All about chocolate
Take a look at our chocolate-based recipes!
What is chocolate?
A mixture based on cocoa butter, pure cocoa and sugar. And nothing else. What changes are the doses and the different types of cocoa beans and butter ...
The different types of chocolate:
Dark chocolate
Composed of cocoa, cocoa butter and sugar. Natural or mixed with hazelnuts, raisins, coffee beans ... It can contain a more or less high percentage of cocoa (58%, 60%, 72%, 80% ...) and therefore have a more or less taste bitter. The tasting chocolate has a fruity, intense, spicy taste ... which depends on the type of cocoa beans chosen.
Milk chocolate
Cocoa (25 - 30%), cocoa butter, sugar and milk. It is sweeter, for sensitive palates, but a little sweeter than the dark one. It is difficult to work with and hardens quickly, so be careful when you melt it.
White chocolate)
It cannot be defined strictly chocolate because it contains only cocoa butter, sugar, milk and possibly a vanilla flavor. Its high sugar content makes it difficult to work with, and it clumps quickly. It is essential to use good quality white chocolate for use in the kitchen.
Chocolate for sweets
It melts more easily thanks to the high percentage of cocoa butter and usually contains between 48 and 70% cocoa.
Chocolate for the icing
Mainly used by professionals, it is made from the best cocoa beans. What makes it different from other types of chocolate is the percentage of cocoa butter: the higher it is, the more the chocolate melts and solidifies easily. Additionally, you can choose a chocolate that will have a matte or shiny appearance when solid.
Light chocolate
Be careful, it often hides a higher percentage of cocoa butter, so less sugar but more fat! It is better in the kitchen than to taste.
Tips and tricks
Conservation:
Chocolate is very affected by humidity and temperature changes. It melts quickly in the heat and, in a cold environment, loses its shiny appearance and the taste is altered. It must be stored in a cool, dry place and away from light and odors (fats absorb bad smells).
Melt it:
Always in a bain-marie, to prevent it from burning. You should never add water, because it changes the behavior of the chocolate. The ideal is to use the microwave, taking breaks every 15 seconds to mix the chocolate so that it is homogeneous. But be careful: once the chocolate has been burned it cannot be reused!
The choice:
The European Union allows chocolate manufacturers to integrate other vegetable fats in addition to cocoa butter, up to a percentage of 5% of the total weight. Cocoa butter is in fact the most expensive ingredient in the manufacture of chocolate. to make a good chocolate the only possible ingredient will be cocoa butter. Beware of low quality chocolate, often very sweet ...
Overview of ways to prepare chocolate
The icing
A hard glaze (also called "ice") is 100% chocolate. For a brilliant appearance, it is important to measure the melting temperature using a thermometer ...
A soft glaze, on the other hand, is made by combining chocolate and butter or cream.
There ganache (cream based on chocolate and whipped cream)
Take some liquid cream, bring it to a boil and pour it over the grated chocolate (dark or milk, or both). Wait 30 seconds then mix gently. This preparation is used to fill a cake (let it rest before covering), a tart (the dough must be pre-cooked) or as a base for chocolates (once left to harden in the fridge).
Flakes
To make flakes you can "scrape" the chocolate bar with a sharp knife,
The chocolate mousse
There are dozens of recipes! Some suggestions: the butter firms the mousse when put in the fridge, the cream makes its consistency more "light and swollen", the egg yolks make it heavier. There is no need to add sugar, but it all depends on the tastes of each and the chocolate used.
Hot chocolate
Real hot chocolate is much creamier than any instant preparation on the market ... Try the recipe, just melt 20g of chocolate for desserts per person, to which we add 20-25cl of hot whole milk or half milk mixed with liquid cream . Sugar must be added according to the tastes of each. Serve hot, with a spoonful of whipped cream and bitter cocoa for a delicious chocolate!
The combinations of chocolate
Alcohol and chocolate
Above all, avoid champagne! Opt for a light red wine or a sweet white wine, or a digestive like cognac, Grand-Marnier ...
Spices and chocolate
Explosion of taste guaranteed for this shocking combination. With chocolate, all spices are fine: pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, anica, chilli, vanilla, ginger ...
Fruit and chocolate
Citrus fruits (orange, pineapple, grapefruit ...), red fruits (raspberries, cherries), exotic fruits (pineapple, banana, mango) and pears go great with chocolate, as well as chestnuts. But it remains a matter of taste.
Dried fruit and chocolate
Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, pecan nuts ... Whole, they are good for their crunchiness, in powder form, for the creaminess they give to the chocolate.
Savory and chocolate cuisine
Chocolate highlights wine-based sauces and long-cooked dishes. In any case, it is often in the form of cocoa, which will be introduced in recipes, to accompany pasta, poultry, etc.
Do you fancy chocolate? Test yourself with one of our chocolate recipes!
