bitter dark chocolate white chocolate melted nutrient quality preparation bain marie sokolata
A History of chocolate launched in N.. America before at least 3.000 years. Then he discovered and cultivated the cacao. Indeed, the Aztecs, apart from their diet and used it as a medium of exchange. He had as much value, so with 100 Cocoa beans can buy a slave.
In Europe brought the Spaniards, along with the recipe for a drink from crushed cocoa beans and water. This drink was bitter, but by adding slowly - slowly, sugar, honey, spice, vanilla etc.. we passed the "hot chocolate".
The 16th century Spain had the monopoly of cocoa and had its own crops in the Caribbean. The 17th century, It began cacao cultivation in Africa and so the cocoa spread to France, Netherlands, Germany, England and Scandinavian Peninsula. By finding method, removing butter from cocoa beans and neutralization of the acids, chocolate created. Finally in the 19th century we have the development of the chocolate industry, mainly in Switzerland, which is today famous for its chocolates.
Today cacao grown in N.. America, wherein produced excellent quality cocoa and Africa, with lower quality cocoa, which is given for further industrial processing.
"Chocolate Dictionary"
Cocoa: Cocoa is the raw material for the manufacture of chocolate. Produced from fruits (lobes) of the cocoa tree. The cocoa tree called Theobroma cacao (eating the gods), They are usually evergreen and blooms 2 times per year, GIVING whenever 30 – 40 wrists. Each kakodentro bear fruit on Friday about 2,5 kilograms of chocolate a year. Each cocoa fruit, contains 30 – 40 grain, purple. After harvesting them remain 4 – 5 days at a temperature of 55 Celsius. So some bacteria are killed, but some enzymes are activated, which impart flavor to the product. Then dried in the sun, until their water content to fall to 8%. Then cleaned, roasted, cooled and ground. Finally the granules were placed between steel rollers, is heated to 90 ° C and, after removal of the shells, we take the pure cocoa. The cocoa powder is produced by compression, removing the cocoa butter, which should not be the xeprna 25%. The cocoa cream remaining, ground, sieved and gives us the cocoa powder.
For the production of cocoa Dutch, discovered by C.J. van Houten in the 19th century, added to the cocoa cream, after removal of the cocoa butter, Compounds that make the water soluble cocoa.
The cocoa powder is held for some time in air tight containers, without losing aroma.
Chocolate: produced by mixing cocoa liquor with cocoa butter and sugar. Initially the cocoa liquor warms, added sugar and cocoa butter. These are mixed for too long, to give a omoimorfo, velvet mixture. The machines that do this are called mixing shells. The mixture is cooled and gives the chocolate.
In sweets industry, biscuits and pralines, cocoa mass used usually in solid form, which does not contain sugar or milk powder.
bitter chocolate: contains 70% about pure cocoa, no sugar and the taste is bitter. May contain real cocoa butter (good quality) or replacements, such as coconut butter or vegetable fat (lower quality).
dark chocolate: in this category are various kinds, like chocolate, The slightly bitter and semi-sweet chocolate. Sugar containing reaches 35% in semi-sweet and 50% in chocolate and slightly bitter chocolate. The cocoa percentage in all kinds must be at least 35%.
Milk Chocolate: sweet chocolate, to which is added whole milk powder. It has the characteristic taste of chocolate and rarely used in baking.
White Chocolate: It is not real chocolate, because it contains no cocoa mass. It is said why chocolate made from cocoa butter. It also contains sugar and condensed milk and flavored with vanilla extract. It is sweeter than the chocolate and melts at a lower temperature. Mainly used for chocolates, cookies, topping and frosting.
Couverture: sweet chocolate, prepared by this process. Much used in confectionery and in the manufacture of pralines.
Quality chocolate: high quality chocolate contains a lot of cocoa butter and a dark color. In the mouth melts evenly and pleasantly. It breaks easily without rubbing and no white spots and holes. The hard chocolate, not easily broken or bitten, It contains a small percentage of cocoa butter or other types of fat.
The white, blurred coating covering sometimes chocolate, It means that chocolate is not fresh or not stored properly. If the chocolate is exposed to large temperature changes, then displays a whitish, slimy coating. This is the cocoa butter removed from chocolate. When the chocolate melt, embed this again in chocolate. There is no such problem in eating chocolate, nor alter the taste of.
Maintenance of chocolate: Chocolate can be kept closed in an airtight vessel, in a dark, cool, dry place, at 18 ° C. The refrigerator should be thoroughly closed, not to absorb odors and moisture.
Nutrients chocolate: the cocoa powder containing 40% indigestible fiber, 50% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 20% proteins. It also contains tannins, oxalic acid and minor amount vitaminia A and B. The defatted cocoa powder is rich in potassium, copper, vitamin B12, phosphorus and indigestible fiber.
Cocoa and chocolate contain caffeine, more content that cocoa. Also the hot chocolate contains much phosphorus, iron, calcium and magnesium.
Melting chocolate: melting chocolate can be done 3 ways. In a bain marie, on the stove and in the microwave. In all three ways, Chocolate should be sliced or grated. Stirring good is done with a metal spoon or wire and avoid up - down movements to avoid trapped air in chocolate.
In the bain marie chocolate comes in a metal bowl, which is placed over a saucepan with boiling water. The bowl should not touch the water surface boiling, you risk becomes too high, the temperature of the chocolate. Mix chocolate circular kiniseis until melted.
In the eye chocolate kitchen enters a small pot which topetheteitai eye over very low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate melts. This process is shorter than the bain marie, but wants much attention, because it can easily overheat the chocolate.
In the microwave chocolate enters a suitable container, uncovered and heated to 1 – 2 minutes. It comes from the oven and stir. Because microwave chocolate datirei its shape, It is not easy to understand when it is melted, Therefore beware of the gialada. when gialysei, has melted.
In radicio will vrite many recipes with chocolate. I mention a few here:
Soufledakia chocolate
chocolates
truffles
chocolate fondue
Chocolate ice cream
Brownies
Hot chocolate with rum
Chocolate cake
