Chocolate first began in North and Central America when Christopher Columbus brought cocoa beans back with him from Spain. It wasn’t until the Aztec Indians of Mexico were conquered by Cortez that he learned from them about a very special drink they called “gift from the gods” or “cacahuatl.” The Aztecs believed that the drink acted as an aphrodisiac. The cocoa beans were taken from pods of cacao trees that were harvested at two different occasions of the year. They were then put through a process of fermenting, drying and finally roasting. After roasting was complete they were ground into the finest of powder and mixed with hot water.
Upon his return to Spain in 1528, Cortez brought back the chocolate drink of the Aztecs that was very bitter and spicy (and probably not very tasty by today’s standards). The Spaniards made attempts to improve the drink by adding cream and sugar. It remained the secret of these people for almost a hundred years. The drink became known (and well appreciated) in France upon King Louis marriage to a member of the Spanish royalty. Cocoa beans were a part of the bride’s trousseau as she enjoyed the chocolate drink at breakfast time.
Suddenly the popularity of the drink grew and chocolate houses began popping up all over France. But the chocolate craze quickly spread to England and then finally back to one of its places of origin, North America. Interesting to note is that after the Boston Tea Party took place in 1773, the rich chocolately drink gained even more popularity. However a century would come and go before the process of making a solid chocolate would be improved upon to the point of perfection that we enjoy in our chocolate today.
Basic Types of Chocolate
Chocolate comes in many different types, be it milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, sweet chocolate and so on. Let’s take a brief look at each type.
Chocolate Liquor
Chocolate liquor comes from the cocoa bean. The process is fairly straightforward- the nib (or center) of the cocoa bean is heated and then ground into a liquid. After that it is cooled and molded into blocks. Chocolate liquor consists of approximately fifty-three percent cocoa butter. Chocolate liquor provides the building blocks for chocolate in every form.
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate consists of cocoa butter, milk, sweeteners and special flavoring that is added to the chocolate liquor. In order to meet American standards, milk chocolate must contain a minimum of twelve percent milk and ten percent chocolate liquor.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate (sometimes referred to as bitter chocolate) consists of cocoa butter, chocolate liquor and other sweeteners. In order to meet American standards it must contain a minimum of thirty-five percent chocolate liquor with an average fat content of twenty-seven percent.
White Chocolate
White chocolate consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids and vanilla flavoring. There are no non-fat cocoa solids to be found in white chocolate. If necessary, imitation white chocolate can be made and this is done simply by substituting the cocoa butter with vegetable oil.
Sweet Chocolate
Sweet chocolate is made up of a minimum of fifteen percent chocolate liquor. This type of chocolate contains more sweeteners than semi-sweet chocolate (but has approximately the same fat content). Its main use is for decorating cakes, cupcakes, etc.
Chocolate Fudge
Chocolate fudge is made up of a mixture of butter, cream and sugar. These ingredients are blended together and then cooked. Some people like to add different types of nuts (such as walnuts for example) to give the fudge a different kind of flavor. The texture of fudge can vary. Some types are smooth while others are harder and grainier to the taste buds. Fudge cannot be cut into squares and served until it has been cooled for quite some time.
Couverture
Couverture is very easy for bakers to work with as it has a high concentration of cocoa butter. This unique form of chocolate is used in fancy chocolate recipes where only a thin line of chocolate is required (such as glossy chocolate coating or fruit dipped in chocolate, in much the way strawberries or pears are). This type of chocolate consists of a minimum of thirty-two percent cocoa butter.
Chocolate to Drink
Drinking chocolate is simply a combination of cocoa and sugar that can be made into either a cold or hot drink (hot chocolate). The two ingredients are mixed into warm or cold milk or water and become a delicious tasting drink. Children especially love the taste of cold chocolate milk.
Cocoa Cake
Cocoa cake is made when the cocoa butter is taken from the chocolate liquor by way of hydraulic presses. Afterwards the hard dry cocoa cakes are ground and sifted. This process leads to the creation of cocoa powder.
Ganache
Ganache is used in the making of chocolate candy and also to layer chocolate cakes. It is a combination of both cream and chocolate. How much of each ingredient is needed to make ganache is dependent upon the consistency that is required. In other words, whether it is to be of the thick, thin, or thinnest (soupy) variety.
Eat Chocolate for your Health
Partaking of a chocolate treat now and again can actually provide health benefits. A substance called flavonoids is present in cocoa and helps reduce the risk of developing heart disease and blood clots. Dark chocolate contains higher levels of flavonoids than light (or milk) chocolate however.
Another good reason to indulge? A forty-five gram milk chocolate bar provides approximately a tenth of a person’s (especially a woman’s) daily requirements for both calcium and iron. Of course moderation when it comes to chocolate is very important as chocolate bars contain a lot of sugar and high fat content.