Learning Center 1: Chocolate demons PART 1

Chocolate and dreams. Dreaming of chocolate. Chocolate of my dreams.... 

For women, chocolate is more than a good friend. In my country we say that chocolate can replace a guy. Is it? Well, all I can tell for sure is that with or without a companion, every house normally bares in a closet even a simple chocolate. It's not a coincidence for all joys in our life we always include chocolate and as dessert at the end of a meal. When you study, when you have exams, chocolate many times is a way to keep mind in shape. In moderate always quantity.

I remember as a little girl that chocolate existed at home, in a closet. Later on, chocolates were hidden in the house (wonder why?). But I was always discovering the little places...When I grew up I realized that chocolate was not only a tasteful product in the market but a definite companion while executing recipes in the kitchen. A product that needed to be treated with tenderness and love... Well, like the woman. So I figured out that chocolate and women are bond to a cycle.

I guess it will be very easy for you to find out on internet different articles and stories describing the history of chocolate. Basically in this learning center I wish to present you my personal experience mostly while using chocolate and analyse the quality.

In the first chapter of chocolate we will see:

• Types of chocolate and their use.
• Ways of using chocolate

Types of chocolate

I think all of you go to the super market. So you know that chocolates are found in specific shelves along with other related products. You noticed that either in their front letters or in the behind written ingredients it is always mentioned a percentage in cocoa. Indeed this percentage is the actual percentage of cocoa existing in the chocolate you see which defines the taste, the result and the quantity as well to be used in a recipe. 

It's true a low percentage of cocoa makes a sweeter taste, while using high percentage in cocoa chocolate makes our sweet bitterer. You can easily understand as well from the color of the chocolate. Bitterer = darker, sweater = bright brown (milk chocolate). And there is the white chocolate as well which is very sweet.

Indicative types that you may find easily in commerce:

• Chocolate with 55-57% cocoa: Ideal for majority of recipes. Most of the recipes you find on internet or in books, without indicating exact type of chocolate, are based in this one. Ideal as well for amateurs, because it is easily melted and while mixed does not need special techniques to combine with other ingredients. I personally use this one for my cakes, my chocolate creme patissiere and for preparations of different chocolate toppings. Ideal for ice cream and frozen desserts, parfait au chocolat and ganache to cover my sweets.
• Chocolate 62 or 64% : My favourite chocolate to use. This one resulting a bitterer taste shows character and gives this personal touch to your sweets. I basically use this one for my little chocolates in Christmas, for my profiteroles (greek or french way), for bitter chocolate tarts and and for dark ganache. Not to mention my fondants and souffles!
• Chocolate 70 or 72%: If you love bitter chocolate this one will be your ideal friend. The darker a chocolate becomes, more attention is required to combine with other ingredients. You should always follow the rules in dosology while preparing ganache or bitter mousse. It's a delicate chocolate. In one of our next lessons you will see a way to use and in which recipes. Incredible taste in little chocolates and mixing as well with fruit flavors and almonds (don't miss our lessons for little chocolates). My favourite is the bitter chocolate dessert. Also chocolate covered meringues.
• Chocolate 44% : milk chocolate. Beautiful, tasty, kids love it but needs to be used in moderate way so that you always have a balanced result. You may use it to cover a cake, in tarts, cremeux, and in combined sweets along with nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pralines and coffee... 
• White chocolate: Kids love it as well but pay always attention while melting. Be sure that your bain mari is not extremely hot because it will not ease you at all. Most preferable the white ganache, the while chocolate mousse, the cappuccino sweet and my speciality: "white chocolate mousse with oreo cookies and bitter chocolate topping".

Apart from them you may find as well: 

80% chocolate a really bitter delice

Chocolate with strawberry taste(incredible but sweet)
Choc chips, bitter, milk or white

Chocolate with caramel

Gianduia: the new fashion and passion in pastry, really delicious, sweet and ideal for mousse, tarts, cremeux and many others.

And then you have cocoa! A 100% cocoa to spread your tiramisu, to use in your cakes, to spread in many decorations and make beautiful designs.

Later on we will find out the greatest chocolates worldwide and their products.

Most of the chocolate companies produce as well other types of products, chocolate based, for pastry chefs. Such products are mostly for decorations and for mixing different types of chocolates and creams. Let's see all these companies later on (Valrhona, Callebaut...)

Thanks to its taste chocolate is mostly related to pastry. Millions of recipes exist with different types of chocolates, based on creams, mousses, tarts, little treats, candies, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, desserts. I am leaving in the country of chocolate desserts. Souffles, eclairs, macarons, gateaux au chocolat, charlottes, croquants and craquants, profiteroles...

A major technique which is used is the chocolate ganache preparation. Various ways of preparing a ganache. Various flavors to perform to a ganache as well. Ganache au chocolat: used for sweets coverage, for filling layer cakes, desserts, for coverage as well prior fully covering cakes with sugar paste...

And then you have modelling chocolate. A chocolate based product used for decorations. A talented head and with some deco tools in your kitchen, you take a "play doh" type paste and you make beautiful and edible creations for your sweets to make them fancy.

Chocolate as I said is a delicate sweet angel or devil. I adore working with chocolate and while making little miracles you will realize as well that inspiration, a little knowledge of techniques and a lot of practice will bring you to a world full of beautiful ideas and decorations not to mention unbelievable flavours.

In our next chapter we will find out some of the most known chocolate pastry world chefs worldwide, famous chocolates and products. We will see as well soon in an explanatory video the different types of ganache so that you can make as well at home,

Love,
Les Delices d'Eleni