Showing posts with label South America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South America. Show all posts
Belgian Chocolates Are The Alpha Male Of All Chocolates
Believe it or not chocolates are good for your health. There have been studies that were conducted by major research institutes that people who constantly eat chocolates have a longer life span than those who don't usually eat them.
Chocolates are also filled with antioxidants that fights off cancer, cardiovascular diseases, thwarts off strokes, and lowers down blood pressure. Chocolate also has large amounts of iron and magnesium.
Other than its health benefits, chocolates can make you feel much better in a more legal and tasty way compared to alcoholic beverages and medications. The ingestion of chocolates induces the release of hormones called endorphins which promotes a state of happiness or a feel-good emotional experience.
Chocolates are also believed to be an aphrodisiac. It has been so since the time of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations in South America. It is believed that ingestion of chocolates stimulates sexual energy and consequently makes people fertile.
It is also said to relieve exhaustion because of its nutritional aspects. Energy bars of athletes are mostly chocolates mixed with another substance for energy enhancement.
The team up of chocolate's health benefits with the best chocolate confection the world, Belgian chocolates, then there may be no more stopping for people who are still skeptics of the chocolate magic that has been driving people crazy since it's coming to European shores.
With chocolates, nothing beats the Belgians in making this sweet taste of heaven make its way to salivating chocolate crazy individuals. Belgian chocolates are deemed to be the alpha male of all chocolates. Even its rival Swiss counterparts bow to its gastronomical powers.
The distinctive factor of Belgian chocolates that makes it outstanding is the excellent quality of the ingredients and the perfect chocolate making techniques that has been refined through the centuries.
Belgian chocolates come in many shapes in sizes. One of the preferred forms of Belgian chocolates is the seashell shaped ones. After all, a seashell is a symbol of many positive things in life. Seashells are thought to be gifts from the ocean. With its various shapes and forms, it is the symbol of uniqueness and beauty.
One great symbolism of the seashell is created by Boticelli in one of his artistic creations. In his painting of "The Birth of Venus", the seashell is depicted as the vessel of beauty, rebirth, love, and godly attributes to the earth.
Therefore, seashell shaped Belgian chocolates are perfect for symbolizing the chocolate's representation of heavenly experience of a sweet filling wrapped in a beautiful chocolate shell or praline. One bite will surely bring you to the heavens.
With the Belgian seashell chocolate's rich in symbolism, it has become a popular item for gifts to loved ones. As gifts, packages for these chocolates should also be perfect. With the finesse of Belgian craftsmanship, chocolates are made of excellent materials which include top notch delicious fruits, high quality chocolate, and natural vanilla.
Artificial flavoring, which is common among inferior types if chocolates, is never included in the ingredients of Belgian chocolates.
In the quest for Belgian seashell chocolates, do not just opt for ones that are sold in supermarkets that claims to be made by the use of Belgian techniques of chocolate making. The most likely that you will be having a taste of real Belgian chocolates is in Belgium.
There are no other places here on this planet where you can perfectly eat Belgian chocolates. Plus, with the country's fine tourist destinations, Belgian chocolates, especially the seashell shaped ones, are the perfect snack as you go on sightseeing in the beautiful country of Belgium.
Source: Free Articles
About the Author
Allan Wilson specializes in providing ready made affliliate sites and private label articles. To speed up your website creation results visit Allan's site at: http://www.readymadeaffiliatesites.com
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_skHWeUUU2ZrgzcRzNTNuhDBJffFRAGc3IjPMLeKpFJ8QrwTsVOPnCYtCeb_WQBOIbKMthsk3oRFJF-krWY3z1zWAIiDGUbvRnt2GjnPycpnEMkS0kPnuSKT4VgVac7bT-jiF-U3P1YaIM_HQhVJ2m2=s0-d)
How Do Large Companies Make Chocolate
How do large companies make chocolate? For one, they need capital to be able to buy the equipment they need and also the ingredients.
Given that there are not that many places in the US to harvest cocoa beans, these companies go to South America, the Ivory Coast and as far away as Ghana because deep in their jungles likes the cacao tree.
These trees grow a melon like fruit that is harvested by hand and inside, there are 20 to 40 seeds which are the cocoa beans.
Once the cocoa beans are removed, they are placed in large heaps or piles in a process known as fermentation. This usually takes a week giving the shells time to harden, the beans darken and the cocoa flavor develop. Afterwards, these are then transported to the chocolate factory.
Since companies that import cocoa beans order these in vast quantities, it is more practical to transport these back to the US by ship than by air. Once they reach the dock, it is then transferred to rail road cars on the way to the factory so they can be cleaned and stored.
Chocolates as we know taste different and this is depends on the country of origin of the beans. The first step in converting these into chocolate is to roast these in large revolving roasters at high temperatures.
Next, a special hulling machine dries it so the shell of the bean is removed and its content known as the “nib” is the one that is actually used in making chocolate.
The next step is to turn the “nibs” into its liquid form. This process is known as milling and to give you that added taste, other ingredients are added and these include chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and milk.
Chocolate liquor is a combination of milk and sugar. The end product of this coarse brown powder called a chocolate crumb. As for milk, this is taken from the farm where it is tested, pasteurized and mixed with sugar until it turns into a thick, taffy like material.
You then throw in cocoa butter to bring out the rich taste and creamy texture of the chocolate. Another machine known as steel rollers grind and refine the mixture to make it smoother.
After all that, the mixture becomes a thick liquid often referred to as chocolate paste. Since there still may be some gritty particles, it is placed inside another machine called the conche for 24 to 72 hours.
When the paste has been smoothened, this is the time that the liquid chocolate is poured into the mold. The process is very fast inside a factory as some produce about a thousand of these a minute that is something that can never be done manually. If the chocolate comes in many varies, this is also the time that almonds and peanuts are added.
In the machine, air bubbles are removed so the chocolate is able to settle evenly. They then make their way through a cooling tunnel so the liquid chocolate is turned into a solid candy bar.
The last step is obviously to wrap this up, put these in boxes and then deliver it to stores. Customers then buy these off the shelf and then enjoy its yummy taste without ever thinking for one moment how do large companies make chocolate.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vS2Y9RJh9HweAJuZZj_-hXSlZAOGmXAvlf0bRV5J8615_h_xwt4qDcP2nZl8TNqHQbpf1IuShQqB1xAmpNT7Fgxub_j-XxQtIn2CntecVGDSBvJhhhEx4h1-UJd4eUWX0gFznYoPYOYuszmzKnwbCs=s0-d)
What Does It Take To Make Chocolate
First, chocolate is produced from cocoa beans that from the Theobroma cacao tree. In English, this term means “food for the Gods” because of its heavenly taste that the Aztec and Mayan civilizations have enjoyed for years.
These degrees are harvested mainly from the Ghana and the Ivory Coast with some getting their supplies from other countries in South Africa and South America.
The reason why chocolate is abundant is because the pods from these trees are produced all year long. There are three types that each have their own distinctive flavor namely Forastero, Criollo and Trinitario.
Of the three, the most abundant among them is Forastero. Criollo on the other hand is very rare while Trinitario is a hybrid of the two.
Harvesting the pods is usually done by hand with machetes. The farmers have to split open the pods to get to the cocoa beans. Afterwards, they scrape the pulp and beans from inside the pods and left to ferment in baskets from 2 to 8 days.
Fermentation is important because without it, the beans inside would be too bitter to enjoy. After this process, the contents are spread in a single layer to dry usually under direct sunlight before this is packed and shipped to the buyer.
Now you understand what farmers do, it is time to explain what the manufacturers do. Once the beans reach the factory, this is roasted and then transferred to a winnower. This machine removes the shell of the bean and leaves the “nibs” which is what is used to making chocolate. This is then grounded and turned into a rich thick paste now called chocolate liquor.
The liquor then undergoes one more process to remove the cocoa butter which has an end product known as “cocoa presscake” or cocoa powder and here, manufacturers decide what kind of chocolate to make.
If the presscake is of low quality, this will have to be mixed with other ingredients like vegetable fats, sugar and artificial flavoring. If what they have is of good quality, then this will added again to chocolate liquor and other ingredients like milk, sugar and vanilla before this is transferred to a conching machine.
The conching is considered to be the last step in screening the chocolate in order to get its ultimate flavor and texture. The speed, temperature and length of this process has a lot to do with the taste of the chocolate. Also, this helps remove any acidic tones.
This is then tempered into a large machine which pours the chocolate into the mold. Once it is frozen, the bars are then packed and ready to be shipped off to the consumer.
Now that you know what it takes to make chocolate, you can begin to appreciate what you buy whenever you go to the grocery store and buy a few of these as a snack. Some of these are cheap while others are expensive and it all boils down to what kind of cocoa tree was used to make the finished product.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tJ9EHcCS2ddELZRMgM08QC3jyAXjoY5M75Fb3tdECQwB5JgrwYS0P-bhBVVe9EN8wg7yRjBanmJEpbofSdA9UqPZA6Cey-Fuz7VDNcrCc1vw8pDdhJ_-NzNbcTNlY_sC8he4b4V0dQoNdepkt1oC8z=s0-d)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
