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Chocolate Making 101 CORRECTION January 1, 2012

Chocolate Making 101

Chocolate making blogs will be up on January 1, 2012


We will be covering the following:

• How to procure chocolate, molds, equipment
• How to temper chocolate
• How to make fillings
• How to enrobe Chocolates

If you have any questions prior to January 1, please email me at contest@karolinacacao.com

What's in the flavor?

Deeper Flavor, Better Quality

Nearly 91 percent of respondents in Mintel’s consumer survey indicated that they like some type of chocolate, either milk, dark or white. Overall, most people favor milk chocolate, but in the specialty food market, darker varieties are popular. Older age groups are more likely to purchase dark chocolate, perhaps because it is an acquired, stronger taste.

Among specialty consumers, the level of quality is even more important than the type of chocolate. Shoppers are well-versed in cocoa content, clean labels and Fair Trade cocoa bean sources. Many confectioners are clearly labeling cocoa percentages on their bars, says Art Mart’s Ballard, whose health- and flavor-conscious customers look to that information as a designation of high quality.

“What's happening to chocolate now is what happened to specialty coffee,” notes Brad van Dam, president and CEO of Marich Confectionery, Hollister, Calif. “Twenty years ago, no one knew what Kenyan coffee was, but now everyone does. People are getting more interested in the specifics and looking for a greater experience with their chocolate just as they did with coffee.”

Fran’s Chocolates, a Seattle-based artisan chocolate maker, has reworked its 22-year-old truffle line to intensify flavor quality. Sean Seedlock, vice president of marketing, says, “We are going more into a darker, deeper flavor. We’re not relying on alcohol as much for flavor. For example, in a coffee truffle, we are focusing on the quality of the coffee and cream rather than relying on Kahlua.” The company is still using alcohol but “in ways where it makes sense, where it creates a richer taste,” notes Seedlock.


Chocolatier Jacques Torres aims to incorporate consumer tastes on an almost instantaneous level in order to ensure quality. In both his Brooklyn factory/shop and new 8,000-square-foot location in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood, Torres depends on immediate feedback to test new flavors. Because he’s making chocolate on the premises, he can create a batch in the morning, have customers respond in the afternoon and modify the recipe accordingly for the next day.

His new Willy Wonka-esque location, Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven, which is slated to open in November, will educate and entertain. Customers see how cocoa beans become fresh, hand-crafted chocolate bars. “My goal is to give people more knowledge about the chocolate process—and to make it possible to learn it when buying a bar of chocolate,” says Torres.

The West Coast Chocolate Festival!

The West Coast Chocolate Festival

runs annually from October 15th to November 10th. Opening with Panache, October 15, at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside, over 160 events continue through until November 10. Join us November 7th, at the Port Moody Galleria, with a Chocolate Reception, Chocolate History and afternoon of entertainment, food, beverages and family fun. Mackin Heritage House and Toy Museum, Coquitlam, is Chocolate Festival Headquarters - with a chocolate themed event every afternoon, and most evenings.

What is the West Coast Chocolate Festival?

First launched in 2002, the West Coast Chocolate Festival is a unique and innovative collection of individual high calibre chocolate-themed adult and all-ages events that occurred throughout the Tri-Cities area of Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam. In 2009, the festival expanded to Burnaby and Vancouver, then expanding across the Lower Mainland in 2010. Reflecting emerging trends such as culinary tourism, experiential travel, small affordable indulgences and a rapidly increasing appreciation of the healthy benefits of good chocolate, festival events celebrate the magic of chocolate and appeal to the senses and the soul while attracting guests from surrounding cities, the BC Lower Mainland and beyond. With chocolate as a powerful draw, the festival leverages events to bring people of all ages and cultures together, to raise awareness about proper consumption and lesser-known positive benefits of the incredibly appealing food, and most importantly, to create valuable opportunities for youth mentorship in the local community.






Festival Director, Dawn Donahue, says "This not-for-profit festival remains an ambitious, dynamic, volunteer-driven operation dedicated to providing work and mentorship experiences for youth while showcasing emerging talent in the local arts and chocolate industries. The Festival offers something for everyone, and upholds the idea that adults want to support youth. At the West Coast Chocolate Festival people support youth and the arts - by just showing up for chocolate".

AN OUNCE A DAY KEEPS THE STRESS AWAY!

It's true, eating an ounce of 70% cacao or higher can affect your health in a positive way.

EVERYDAY? FANTABULOUS!

70% CACAO

Uses:  Molding, Enrobing,

Filling, Mousse,

Ganache, Glazes,

Sauces, Sorbets,

Chocolate, Beverage,

Ice Cream & Tasting!

Dark chocolate: "Recent studies show that eating dark chocolate may lower blood pressure as effectively as the most common antihypertensive medications and may increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol. Interesting fact: The Kuna Indians, who live on islands near Panama, have little age-related hypertension. They drink more than five cups of flavonoid-rich cocoa a day."

YOU: Staying Young by Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. Copyright © 2007 by Michael F. Roizen, M.D., and Oz Works LLC, f/s/o Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. Reprinted by permission of Free Press, a Division of Simon and Schuster, Inc.



















PROMOTION!!!!

PROMOTION!!!

January 20th-23rd 25% off entire order!

Use promo code: BLOG11

~Thank you for all of your support~

CHOCOLATE BASS?

Chocolate & Bass?  All I can think of is the Bass O Matic from SNL in the 70s, but this recipe blends flavors unlike the great D. Akyroyd.



This recipe was created by Barry Callebaut one of the best chocolates used by Chocolatiers.

BASS IN SEA SALT WITH DARK CHOCOLATE

Bass
Ingredients

± 3 kg coarse sea salt

30 g satay powder (see below for location to purchase)

4 cl olive oil

4 pieces of bass fillet with skin, each 170 g



Preparation

Fill a baking tray with the sea salt.

Sprinkle with water and bake for 1 minute at 250°C until it becomes a hard 'board'.

Keep warm.

Mix the satay spices with the oil.

Spread the skin side of the fish with this spiced oil.

Lay the bass fillet onto the board of salt and cook under the grill (4-7 minutes, depending on the thickness). The underside cooks on the warm board of salt, the top side under the grill.


Sauce

Ingredients

15 g sugar

3 cl young balsamic vinegar

7.5 cl veal stock (not concentrated, unsalted)

7.5 cl port

40 g butter

20 g dark chocolate



Preparation

Reduce the sugar and the balsamic vinegar until it becomes sirupy.

Add the veal stock and the port.

Reduce to 1/3.

Finish the sauce with butter and the chocolate.

Season with pepper (and salt if so desired).


Pumpkin purée

Ingredients

300 g de-seeded ripe pumpkin flesh

40 g butter



Preparation

Cook the pumpkin.

Leave it to dry so that as much of the water evaporates.

Press through a sieve.

Beat up the pumpkin purée with butter.

Season with salt and pepper.

Finishing and presentation

Pipe a turret of pumpkin purée onto each plate.

Put the bass on the plate and draw a few sauce lines along.

If desired, serve with a few thin and crispy fried slices of taro or potato.

Satay Powder 70g


Serves 4 persons

RECIPE BY

SATAY POWDER

(Made here at Spice World, this satay powder is of medium heat with an aromatic flavour. Consisting of coriander, lemon grass, cardamom, galangal, star anise, turmeric, chilli powder and sesame seed. Coat kg. of cubed chicken or beef with 2 tbsp. of satay powder and stand for half an hour. Fry garlic and onion, add chicken and coconut milk for a basic satay curry. Be adventerous and add fresh lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves, along with snow peas to your dish)

SPICE WORLD .COM $3.50



CHOCOLATE CHERRY BROWNIES!!!!

There are so many ingredients that make this so much richer and gooey than the typical brownie.  If I had this in a jar like a certain chocolate/hazelnut product I would probably need an intervention!  If you need to make someone jump and skip, gime them some of these brownies in a box with a ribbon and watch the entertainment.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BROWNIES

Ingredients
butter for greasing pan

2 cups / 10.5 oz / 300 g dried cherries

scant cup / 200 ml / 7 fl oz port wine

1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55g / whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup / 1.5 oz / 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

10.5 oz / 300g 58% dark chocolate rounds

5 1/2 tablespoons / 2 3/4 oz / 80g unsalted butter

2 cups / 10.5 oz / sifted muscovado sugar

4 large eggs

scant 1/2 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g creme fraiche or sour cream

1 cup / 5 oz / 145 g chocolate rounds

more cocoa powder, for dusting

A day or two before you want to bake the brownies, place the cherries in a medium bowl and pour over the port. Cover and set aside. Stir every twelve hours until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 325F / 170C and place a rack in the top third. Butter and line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch rectangular baking dish with parchment paper. An important step if you want to eventually get these brownies out of the pan. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.

Make a double boiler by placing a stainless steel bowl over a small pan of gently simmering water - the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Place the 10.5 oz / 300g of chocolate into this bowl along with the butter and sugar. Stir just until the chocolate has melted and the ingredients come together into a mass. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool (cool enough that it won't cook the eggs when you add them). Mix on slow and add the eggs, one at a time, letting each get incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula a couple times along the way. Add the flour mixture and stir by hand until combined, then add the creme fraiche, remaining chocolate rounds, and the cherries with the port. Stir until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about an hour, or until just set. The center of the brownie should be set and not at all wobbly. Allow to cool completely in the pan. You can cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap at this point and the brownies will keep for a couple days. I recommend chilling before slicing if you want small, precise squares. Also keep a tall glass of warm water on hand to wash your knife between each cut. Enjoy at room temperature dusted with a bit of cocoa powder.

Makes one large pan of brownies.

Prep time: 900 min - Cook time: 60 min

ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE?

ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL CAKE



Recipe by Kim Boyce


"Rosemary Olive Oil Cake As Kim notes,you don't need to use a specialty olive oil for this cake. But if you have one with a lot of flavor, the cake will be that much better. This is one of those recipes where I think using regular sugar is the way to go. There was plenty going on with the interplay between the rosemary, chocolate, and olive oil - and I'm not sure adding less refined brown or Muscovado sugar would have been the way to go. The last note I'll make is to suggest chopping up a chocolate bar for this. It's just not going to be the same if you use uniform chocolate chips. Aim for big chunks 1/2-inch in diameter, you'll end up with all sorts of shavings and littler pieces as you are chopping, and having that mix of flecks and the big chunks is pretty great."


Olive oil for the pan

Dry ingredients:

3/4 cup / 3 oz / 80g spelt flour

1 1/2 cups / 7.5 oz / 210 g all-purpose flour

3/4 cup / 4 oz / 115g sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup / 240 ml olive oil

3/4 cup / 180 ml whole milk

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

5 ounces / 140 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons sugar for top crunch

Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C. Rub a 9 1/2-inch (24 cm) fluted tart pan with olive oil. Alternately, I used a long (4 1/2 x 13 inch) loaf pan, and lined it with parchment paper.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring any bits of grain or other ingredients left in the sifter back into the bowl. Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the olive oil, milk and rosemary and whisk again. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, gently mixing just until combined. Stir in 2/3 of the chocolate. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and run a fork along the length of the chocolate so that the batter envelops it just a bit. Sprinkle with the second sugar.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is domed, golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. My cake, in the alternate pan, took closer to 50 minutes. Also, just when my cake was nearly finished baking, I decided I wanted a bit more color on top. I finished it under the broiler for a minute - which caramelized the sugar on top as well and gave it a bit of crunch. Don't walk away from the cake while it is under the broiler.

The cake can be eaten warm or cool from the pan, or cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and kept for 2 days.

Serves 8 -12.

Recipe adapted from Good to the Grainby Kim Boyce.

Prep time: 15 min - Cook time: 45 min

WHERE'S THE CHOCOLATE?

Looking for a chocolate shop near you? The iPhone app has all things chocolate and even a map app to find a shop near your current location!  (Chocomap)

Find Chocolate! iPhone App



 

 

MILK CHOCOLATE & BOURBON TRUFFLES

HAPPY NEW YEAR!



What to do with all of the chocolate and bourbon you have left over from the Holidays?  Make these truffles and freeze for Valentines Day.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Milk 41% Chocolate
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbls. butter, at room temperature
• 2 Tbls. bourbon
• 1 lb. milk chocolate, melted and tempered

Directions

Finely chop the milk chocolate.
Bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and add chocolate.
Whisk together until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
Add soft butter and bourbon to the chocolate mixture. Whisk together until combined (do not over mix). The ganache should be about the same temperature as the butter when you add the butter (do not add butter to a warm ganache).
Allow the ganache to harden. I normally allow the ganache to sit overnight before using it.
Scoop truffles with a melon baller. Fill the scoop 3/4 full for average size truffles.
Round each truffle between your palms. Chill slightly before dipping or rolling them.

Temper the chocolate:
Slowly melt 10 oz. milk chocolate in a double boiler. Melt over steaming but not simmering water.
Meanwhile, chop the remaining 6 oz. chocolate.
The temperature of the chocolate should reach 120 degrees (slightly hot to touch).
Remove chocolate from heat.
Add a handful of the chopped chocolate to the ganache.
Stir until the chocolate is melted.
Repeat this procedure.
Continue adding chopped chocolate and stirring until chocolate is beginning to set up around the edges of the bowl and the chocolate in the center of the bowl will harden within 1-1/1 minutes when it is tested by dipping a knife into it.
The chocolate is now ready to use. If there are any unmelted bits of chocolate in the bowl, move them to the side of the bowl.
Should the chocolate harden too much to use, place the bowl of chocolate over a pot of hot water just long enough to warm the chocolate (do not return the chocolate to direct heat).
For rolling the truffles:
Place a little of the tempered milk chocolate on each palm.
Dip a truffle into the chocolate (halfway or so) and roll the truffle between your palms until coated with chocolate.
Set the rolled truffle on a sheetpan lined with parchment paper to dry. If the chocolate is properly tempered and you are in a cool room, refrigeration should not be necessary. The chocolate should harden within 1-1/2 minutes. If it doesn't, the chocolate is too warm and not properly tempered.
Repeat this process. Each truffle should have two coats of chocolate.
Yield: 2 dozen medium-sized truffles.

Variations:
Dip the truffles in tempered milk chocolate. Use a dipping fork and remove as much excess chocolate as possible to avoid a "foot" at the base. The dipped truffles may be decorated with white chocolate by drizzling the white chocolate over the truffles or by using a parchment bag to pipe it in a design.
Roll the truffles (as explained above) and then dropping them into cocoa powder, ground nuts, or nibs, coating on all sides. This will change the appearance, texture, and flavor of the truffles.
To achive a spiky appearance, roll the truffles around on a wire rack after the second coating of chocolate.

NOTE: Ideally, chocolates should not be refrigerated. Moisture collects on the chocolate giving it an unattractive appearance and rendering it useless (in its pure form) for melting and reusing. Truffles can be refrigerated in adverse conditions but it is not recommended.



FORGET THE FIG E PUDDING?

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BREAD PUDDING....YUUUUMMMM E

This recipe for Chocolate Cherry Bread Pudding will be a great Holiday dessert. 



Ingredients
• 4-6 cups of bread cubes
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces 41% CACAO
Milk Chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 16 ounces can dark cherries, drained, reserve cherry juice.
• dark chocolate chunks

Directions

Combine milk, sugar, salt and 41% CACAO Chocolate in a saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly.
Place eggs in a mixing bowl, and pour this milk chocolate mixture over eggs, whisking constantly.
Pour this mixture over bread cubes, stirring to combine.
If resulting bread mixture seems too dry, add a little of the reserved canned cherry juice.
Spread a layer of this bread mixture in the bottom of a buttered baking pan, then layer the drained dark cherries, and then spread the remaining bread mixture on top.
Bake in a water bath for at least 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Sprinkle dark chocolate in with the layer of cherries.

Take this to a Holiday party and it takes less than an hour to make!

No one needs to know you had the recipe.



CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIES

We love fudge brownies!  The key to anything chocolate is the quality of the chocolate, our choice is El Rey. These are not your average brownies.

If you have a recipe you think we should feature, submit to our chocolate recipe contest.  ENJOY!!

CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIES

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 7 ounces  Dark 58.8% CACAO Chocolate
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans


Icing Ingredients
• 2 T butter
• 5 oz 58.5% CACAO chocolate
• 2 T rum or espresso (we suggest one of each)



Directions

Melt butter and 58.5% CACAO
chocolate in a double broiler, very slowly.
Mix sugar, flour, salt, eggs and vanilla.
Add chocolate mixture and pecans.
Bake in a greased and floured 12x14 pan at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Icing Directions
Melt butter and chocolate in a double broiler, very slowly.
Add rum or espresso.
Icing should be done while chocolate fudge brownies are still hot.

CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE

CHOCOLATE & CREME BRULEE! WHAAATTTT?!?!?!

CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE

Ingredients

• 5 teaspoon black tea
• 10 green cardamom pods
• 10 cloves
• 3" cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 4 thin slices ginger
• 5 ounces Caoba 41%
Milk Chocolate
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup cream
• pinch salt
• 1.5 ounces sugar
• 4 egg yolks

Directions


Lightly grind up all spices and tea in a coffee grinder. Combine this spice mixture with water and bring slowly to a boil to "pre-infuse" chai spice flavor. Cover and remove from heat for a few minutes.
Add milk, cream and pinch of salt to this mixture and return to a boil. Cover and again remove from heat for a few minutes.
Gently whisk yolks with sugar to combine, being careful not to "over-aerate" this mixture. While whisking continuously, pour milk and cream mixture through a strainer and onto yolk mixture. Again, try not to whisk too many air bubbles into this mixture.
Pour onto the bowl of chopped El Rey Caoba 41% Milk Chocolate, stirring gently to combine.
Pour entire mixture through a strainer to remove any bits of un-melted chocolate and pour into molds.
Bake at 250 degrees in a conventional oven with a water bath or at 200 degrees in a convection oven without a water bath until done, at least 45 minutes to an hour.
Some creme brulee tips:
Don't combine yolks and sugar too soon.
Don't whisk vigorously when combining these mixtures, for the bubbles you create will interfere with proper baking.
Pour creme brulee mixture into molds or flexipans from a pitcher.
Remove any bubbles that may rise to the surface by dipping a paper towel onto them or by "burning off" the bubbles with a quick pass of the torch.
Bake on doubled sheet trays

PECAN PIE???? HELLOOOOO! MAKE THIS CHOCOLATE PECAN CAKE WITH RASPBERRY CREAM & VANILLA SAUCE!!!

PECAN PIE???? HELLOOOOO! MAKE THIS CHOCOLATE PECAN CAKE WITH

RASPBERRY CREAM & VANILLA SAUCE!!!

CHOCOLATE PECAN CAKE WITH RASPBERRY CREAM & VANILLA SAUCE

Ingredients


• 1/4 cups cocoa
• 6 oz. pecans, toasted
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 8 oz.  Dark 58.5% or Dark 61% Chocolate
• 12 Tbsp. butter (or 6 oz) 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
• 1/8 tsp. salt
Raspberry Cream Ingredients:
• 2 c. heavy cream
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 20 raspberries
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:
• 8 oz. Dark 73.5% Chocolate
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 2 oz. almonds, toasted and ground
Vanilla Sauce Ingredients:
 2 c. half and half
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 c. sugar

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHOCOLATE

DIRECTIONS

Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler.

Grind the pecans and 1/4 c. sugar in a food processor.
Cream butter and 1 c. sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, scraping sides of mixing bowl.
Stir chocolate into egg mixture. Add ground pecans, flour and cocoa. Mix together.
Whip egg whites to stiff peak, gradually adding remaining 1/4 c. sugar.
Mix 1/3 egg whites into chocolate mixture (to aerate the chocolate mixture). Then, fold in the remaining egg whites.
Pour into a 10" spring form pan that has been sprayed with baker's spray and lined at the bottom with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn down oven to 325 degrees and continue baking another 30 to 40 minutes or until done. The cake will rise and be firm in the center when ready.
Allow cake to cool completely.
Using a cake knife, trim top of the cake until it is level. Remove the entire top layer as it tends to be fragile and crusty.
Brush away the crumbs.

Raspberry Cream Directions:
Puree the raspberries.
Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff.
Add the raspberry puree. Whisk together until combined.

Chocolate Ganache Directions:
Melt chocolate in a double boiler.
Heat cream to boiling point.
Add cream to chocolate and whisk.
To finish, place cake on a 10" cake circle or the inverted spring form base.
Place a cooling rack atop a clean sheetpan. Put cake on cooling rack.
Pour the ganache over cake, covering as much as possible. Use an offset spatula to scrape off excess ganache and level top of cake.
Allow ganache to harden somewhat, then press ground nuts onto sides of cake.
Refrigerate.
Note: Partially freezing the cake will make it easier to transfer to a serving platter.

Chocolate Garnish Directions:
Temper chocolate by melting in a double boiler to 86 degrees. If temperature of chocolate exceeds 88 degrees you will need to temper.
Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate on a sheet of parchment paper. Be sure to spread an area larger than the spring form pan.
When the chocolate has begun to set up (it will no longer have the very shiny appearance it had when melted), lay the base of the spring form pan over it and cut out a circle.
Cut the circle into 8, 12, or 16 pieces - however many slices you want to cut your cake. By this time, the chocolate will probably have set up. Dip your knife in hot water, then dry it. The warmth of the knife will allow you to continue cutting the chocolate.
As long as it is stored in a cool place - not the refrigerator - the chocolate garnish can be prepared well in advance.
Just before putting the chocolate garnish on the cake, sift powdered sugar over the top.

Vanilla Sauce Directions:
Whisk together sugar and egg yolks.
Scrape vanilla bean into half and half.
Bring half and half to a boil.
Just before the boiling point, pour half the liquid into egg mixture and whisk together to temper eggs.
When half and half boils, add egg mixture to boiling liquid and turn down heat to medium.
Stir sauce while it is cooking.
Cook sauce until it thickens and coats the back of the wooden spoon.
Strain and pour into clean container.
Cool in an ice-water bath, stirring occasionally as it cools.

Note: If you overcook the sauce, it will separate. If this happens, blend it immediately using a hand-held blender. Usually, this will save the sauce.



7 REASONS CHOCOLATE IS HEALTHY

7 reasons why chocolate is healthy

Regarded by many as the tastiest food on Earth, dark chocolate also has many health benefits.
Just don’t go overboard—chocolate still contains sugar and fat

1. It’s loaded with antioxidantsDark chocolate contains hefty amounts of disease-fighting flavenoids, antioxidants also found in red wine and many fruits and vegetables. In fact, it appears to have more flavenoids than any other food.

2. It helps you through PMS“There’s a reason we crave certain foods, such as chocolate, at that time of the month,” says Toronto-based raw foods coach Nathalie Lussier. “Chocolate releases calming endorphins that reduce anxiety. Plus, it’s high in magnesium,” which lifts moods and reduces water retention. But overindulging in sugar, salt and caffeine can backfire, causing bloating and fluid retention (not to mention weight gain). Try one of these recipes to get your chocolate fix the healthy way:
3. It may lower cholesterol
A small study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that daily consumption of cocoa flavanol-containing dark chocolate lowered cholesterol and improved blood pressure.

4. It may prevent pregnancy complicationsA new study reports that a chemical (theobromine) found in chocolate may reduce preeclampsia, a major pregnancy complication. The darker the chocolate, the better.

5. It helps prevent heart disease
A recent study shows that people who regularly consume 70% dark chocolate (about 20 g per day) show a marked improvement in blood flow, while no improvement is observed in those who eat “processed” chocolate, which contains very little cocoa paste. It seems that the positive effect of dark chocolate is linked to a property in its polyphenols that releases a chemical messenger, nitric oxide, which increases arterial dilatation, at the same time improving blood flow and reducing platelet aggregation.

6. It may improve your skin
Researchers at Germany’s Heinrich Heine University exposed chocolate eaters to ultraviolet light and found that after six weeks, they had 15 percent less skin reddening than those who didn’t eat it. “We believe the compounds in chocolate act as UV filters,” says study leader Wilhelm Stahl. After 12 weeks, the chocolate eaters’ skin was 16 percent denser and 42 percent less scaly. Concerned about it causing acne? Researchers at Australia’s University of Newcastle reviewed the evidence and found nothing to suggest that chocolate triggers blemishes.

7. It may reduce pain
A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that rats don’t respond as quickly to pain while they’re eating chocolate. While this might explain why nothing in the world could drag you away from your Hershy’s Kisses, the study’s researchers say this pain-killing effect could be detrimental to humans as it could contribute to obesity. So remember to enjoy chocolate’s soothing properties in moderation. Also interesting to note: The study also found that drinking water also reduced pain.
Related:

AN OUNCE A DAY KEEPS THE STRESS AWAY

It's true, eating an ounce of 70% cacao or more can affect your health in a positive way.

EVERYDAY? FANTABULOUS!

70% CACAO

Uses: 

Molding,

Enrobing, Filling,

Mousse,

Ganache, Glazes,

Sauces, Sorbets,

Chocolate, Beverage,

Ice Cream &  Tasting!

Dark chocolate: "Recent studies show that eating dark chocolate may lower blood pressure as effectively as the most common antihypertensive medications and may increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol. Interesting fact: The Kuna Indians, who live on islands near Panama, have little age-related hypertension. They drink more than five cups of flavonoid-rich cocoa a day."

YOU: Staying Young by Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. Copyright © 2007 by Michael F. Roizen, M.D., and Oz Works LLC, f/s/o Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. Reprinted by permission of Free Press, a Division of Simon and Schuster, Inc.