As Harry Potter is returning to Hogwarts for his third year, the guardians of Azkaban the dreaded Dementors, are searching for the escaped convict Sirius Black. As the train stops, not yet at its final destination, a sudden chill comes over the passengers of the Hogwarts express. The Dementors are searching the train. Unexpectedly, Harry has a rather severe reaction to the Dementors ultimately passing out. When he reawakes Remus Lupin gives him a treat to counteract the effects…chocolate.
Chocolate has been found to be the most craved food item. It seems to give the consumer a moment of elation that warms the entire body. The dark silky goodness has a melting temperature is about 97°F (a person’s body temperature is 98.6°F). Getting hold of a nice little piece of dark chocolate and just letting sit in the mouth melting away is close to heavenly bliss (chewing it almost seems to be a sin).
It wasn’t always the solid confection we know and love today. Montezuma, emperor of the Aztecs used to drink almost 50 cups of “chocolatl” or “xocoatl” in which cocao beans were ground into a paste and mixed with chile, vanilla, honey and other spices. It was believed to be part health drink, part aphrodisiac. Predating the Aztecs, the Mayans believed their tree “cacahuaquchtl” was the food of the gods. In greek, “food of the gods” translates to theobroma, so the tree that gives us this mouth watering morsel is the cacao tree or Theobroma cacao.
The History
The evergreen tree Theobroma cacao is native to southern Mexico and northern South America. The fruit of the tree, or pods that grow straight from the trunk, produce a sweet, sticky white pulp that attracts the native animals. This pod also produces about 30 to 40 seeds, which are discarded by the animals, dispersing them which sprouts more trees. It is these seeds, or beans, that have become renown throughout the world.
The first people that are hypothesized to use the bean from T. cacao are the Olmecs who lived in southeast Mexico around 1000 B.C. It isn’t really known why or when the Olmecs started cultivating what they called kakawa which is where we derive the word cacao (pronounced ka-KOW) which is used today.
The Olmecs introduced kakawa to the Mayans who inhabited the same area between 250 and 900 A.D. They used cacao as currency and brewed them into a foamy drink enjoyed only by Mayan royalty and in religious ceremonies. They in turn passed it on to the Aztecs who lived further north. The Aztecs also used the cacao beans as currency as well as making it into a drink by roasting them grinding them to a powder then added to water and whipped to make the drink foamy. The emperor Montezuma was known to drink 50 glasses of chocolate a day (to “help” him with his harem). Both the Aztecs and the Mayans were known to flavor their chocolate drink with aromatic flowers, vanilla, chile, wild honey, and achiote ( also known as annatto, a spice native to the area used as a flavoring and a colorant, it turned the chocolate into a red color resembling blood).
When Hernán Cortés arrived, to eventually wipe out the Aztecs, he was introduced to cacao. Since he conquered many areas including the Caribbean, it wasn’t long before the Spaniards started mixing the cacao with sugar. In around 1650, chocolate had found its way into Italy, France and England, but was still in the form of a beverage.
Any attempt to enjoy chocolate in a solid form was futile as it was crumbly in texture. Conrad van Houten, a chocolatier in Amsterdam, discovered a way to extract cocoa butter out of the chocolate leaving the solids and creating cocoa powder. The cocoa butter was at first thrown. It was eventually added into ground cacao beans and sugar and the first “eating chocolate” was introduced in 1847 by the English.
In 1876, Switzerland made important contributions to the production of the solid chocolate we know and love today. Daniel Peter used Henri Nestlé’s invention of dried milk powder to produce a solid milk chocolate. A couple of years later, Rudolphe Lindt invented the conche, which give the chocolate its silky smooth texture.
Chocolate in this form, eventually found its way into the new world. In 1900 Milton Hershey started producing milk chocolate bars in bulk, lowering the cost of a chocolate bar. Mr Hershey eventually convinced the U.S. Army to start supplying his bars in a soldiers ration pack. As World War II had broken out the U.S. Army had posts all over the world increasing the popularity of the Hershey bar.
In 1911, Frank C. Mars and his wife Ethel V. Healy started their candy making company in their kitchen. This eventually leads to the other chocolate giant, Mars, Inc.
In 1994 a Chocolate War in Europe had erupted. The EU was defining food standards and eventually worked its way to chocolate. Belgium, France and Germany didn’t want anything lower than 50% cocoa to be called chocolate. This was met with huge opposition by England, more specifically, the Cadbury company, who produces chocolate candy with only 10% cocoa. Germany’s milk chocolate companies eventually persuaded the German government to change its mind which was enough for England and Cadbury to win their argument. Anything with more than 1% cocoa can be called chocolate, but as a stipulation these companies must put the amount of cocoa on their labels.
The Production
The pods of the cacao are harvested twice a year. The trees are too fragile to climb so the harvesters are wielding machetes. The beans are removed from the pod by hand so they don’t get damaged. The beans are then fermented in between banana leaves until most of the moisture is gone. This process also changes the beans color from yellow to brown and develops the flavor within. The better quality the beans are, the less time they need to ferment. Then they dried completely and are shipped to processors.
The beans are washed then roasted at a temperature of 210°F to 290°F. They are then cracked and the outer shell is removed. The left over cacao, called nibs, are then ground into a paste, or chocolate liquor (nope, there’s no alcohol in it), or cocoa mass.
The processor now splits up the cocoa liquor and sends it to different rooms depending on what the end product is going to be.
In one room, the liquor is put into a hydraulic press separating it into cocoa butter and cocoa solids. The solids are ground up into cocoa powder. Since cacao is naturally acidic, the cocoa powder is sometimes Dutch processed, in which alkalis are mixed to neutralize it (so in baking, Dutch process cocoa powder won’t react with baking powder so compensation for that will have to be made by adding more acid).
The cocoa butter will either be mixed with sugar and milk powder which forms white chocolate or will be packaged as is. Cocoa butter is used in capsules in suppositories and oral medication because it can hold its shape, is stable and is an inactive ingredient. Cocoa butter also has a moisturizing effect which makes it ideal for lip balms or other moisturizing creams.
In the other room, the cocoa liquor is mixed with more cocoa butter and sugar to form dark chocolate. The addition of milk powder makes it into milk chocolate. From here, the chocolate is defined by its chocolate liquor content. Milk chocolate contains as little as 10% liquor while semisweet or bittersweet chocolate varies between 35% and 84% liquor. Anything greater than 85% is considered unsweetened.
This chocolate mixture now has to be refined to get its definitive smooth texture. In order to do this, a procedure called conching is used. In the first stage moisture is removed, while in the second stage cocoa butter is added back into the mixture and is ground, mixed and churned for hours or days depending on the desired quality (the longer the conching the higher the quality).
After the conching process, the chocolate is tempered in order to get the nice shine and proper texture. The types of fat vary within the cocoa butter, this variation in fat means that the specific melting temperatures vary as well. The fats with the higher melting points have a more stable molecular structure and therefore are the higher quality fats. These are the ones that give the chocolate its shine and its snap.
To temper the chocolate properly, all of the fats must first be melted. This happens between 122° and 131º F. This is best done over a double boiler instead of direct heat because chocolate burns easily. Cooling or precrystallization happens next by letting the chocolate cool down to between 80° and 84° F. Bringing the chocolate back up to between 86° and 89° F thins out the chocolate so it’s usable without melting all of the fats. If the chocolate gets hotter than 89° F in this last step, the entire tempering process needs to be started over again.
The Science
It was once thought that chocolate might contain psychoactive chemicals that make it addictive. Looking deeply into chocolate, it contains minute amounts of anandamide, a“cannabinoid” chemical, that is also found in marijuana. Chocolate also contains theobromine, which is an alkaloid, and caffeine, both of which are psychoactive molecules. As it turns out the amount of these chemicals are so small that it will take many pounds of chocolate to become addictive.
Chocolate also contains a high amount of phenylethylamine. Phenylethylamine has the capability to release dopamine into the pleasure center in the brain. Falling in love and feeling passion has the same reaction.
Not only does chocolate make you feel good, it’s good for you. Chocolate contains many antioxidants in the form of flavonoids, more specifally: epicatechin. It is believed that falonoids decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease.
Antioxidants also help keep the amount of free radicals in our body from getting too high. Free radicals are molecules that contain atoms that have an unpaired electron, which means it’s always seeking to bond with something to make it complete. This can be harmful to the cells in our body. The darker the chocolate bar you eat, the more antioxidants are consumed. Milk and sugar tend to dilute the chocolate.
It wasn’t always the solid confection we know and love today. Montezuma, emperor of the Aztecs used to drink almost 50 cups of “chocolatl” or “xocoatl” in which cocao beans were ground into a paste and mixed with chile, vanilla, honey and other spices. It was believed to be part health drink, part aphrodisiac. Predating the Aztecs, the Mayans believed their tree “cacahuaquchtl” was the food of the gods. In greek, “food of the gods” translates to theobroma, so the tree that gives us this mouth watering morsel is the cacao tree or Theobroma cacao.
The History
The first people that are hypothesized to use the bean from T. cacao are the Olmecs who lived in southeast Mexico around 1000 B.C. It isn’t really known why or when the Olmecs started cultivating what they called kakawa which is where we derive the word cacao (pronounced ka-KOW) which is used today.
When Hernán Cortés arrived, to eventually wipe out the Aztecs, he was introduced to cacao. Since he conquered many areas including the Caribbean, it wasn’t long before the Spaniards started mixing the cacao with sugar. In around 1650, chocolate had found its way into Italy, France and England, but was still in the form of a beverage.
Any attempt to enjoy chocolate in a solid form was futile as it was crumbly in texture. Conrad van Houten, a chocolatier in Amsterdam, discovered a way to extract cocoa butter out of the chocolate leaving the solids and creating cocoa powder. The cocoa butter was at first thrown. It was eventually added into ground cacao beans and sugar and the first “eating chocolate” was introduced in 1847 by the English.
In 1876, Switzerland made important contributions to the production of the solid chocolate we know and love today. Daniel Peter used Henri Nestlé’s invention of dried milk powder to produce a solid milk chocolate. A couple of years later, Rudolphe Lindt invented the conche, which give the chocolate its silky smooth texture.
In 1911, Frank C. Mars and his wife Ethel V. Healy started their candy making company in their kitchen. This eventually leads to the other chocolate giant, Mars, Inc.
In 1994 a Chocolate War in Europe had erupted. The EU was defining food standards and eventually worked its way to chocolate. Belgium, France and Germany didn’t want anything lower than 50% cocoa to be called chocolate. This was met with huge opposition by England, more specifically, the Cadbury company, who produces chocolate candy with only 10% cocoa. Germany’s milk chocolate companies eventually persuaded the German government to change its mind which was enough for England and Cadbury to win their argument. Anything with more than 1% cocoa can be called chocolate, but as a stipulation these companies must put the amount of cocoa on their labels.
The Production
The beans are washed then roasted at a temperature of 210°F to 290°F. They are then cracked and the outer shell is removed. The left over cacao, called nibs, are then ground into a paste, or chocolate liquor (nope, there’s no alcohol in it), or cocoa mass.
The processor now splits up the cocoa liquor and sends it to different rooms depending on what the end product is going to be.
In one room, the liquor is put into a hydraulic press separating it into cocoa butter and cocoa solids. The solids are ground up into cocoa powder. Since cacao is naturally acidic, the cocoa powder is sometimes Dutch processed, in which alkalis are mixed to neutralize it (so in baking, Dutch process cocoa powder won’t react with baking powder so compensation for that will have to be made by adding more acid).
The cocoa butter will either be mixed with sugar and milk powder which forms white chocolate or will be packaged as is. Cocoa butter is used in capsules in suppositories and oral medication because it can hold its shape, is stable and is an inactive ingredient. Cocoa butter also has a moisturizing effect which makes it ideal for lip balms or other moisturizing creams.
In the other room, the cocoa liquor is mixed with more cocoa butter and sugar to form dark chocolate. The addition of milk powder makes it into milk chocolate. From here, the chocolate is defined by its chocolate liquor content. Milk chocolate contains as little as 10% liquor while semisweet or bittersweet chocolate varies between 35% and 84% liquor. Anything greater than 85% is considered unsweetened.
This chocolate mixture now has to be refined to get its definitive smooth texture. In order to do this, a procedure called conching is used. In the first stage moisture is removed, while in the second stage cocoa butter is added back into the mixture and is ground, mixed and churned for hours or days depending on the desired quality (the longer the conching the higher the quality).
After the conching process, the chocolate is tempered in order to get the nice shine and proper texture. The types of fat vary within the cocoa butter, this variation in fat means that the specific melting temperatures vary as well. The fats with the higher melting points have a more stable molecular structure and therefore are the higher quality fats. These are the ones that give the chocolate its shine and its snap.
To temper the chocolate properly, all of the fats must first be melted. This happens between 122° and 131º F. This is best done over a double boiler instead of direct heat because chocolate burns easily. Cooling or precrystallization happens next by letting the chocolate cool down to between 80° and 84° F. Bringing the chocolate back up to between 86° and 89° F thins out the chocolate so it’s usable without melting all of the fats. If the chocolate gets hotter than 89° F in this last step, the entire tempering process needs to be started over again.
The Science
It was once thought that chocolate might contain psychoactive chemicals that make it addictive. Looking deeply into chocolate, it contains minute amounts of anandamide, a“cannabinoid” chemical, that is also found in marijuana. Chocolate also contains theobromine, which is an alkaloid, and caffeine, both of which are psychoactive molecules. As it turns out the amount of these chemicals are so small that it will take many pounds of chocolate to become addictive.
Chocolate also contains a high amount of phenylethylamine. Phenylethylamine has the capability to release dopamine into the pleasure center in the brain. Falling in love and feeling passion has the same reaction.
Not only does chocolate make you feel good, it’s good for you. Chocolate contains many antioxidants in the form of flavonoids, more specifally: epicatechin. It is believed that falonoids decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease.
Antioxidants also help keep the amount of free radicals in our body from getting too high. Free radicals are molecules that contain atoms that have an unpaired electron, which means it’s always seeking to bond with something to make it complete. This can be harmful to the cells in our body. The darker the chocolate bar you eat, the more antioxidants are consumed. Milk and sugar tend to dilute the chocolate.
The Dish
Chocolate truffles were first made as a confectionary equivalent to the truffle fungus. Chocolate truffles are made with a ganache center and covered in chocolate. Many flavorings can be added to the ganache and it can have any number of outer coatings. The basic truffle is dark chocolate ganache covered in dark chocolate then powdered cocoa.
Ganache is a simple dish that features chocolate. In its basic form, ganache is cream and chocolate. Flavors can be added as an accent, can be whipped to lighten or butter can be added to increase its richness. Ganache can be used as a filling for truffles, cakes and other pastries. When still warm, it can be used as a glaze, icing or a sauce.
The Recipe
Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped | 1 lb |
Heavy Cream | 12 oz |
Tempered Dark chocolate | As needed |
Method:
Heat the cream and pour over the chopped chocolate constantly stirring so it melts evenly.
Separate the ganache into separate, equal parts. In my case I separated it into four parts and added a different flavor to each: lavender, Kirsch and cherry flavor for a Black Forest truffle (I also added a dehydrated cherry in the middle), Grand Marnier, raspberry preserves.
Chill the ganache until firm. Scoop the ganache into 2 tsp. mounds, roll into balls and chill again. Melt and temper dark chocolate and prepare additional toppings. Enrobe the ganache balls in the tempered chocolate and, if desired roll into additional toppings.
Note: I made a fifth flavor using a combination white chocolate and milk chocolate ganache for a creamy German chocolate truffle, which were rolled in toasted coconut and pecans.
Further Reading/Bibliography
- Gisslen, Wayne, Professional Baking
, Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009
- McGee, Harold, On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen
, New York, NY,Scribner,2004
- Rosenblum, Mort, Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light
, New York, NY, North Point Press, 2005
- http://www.facts-about-chocolate.com
- http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-cocoa-butter.htm
- http://www.xocoatl.org
- http://www.chocolate-chemistry.com/
- http://www.hersheys.com
- http://www.mars.com
Michael...I can hardly disagree that chocolate is wonderfully addictive. I do, however, have to respectfully point out that it was Harry's third year, not fifth. :) Thanks for another well researched post! Truffles are awesome!
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