The source of chocolate, the seeds of the cacao tree, have figured prominently in many different cultures, first in prehistoric Central America, then in Mayan and Aztec civilization, then around the world, spread by the great colonial powers. Chocolate lovers might swear that the cacao tree's major contribution has been gastronomic, but it has also played an important part in religious, medical, economic, and social history.
The chocolate tree, Theobroma cacao, evolved in the tropical rain forests of South  America's Amazon region. Evidence of cacao usage dates back as far as 1000 BC, when wild forms of the tree were cultivated by Mesoamerican Indians in small, diversified gardens in what are now Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, as well as the Yucatan peninsula. Much later, in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Aztecs cultivated cacao in the central highlands of Mexico.
The first known picture of a chocolate drink being made, which dates from 750 AD, shows the liquid being poured from one vessel to another to raise foam. The foam was considered the choicest part of the drink. In pre-Conquest Mesoamerica, chocolate took the form of a vast array of drinks, porridges, and powders flavored in many ways. Cacao seeds were ground with water, chili peppers, black pepper and other spices, vanilla, and cornmeal to make a bitter drink.
Preparing these beverages was an elaborate and labor-intensive process.The drinks played an important role in Mayan rituals, and were used in betrothal and marriage ceremonies. One menu served a Mayan ruler includes "green cacao pods, honeyed chocolate, flowered chocolate flavored with green vanilla, bright red chocolate, huitztecolli flower-flavored chocolate, flower-colored chocolate, black chocolate, and white chocolate." Modern chocolate lovers' options seem dull by comparison!
 Cacao beans also served as cash in Mesoamerica. Only once a bean was too worn to serve as currency was it used for making chocolate. A 16th-century chronicler, Francisco Oviedo y Valdés, recorded that a rabbit was worth about ten of these "almonds," a slave about a hundred, and the services of a prostitute between eight and ten, "according to how they agree."
Massive quantities of cacao beans were held in the royal storehouses, the cacao warehouses of the Aztec emperor Motecuhzoma (Americanized as the Montezuma of popular history) holding some 960 million beans. (All transactions in pre-conquest Mesoamerica, and long thereafter, were measured in terms of numbers rather than in weight or bulk.) Two thousand containers of chocolate beverage, with foam, went to Motecuhzoma's guard alone. In 1519, Cortez watched as the emperor Motecuhzoma was offered fifty golden bowls of chocolate. Chocolate was reserved as a beverage for the elite, served at the end of a meal, along with smoking tubes of tobacco, to royalty, nobility, long-distance merchants and warriors.
The first European to encounter cacao was Columbus, who came across a great Mayan trading canoe loaded with beans on his fourth and final voyage. The Spaniards invaded the Yucatan beginning in 1517, and Mexico in 1519, and took little time to grasp the monetary value of the cacao beans, which served as small currency through the volonial period. They were slower to appreciate its gastronomic potential, finding the cold, bitter, unsweetened beverage fairly nasty. But gradually, as Aztec foods and customs became more familiar, the chocolate drink was adopted by the invaders.
One story credits Dominican friars, who took a delegation of Mayan nobles to visit Prince Philip in Spain in 1544, with introducing chocolate to Europe.
True or not, through the 16th century there was much trade and travel between Spain and its New World possessions, and chocolate was established in the Spanish court during the first half of the 17th century, where it was served hot, with honey and sugar.
Chocolate was probably disseminated through the rest of Europe via the network of monasteries and convents that by then linked Europe with Latin America. Members of the Society of Jesuits, the powerful religious order, were avid chocolate drinkers and cacao traders as well. In France, the beverage was popularized by the powerful Cardinal Mazarin, and when Louis XIV married the chocolate-loving Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain in 1615, she established a custom that spread rapidly among the French aristocracy.
The first Englishmen to encounter cacao were pirates who preyed on Spanish ships during the latter half of the 16th century. They found no use for it, even burning a few shipments. But a hundred years later the English took up all three of the great alkaloid-bearing drinks--tea, coffee, and chocolate. Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England, took the island of Jamaica from the Spaniards in 1655. Cacao was already flourishing there, and chocolate was soon offered for sale as "an excellent West India drink." Unlike in France, where chocolate was a state monopoly available only to the aristocracy, chocolate in England was available to anyone who could afford it. Served in coffeehouses, it cost more than coffee, but less than tea.
The beverage probably made its way back to the New World soon afterward, carried by British officials to their colonies in North America.
After twenty-eight centuries as a drink for the elite, chocolate was transformed by the French and the Industrial Revolution into a foodstuff for the masses. The first record of the use of power machinery in chocolate production can be traced to Massachusetts in the mid-18th century. In 1828 the Dutchman C. J. van Hooten invented cocoa powder by pressing all the cocoa butter out of chocolate.
He added alkali to counteract the acidity, giving the cocoa a smoother flavor. Easier to digest and to mix with other ingredients, cocoa made chocolate ready for mass production.
Indeed, because of sugar addition, it became a very appreciated drink by the european nobles. And even doctors thought that chocolate was able to treat diseases.
Thus each nation was going to find a particular way to accomodate chocolate and to enjoy it.
From the beginning of its history in Belgium, the chocolate was considered as a gift.
In 1912, the belgian confectionery created the " praline ", a filled chocolate mouthful which perfectly complied with its gift vocation. To protect the delicate nature of the " praline ", an adequate packaging has been patented under the name of " Ballotin ".
Since that time the " ballotin de pralines " became the perfect gift appreciated in all circumstances.
The making of ...
After the gathering, the cocoa beans are dried by the sun and sent to the chocoalte manufacturers. In the factories, the seeds are roasted and crushed to obtain the cocoa powder. They are also squeezed to make the cocoa butter.
Then the chocolate is produced by the mixing of the above powder and butter and the addition of sugar and milk powder.
The proporton of each component will deterimine the chocolate color.
- The black chocolate can contain up to 70% of cocoa.
- The milk chocolate containd more milk powder.
- The white chocolate is only made from cocoa butter, suger and milk without cocoa.
 The chocolate manufacturers take care to select the best cocoa as well as the finest components in order to produce the Belgian chocolate - or " praline "- filling.
Indeed, the chocolate quality is determine by the cocoa seeds choice and the components quality which give it all its characteristics (its parfume, its color, its touch, ...)
The Belgian artisan manufactures almost all the " praline " by hand, especially the decoration. And it becomes a unique articles as he gives a personal touch to all of his creations thanks to his long experience. Then, the " praline " follows the distributioon channels before taking its place amongst the finest luxe products.
Chocolate a medicine ?
Energy
The nutitional and energy qualities of the chocolate were very appreciated by the Spanish during the early New World colonization.
Today, it is used by the sport competitors as chocolate is an excellent energy booster thanks to its constitutes (iron, magnesium, ...)
Aphrodisiac
Since the time of Aztecs & Mayas who have initiated cocoa consumption, the chocolate has always been considered as a sexual stimulant. Even the aztec emperor Moctezuma drank it to " have women access ".
The theologian Fransiscus Rauch wrote in 1624 " that beverage drank in convents inflame passions ".
Anti-depression
In the 16th century, the Spanish aristrocatic ladies consumed chocolate everywhere even in church. Did it help them supporting the too long Masses ?
Today, we know that chocolate contains " pheryletylanine " which would have a positive action in case of nervous depression.
Recipes
Belgian truffles
Contents :
7 oz of cream
10 oz of black chocolate
1.8 oz of bitter black chocolate
3.5 of cocoa
Boil the cream before mixing it with the chocolate. Cover it and cool it in the refrigerator.
With the help of a spoon, make small balls from that preparation. Do not hesitate to round those balls inside your hands. Put them again in the refrigerator for a while.
After having melted the bitter black chocolate, you soak the truffles in it with a fork and just after that, roll it in the cocoa.
Keep the truffles in a cool area but not in the refrigerator.
Chocolate brioche puddings
1/2 cup dried cherries
4 small brioche, cut into 1/2-inch slices
4 bars (1.5 oz. each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
4 tablespoons cherry-flavored brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cherry Creme Anglaise:
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean split or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cherry flavored brandy
Make the pudding:
Soak cherries in 2 tablespoons cherry-flavored brandy in bowl for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly butter six 6-ounce ramekins.
Place brioche slices on baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Cool on baking sheet on wire rack.
Place chocolate and 1/4 cup cream in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons cherry-flavored brandy and vanilla.
Whisk together 1 cup cream, eggs, sugar and chocolate mixture. Dip 6 brioche slices into mixture and place in prepared ramekins. Spoon some cherries on each. Repeat layering dipped brioche and cherries until ramekins are filled. Spoon remaining mixture over each.
Put ramekins in 13x 9-inch baking pan. Pour boiling water into the baking pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. While the puddings are baking, prepare the sauce.
*For Chocolate Bread Puddings, substitute 24 French baguette slices for the brioche.
Make the sauce:
Whisk egg yolks in medium saucepan. Gradually add sugar and continue whisking until mixture is thick and pale yellow. Whisk in milk and cream. Add vanilla bean.
Cook over medium heat for several minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture thickens slightly. Do not let the sauce boil. To check doneness: remove from heat. The sauce is done when you can run your finger down the back of a sauce-coated spoon and a path remains.
Remove from heat and immediately strain the hot sauce into a stainless steel bowl set in ice bath. Stir in cherry-flavored brandy. Cool completely in ice bath, stirring once or twice. (Sauce can be made in advance. Cover and refrigerate until needed).
Assemble the desserts:
Carefully invert each warm pudding onto a dessert plate. Spoon some of the Cherry Creme Anglaise on top and around the base of each pudding. Serve immediately.
Pont Neuf Cake
Chocolate Cake:
3/4 cup cake flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Chocolate Buttercream:
3 bars (1.5 ounces each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Orange Soaking Syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
Godiva Dark Chocolate, cut into curls for garnish (optional)
Make the chocolate cake:
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of two 15x10x1-inch jellyroll pans. Line with parchment or waxed paper.
Mix together flour and cocoa powder.
Beat eggs and egg yolks in mixing bowl until blended, using electric mixer at medium speed. Gradually add sugar and increase speed to medium-high. Continue to beat until mixture is tripled in volume and pale-yellow.
Fold one-third of flour mixture into egg mixture. Fold in remaining flour in two more additions. Spread batter in prepared pans.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly with finger. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks and remove paper. Cool completely.
Make the chocolate buttercream:
Place chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50% power) for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds more or until chocolate is softened. Stir until smooth and let cool.
Combine sugar and water in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and heat mixture to a boil. Cook until mixture registers 240 F. on candy thermometer. When syrup reaches 230 F., start beating egg whites.
Beat egg whites in bowl until frothy, using electric mixer at low speed. Gradually increase speed to medium-high and continue beating until soft peaks form. While beating at medium-low speed, gradually pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue beating for 5 to 8 minutes or until glossy soft peaks form. Add butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate.
Make the orange soaking syrup:
Combine water and sugar in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring syrup to a boil. Remove from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in orange liqueur.
Assemble the dessert:
Cut cake into 2-inch-wide strips. Brush each strip with orange soaking syrup. Spread each strip with 1/4-inch layer of chocolate buttercream. Roll up strip, jellyroll fashion. Place cut-side down in center of springform pan. Take a second strip and wrap it around the first strip, beginning where the first one ended. Continue to wrap strips around each other in spiral fashion until pan is full and all cake strips are used. Brush top of cake with remaining orange soaking syrup. Refrigerate cake for 4 hours or until set.
Loosen cake from pan and remove side of springform pan. Spread top and side of the cake with chocolate buttercream. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip with remaining buttercream. Pipe a row of rosettes around top edge of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm yummmmmyyyyyy don't you just love chocolate <w>
Did you know ?
How much do you really know about chocolate? Did you know it might make you feel like you’re falling in love? Or how much less caffeine it has than coffee? Next time you’re sharing a ballotin of Godiva with friends (you do share, don’t you?) impress them with your knowledge of this wonderfully delicious indulgence. Read on for fascinating trivia and a useful glossary of chocolate terms.
- There are about 5 to 10 milligrams of caffeine in one ounce of bittersweet chocolate, 5 milligrams in milk chocolate, and 10 milligrams in a six-ounce cup of cocoa; by contrast, there are 100 to 150 milligrams of caffeine in an eight-ounce cup of brewed coffee. You would have to eat more than a dozen Hershey Bars, for example, to get the amount of caffeine in one cup of coffee.
- Chocolate has long been heralded for its value as an energy source. Think of it this way: a single chocolate chip provides sufficient food energy for an adult to walk 150 feet; hence, it would take about 35 chocolate chips to go a mile, or 875,000 for an around-the-world hike.
- Although chocolate is not an aphrodisiac, as the ancient Aztecs believed, chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), a natural substance that is reputed to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love. Hence, heartbreak and loneliness are great excuses for chocolate overindulgence.
- It is reported that Napoleon carried chocolate with him on his military campaigns, and always ate it when he needed quick energy.
- While solid chocolate certainly is high in fat, just over half the calories in bittersweet, semisweet, and milk chocolate come from fat. And even though the cocoa butter in chocolate is mostly saturated fat, studies have shown that it doesn't appear to raise blood cholesterol.
- It's a common myth that chocolate aggravates acne. Experiments conducted at the University of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Naval Academy found that consumption of chocolate -- even frequent daily dietary intake -- had no effect on the incidence of acne. Professional dermatologists today do not link acne with diet.
- Lecithin is an emulsifier used to reduce the viscosity of chocolate. It serves to lessen the amount of cocoa butter required in the manufacturing process.
- Chocolate can be lethal to dogs. Theobromine, an ingredient that stimulates the cardiac muscle and the central nervous system, causes chocolate's toxicity. About two ounces of milk chocolate can be poisonous for a 10-lb puppy.
- Consumers spend more than $7 billion a year on chocolate.
Is your mouth watering yet ?
Bon appetit ;)
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