Chocolate

The Origin of Chocolate

Chocolate originates from the fruit of cacao tree, or botanically known as Theobroma cacao, meaning "food of the gods." This tree has grown wild in Central and South America, Africa and Indonesia. The fruit is about the size of a small pineapple, bearing inside the seeds, which also known as cocoa beans.

Chocolate has been used from the oldest civilization of the Americas (1500-400 BC). The word chocolate is said to derive from the Mayan word xocoatl. Cocoa derives from the Aztec word cacahuatl. The Mexican Indian word chocolatl originates from a combination of the terms choco (meaning "foam") and atl (meaning "water"). It referred to a drink made from roasted cocoa beans, water and a little spice, the Mayan most important use of chocolate.

Chocolate Products

Hot Chocolate
There's a difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate. Hot cocoa is made from cocoa powder, chocolate which has been pressed free of all its fat, cocoa butter. Hot chocolate on the other hand is made from chocolate bars melted into cream, so it is richer.

The original hot cocoa recipe was a mixture of ground up cocoa beans, water, wine and capsicum (peppers). Spaniards heated the mixture and sweetened it with cane sugar. In England, milk was added to this after dinner treat.

Chocolate Bars
The solid chocolate we know today was produced in Belgium by mixing the cocoa powder with milk and other ingredients to cause it to set at room temperature. In the chocolate confectionery making process, special molds known as chocolate models are used to set up the shapes of the finished products. One of the best materials for these models is silicon - they come in all shapes and sizes, will go in standard oven or microwave, and are permanently non-stick and easy to clean after use.

Chocolate Cooking
Chocolate can be used in home baked goodies ranging from cakes, biscuits, cookies, desserts, pastries and puddings.

The best way to heat up and melt chocolate is to put some water in a pan, bring it to boil then place a plate over it, turn the heat down and let the water simmer while you place the pieces of cooking chocolate on the plate. That way, the temperature will not exceed the water’s boiling point and the chocolate will not burn. If you whip up some double cream to really fluffy, fold it into the melted chocolate and stir it to mix in high speed, then put it to the refrigerator to set, you’ve got yourself chocolate mousse.

Nutrition in Chocolate

Chocolate can be full of antioxidants, but the actual amount of antioxidants depends on the processing and the cocoa content. A 70% cocoa content can taste stronger and almost bitter to some, but the anti cancer compounds and antioxidants in it may help your body resist cancer.
However you have to be careful of the sugar and fat content, they may harm your health.