by: James McDonald
How is chocolate made you are wondering? Chocolate is derived from a cocoa bean removed from the pod of the cocoa tree. Cocoa trees are found growing in equatorial zones in the South America region. Once the Cocoa beans have been harvested they are then placed into large shallow pans to be heated. This is also known as the fermentation process. In some regions where the climate is warm the beans may be fermented by the sun. Throughout this fermentation workers stir them often to ensure that all the cocoa beans have been equally fermented.
One of the first things that industrial chocolate manufacturers do is dry roast the beans. The process of dry roasting helps develop the flavor into what we enjoy when eating it. The cocoa nibs, otherwise known as beans are comprised of two very important ingredients: cocoa solids and cocoa butter. The cocoa butter is basically a fat while the cocoa solids are predominantly coarse cocoa powder. The seperation of the two ingredients is very crucial in producing a smooth, high quality chocolate candy.
The process of removing the cocoa butter from the cocoa solids is to convert the nibs into a non alcoholic liquid called liquor. Once this is done the liquor is then sent into high pressure to press and squeeze the butter from the solids. What remains is a cake of solid cocoa. After the butter is removed it is then refined for future use, such as use in the cosmetic industry. Once the cocoa solids have been extracted and ground into a coarse fine powder it is then mixed together with other ingredients to become the chocolate candy we enjoy today.
To produce the bitter sweet dark chocolate the powder is mixed with cocoa butter and some sugar. Milk chocolate is made by mixing the powder with a minimum amount of cocoa butter, sugar and milk. White chocolate is produced by combining all the ingredients and by adding real vanilla flavoring as an emulsifier.
Once all the ingredients are combined they are all stirred together under heat to make a molten chocolate. The mixture is then placed into larger vats where it will be conched. The conching process is done by large smooth granite rollers that keep the chocolate mixture stirred and continue to grind the powder into relatively small pieces. To make the smooth velvety texture, the mixture is conched by very small granite rollers. The conching process takes several days at a time.
After all these steps have been completed the chocolate is then poured into molds where it is then allowed to cool and then removed and placed in a wrapper. Then the famous candy treat is ready to be dispersed to enjoy.
About The Author
James McDonald writes for www.findsweetsonline.com where you can find Hershey gourmet chocolates and many other types of sweets. Enjoy our selection of treats and other recipes.
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Best Cookies: Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
Best Cookies: Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
by: Donna Monday
There are a lot of great food fantasies. Now you can add these delicious cookies to your list. These taste sensations feature cream cheese, walnuts, coconut, and milk chocolate.
Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ? cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ? cup sugar
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- 2 ? cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ? cups coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 (7 oz.) milk chocolate candy bar, cut into chunks
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter, brown sugar, sugar and cream cheese in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add eggs; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking soda. Beat until well mixed. Stir in walnuts, coconut and...
Best Cookies: Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
Candy > Best Cookies: Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
Health, The Forgotten Friend
Health, The Forgotten Friend
by: Raquel Hunter
How many times have you heard someone say, "If I could do it all over again, I'd take better care of my health"? Or have you heard people say, "If I get rid of this disease, I'll eat right and exercise more frequently"? Unfortunately, most people don't receive that second chance.
Most people do not appreciate the importance of their health until it is failing. Cookies, candy, chips, ice cream, french fries, alcohol we run to them for comfort and solace. We think these foods make us feel better, but that is an illusion. These foods, and many others like them, are slowly killing us. Every time you "indulge" in a pint of ice cream or an order of super-size fries, you are putting your health at risk. So, does this mean stop eating french fries and ice cream? Maybe. Would you live longer if you stopped eating cookies, candy, chips, ice cream, French fries? Probably. If you lower your intake of the foods...
Health, The Forgotten Friend
Candy > Health, The Forgotten Friend
Best Cookies: Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
Best Cookies: Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
by: Donna Monday
There are a lot of great food fantasies. Now you can add these delicious cookies to your list. These taste sensations feature cream cheese, walnuts, coconut, and milk chocolate.
Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ? cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ? cup sugar
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- 2 ? cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ? cups coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 (7 oz.) milk chocolate candy bar, cut into chunks
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter, brown sugar, sugar and cream cheese in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add eggs; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking soda. Beat until well mixed. Stir in walnuts, coconut and...
Best Cookies: Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
Candy > Best Cookies: Chocolate Walnut Fantasies
Purseonality
Purseonality
by: Mary Helen Sanders
Most people do not notice what a purse says about one?s personality. If you start to analyze the different aspects of the purse, you would find that it tells much about that person. So you can check one?s personality by looking at their purseonality. Some examples to illustrate my point are what you would find inside the purse as well as the purse itself. You might look inside for different hints to one?s organization or items of importance to the individual. The style, shape, and color also reflect much about a person.
If you look inside someone?s purse, you could tell if that person is organized or not. You could also tell if they are conscious about looks or more about other things. Think about what you have in your purse. Do you have only the essentials such as identification, money, and keys? Most likely you have some personal items that identify you. You might have pictures of your family, you might...
Purseonality
Candy > Purseonality
Trade Show Marketers: How To Make Attendees Willingly Rush to Your Booth
Trade Show Marketers: How To Make Attendees Willingly Rush to Your Booth
by: Patty Stripes
Trade show booths are a lot like cars.
They all basically do the same thing:
they take you from point A to point B.
Some do it in sleek, chic manner, others with zip and zing, and sill others do it more by just sort of lumbering along.
And when it comes to your trade show booth, the last thing you want to do is lumber along.
You want a trade show booth with class, sass and kick, well, you know.
The absolute best way to ensure your trade show booth has just the right combination or class and sass is to hire graphic design experts to create the perfect trade show booth for your business.
Yes, you can buy a trade show booth that's more or less designed using a template, and it will look good.
But you want more for your booth than to just look good:
you want it to be stunning and hypnotic and...
Candy > Trade Show Marketers: How To Make Attendees Willingly Rush to Your Booth
4 Fun And Easy To Make Homemade Christmas Decorations
4 Fun And Easy To Make Homemade Christmas Decorations
by: Rosie Fletcher
Homemade Christmas decorations are some of the most unique. They are also a lot of fun because you can enjoy them with your family. Below are 4 fun and easy to make homemade Christmas decorations:
Popcorn Stringing
If you like strung popcorn, it?s really simple to make. Start with a big bowl of popcorn (unbuttered, of course) and string it piece by piece using a standard sewing needle and thread. Make sure there?s plenty of popcorn because, if you?re stringing it for garland, you?re going to need a lot.
Cranberry Stringing
Much like the popcorn stringing method, many people used to string cranberries using a standard needle and thread. Again, make sure there?s plenty to go around if you?re going to use it as garland. Most importantly, and I know it?s tempting, don?t eat all the decorations. Save some for the Christmas tree.
Paper Chains
One...
4 Fun And Easy To Make Homemade Christmas Decorations
Candy > 4 Fun And Easy To Make Homemade Christmas Decorations
Inexpensive Centerpiece Decorations
Inexpensive Centerpiece Decorations
by: Hana Lee
When planning a wedding, most brides focus first on the church, lining it with flowers and ribbons. By the time costs for the wedding are taken care of many couple?s find that they are skimming close to their budget. It?s good know that the centerpiece decorations at your reception can not only be inexpensive, but tasteful and original.
Try this idea and score a perfect ten for creativity when planning your...
Candy
Candy > Inexpensive Centerpiece Decorations
Candy mortgage Just How Is Chocolate Made?
Can An Ink Cartridge & The Machines That Use Them Actually Be Cool ?
Can An Ink Cartridge & The Machines That Use Them Actually Be Cool ?
by: Andrew James
First a little history lesson.....
There was a time, long ago that printers had ribbons and used dot matrix printing to create tiny dots that, when looked at, were readable. Sometimes they were BARELY readable, however. Changing ribbons and printing wheels to change type face was a chore.
Then, in 1984, the first laser printer that used toner cartridges came into...
Candy Can An Ink Cartridge & The Machines That Use Them Actually Be Cool ? ink cartridges
Candy > Can An Ink Cartridge & The Machines That Use Them Actually Be Cool ?
Five Simple Steps to Significant Savings
Five Simple Steps to Significant Savings
by: Rhiannon Williamson
We all know that we should be putting aside an amount of money each month and saving towards our futures - right?
Well, if you?re anything like I used to be you get to the end of the month and the cupboard ? or the bank account in this case - is bare?if you?re lucky you just have enough to meet your monthly bills but you certainly don?t have anything left to play with.
Well ? what if...
Candy Five Simple Steps to Significant Savings life insurance
Candy > Five Simple Steps to Significant Savings