Chocolaty E-Book

Luise Hakasi

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Information, tips and lots of recipes around the delicious topic chocolate: Where does chocolate come from? How it is produced - from the cocoa bean to the finished chocolate-panel? Why is it healthy? Have a feast, from van Houten, Nestle, Toblerone, Ferrero, Hershey and Ghirardelli Chocolate over Soufflé, pave and Petit gateau to chocolate bombs, cookies, carrot cake with chocolate coating and many other Chocolaty ideas. A sweet temptation! Must read!

Leseprobe

Luise Hakasi

Chocolaty

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG80331 Munich

Introduction

Information, tips and lots of recipes around the delicious topic chocolate: Where does chocolate come from? How it is produced - from the cocoa bean to the finished chocolate-panel? Why is it healthy?

Have a feast, from van Houten, Nestle, Toblerone, Ferrero, Hershey and Ghirardelli Chocolate over Soufflé, pave and Petit gateau to chocolate bombs, cookies, carrot cake with chocolate coating and many other chocolaty ideas. A sweet temptation! Must read!

Cocoa Power

Cacao, Brazil's number one: Brazilian cocoa unbeaten in recognition, with respect to its outstanding quality and also in terms of export quantity. As well Venezuela, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Togo, Ghana, Peru, Mexico and Uganda are among the top 20 producers of fine flavored cocoa beans worldwide.

Cacao (lat. Theobroma cacao) is especially rich in precious oils and has an incomparably gentle, pleasant, tropical-chocolaty scent. Cocoa seeds are used throughout the world to produce scented cosmetics, juice, exclusive cocoa butter, sweets and of course, primarily coveted chocolate. Even German, Swiss, Belgian and American chocolate manufacturers rely on the proven quality of the Brazilian cocoa beans. Let's look at this wonderful tropical fruit "Cacao" a little more closely:

Cacao (or also: cocoa) belongs to the family of Serculiaceae, but may simply be called chocolate. Not only the seeds which contain the actual cocoa beans, are used, but also the pulp (“polpa”), which surrounds the seeds, the leaves and the bark of the tree. Special properties were listed in long research series: Cacao is antiseptic, diuretic, anti-parasite, brain tonic, and has wound-healing effect. Ascorbic acid, arginine, lysine, carotene, cellulose, linoleic acid, pectin, tannins, pantothenic acid, and many, many other valuable active ingredients are in this precious tropical fruit. Emphasis on polyphenols and flavonoids, which, inter alia, lower blood pressure, prevent clumping of platelets and proven (MRI) even increase the blood circulation in the brain.

Cocoa trees are grown, above all in South America, Africa and the West Indies. The shapely, evergreen tree growing to 25 feet tall (average height of 12 to 15 meters) and is particularly richly branched at the top. Those who want to keep a cocoa tree in the winter garden, can curb the growth by cutting off the tip. Cocoa wood is white or light surrounded by a thin, smooth bark. The brownish pods containing numerous red-brown seeds of about three centimeters in length, which are surrounded by whitish, buttery, sweet pulp.

Long before the discovery of South America cocoa beans were as a precious cash in this continent. Nowadays different varieties of cocoa are grown, including Maracaibo, Surinam, Bahia and Cauca. Several thousand years ago Mayas and Aztecs already mixed cocoa with water and spices to produce the bitter strengthening drink xocolatl for their warriors as well as their celebrations. For the commercial trade, the cocoa beans are dried; their bitterness mostly remains. Through the so-called sweating treatment the seeds harden and change color. Indios dry the seeds in the natural process by burying or covering them for weeks with green banana leaves.

Cocoa seeds contain up to 50% fat, as well as caffeine and protein. Medical applications may be made with cocoa powder for nutrition, because cocoa is extremely rich in nutrients. Pure cocoa butter works against chapped lips, while breast-feeding for the nipples, against rough, dry and damaged skin, as well as in cosmetic products such as soaps, creams, shampoos, perfumes and exotic suppositories.

Scientific research show the powerful effects of theobromine contained as a diuretic, but without stressing the heart and circulation.

Cocoa presses to extract the cocoa butter from the beans were developed in the early 19th century. By adding sugar, the first chocolate could be refined in Switzerland in 1850. Then milk chocolate originated by adding milk powder. For the first time the conching process, which made the chocolate softly melting, was employed. Chocolate is still one of the world's most popular sweets. Germany hold one of the top places with an average annual consumption of more than eight kilograms of chocolate per person. Apparently this is due to the fact that the chocolate consumption releases serotonin, the  "happiness hormone". Addictions are therefore quite possible. At the French royal courts chocolate was lauded as an aphrodisiac. However, 100 grams of milk chocolate contain more than 500 calories (by other additives possibly more, depending on the type), while cocoa powder provides about 16 calories per spoon. Around 30% of the calories come from fat. Therefore, diet-conscious people should use skimmed milk for their cocoa-containing drinks.

Nutritional value of cocoa beans per 100 grams:

342 calories

24.5 g fat (of which 9 g unsaturated fatty acids)

20 g protein

32.8 g fiber

Vitamin A, retinol, beta-carotene, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, D, E, K, folic acid

Minerals calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus

Trace elements iron, copper, iodine, manganese, fluorine, zinc

18 amino acids

A cocoa tree in the winter garden must not remain an unfulfilled dream. Meanwhile both seedlings as well as cocoa beans are available at special retailers. Experts recommend temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius, therefore, never directly on the cold ground, but on a coaster or a stool. At constant heat and humidity this attractive tropical tree grows rapidly to a height of three to five meters. Who has the opportunity to bring own cacao seeds from vacation, should remove the white fleshy fibers carefully from the seeds and gently clean them with sand or any other rough material to eliminate perishable fibers. These seeds lose their ability to germinate very quickly, so they should be planted as soon as possible. Until the germination keep the seeds shady, warm and moist. Sprouted seeds can be placed peat in mixed with potting soil; fertilize every 2 weeks.