Chocolates, one of the most yummy desserts all over the world, are made up of number of raw and processed food. It is obtained from the seeds of cocoa tree that are mainly found in the tropical region. Chocolate was initially drunk rather than being eaten. Chocolate has been used as a drink for nearly all of its history. Chocolate has been proved as a health supplement as it contains alkaloids that are good for health. Also, dark chocolates comprises antioxidants that reduces the formation of free radical and hence is called as a health supplement. Chocolate can be used for several purposes. Along with eating for fun and taste factor, it is one of the best desserts and all time favorites as well. Along with that it can be utilized for tempering cakes and cookies. Also, chocolates are now a days being used to celebrate happiness and other happy occasions. Not only this, people often commemorate their festivals, occasions and happy moments with these chocolates. Chocolates thus have become another name and sign of contentment. People prepare their favorite dishes, usually sweet dishes, on the occasion of pleasure. It is believed that consuming sweet dishes is good in happy moments and it reflects the happiness. Also, sweets can also be served to family members and friends meeting after a long time as it increases the sweetness in relationships and friendships. Regardless of all benefits and numerous benefits people should avoid these desserts and sweet dishes as much as they can. These dishes can be consumed occasionally but should be surely avoided on regular basis. The reason is that if taken in excess amount, causes the abnormal increase of sugar level in the blood. This disease often termed as diabetes in medical language, has several ill effects accompanied with it. The common victims of this disease are generally professionals. Even the legendary Pascagoula Plumbers, Newbury Park Electricians and Chadds Ford Roofers are affected with this disease.

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I love chocolate!

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The history of chocolate starts with the cocoa tree which is native to the forests of South and Central America and grows to approximately 20 foot high.

This quite delicate tree starts to produce fruit in its 4th to 5th year. Large red or yellow pods encase a white pulp that hides its treasure of anywhere between 20 to 50 cocoa beans.

The cocoa bean was cultivated for centuries by the Maya Indians, the Mexican Aztecs and the Incas of Peru where they had ceremonial significance and were associated with the festivities of births and marriages. At these events they were regularly used as a tribute or money. In some areas only those of the highest ranking could enjoy the wonderful drink boiling these beans could produce.

When the Spanish conquered Mexico in 1519 they were so taken with this chocolaty drink (although they did add sugar to sweeten the taste) they introduced these trees to Trinidad where they closely guarded their secret s of cultivation and preparation. It wasn’t long however before the trees spread to the West India Islands and The Philippines’. The Dutch are believed to have introduced them into Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Gull fog Guinea, South America however remained the chief exporter and producer until 1891.

In the Seventeenth century the drink was introduced to the noblemen and women of the courts of Spain, Italy, Germany, France and England. Chocolate was still an expensive luxury even though the secret to its preparation was out in the open. When the first chocolate house was opened in London in 1657, the cost of a pound of chocolate was more than 6 months wages putting it way out of your average 17th century Londones price bracket and making it exclusive to the very wealthy. This was because of the heavy import duty on cocoa beans.

Both drinking and eating chocolate are relatively new inventions that were developed during the 19th century. The chocolate of today was not produced until a Dutchman discovered how to press the cocoa butter out of the beans.

The pressed beans could then produce a much less fatty drinking chocolate that was much more palatable than the rich buttery drink the Aztecs had made centuries earlier. The cocoa butter could then be used to make eating chocolate. In 1847 these techniques were perfected by J.S. Fry and the delicious bit of bliss that we know today as chocolate went on sale for the first time.

Now while the chocolate games are all very interesting, does it really matter to those of us who just want to gorge ourselves on the sweet creamy taste, how it got here. Or just that it did. The weird thing about history is that it changes all the time and while most things get better and progress naturally forward, Why is there always someone that wants’ to screw with a good thing. Something weird is happening to chocolate, it’s progressing and getting politically correct, it’s getting better for us while losing its delicious taste.

Chocolate doesn’t have a hard job to do, it doesn’t have to fund the cure for cancer or date James Blunt (Whom I’ve kissed but that’s a whole nother story!) it just has to tantalize our taste buds and make us smile as we swallow.

Chocolate lovers all over the world it’s time to pick up your chocolate molds get out of your chocolate fountain and put down your chocolate cake (only for a minute you can pick it up again as soon as we’ve made our point,) and tell the chocolate makers NO! We don’t want inferior chocolate any more; we don’t want the no-name, no frills, low calorie, low fat, sugar-free, carob chocolate.

We want our Cadbury’s, Mars, Lindts, Hershey’s and all those other fine quality chocolates tasting as rich, creamy and delicious as they should. After all History teaches us to learn by our mistakes and you can’t improve on perfection!

Technorati Tags: Cadbury Chocolate, chocolate, Chocolate Cake Recipe, Chocolate Games, Chocolate Maker, Chocolate News, chocolate recipe, Chocolate World, History Of Chocolate

Are you a choc-a-holic?

Why not make the most of some free chocolate bar treats?

Whether it’s a Mars Bar, a block of milk chocolate or a Crunchie that’s your preferred choccy bar, milk chocolate is one of the most purchased treats around the world. On Britain alone, the yearly spend on chocolate is £3 billion, thats £3,000,000,000! The majority of this is spent with the big 3 manufacturers, Cadbury, Rowntree and Nestle.

The most successful chocolate treats are Dairy Milk (Milk Chocolate), Snickers, Kit Kat, Dairy Milk (Fruit), Galaxy, Mars, Dairy Milk (Caramel), Double Decker, Fuse, Flake, Crunchie and Twirl. Additionally, there are special extras such as Wispa and Creme Egg which are available at different times of year or made for limited periods.

In recent times, the demand for mini bars has risen dramatically, particularly around the winter season. For example, Cadbury Heroes can be purchased in massive boxes approaching the Xmas period, and commonly sell well immediately before Christmas as demand is that high. Many people will have boxes of treats waiting for guests and family occasions at this time of year.

Reports about the nation’s health come to the forefront of public attention from time to time, and as a result, chocolate manufacturers have set up ideas such as Treatwise to raise customer awareness of the health value of their treats.

Adverts on the Television might be fast to suggest that chocolate is full of calcium, which we all know is great for teeth and bones, however a simple look at the packaging shows the downside of sugar and fat to highlight just two. In reality, everything in proportion is widely considered as sound guidance, and chocolate treats are no different. Awareness is the key, and the chocolate manufacturers can’t be accused of trying to mask the facts, even if their marketing partners are excelling in their jobs of talking up product features almost to fault.

Grab yourself some free chocolate bar today, or if healthy snacking is more your bag, why not try out a free fruit box?

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New York City has many boutiques that offer exceptional, hand-made chocolates. Many of these luxurious treats can only be found here in the city.

They also have cafes, chocolate events and factories where you can watch how these gourmet treats are being made. A box of luxury, fine chocolate is the perfect gift for a special occasion like Mothers Day or Valentines.

Jacques Torres Chocolate

A visit to Jacques Torres Chocolate feels like stepping into a small European specialty store. The store is filled with hand-made yummy treats. Enjoy a hot chocolate and a freshly baked pain au chocolat in the cafe while you watch the delicious chocolates being made in the factory. Visit Jacques Torres DUMBO in Brooklyn or the new cafe on Hudson Street.

Martine’s Chocolates

Here you find hand-made gourmet chocolates. The chocolates are made from fresh, natural ingredients, for example Belgian chocolate, French butter and fresh American cream. You can find Martines Chocolates at Bloomingdales and the new store Martines Chocolates too.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat

Vosges lets you travel the world of luxury haut-chocolates. Their best seller says it all. It is an exotic truffle collection of gourmet dark, milk and white chocolate truffles infused with exotic and traditional spices, herbs and flowers from around the world. Go to their chocolate boutique in SoHo or Vosges Haut-Chocolate Madison Avenue and join their FREE chocolate events.

MarieBelle

With chocolate so beautiful its hard to take a bite. Here you can listen to jazz at the Cacao Bar every Wednesday from 7:30 pm to 10 pm. Visit them at MarieBelle On Madison or at MarieBelle Soho.

Li-Lac

In this shop in Greenwich Village you can find chocolates in memorable shapes such as Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Their chocolate dogs, dinosaurs, trains and baseballs make great gifts. You find Li-Lac Chocolates in Greenwich Village and in Market Hall in Grand Central Terminal.

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar

At Max Brenner you’re in for a different type of chocolate experience. How about chocolate pizza or a chocolate soup. Look inside and check out the chocolate pipe system.

There are 2 of these chocolate restaurant in New York City. Max Brenner on 2nd Ave and on Broadway.

La Maison du Chocolat

The chocolate artists at La Maison du Chocolat invites you to discover their collections: ganache, truffles, pralines, glazed chestnuts, hot chocolate Enjoy their chocolates at La Masion du Chocolat Madison Avenue, La Maison du Chocolat Rockefeller center and La Maison du Chocolat on Wall Street

.

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Get rid of the old chocolate rabbit, and use one of those amazing chocolate molds.

Making the right choice on the chocolate molds for the party can mean the difference between success and failure when it comes to the guests opinions. Locating a chocolate mold that is fun and interesting will make your chocolate candy look great. You have the choice to work with a theme or an assortment, both will bring fun and enjoyment to a party table.

Chocolates come in all shapes and sizes.

Maybe you have a person in your life who is a music lover, been making a platter of molded chocolates shaped like musical instruments and notes will be a fantastic idea, you could also use this theme for a school play or concert too.

If you are the fan of a particular film star, then you can fill a basket with their pictures and maybe heart-shaped chocolates, plus other shapes like roses and diamonds. You will be able to find a diamond and heart mold in any good kitchen supply store, which will enable you to create professional chocolate. You can also find a great assortment of chocolate molds online at http://www.bakedeco.com/chocolate_molds.html. The rates are very reasonable, and there are pages of choices, included a clever chess set (which of course, one would make with dark and white chocolate).

The best times to use a chocolate mold is in the holidays:

The only time of the year you are expected to eat lots of chocolate and sweets are the holidays, the rest of the year most people are watching their weight. Halloween is one time of the year, when lots of sweet are eaten, so this is a good time for using a chocolate mold to make theme chocolates. Its probably a good idea not to make the usual ghosts and witches themes, this is because Halloween in the fall, so why not get some molds that are shaped like cats and leaves, and try using different types of chocolate like white, milk and dark.

Another time when you are almost forced to have to eat chocolate is Christmas time. You can actually buy traditional chocolate molds of reindeer, Father Christmas, and snowflakes (which look fantastic, made from white chocolate), why not try making candy yourself, maybe start by making white chocolate candy canes with stripes, also try using ring shaped molds or diamond shaped molds, just let your creativity run away with you.

Chocolate molds can allow you to be exceptionally creative and to make your mark as a party planner, so just go crazy and let your creativity have its head.

For lots more interesting tips and information on chocolate molds and chocolate covered strawberries, go check out our website.

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Making chocolate the traditional way can be done at home, although it’s sometimes a lengthy and involved process. If you want to try making homemade chocolate as a hobby and you want the satisfaction of making your own chocolate you can do it.  You will need to buy some specialized equipment but not a lot.  Traditional chocolate makingfrom scratch is a great hobby, so you should give traditional chocolate making a try to see if it’s the right hobby for you.

Steps for making homemade chocolate:

1.Choosing the beans. Chocolate is made from cacao beans so when you first start  making chocolate the old fashioned way you should start with some good quality cacao beans. The better the beans, the better the chocolate!  There are many suppliers on the internet that sell different varieties of cacao beans in many different price ranges.  So, it is easy to find whole cacao beans on the web.

2. Roasting the beans. Cacao beans need to be roasted just like coffee beans. You can roast them on a cookie sheet in the oven if you are careful not to let them burn. You can also purchase a specialized cacao bean roaster for at home use if you’re going to pursue homemade chocolate making as a hobby. The beans can be roasted for as few as five minutes or up to 35 minutes depending on the type of bean and the flavor that you want to achieve.

3. Getting the chocolate out. After the beans are roasted, crack open the outer shell of the bean to remove the chocolate. There are several ways to do this at home. One way is to place the beans in a single sheet on a counter or on a baking sheet and use a hammer to crack the shells open. Then use a blow dryer on a low setting to blow the hulls  away from the chocolate. You can also use a juicer to extract the chocolate. Removing the chocolate can be very messy, so make sure that you have a mop and bucket and other cleaning supplies on hand.

4. Grinding and refining the chocolate. Now, you need to grind the chocolate as fine as possible.  Many expert chocolate makers recommend using a high quality juicer for this step. When the chocolate has been ground as finely as possible, you will add milk, sugar, preservatives, and anything else that you want to add to the chocolate to enhance the flavor. Once everything is mixed together, the chocolate will need to be agitated slowly but constantly. This process could take up to 12 hours to get the chocolate to exactly the right consistency. Some experts recommend using a stand mixer on a low setting for this stage of the process.

5. Tempering the chocolate. Once the chocolate has been fully refined it needs to be tempered before you can use it. Tempering chocolate at home can be time consuming, but if you want to speed up the process you can use a microwave to temper your homemade chocolate. Once the chocolate is tempered and is smooth, hard, and shiny. Now, it’s ready to be eaten or used in your favorite chocolate recipes!

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Are you a chocoholic?

Why not make the most of some free chocolate bar treats?

Whether it’s a Mars a day, a block of Dairy Milk or a Kit Kat that’s your ideal snack, milk chocolate is one of the most common treats around the world. On Britain alone, the annual spend on chocolate is £3 billion, thats three thousand million pounds! The majority of this is purchase from the big three companies, Cadburys, Roundtree and Nestle.

The most common chocolate treats are Dairy Milk (Plain), Aero, Maltesers, Dairy Milk (Fruit), Boost, Mars, Dairy Milk (Caramel), Toffee Crisp, Twix, Flake, Crunchie and Yorkie. Additionally, there are special extras such as Caramac and Chocolate Orange which are seasonal or made for trial times.

In recent years, the popularity of mini bars has increased hugely, especially around the festive period. For example, Cadbury Heroes can be bought in large tins around the Xmas period, and commonly sell well in the run up to Christmas as supply struggles to meet demand. Many families will have tins of treats waiting for guests and family gatherings at this time of year.

Worries about the nation’s health come to the headlines of the media from time to time, and as a result, chocolate manufacturers have set up initiatives such as Treatwise to increase customer understanding of the nutritional value of their treats.

Ad breaks on the TV might be fast to suggest that chocolate is full of calcium, which we all know is good for bones and teeth, however a simple inspection of the packaging identifies the downside of sugar and fat to highlight a couple. Of course, things in moderation is widely regarded as good guidance, and chocolate treats are no exception. Awareness is the solution, and the chocolate manufacturers cannot be accused of trying to mask the truth, even if their marketing departments are successful in their role of highlighting product benefits al the expense of faults.

Grab yourself some free chocolate bar today, or if healthy snacking is more your bag, why not try out a free fruit box?

Technorati Tags: free chocolate bars treats

New York City has many boutiques that offer exceptional, hand-made chocolates. Many of these luxurious treats can only be found here in the city.

They also have cafes, chocolate events and factories where you can watch how these luxurious treats are being made. A box of luxury, fine chocolate is the perfect gift for a special occasion like Mothers Day or Valentines.

Jacques Torres Chocolate

A visit to Jacques Torres Chocolate feels like stepping into a small European specialty store. The store is filled with hand-made yummy treats. Enjoy a hot chocolate and a freshly baked pain au chocolat in the cafe while you watch delicious chocolates being made in the factory. Visit Jacques Torres DUMBO in Brooklyn or the new cafe on Hudson Street.

Martine’s Chocolates

Here you find hand-made gourmet chocolates. The chocolates are made from fresh, natural ingredients, for example Belgian chocolate, French butter and fresh American cream. You can find Martines Chocolates at Bloomingdales and the new store Martines Chocolates too.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat

Vosges lets you travel the world of luxury haut-chocolates. Their best seller says it all. It is an exotic truffle collection of gourmet dark, milk and white chocolate truffles, infused with exotic and traditional spices, herbs and flowers from all around the world. Go to their chocolate boutique in SoHo or Vosges Haut-Chocolate Madison Avenue and join their FREE chocolate events.

MarieBelle

With chocolate so beautiful its hard to take a bite. Here you can listen to jazz at the Cacao Bar every Wednesday,7:30 - 10 pm. Visit them at MarieBelle On Madison or at MarieBelle Soho.

Li-Lac

In this shop in Greenwich Village you can find chocolates in memorable shapes such as Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Their chocolate dogs, dinosaurs, trains and baseballs make great gifts. You find Li-Lac Chocolates in Greenwich Village and in Market Hall in Grand Central Terminal.

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar

At Max Brenner you’re in for a different type of chocolate experience. How about chocolate soup or chocolate pizza. Look inside and check out the chocolate pipe system.

There are 2 of these chocolate restaurant in New York City. Max Brenner on 2nd Ave and Max Brenner on Broadway.

La Maison du Chocolat

The chocolate artists at La Maison du Chocolat invites you to discover their collections: ganache, truffles, pralines, glazed chestnuts, hot chocolate Enjoy their chocolates at La Masion du Chocolat Madison Avenue, La Maison du Chocolat Rockefeller center and La Maison du Chocolat on Wall Street

.

Technorati Tags: chocolate new york city, fine chocolate nyc, gourmet chocolate new york

German Chocolate Cake Recipe

Here are some recipes for German chocolate cakes, each one is easy to make and delicious to eat!

The story of the German chocolate cake is thoroughly fascinating. Unlike what the name suggests, the term German chocolate cake is actually derived from an American with the last name German. It was in 1852, that Sam German created the mild dark baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Co. The product was named after him and called Baker’s German’s sweet chocolate.

In 1957, the first published recipe for German’s chocolate cake showed up in a Dallas newspaper. It was after this that the cake became popular and its recipe along with the mouth-watering pictures spread all over the country. German chocolate cakes are a blessing to anyone who has a sweet tooth. Read on for some German chocolate cake recipes.

German Chocolate Cake with Coconut and Pecan Frosting

Required Ingredients
For the cake

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoons of baking soda
• teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of butter (softened)
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 4 ounces of sweet baking chocolate (melted)
• a cup of milk
• teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the topping

• cup of evaporated milk
• a cup of brown sugar
• a cup of butter
• 1 can of coconut (flaked)
• 1 cup of pecans (chopped)

Instructions

To make the cake

• First take a large bowl and combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter, baking soda, sour cream, milk, chocolate and vanilla in it.
• Then beat the ingredients with a mixer until blended.
• Now increase the mixer to high and beat for about 2 minutes longer.
• Once that is done, use a spoon to put the batter into the 8-inch prepared pans.
• Bake this in an oven that has been preheated to 350 for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Leave the cake out to become cold.

To make the topping

• Take a saucepan with evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter and place it over a medium flame.
• When it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat.
• Then put in the pecans and coconut.
• Now set this mixture aside to cool at room temperature.

Once the cake is cool, place one layer on a cake platter and spoon half of the coconut mixture onto the layer. Use the remaining topping to top the remaining cake layer.

German Chocolate Upside-Down Cake

Required Ingredients

• 1 cup of pecans (chopped)
• 1 cup of coconut
• 1 package of German chocolate cake mix
• 1 pound of powdered sugar
• 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
• a cup of margarine (softened)

Instructions

• First grease as well as flour a 9*13 pan.
• Next pour the pecans and the coconut in the bottom of the pan.
• Then follow the instructions on the box while mixing the cake mix.
• Once that is done pour the mixture over the coconut and nuts.
• Now mix the butter, cream cheese and sugar and drop spoonfuls of it on top of the cake.
• Bake this mixture at 350 for 45 minutes or until it is done.

German Chocolate Cake

Required Ingredients

• cup of unsweetened chocolate (chopped)
• cup of semisweet chocolate (chopped)
• a cup of water
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of unsalted soft butter
• 1 cup of sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of milk
• I teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions

• First preheat the oven to 200 and melt both the chocolates with cup of water over simmering water.
• Now cream together butter and 1 cups of sugar until it is light and fluffy.
• Then slowly add the melted chocolate and the egg yolks one at a time.
• Once that is done mix together the baking soda, flour, baking powder and salt.
• Then add the dry ingredients to the chocolate/butter mixture alternatively along with the vanilla and milk extract.
• Now beat the egg whites and whip in the cup of sugar until it is stiff and fold it into the dough.
• Then put the dough into a buttered and floured cake pan and bake until a wooden stick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

  Education on Chocolate Creations

Tuesday night I spent a wonderful 90 minutes tasting and learning about chocolate. I attended one of the Little Tastes of the Dahlia, a series of educational (and fun!) programs held at the Dahlia Lounge by Tom Douglas. 

Chocolate Stout Cake

Chocolate and stout are a great combination, so why not put them together in a cake? Chocolate stout, of course, is perfect for this recipe but any stout will do. 

  Dark Chocolate Peanut and Caramel Tart

Today’s Cook the Book recipe comes to us from Michael Laiskonis, Le Bernardin’s dashing pastry chef. His dark chocolate, peanut, and caramel tart is perfect for anyone who likes a bit of salty with their sweet.

Churros With Chocolate Sauce

TasteSpotting is visual representation of something delicious.   

Chocolate Bowls

These chocolate bowls from Stephanie, of Stephanie’s Kitchen are an elegant way to present dessert at your next party. They’re also surprisingly easy to make. 

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