Trivia: Chocolate and Health

from Madrid Agribusiness Digest Feb 2009 Vol.19 No.10

• Chocolate has rich antioxidants which can help prevent conditions such as cancer and heart disease
• It can enhance our immune system and give a feeling of well-being
• Cocoa contains one of the highest natural sources of magnesium, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health and hypertension.
• Cocoa contains antioxidant compound called polyphenols, including the procyanidins epicatechin and catechin. The amount of polyphenols in milk chocolate is equivalent to that of five servings of fruits and vegetables.

Measurement of polyphenol content in 1.25 ounces of cocoa products:

• Milk Chocolate: 300 mg
• Dark Chocolate: 700 mg
• Cocoa Powder: 1,300 mg 

Trivia: Drink of the Gods

from Madrid Agribusiness Digest Feb 2009 Vol.19 No.10

Chocolate comes from the cacao bean, which was first cultivated by Mayans and Aztecs over 3,000 years ago. Chocolate was believed to be the favored beverage of the Gods, and this cacao product played an important role in religious and social traditions and ceremonies.

It was the ancient Mayans who first concocted chocolate into a beverage. They mixed the fermented cacao paste with water, chili peppers and cornmeal to make a frothy, spicy chocolate drink.

Decorating with Chocoloate

Chocolate Slivers

• Temper chocolate and leave it on a marble surface until it dries and sets. Then pull a large knife across its surface to produce long chocolate curls.

Chocolate Leaves

• The most important is to choose leaves that are non-toxic. Rinse carefully and dry. When clean, use a small paint brush and coat one side with a thin layer of melted chocolate. leave it to set, then give it another coating. Chill the coated leaves in the refrigerator for a few minutes, then carefully peel the leaves away from the chocolate. 

Grating/ Curling Chocolate

• Bring a bar of chocolate to room temperature then shave its side with a vegetable peeler to form small chocolate curls. Or, grate the bar using a grater with large holes.

Trivia: Dark and White Chocolate

The character and flavor of chocolate are highly affected by the percentage of cacao in it. The more cacao it has, the more intense the flavor. 

There is a legal definition of what chocolate must consist of:

dark must have at least 35% dry cocoa solids,

while white must have at least 25%

Chocolate Glossary

From: FOOD Nov 2012

Cacao

Cacao Fruit and Seeds

Refers to the cacao tree and also to its bean-like seeds from which cocoa, cocoa butter and chocolate are made.

Cocoa Butter
It is the cream colored fat extracted from cacao seeds that is used for adding flavor, scent and smoothness to chocolates.

Cocoa Powder
The powdery remains of chocolate liquer after removing the cocoa butter.

Conching
The process where chocolate is kneaded, massaged and plowed back and forth through liquid chocolate to smoothen the chocolate. The speed, temperature and length of the process determine the chocolate's final texture and flavor.

Couverture
High-quality chocolate made with extra cocoa butter for high gloss; used for covering chocolates and cakes.

Criollo

One of the three Theobrama cacao tree varieties, Criollo is the most rare and expensive. Criollo cacao beans have the most delicate flavor and are highly prized by chocolate manufacturers.

Dutch Process or Dutching
The treatment of cocoa mass with alkaline salts to make the cocoa powder less bitter and easier to mix into warm water.

Fondant
Extremely smooth chocolate; also the French word for dark or pure chocolate.

Ganache

Ganache
A mixture of chocolate and cream that is used for a filling for truffles, cakes and tarts, or as a glaze poured over cakes and pastries.

Praline
Can refer to any filled chocolate, or also to the filling of the chocolate.

Tempering 
The process of bring chocolate to a certain temperature so that the cocoa butter reaches its most stable crystal form.

Truffle
Ganache formed into balls and dusted either with cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts or chocolate pieces.

Pralines

Truffles

Chocolate Ganache

Ganache is a glaze, icing, sauce, or filling for pastries made from chocolate and cream.

Ganache is normally made by heating cream, then pouring it over chopped chocolate of any kind. The mixture is stirred or blended until smooth, with liqueurs or extracts added if desired.

Depending on the kind of chocolate used, for what purpose the ganache is intended, and the temperature at which it will be served, the ratio of chocolate to cream is varied to obtain the desired consistency. Typically, two parts chocolate to one part cream are used for filling cakes or as a base for making chocolate truffles, while one to one is commonly used as a glaze. Cooled ganache can be whipped to increase volume and spread to cover a cake. However, if left to cool too much it can become too thick and unspreadable. (Wikipedia)

Ganache Recipes varies for its use- filling, coating or truffle.

Chocolate Ganache Recipe

as filling for Pralines

Ingredients:

• 250 grams Fresh Cream
• 600 grams Chocolate Courveture
• 50 grams Butter

Procedure:

• Boil the fresh cream then remove from heat.
• Add chocolate cubes then mix to evenly melt the chocolate completely.
• Add chopped butter. Stir until all butter is incorporated.
• Keep the ganache cool.
• Ready for pouring into moulds.

21 Quotes About Chocolate

• "God gave the angels wings, and he gave humans chocolate." - Anonymous

• "Biochemically, love is just like eating large amounts of chocolate." John Milton, The Devil's Advocate

• "The Spanish ladies of the New World are madly addicted to chocolate, to such a point that, not content to drink it several times each day, they even have it served to them in church." - Jean-Antheleme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste (1825)

• After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you can conquer enemies, lead armies, entice lovers." - Emily Luchetti

• "There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles." - Anonymous

• "Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea and universal medicine." - Geronimo Piperni, quoted by Antonio Lavedán, Spanish army surgeon,1796

• "Chocolate: the poor mans' champagne." - Daniel Worona

• "A little chocolate is like a love affair - an occasional sweet release that lightens the spirit. A lot of chocolate is like marriage - it seems so good at first but before you know it you've got chunky hips and a waddle-walk." - Linda Solegato

• "Life is like a box of chocolates ... You never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump

• "The 12-step chocoholics program: Never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate!" - Terry Moore

• "Researchers have discovered that chocolate produces some of the same reactions in the brain as marijuana. The researchers also discovered other similarities between the two but can't remember what they are." - Matt Lauer

• "Strength is the ability to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of those pieces." - Judith Viorst

• "It's not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man." - Miranda Ingram

• "Make a list of important things to do today. At the top of your list, put "eat chocolate." Now, you'll get at least one thing done today." - Gina Hayes

• "Never mind about 1066 William the Conqueror, 1087 William the Second. Such things are not going to affect one?s life ... but 1932 the Mars Bar and 1936 Maltesers and 1937 the Kit Kat - these dates are milestones in history and should be seared into the memory of every child in the country." - Roald Dahl

• "Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time." - Anonymous

• "Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." - John Q. Tullius

• "My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." - Dave Barry

• "The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain." - Thomas Jefferson

• "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." - Charles M. Schulz

• "There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate." - Linda Grayson

From: http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/50-quotes-about-chocolate.html

Chocolate and Our Health

Few facts about how Chocolate affects our health...

Chocolate causes tooth decay?

Fact:

Forget everything your mother ever told you about how eating too many chocolates will give you cavities. Scientists now believe the length of time food stays in your mouth, not its sugar content, is what causes cavities. Chocolate leaves your mouth relatively quickly- it’s the things that get stuck in there that are the problem, like crackers, cookies or dried fruit. Studies suggest that dark chocolate and cocoa may actually be good for dental health because flavanol antioxidants and other compounds in cocoa and chocolate slow the build-up of plaque.

Chocolate causes hyperactivity?

Fact:

Blame the clown. Birthday parties cause hyperactivity – not the chocolate that’s served. Studies that specifically tested chocolate failed to show any relationship between eating it and hyperactive behavior in children. It is believed the high-stimulus environment in which sugary foods are eaten, such as a birthday party, is what affects behavior.

from : http://chocwisdom.wordpress.com/choco-facts/

History of Chocolate

History says that chocolate before started out as an alcoholic beverage, fit only for a king. The process used was same with the process of making wine. Anthropologists discovered a cacao residue on a pottery which appears that the sweet pulp of cacao fruit was fermented into an alcoholic beverage date back as far as 1400 AD. It was also believed that chocolates were served before as a spicy drink, flavored with chili powder. Ancient tribes in Central America serve this drink only to the most high rank officials and important visitors of their tribe.

The etymology of the term “chocolate” came from the Aztec word “xocoatl”, which refers to the frothy and bitter drink made from the cacao beans. The Latin name of the Cacao tree has a scientific name of Theobroma Cacao, which means "food for the Gods”.

Chocolate in the ancient period was also used as a monetary unit. 1000 AD, cocoa beans are used as a form of payment. Taxes are paid using these beans. Over the centuries, only the Kings and Queens can afford to drink this and the poor cannot. Cocoa beans are also used as a unit of calculation. Like for example, 100 cocoa beans can bought a slave, 10 cocoa beans can bought the services of a prostitute and four cocoa beans got you a rabbit for dinner. After 30 years, the price of rabbit was equal to 100 cocoa beans, and one single cocoa bean could buy a ripe avocado or tomato.

When chocolate reached Spain, it was first called “the bitter drink for the pigs”. Spaniards did not like it spicy, until the Spanish Princess Anna tried drinking it with sugar. Chocolate then became a famous drink to them, and again, only the elite and royalties could enjoy.

Also Visit: http://c3aflavorexperience.blogspot.com/