible to as many consumers, not to mention every creator’s dream to let the rest of the world know of their chocolate concoctions. His strategy of combining world-class quality and the best price is still unbeatable today.

Leonidas’ products are far different from the chocolates of other brands.  Leonidas  concern for the freshness of its chocolates makes it unique and unbeatable.   While most other brands’ practiced the  strategy to make their products appear fresh by repackaging the chocolate in a different box daily to make them look fresh.  Yes, the package is fresh but the content is still the same…yesterday’s chocolate. Whereas at Leonidas, the chocolates will only be boxed on the day that the customer’s order is received.

Other chocolate makers quality of freshness may be risked for the necessity of longevity.   They do this so that the chocolate can be pre-packed with the intention for it to be on a shelf in department stores or supermarkets.

Because of Leonidas’s very high standards they were able to obtain an ISO 9001 certificate for the produce’s quality.   Which, by the way, is very much over the needed requirement for the production of chocolates.

Leonidas delivers only where there are Leonidas outlets.  Places like Hollywood, the United Kingdom and Belgium.  They do not export for the reason that they do not want to risk the freshness of the chocolate that goes out of their stores.

To date there is only a small number of sellers of Leonidas chocolates because of the high standard requirement that every seller has to comply with for the very cautious storing and freshness concerns.

The chocolates are wrapped in 500grams, 750grams, and one kilogram boxes.

Upon order you will not be experiencing the hassle of putting it in gift or presentation boxes for the box alone that Leonidas use will suffice for they are already gift wrapped and they also offer different sorts of gift wrapping, luxury and or seasonal choices.

These chocolates need to be consumed within 21 days after it is purchased.   Otherwise the freshness and or the quality will not be the same of what is expected of it, although keeping it refrigerated will prolong the shelf life.

When storing in the refrigerator, you have to keep it away from other foods that have a very prominent smell or odor, otherwise the chocolate will be ruined because it will absorb the odor and it will affect the taste and quality.

Technorati Tags: belgian chocolates, chocolate, fine chocolate, gourmet chocolate, luxury chocolate

In North America, most luxury chocolate consumers know the Callebaut name and equate it with top of the line Belgian chocolate. This remarkable company is almost 150 years old.

In 1850, shortly after the invention of solid chocolate, the Callebaut family founded a diversified company.  It consisted of a mill, a dairy, a brewery and a mineral water bottling plant.

In 1911 the company started to concentrate on manufacturing chocolate bars and tablets.  In 1925, Callebaut began producing its own chocolate.

The company later developed specialized skills in the manufacture of chocolate coating, and sold its products to fellow chocolate producers.

In 1981, the Callebaut family sold its own shares to the Swiss group Interfood, which later took over or merged with other large European chocolate companies such as Suchard, Van Houten and S&A Lesme.

In 1988, Callebaut ceased production of its consumer products and concentrated exclusively on coating or couverture chocolate.

Callebaut works closely with its customers to develop new types of chocolate and compound coatings. The quality image of Callebaut and the strength of its international distribution network have enabled the company to increase export volumes significantly to become the largest chocolate manufacturer in the World.

Bernard Callebaut came from a family four generations deep in chocolate making.  Today, the fifth generation, he is a master craftsman living in Calgary, Alberta Canada since 1983.  Known as Chocolatier Bernard Callebaut, his creations have been applauded all around the globe.

Technorati Tags: bernard callebaut, callebaut, chocolate, chocolatier, master craftsman

Since the discovery of chocolates, people have been crazy about it.  Today, people crave for great tasting and fine chocolates from different parts of the world. You have to admit almost everyone loves chocolates a little  all the way to the addicted and obsessed .   Especially those receiving chocolates as a gift.

Besides, who can resist a great tasting chocolate? From kids to the elders, chocolates are one of the most popular candies in the world. There are many countries that produce a particluar kind of chocolate. These countries offer great tasting fine chocolate. However, only a few countries are famous for their chocolates and one of these countries is Belgium.

Belgium is considered to be one of the best chocolate producers in the world. They produce high quality and find chocolates that everyone from all over the world love. People purchase Belgian chocolates in duty free terminals in international airports as gifts. Some travel all the way to Belgium just to get a fresh-made-today taste of the different Belgian chocolates that the country has to offer.

If you are a person who loves chocolates and you haven’t tasted Belgian chocolates yet, then do so immediately. Chocolate lovers the world over say that you can never get enough of Belgian chocolates. And you definitely cannot not try and eat just one, even if you are on a diet.

One type of Belgian chocolate to try is called the Belgian chocolate biscuit. In this type of chocolate, the biscuit is covered with creamy Belgian chocolate. It comes in different varieties of Belgian chocolate, such as milk chocolate, dark chocolate and there are also white chocolate coated biscuits available.

It has been said that you are missing a part of your life if you haven’t tasted Belgian chocolate biscuits. 

 Listed below are a variety of high quality Belgian chocolate biscuits to get you started:

• Grand Biscuit Selection
• Diavola Chocolate Biscuits
• Amouretto Chocolate Biscuits
• Amandaggio Almond Biscuits
• Allegro Chocolate Biscuits

These are just some of the Belgian chocolate biscuits to consider tasting. They are made from high quality biscuits and high quality Belgian chocolates.

 You will see that Belgian chocolates are different from other kinds of chocolates in that they  are creamy and offer a not-so-sweet taste.  One of the reasons why Belgian chocolates have became world famous.

Technorati Tags: belgian chocolate biscuits, belgian chocolates, chocolate biscuits, fine chocolate, milk chocolate