Theobroma cacao – Food of the goods.
Rarely has a botanical name described the nature of the plant so appropriately.
Without chocolate, the world would be a duller place.
Incidentally, an opinion, children, teens, and adults share similarly.
Chocolate has become a currency of our appreciation.
Every Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day we spend millions on chocolate hearts, pralines, and truffles for our loved ones.
No children birthday party is perfect without at least a chocolate drink but much better with a proper chocolate fountain.
(Very) Brief History
The first chocolate recipe dates back almost 3000 years. Olmecs and later Maya and Aztecs in Middle America (Mesoamerica) had already discovered the very satisfying properties of this beverage. The word ‘chocolate’ is directly derived from the old Aztec language.
It came to Europe and the rest of the world through the Spanish conquerors. They were also the first to change the chocolate recipe and add sweetness to the otherwise slightly bitter drink.
Making Chocolate
The initial step in the production of chocolate is the harvest of the big oval-shaped fruits, called pods.
They contain the seeds or beans which are fermented to develop the typical chocolate flavor. After a week or two of drying the raw product is ready to be shipped to producers all over the world.
Now a cocoa mass (or cocoa liquor) is produced which yields cocoa butter and cocoa powder.
This step explains the existence of white chocolate which contains only the creamy white cocoa butter.
Dark chocolate is made from cocoa mass, cocoa butter, and sugar. For milk chocolate milk powder is added to the mix.
Some producers label chocolate products with the words ‘cacao’ or ‘cocoa’ content. This is slightly confusing since there is no general standard.
Often the word cacao refers to the raw product while cocoa means the percentage of cocoa butter and cocoa solids in the finished product.
Cooking with Chocolate
For most chocolate recipes, you only need to buy the required or preferred chocolate bar.
If melting is required, do so in a hot water bath and not directly over the heat.
Cooking chocolate recipes is nevertheless quite easy. It is usually incorporated into a mass to make desserts like mousse, cakes, brownies or to glaze fruits, cakes or pastries.
Chocolate is not only confined to sweet dishes but can be used in savory cooking as well.
The best example of a meaty chocolate recipe is chili con carne. The addition of small amounts of chopped dark chocolate towards the end gives the dish more depth and a lovely shine.
Same applies to barbecue sauces or beef stews.
Don’t overdo it
As addictive and satisfying the consumption of chocolate might be it needs to come with a word of caution.
It is high in fat and sugar and therefore rich in energy and calories. Excessive consumption is not advised and may result in weight gain or obesity.
Can chocolate make you happy?
We definitely think it can.
When in doubt, just try some.
© Martin Murmel 2017