All About Chocolate
" The History Of Chocolate "
The tasty secret of the cacao (kah KOW) tree was discovered 2,000 years ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas. The pods of this tree contain seeds that can be processed into chocolate. The story of how chocolate grew from a local Mesoamerican beverage into a global sweet encompasses many cultures and continents.The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America. These people, including the Maya and Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.Later, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seeds back home to Spain, where new recipes were created. Eventually, and the drink’s popularity spread throughout Europe. Since then, new technologies and innovations have changed the texture and taste of chocolate, but it still remains one of the world’s favorite flavors.Select which part of chocolate’s long history you’d like to explore first
Making Chocolate :
Turning cacao (kah KOW) seeds into chocolate requires time, effort, and artistry. It’s a fascinating process that takes you from tropical rainforests to gleaming factories.First, farmers grow cacao, and then they harvest, ferment, and dry it by hand. Next, traders and import/export houses sell the seeds on the Coffee, Sugar, and Cocoa Exchange to companies that process the seeds into various chocolate products.Select which part of this intriguing process you’d like to investigate first:Introduction: Making Chocolate from Cacao SeedsFor a quick introduction to the world of chocolate making, check out this brief summary of the harvesting and selling of cacao and the manufacturing process that churns it into
chocolate.
Take an in-depth look at the labor-intensive process of growing, harvesting, fermenting, and drying cacao seeds. You’ll also discover some of the difficult labor issues that cacao farmers have faced over the centuries.
Examine the fast-paced futures market where cacao is traded on the Coffee, Sugar, and Cocoa Exchange. You’ll learn about the pitfalls and profits of buying and selling cacao, as well as its relationship to other agricultural products like sugar.
Explore the chocolate-making industry and learn about key inventions that led to the creation of the candy bar. You’ll become an expert in the manufacturing and molding of chocolate, and you’ll learn about the difference between bittersweet, baking, and other types of chocolate. “Make” chocolate online in our Manufacturing Chocolate from Seed to Sweet interactive.
Chocolate Recipe :
yummy ^_^
Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake
Yield: 12 servings.
1 cup (about 5 ounces) chocolate cookie or chocolate graham cracker crumbs3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine2 pint baskets California strawberries, stemmed and halved2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips1/2 cup water2 tablespoons light corn syrup2 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided1 tablespoon sugar
In bowl, mix crumbs and butter to blend thoroughly. Press evenly onto bottom of 9-inch springform or cheesecake pan. Stand strawberry halves, touching, side-by-side, pointed ends up with cuts sides against side of pan. Set aside.
Place chocolate chips in blender container. In small saucepan over medium heat, mix water and corn syrup; bring to boil and simmer 1 minute. Immediately pour over chocolate chips and blend until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in large mixer bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups of the cream to form stiff peaks. With rubber spatula, fold cooled chocolate into whipped cream to blend thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan; level top. (Points of strawberries might extend above chocolate mixture.) Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
Up to 2 hours before serving, in medium mixer bowl, beat remaining one cup cream to form soft peaks. Add sugar; beat to form stiff peaks. Remove side of pan; place cake on serving plate. Using a Pastry Bag with a star tip pipe or dollop whipped cream onto top of cake. Arrange remaining halved strawberries on whipped cream. To serve, cut into wedges with knife, wiping blade between cuts.
Nutritional Information: 406 calories; 30 g fat; 76 mg cholesterol; 153 mg sodium; 36 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 5 g protein. Source: California Strawberry Commission
"" another delicious chocolate recipe ""
Chocolate Cheescake
