Well no, chocolate does not bloom, as in flower bloom.  But, chocolate has an condition that is called bloom and it is caused by by two different things.  Both are common to chocolate and are tell tell signs of mis-handling.

The first is  Fat Bloom.  Fat Bloom results from inadequate tempering or temperature abuse of well-tempered chocolate, producing a visible dull white film surface to severe whitening of the surface, with soft or crumbling textures on the interior.

Sugar Bloom is a hard white surface film resulting from exposure to moisture. It is formed by the dissolution and subsequent crystallization of sugar on the chocolate’s surface.  It is not necessary to store chocolate in the refrigerator as any cool dark, orderless place is good.  Chocolate keeps for a long time – well over a year.  But if you insist on keeping it in the fridge take it out about one to one and a half hours before serving.

While Fat Bloom and Sugar Bloom have a negative effect on appearance, the product remains perfectly safe to eat.  Or you can use this as an excellent excuse to go buy more dark chocolate.

Technorati Tags: dark chocolate

Chocolatiers arrive at their art from a variety of origins.  Some are “born” into a family business and learn the trade from their predecessors.  Others arrive from other artistic endeavors such as chef, painter or sculptor.  Still others make a step change in their career path as a nurse, attorney, or other non-food profession.  Each Chocolatier brings with her/him all of their past experiences, professional and personal, which in some way color their choices as a Chocolatier.  Regardless their starting points, however, Chocolatiers all share a passion for the chocolate arts.

Training is vital to the Chocolatier and encompasses not only the basics of chocolate tempering, recipe development and artistic design, but also of safe food handling, packaging and business acumen.  As with any vital area, new concepts are constantly emerging in the chocolate arts, and the Chocolatier must stay abreast of these developments.

The constant companion to training is experience; it is not enough to have only “book knowledge” in the chocolate arts.  The Chocolatier must invest hours upon hours of  practice, experimentation, trial-and-error, and refinement in order to consistently produce fine chocolate confections.

This combination of passion, training and experience enable the Chocolatier to make the proper technical and artistic decisions that produce fine chocolate.  How well has the Chocolatier selected her core chocolates and non-chocolate ingredients?  How well has the Chocolatier blended his chocolates and ingredients into a finished product?  As you bring the chocolate to your nose do you detect a pleasant aroma?  When you close your eyes and savor the first bite does the chocolate meet your expectations of what its description and presentation promised?  That moment of exquisite pleasure that chocolate lovers experience begins with the Chocolatier.

ARTISTRY AND PRESENTATION

Fine chocolate products such as bonbons, pralines and bars benefit from their presentation, from the shape and finish of the chocolate, to the packaging that contains the chocolate.  Molds may be used with fine hand detail work to present pieces that are like small pieces of sculpture.  Hand-crafted chocolates with irregular surfaces and a more rustic look also meet the presentation requirement of fine chocolate, especially if such products elicit childhood memories or reflect back to simpler time and place.

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

You have given chocolates before, just never like this!

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

Scharffen Berger Chocolate manufacturer was founded in 1996 by wine manufacturer John Scharffenberger and physician Robert Steinberg with one simple goal:  to make the finest chocolates possible using traditional methods and the most flavorful, natural ingredients.  Their goal – to highlight the true flavor of cacao instead of masking it with sugar and other flavors.

The first American company founded in the past 50 years to make chocolate from “bean to bar”, Scharffen Berger primarily produces chocolate bars, using small-batch processing and focusing on dark chocolate varieties with high cocoa solid content.

In 1997 they made the first batch in the South San Francisco factory using vintage European equipment and basic ingredients including Venezuelan criollo beans and whole Tahitian vanilla. Today, Scharffen Berger produces a wide selection of products and makes about a half million pounds (200 tonnes) of chocolate a year.

Scharffen Berger moved to its permanent home, a 27,000-square-foot, 1906 vintage-brick warehouse in Berkeley, California, in 2001.

The Hershey Company, the largest confectionary conglomerate in North America, announced in July of 2005, it had purchased Scharffen Berger Chocolate manufacturer, Inc.

Technorati Tags: chocolate bars, dark chocolate, fine chocolate, gourmet chocolate

There are several types of chocolate that are recognizable the world over.  Read on to see which is best for your health and taste or the health and taste of the recipient of that beautiful ballotin box full of delicious fine chocolates.

Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine (from the cacao plant) and phenethylamine, which have some physiological effects in humans, but the presence of theobromine renders it toxic to some animals, such as dogs and cats.  It has also been linked to serotonin levels in the brain.

Pure, unsweetened chocolate contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions.  Unsweetened chocolate is pure chocolate liquor, also known as bitter or baking chocolate.  It is unadulterated chocolate: the pure, ground, roasted chocolate beans impart a strong, deep chocolate flavor.  Chocolate liquor contains roughly 53 percent cocoa butter (fat), about 17 percent carbohydrates, 11 percent protein, 6 percent tannins, and 1.5 percent theobromine.

Much of the chocolate consumed today is in the form of sweet chocolate, combining chocolate with sugar.

Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder or condensed milk.

White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids.  White chocolate is formed from a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter and milk solids. Although its texture is similar to milk and dark chocolate, it does not contain any cocoa solids, it  does not contain theobromine, meaning it can be consumed by animals.  Because it has no cocoa solids, many countries do not consider white chocolate as chocolate at all.

Dark chocolate has been promoted for its health benefits, as it seems to possess substantial amount of antioxidants that reduce the formation of free radicals.

Dark chocolate is produced by adding fat (cacao butter and/or plant oils) and sugar to the cacao mixture.  The U.S. Government calls this “sweet chocolate”, and requires a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor.  European rules specify a minimum of 35% cocoa solids. Dark chocolate, with its high cocoa content, is a rich source of the flavonoids epicatechin and gallic acid (gallic acid good stuff and another topic altogether), and are thought to possess cardioprotective properties.  Dark chocolate has  been said help reduce the possibility of a heart attack (helps to lower blood pressure) when consumed regularly in small amounts.

Semisweet chocolate is a dark chocolate with a low sugar content.

Bittersweet chocolate is chocolate liquor to which some sugar (typically a third), more cocoa butter, vanilla and sometimes lecithin have been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate, but the two are interchangeable in baking.

Technorati Tags: bittersweet chocolate, chocolate, chocolate liquor, dark chocolate, sweet chocolate

Got too much chocolate, don’t want to share and can’t eat it all? Bought too much, couldn’t use it all at once? Not to fear. It is actually very easy to store your chocolate…well maybe. All you have to do is store it in a cool, dry place and keep it away from strong odors.

Fine dark chocolate likes to be cool and dry – heat and humidity can wreak havoc on
chocolate.  Some people like to keep their chocolate in the refrigerator, which is cool but not the dry.  About 16 degrees Celsius is a good temperature making the fridge too cold. Keeping fine chocolate in the refrigerator is only recommended if you live in a hot environment without air conditioning, otherwise, it is generally discouraged.  Some people like to eat chocolate straight from the fridge because it becomes harder and tastes different.  Well there’s a reason why it taste different.

Remember chocolate should be a taste experience, the experience the chocolatier intended for you to have.   Fine dark chocolate should be quite hard at room temperature, with a clear snap when you break off a piece, and the flavors  can only be tasted properly at room temperature.

While keeping chocolate in the fridge may be okay for a few people, it presents a host of problems for the majority:

The Smell Factor. Most people’s refrigerators contain food items other than
chocolate, so your chocolate may end up tasting like last night’s poorly covered leftovers or that
delicious smelly cheese you like so much.  Fine dark chocolate contains a lot of fat (in the form of heart-healthy cocoa butter), so it can easily take on aromas to which it has been exposed.

Humidity.  The humidity inside a fridge is typically higher than the ideal humidity
for storing chocolate.  Relative humidity should be under 50%.  Few people have any idea what the relative humidity is in their refrigerator.

Altered Taste and Texture. The cold and humidity can alter the taste and texture
of the chocolate.  Not something you want to happen to your expensive fine chocolate.

Development of Sugar Bloom. When cold chocolate is brought out of the refrigerator, it attracts moisture from the warmer air resulting in condensation that leads to sugar bloom.  That’s the grayish-white coating on the surface of the chocolate.

If you live in a hot place, or you simply insist on keeping your chocolate in the fridge, then when
you are ready to eat it allow it to come to room temperature before opening up the wrapping.
This will take about an hour or so depending on the size of the bar and the temperature of
the room.  This requires some patience and forethought.  If you do, it will help avoid the
development of bloom from water droplets on the inside of the package caused by the
condensation.

If you use chocolate for baking, some pastry chefs recommend keeping it in a tightly sealed
plastic container or Ziploc bag in the freezer for longevity.  Keeping it cool and dry works just as well if not best.  Only use the freezer if you have no cool, dry place.

Dark chocolate can keep up to about 1 1/2 years.   So, where should you keep your fine chocolate? A clean, odor-free, dark, cool closet or cupboard, on a dark shelf or any cool area of your house!  Of course, if you plan on eating your chocolate within a couple of weeks – just keep it within easy reach and enjoy a piece whenever you want!

Technorati Tags: dark chocolate, fine chocolate, storing chocolate