We can all agree that there are not many limits on what you might consider suitable to dip in chocolate. This Valentine’s Day, create your own fun and romantic dessert of sinful indulgence. Strawberries, dried fruit, and pretzels are traditionally dipped in chocolate, but tradition is made to be broken. Put together your own vision of luscious, chocolate-dipped bits and pieces. Pears are superb dipped in dark or milk chocolate, and pineapple mixes well with milk chocolate. With one taste of the decadent morsels you prepare, your sweetheart is guaranteed to melt.

“Tempered chocolate is the preferred ingredient for dipping,” says The Culinary Institute of America Chef Peter Greweling. “Many home candy makers are intimidated by the thought of tempering chocolate. In truth, the process is much simpler than getting behind the wheel to drive. With just a little practice and patience, you can use the seeding method below to properly temper chocolate every time.”

Chocolate-Dipped Anything The Saturday Evening Post

So, go ahead and treat your Valentine to chocolate. Cocoa beans are among the richest sources of antioxidants called flavonoids and polyphenols—similar to those found in wine—which benefit both your physical and mental health. I absolutely love to bake for friends and family, and how truly sweet it is when those recipes contain cocoa—and all its many benefits.

Protect your heart: The flavonoids in cocoa can lower your risk of heart attacks and stroke by helping to reduce the blood’s ability to clot. [1]

Quell stress: In a 2009 study conducted by Swiss scientists, eating dark chocolate daily reduced stress hormone levels. [2] Researchers measured stress levels of 30 healthy adults daily over two weeks and found that eating 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate daily reduced stress hormone levels in those who had high anxiety levels. (Just be sure to account for the 235 calories that 1.4 ounces of chocolate delivers—or you may be stressed to see extra pounds creeping on.)

Fight fatigue: Cocoa may help ward off fatigue as well. A small 2010 study in the UK found that polyphenols—the group of antioxidant class that includes flavonoids—helped sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome combat symptoms, including anxiety and depression. [3]
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, why not give your loved one a special treat made with cocoa. Not only will it liven the taste buds, but it will provide so many other benefits as well! Nothing better than the delicious, loving gift of health!

Chocolate Almond Pudding

The purer the form of cocoa, the more cocoa solids it has, and the more antioxidants it delivers.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS (1⁄2 CUP EACH)
There are a variety of ready-to-drink nut milks on the market, which are made by soaking nuts or seeds in water, blending, and then straining the liquid. Served warm or cold, this silky crowd-pleaser takes just minutes to prepare. If you have a nut allergy, you can also prepare the pudding using low-fat milk or soy milk.

• 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups unflavored almond milk, preferably unsweetened or sweetened with brown rice syrup (or low fat or reduced fat milk)
• 1⁄3 cup agave nectar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

In a 1-quart saucepan, combine the cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Add just enough of the milk to make a smooth paste. Gradually stir in the agave and the remaining milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour into 4 serving dishes and cool. Sprinkle with the almonds just before serving.

Nutrition Facts

PER SERVING
167 calories, 3 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2 g fiber, 20 g sugar, 218 mg sodium

 
Cheryl Forberg RD is a New York Times bestselling author and a James Beard award-winning chef. Cheryl co-wrote the eating plan for NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” and was the show’s nutritionist for twelve seasons. Her latest book is Flavor First, and she writes a blog of cooking and nutrition tips. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook for more tips and recipes. And continue to read the Saturday Evening Post website for more regular nutrition tips and features from Cheryl.
 
 
 
 

Cocoa: Lovers’ Sweet Can Be a Healthful Treat! The Saturday Evening Post

We may see several new types of chocolate in the coming year:

• Single-origin chocolate, which is made with cacao exclusively from one region (Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Madagascar, etc.)
• More organic chocolate, which uses beans grown to organic standards, using no pesticides or harmful toxins.
• Fair-trade chocolate, which ensures that cocoa growers get fair prices and fair treatment for their beans.
• Sustainable chocolates, which are grown with methods that ensure sustainable re-growth of cocoa beans

Finally, a responsible way to enjoy chocolate.

With so many chocolates to choose from, it’s no wonder chocolate pairings are becoming the new wine tastings. Companies are starting to test unexpected pairings of chocolate with wines, cheese, spices, exotic flavors, and fruits not used in the past.

Appealing to the students of chocolate, who are engaged in a life-long course of study, several retailers and restaurants have begun chocolate tastings and chocolate schools. Café Zooka in Hershey, Pennsylvania offers courses to educate visitors on chocolate as well as chocolate tasting. Ethel’s Chocolate Lounges (see link below) have added tastings to some of their stores in Illinois and Nevada.

Chocolate companies see a promising opportunity in this field. In the coming years, the industry is expecting an explosion of this kind of offering. For consumers, it is a fun and educational way to taste chocolate.

In 2009 the National Confectioners Association came out with a report showing that it believes future trends with chocolate will capitalize on health benefits, flavor fusions, and international influences.  Flavor fusions use ingredients that unexpectedly complement each other, such as milk chocolate, caramel, and sea salt. Another potential is the fusion of exotic spices. International recipes are experimenting with the combination of chocolate and chilis or chocolate and wasabi.

Long gone are the days when your only options for chocolate came at the vending machine. Consumers are beginning to demand more from their chocolate experience. Chocolate makers are looking to meet your needs and offer ways to make chocolate even more appealing—if that’s even possible.

For more information on the sources presented here please see:

The National Confectioners Association

http://www.candyusa.com/News/PRdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=1456

The Gourmet Retailer 2008 Trend Report

http://www.gourmetretailer.com/gourmetretailer/content_display/trends/e3ic1abd1883d2156371dc907ea114507eb

To see more about the tasting or educational opportunities listed please see:

Hershey

http://www.hersheystory.org/education/

http://www.hersheystory.org/chocolate-tasting/

Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge

http://www.ethelschocolate.com/

Your Future in Chocolate The Saturday Evening Post

Your heart-shaped candy molds are not fooling anyone (anymore). As humans, we know anything that’s been around for more than 2,000 years is not without a dark side—and yours is especially complex. It’s been a bitter sweet adventure, Chocolate, and while we appreciate your sugar-coated efforts, we know there’s more to you than brownies and candy.

Remember when we first met in Central America? We didn’t always need sugar to be friends. A little spice, maybe… And remember when the Spanish took you and mixed you all up with cinnamon and sweetener? Sure, it tasted delicious, almost sinful. So focused we became on dessert, we nearly forgot to eat dinner.

So here’s to you, Chocolate, and all your savory glory.

Chili Con Carne y Chocolate
Savory Chocolate Recipes
Scharffen Berger Cacao Rubs
Chocolate BBQ
Bobby Flay’s Chocolate Cornpone with Hot Mexican Chocolate Sauce

Chocolate: Think Outside the Box The Saturday Evening Post

Over a century later, chocolate is still a “hot topic.”  In recent years, chocolate as an industry has even seen a rebirth.  Instead of mass-production and affordability, chocolate has moved into niche markets as a diet and health food, a delicacy to accompany wines and cheese, and a mood-enhancer.  Mass-produced chocolates are still highly popular, but a growing number of chocolate lovers are finding pleasure in these new offerings.

Here at the Post, we have a variety of chocolate lovers.  We thought our readers would enjoy a series of postings that look at the history and the future of chocolate!

We thought we would begin with a brief introduction to the key terms:

Cacao (%): The term refers to the ingredients derived from the cocoa bean.  The source of the cacao components are “chocolate liquor” — the term used to describe the pure (nonalcoholic) chocolate in liquid form, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder.  The” % cacao” refers to the percentage of these ingredients, by weight, in the finished product.

Dark Chocolate: The term “dark chocolate” is not defined by regulation in the US.  Within the industry however, it is used to refer to both sweet and bittersweet chocolates containing high levels of chocolate liquor.  Many dark chocolates on the market today contain more than 35% chocolate liquor.  It is common to see dark chocolates containing 45-80% cacao on the market today.  Dark chocolates may contain milk fat to soften the texture, but do not generally have a milky flavor.

Milk Chocolate: The most common kind of eating chocolate; it is made by combining chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, milk or cream and, sweeteners such as sugars and flavorings.  According to the FDA regulations, all milk chocolate must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor and at least 12% milk solids.  The only fats allowed in milk chocolate are milk fat and cocoa butter.  The varieties of milk chocolates in the market are expanding.  Some high cacao % milk chocolates are essentially dark chocolates with additional dairy ingredients.

White Chocolate: White chocolate is a blend of cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and flavor.  No chocolate solids other than cocoa butter are present, which explains the lack of brown color.  According to US regulations, white chocolate needs to be at least 20% (by weight) cocoa butter, at least 14% total milk solids, and less than 55% sweeteners (such as sugar.)

Please join us over the next few Fridays as we explore chocolate. Our chocolate postings will help you determine which chocolates you like, and encourage you to try something new.

In case you haven’t done this already, this is the perfect opportunity to bookmark our website, www.thesaturdayeveningpost.com.

More chocolate information may be found at the National Confectioners Association website – www.candyusa.com

Chocolate Is Here to Stay! The Saturday Evening Post