Gorgeous Chocolate!

The Chocolate Connoisseur July 31st, 2007

The Hershey chocolate company as known today was founded in 1894. The founder was Milton Hershey, an already known candy manufacturer. Mr. Hershey started his business making caramel candies and then decided to coat the caramels with chocolate. In approximately 1900, the idea and inspiration for creating other chocolate treats was born and the company was located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. As the business grew, Mr. Hershey moved his business to a large facility located in southern Pennsylvania, which is now known today as Hershey, Pennsylvania.

One of the best-known products from the Hershey line of chocolates is the Hershey Kisses. The recognizable foil-wrapped Kiss became a trademark product in 1924. Other products were introduced throughout the years. In 1925 Mr. Goodbar was created; in 1926 Hershey’s chocolate syrup was produced; the idea of chocolate chips for baking was bought to the consumer’s attention in 1928; followed in 1938 by the introduction of the Krackel bar. The Hershey Company provided chocolate to another company then known as the H.B. Reese Company. This company made peanut butter cups, which were coated with chocolate. At that time they were called Penny Cups. The Reese Peanut Butter Cup has been enjoyed for more than 75 years and after the death of Mr. Reese in 1956 Mr. Hershey purchased the company. From 1968 onwards, The Hershey Company has acquired many other companies including Delmonico Foods, Roundtree Mackintosh, Y and S Company, responsible for providing Twizzler’s licorice, and Ronzoni’s Foods, to name but a few.
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• Gourmet Chocolate , Manufacturers and Stores
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The Chocolate Connoisseur July 26th, 2007

A chocolatier named Joseph Draps created Godiva Chocolate more than 75 years ago. It was said that Draps used the name Godiva to honor the legendary Lady Godiva. The Godiva chocolates are decadent assortments of chocolates that are exquisitely handmade to create edible masterpieces. Some of the chocolate pieces are made by molding the chocolate, while others are coated by passing through a layer of flowing chocolate to cover an amazing mixture of goodness for the center of the chocolate. The practice at Godiva is to provide hand-decorated pieces of chocolate for chocolate fanciers. Skilled chocolate makers produce many tons of chocolates per day.

Marketing of Godiva Chocolates

The Godiva Chocolates are world known and enjoyed. The packaging for the Godiva brand is well recognized with its signature gold boxes referred to in the company as ballontins. The main manufacturer is located in Brussels, Belgium. The Godiva Chocolate Company does not make chocolate novelties such as heart shaped boxes or roses as it prides itself on producing and selling European style chocolates. In 1966 Godiva chocolates were introduced in the United States. There are approximately 200 Godiva stores throughout the United States and an additional 1000 outlets in major departments stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomindales. The second manufacturing plant is located in Pennsylvania. This plant supplies more than 3000 places throughout the North American market. Godiva chocolates are usually available in Duty Free stores in major airports around the world.
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• Gourmet Chocolate , Manufacturers and Stores
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The Chocolate Connoisseur June 20th, 2007

Chocolate truffles are a decadent and rich tasting variety of chocolates. The chocolates are named for their resemblance to fungus truffles. They are traditionally shaped spherical or with a curved shape. Many countries around the world make truffles, but some are especially well known. Chocolate truffles are chocolates that usually have a center of ganache and then they are rolled in cocoa or chocolate. Ganache is a combination of chocolate and cream melted together slowly, and when it is chilled it can be formed and put into truffles. The ganache becomes stiffer and more moldable depending on the amount of cream to chocolate ratio. Other fillings may be used to create other flavors of truffles. Caramel, almonds, berries, mint, and many other fillings are popular. A favorite of many chocolate truffle lovers is a filling made of liquor flavorings.

There are three specific types of chocolate truffles. The first type is referred to as the American Truffle. It takes on a half-egg shape and is made from a mixture of dark and milk chocolate prepared from a combination of buttermilk and hardened coconut oil. A San Francisco Chocolatier named Joseph Schmidt in the mid 1980s created the American Truffle. There are variations of this truffle in which graham cracker crumbs or peanut butter is added. The second type of truffle is the European Truffle. This truffle is made with a combination of syrup, cocoa powder, milk powder, fats and an emulsion of oil-in-water. The Swiss Truffle is the third type of truffle, made from combining melted chocolate into a boiling mixture of butter and heavy cream. Pouring the chocolate into molds and topping them with cocoa powder is what makes these rich chocolate truffles. Many chocolate truffle companies create original, delightful truffle creations. The companies add special ingredients to make their truffles one of a kind. A chocolate truffle should be delicate in flavor and simple. Not allowing any flavor to stifle the enjoyment of chocolate, the flavors should complement each other nicely. The combination of flavors should be in balance with the stronger, yet tasty, cocoa essence.
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• Chocolate Desserts , Gourmet Chocolate
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The Chocolate Connoisseur March 9th, 2007

The words ‘Belgian chocolate’ bring a smile to people’s faces and make their taste buds salivate. Whether you add rich, dark, decadent chocolate to fresh fruits, cereal, bake with it, drink it or use it on pastries, there is nothing as delectable to a person’s taste buds as chocolate, especially Belgian Chocolate. Many believe that Belgian chocolate is the best gourmet chocolate in the world. Even the Swiss, known for their own excellent, high quality chocolate, originally imported the basic recipe from Belgian chefs.

Old world manufacturing techniques and high quality ingredients are what makes Belgian chocolate delicious and unique. Tourists visiting Belgium will find small chocolate shops that still make chocolates by hand using the original equipment. With their expertise and experience, Belgians have definitely perfected chocolate making.

Real chocolate lovers have eaten Belgian chocolate, and they know how luscious this chocolate tastes. Although expensive, pure Belgian chocolate, considered by many to be the best chocolate in the entire world, is definitely worth every penny. When biting into a quality Belgian chocolate, whether it is milk chocolate, dark chocolate or even white chocolate, a person immediately forgets about the cost and just enjoys the experience of eating the most delicious, incredible chocolate ever.

Belgium produces approximately 172,000 tons of luscious chocolates from over two thousand of the country’s Belgian chocolate outlets. People of all ages love the soothing, fabulous taste of Belgian chocolate and the perfect gift for almost anyone is a Belgian chocolate gift basket.

There are different flavors and varieties of chocolate, such as bitter or sweet chocolate and many wonderful fillings. On a romantic occasion, such as Valentines Day or a birthday, give your sweetheart a Belgian chocolate gift basket with heart-shaped and rose-shaped chocolates and a bottle of wine. Many shops have a great selection of Belgian chocolate gift baskets already made, with some even offering you the option of personally selecting the items you would like included in your basket.

A great dessert that you can make the day before and gives everyone his or her own individual serving is Belgian chocolate mousse.

Ingredients

· 4 ½ ounces finely chopped Belgian bittersweet chocolate
· 2 tablespoons strong coffee such as espresso
· 2 tablespoons or 1 ounce diced, unsalted butter
· 3 large eggs, separated
· 1 cup of cold, heavy cream
· 1 tablespoon sugar
· (Optional) Raspberries or strawberries and extra whipped cream

Whip the cream into soft peaks and place in the refrigerator. Over hot water, using a double boiler, combine butter, espresso and Belgian chocolate, stirring until smooth, remove and let this cool until it is just a little warmer than body temperature. Mix the egg whites until foamy, add sugar and beat, forming soft peaks. Stir the yolks into the warm chocolate mixture; add a third of the whipped cream, fold in the whites and the rest of the whipped cream. Spoon into individual dishes and refrigerate for eight hours.

• Chocolate Recipes , Gourmet Chocolate , Types of Chocolate
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The Chocolate Connoisseur March 6th, 2007

Chocolate has been popular for thousands of years and to this day most people’s love for chocolate just continues to grow. It does not matter if someone makes homemade chocolate or buys it, nothing compares to this ecstasy-producing, luscious treat. Whether it is chocolate fudge, hot chocolate, chocolate ice cream, chocolate bars, chocolate sauce, chocolate truffles, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate brownies, chocolate cake or a box of chocolates, it is definitely a favorite of adults and children everywhere. The four main types of chocolate are baking chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate. Baking chocolate, which is pure cocoa liquor, has nothing added to the chocolate. Cocoa powder is cocoa liquor and cocoa bean solids that are pressed to remove the cocoa butter. Milk chocolate has extra sugar, cocoa butter and milk solids added to the pure cocoa liquor. Semi-sweet chocolate has extra cocoa butter added to the pure cocoa liquor, but less added sugar than the milk chocolate. With white chocolate, there are no cocoa bean solids, just cocoa butter with milk and sugar.

For anyone that enjoys baking homemade chocolate candies, brownies, fudge, truffles and other treats, chocolate items make a delectable and wonderful gift. Sometimes it is difficult to know what to give as a gift, for occasions such as giving a gift to someone that you do not know well, someone new in your neighborhood or even a thank you gift. Homemade chocolate is also a great gift for the mail carrier, church bazaar, paper carrier or co-workers at the office.

Homemade chocolate fudge is a treat that most people enjoy and is great to give family, friends and acquaintances. Here is a recipe for homemade dark chocolate fudge that tastes fantastic, is easy to make and yields approximately two pounds of delicious fudge.

Ingredients
 
· ½ cup of light corn syrup
· ½ cup of whipping cream
· 3 cups or eighteen ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
· 1 – 1½ cups sifted powdered sugar
· 1- 1½ teaspoons of vanilla
· ½ cup of chopped nuts (optional)

In a heavy saucepan, bring the corn syrup and cream to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil this for one minute. Remove this mixture from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring constantly. Once melted, add vanilla, powdered sugar and nuts (optional), until blended well. Pour this into an eight-inch square baking pan lined with tin foil. Cover the fudge and place in the refrigerator until firm. Cut your homemade chocolate fudge into sixty-four, one-inch pieces. This recipe makes enough fudge to give some away as a gift and still have enough for your family and friends to enjoy this luscious treat.

• Chocolate Recipes , Gourmet Chocolate
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The Chocolate Connoisseur March 2nd, 2007

Most people love to eat chocolate, especially fine gourmet chocolate. Unlike inferior chocolate products, gourmet chocolate boasts a glossy, smooth appearance with no marks or streaks. It has a rich, wonderful cocoa aroma instead of a faint chocolate smell, or even a chemical odor. Gourmet chocolate melts in your mouth, releasing an almost sinful, rich, wonderful taste that has chocoholics wanting more.

It also has many proven health benefits along with being delicious, containing essential elements such as iron, vitamins, potassium and calcium. Chromium, found in high levels in gourmet chocolate, helps control a person’s blood sugar. Some people even feel that chocolate works as an antidepressant, making them feel better instantly after eating it. Fine gourmet chocolate also makes a wonderful gift, which is perfect for any occasion such as Christmas, Valentines Day and birthdays, or sometimes just to put a smile on a loved one’s face just because you care.

Fine gourmet chocolate comes in many different types, such as dark chocolate, cocoa powder, unsweetened chocolate, milk chocolate, couverture, bittersweet chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate, often used in cooking. To enhance the wonderful taste of fine gourmet chocolate even more, some common additives are liqueur, all kinds of nuts, mint, caramel, rice crispies, orange, dry fruits, strawberry and cream.

Fine gourmet chocolate has certainly become more popular over the last few years, with some chocolate connoisseurs talking about chocolate the way wine critics talk about exceptional wines. Gourmet chocolate tasting is a trend that many of the top-line chocolate producers now encourage. Tasting the many different fine gourmet chocolates available is a wonderful pastime that lets people develop their own dislikes or preferences. Not only is this like chocolate heaven, but you have the opportunity to buy as little or as much of the gourmet chocolate you want. There is such a large range to select from that you do not necessarily have to buy only the most expensive chocolate, as it really is a matter of personal taste.

Here is a recipe for gourmet hot chocolate that is relatively low-calorie and low-sugar but wonderful in taste. To make this drink super creamy, you use cornstarch, which thickens the chocolate. This recipe serves two or three.

Ingredients

· ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
· ½ cup sweetener
· 1 tablespoon sugar
· ¼ cup water
· 3 teaspoons cornstarch
· 2 cups skim milk

In a medium saucepan mix together the cocoa powder, sweetener and sugar. Combine the cornstarch and water and add this to the saucepan, being sure to blend the mixture until it is smooth. Over medium-low heat, slowly pour the milk in, stirring continuously until the gourmet chocolate mix comes to a simmer. Let this simmer for an additional ten minutes, stirring often. When the chocolate is thick and smooth, your fine gourmet chocolate drink is ready for you to enjoy.

• Chocolate Recipes , Gourmet Chocolate
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