Wong Dorcas © 2007

This is a book for everyone who loves chocolate — the best thing

in the world!!!

ChocolateFantasia

Little Story of Chocolate

Different Kinds of Chocolate

Chocolate RecipesMelting Chocolate MeringuesCream Cheese Frosting Chocolate CakeChocolate Cream Cheese TrufflesChocolate Reaspberry Tart — CrustChocolate Reaspberry Tart — Filling

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Chocolate got its start in North and Central America. Columbus actually carried some cocoa beans back to Spain. It wasn’t really known what to do with those beans until Cortez conquered the Aztec Indians of Mexico. The Aztecs called it “cacahuatl” or “gift from the gods”. Cortez garnered the process. Large pods from cacao trees were harvested twice a year. The cocoa beans were extracted from these pods. Then the beans were fermented, dried and roasted. Once roasted, they were ground into a fine powder. This powder was then mixed with hot water to make the drink.

When Cortez returned to Spain, he brought back cocoa beans and the cooking process. The chocolate drink the Aztecs drank was bitter and peppery. The Spaniards experimented with the process. They added the cream and sugar, which made it more like what we drink today. The drink spread to France when King Louis married a Spanish royal. Part of the bride’s trousseau were some cocoa beans to make her favorite breakfast drink.

Chocolate houses opened all over France and were similar to our coffeehouses today. From France, the drink spread to England and then to back to North America. The drink became very popular after the Boston Tea Party when tea was being boycotted.

Little Story of Chocolate

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Different Kinds of ChocolateDifferent Kinds of Chocolate

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Classification

Chocolate is an extremely popular ingredient, and is available in many types. Different forms and flavors of chocolate are produced by varying the amount of the ingre-

dients. Other flavors can be obtained by varying the time and temperture when roasting the beans.

Plain Chocolate(Dark chocolate)

Chocolate fell in this category contain 50%-70% cocoa solid. Choclate with 50% cocoa solid is semi-sweet chocolate and those with 70% cocoa solid is bittersweet. Sugar and vanilla flavor-ing are often added to produce a more palatable product.

Milk Chocolate

Milk chocolate has only 40% of co-coa content, which is invented by a Swiss candy maker, Peter Daniel in 1876. It was made by adding condensed milk to plain chocolate to give a creamy texture.

Different Kinds of Chocolate

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White Chocolate

Made up of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and flavorings like vanilla. It does not contain any non-fat cocoa solids. Cocoa butter can be substituted with vegetable oil to make imitation white chocolate.

Cocoa Powder

Cocoa Powder is made by pressing chocolate liquor to remove coca butter. The pressed cocoa solid is then cooled, pulverized and sifted into cocoa powder. “Dutch“ process is a treatment of adding alkali to cocoa to give a darker color.

Others

Flavors such as mint, orange, or strawberry are sometimes added to chocolate. A chocolate bar containing added ingredients such as peanuts, nuts, caramel, or even crisped rice. Other chocolates contain alcoholic liqueurs. It is a common snack all over the world.

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Chocolate RecipesChocolate Recipes

Chocolate RecipesChocolate Recipes10

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ingredients:

6 ounces of bittersweet or semisweet coarsely chopped chocolate

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp of cream of tartar

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

1/4 cup of sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt 6 ounces of bittersweet or semisweet coarsely chopped chocolate, and set aside.

In a large bowl whip: 2 egg whites,1/8 tsp of cream of tartar,1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Till soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar (brown sugar works just as well too) and whip till the peaks are stiff, but not dry. Fold in the melted chocolate.

Drop by rounded teaspoon on a paper (or silpat) lined cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. The finished cookies will have a crackled dry top surface.

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Melting Chocolate Meringues

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Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 9-inch cake pans.Heat the chopped chocolate and water in a small saucepan over a low heat until melted, stirring con-stantly. Set the pan aside to cool for ten mins.Place the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, almond extract, and melted chocolate mixture in a large mixing bowl. Blend with on low speed for 1 min. Increase to medium speed and blend two mins more. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.Bake 28 to 30 minutes. Cool for 30 mins.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed until combined. Add the cocoa powder, almond extract, and icing sugar. Blend until all ingredients are combined and the frosting is fluffy.

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ingredients:

Cake:

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup water

1 package cake mix

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Frosting:

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temp.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temp.

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

4 cups icing sugar, sifted

Cream Cheese Frosting Chocolate Cake

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In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar.

Add chocolate. Beat until well combined. Using your fingers, roll the chocolate/cream cheese mixture to the size of a large marble or superball.

Sprinkle about 1/3 cup of cocoa on a plate and gently roll the candy to coat. Place on a clean plate and serve. You can also wait a couple of hours and they will have a more solid texture.

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ingredients:

1 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

4 oz cream cheese, slightly softened

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

cocoa to roll

Chocolate Cream Cheese Truffles

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ingredients:

Crust

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/2 tablespoons cold water

1 large egg yolk

6 tablespoons raspberry jam

For Crust:Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in medium bowl. Add butter in, using fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water and egg yolk and mix with fork until well incorporated. Gather dough into rectan-gle, chill 20 mins.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour 13 3/4 x 4-inch pan with 1-inch-high sides and removable bottom. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to 15x6-inch rectangle. Peel off 1 waxed paper sheet. Invert dough into prepared pan, press evenly to fit. Freeze 10 mins until firm. Peel off second waxed paper sheet. Trim edges.

Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 12 mins until crust is set. Remove foil and beans. Bake 12 mins longer until crust just begins to darken around edges. Remove from oven. Spread jam over bottom of crust. Bake 3 mins until jam is set. Transfer pan to rack; cool completely.

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Chocolate Raspberry Tart—Crust

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Filling

1 cup whipping cream

4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 1/2-pint baskets fresh raspberries

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

For Filling

Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Re-move from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer chocolate ganache to bowl and refrigerate until chilled but not firm, about 45 minutes or less

Using electric mixer, beat ganache until very thick and semifirm. Spread ganache over jam in crust. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate.) Arrange rasp-berries atop ganache. Stir powdered sugar and cocoa in bowl. Sift over tart.

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Chocolate Raspberry Tart—Filling

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