Fun Chocolate Facts

The Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolates

2010-03-04T18:06:00.000-08:00

It is rare that eating chocolate is recommended for health reasons. However, quite surprisingly, dark chocolate is said to contain antioxidants that benefit your body when eaten properly.

People often refer to dark chocolate as "bittersweet" chocolate. It contains roughly 70% cocoa solids and has less or no sugar added.

Since it has less or no sugar, dark chocolate is far less susceptible to heat than milk chocolate.

Some recent studies suggest that eating dark chocolate provides your body with essential antioxidants that could help with getting rid of free radicals that cause premature aging.

Other studies indicate that another benefit of dark chocolates is it could help with lowering bad cholesterol oxidation and reduce the risk of blood clots.

The primary reason why dark chocolate have these benefits is the flavonoids it contains. A flavonoid is a ketone that one can also find in the stems, seeds, and leaves of several plants. These flavonoids are members of a class of antioxidants called polyphenols, which are also found in red wine, tea, and certain fruits and vegetables.

It is estimated that dark chocolate contains eight times the levels of polyphenol antioxidants when compared with strawberries.

More studies have indicated that there are reduced benefits eating dark chocolate antioxidants if it were taken with milk or if milk were part of the dark chocolate mixture. It is believed that the molecules of milk adhere themselves to the epicatechins and prevent the proper assimilation of the flavonoids by the body.

Not all studies favor dark chocolates. Concerns have been raised about the possibility of dark chocolate inducing migraine attacks. However, data to fully support those concerns is still insufficient.

In addition to being a pleasure on the palate, consuming fifty grams of dark chocolate made of at least 70 percent chocolate solids could provide health benefits and supplement your diet with additional iron, potassium, and calcium.

Easy Chocolate Dessert Recipes

2009-10-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

Looking for easy chocolate dessert recipes ? Well, you've found what you are looking for! In this article, I'll teach you how to make a delicious but easy chocolate ice cream. So enjoy.

The best way to obtain a smooth, evenly textured ice cream is to whisk the mixture carefully and freeze quickly. The main thing you want to avoid is ice crystals forming in the mixture this can be achieved by adding air into the mix, you can do this by taking the mixture out of the freezer after 20 minutes and giving it a further whisk.

Tips
Chill all ingredients and utensils before you use them
Be accurate with the quantity of sugar, to much will prevent the mixture from freezing and to little will cause the mixture to freeze hard and rocky
Do not put warm mixtures into the finished container allow to cool
Do not fill the container because freezing will increase the size of the contents
Put freezer on coldest setting

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

200ml of milk
1 egg
40g of fine sugar

120g of Lindt 99% excellence chocolate
70ml of water
140ml of cream
7ml of vanilla essence

Whisk the egg and sugar and add the warm milk whilst whisking.
Add the mix to a bowl and heat without boiling for about five minutes
Strain this mix then leave to cool

Break the chocolate into pieces and place into another bowl add the water, dissolve this slowly over a low heat.

Add the melted chocolate to the previous mix and stir.

Important you now need to cool this mix.

Once cooled add the half whipped cream and vanilla and gently whisk for 1 minute.
Place this in your freezer remove after 20 minutes and whisk (churn) for a couple of minutes then return to freezer

This is just one of those easy dessert recipes. Follow these steps and make a delicious chocolate ice cream. Next time, you are in your way on a harder recipe. Maybe a chocolate covered cherries. Whatever it is, just put in mind that you are making this to satisfy who will eat it. And everything will go right.

Chocolate Cake Recipes

2009-10-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Imagine a wonderful bake cake... Yummy? What if it is a chocolate cake recipe turn into a reality? The most delicious thing!! Want to eat one of those chocolate cake recipes but don’t know how to do this? Well, here's my own homemade chocolate cake recipe that I want to share with you.

This is a moist chocolate cake recipe, it is a 3 layer cake with 2 layers of raspberry cream filling and topped with a chocolate raspberry butter cream icing. Are you craving for it yet?

To make this cake use your favorite chocolate cake or for the inexperienced baker just use 2 dark chocolate cake mixes or you can mix different types of chocolate on it.

Mix with 8 medium eggs , 2 cups cold water , 2/3 cup oil

Mix on medium speed until well blended, scrape bowl, mix for 1 more minute.

Pour in equal portions into 3 (10x2 inch baking pans).

Bake at 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until done. Cool on rack, remove from pans, level cakes by cutting off rounded tops.

Purchase a good fruitful raspberry pastry filling (H&H) is the best, place about 1 pound of filling in a bowl and add whip cream to it (whip the cream first) now fold them together until you reach the desired flavor and thickness (don't make it too thin).

Use any chocolate butter cream recipe that you like and add to the icing (black raspberry extract) until you reach the desired flavor (if you make the icing too thin just add some more 10x sugar).

Assemble the cake:

On the bottom layer put a dam of icing around the edge and your filling in the center and smooth to level, repeat for 2nd and 3rd layer, decorate as in picture, use shaved chocolate or chocolate jimmies in center of the top.

There you go, a chocolate cake recipe. If you did this well, maybe next time, your out for some harder but more delicious chocolate recipe like a chocolate mousse cake recipe. Anyway, what is important is you already know the basic.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Recipe – Addictive

2009-10-20T23:38:00.001-07:00

You know it's addictive. You know that it can be fattening. You know that it contains loads of sugar. Has that stopped you? Of course not! It's chocolate we're talking about here! Who can give it up? Chocolate is the favorite vice of both young and old, especially chocolate covered strawberry recipe . It has the soothing taste of a strawberry joined with the addictive taste of chocolates.

There are so many different types of chocolate out there. You can find practically any kind of chocolate to satisfy even the most finicky among us. Undoubtedly, the worshippers at the altar of chocolate are a vocal bunch. Ask anyone where the best chocolate in the world come from and you'll get a variety of opinions, but most will agree that Belgian chocolate is among, if not the, best.

Belgian chocolate, as we know it today, evolved during the 19th century, but chocolate itself had been present in Belgium for roughly three centuries already. Today, there are many major brands of Belgian chocolate including Guylian, Côte d'Or and the exquisite Godiva chocolates. Even Leonidas, which is considered to be the cheapest out of all the major brands of Belgian chocolate, has a vast following worldwide.

Unlike many other types of easy chocolate dessert recipes, which stick to popular combinations of caramel, raisins and a few classes of nuts, Belgian chocolate displays practically every edible combination possible. Just go to the online catalogue of any big brand.

The 'melt-in-your-mouth' consistency of Belgian chocolate has made it a favorite for use in chocolate fountains. This is the latest craze at parties, weddings and many other social events. Chocolate fountains are essentially devices for heating chocolate, which is then transported vertically before flowing over tiers for a waterfall effect. Belgian chocolate is usually high in cocoa butter, giving it the naturally wonderful consistency that is recommended for chocolate fountains.

Chocolate fountains are also a lot easier to obtain than a traditional wedding cake. There's no need to pay someone tons of money for an intricate design and you don't have to worry about anything falling apart on the big day. A growing number of catering companies offer chocolate fountains as an alternative and they're usually a big hit with guests, who can unleash their inner child by dipping strawberries, marshmallows and anything else you give them, in the cascading Belgian chocolate.

Health Benefits Of Chocolate

2009-10-20T23:35:00.000-07:00

People always think of Chocolates as a sinful indulgence. A delicacy where in many people who are in diet are deprived from. A food that we all think is too much and not good for our health. But it doesn't have to be. If you choose your chocolate wisely, you can enjoy it without the guilty feelings we normally associate with it. In fact there are many health benefits of chocolate that we can have.

What Are the Healthy Aspects of Chocolate?
By eating small amounts of the right chocolate, you will enjoy the many health aspects of chocolate. Chocolate contains high levels of potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamins B1, B2, D and E. If that's not reason enough to reach for a daily dose of chocolate, consider that it can also lower blood pressure and prevent arteries from hardening, therefore protecting the heart. So grab a chocolate covered strawberry recipe now for your health.

Has Chocolate Been Wrongly Accused?
For the most part, chocolate has been wrongly accused. New studies are finding that common beliefs about the effects of chocolate are not true after all. While we used to associate chocolate with acne, researchers have now dismissed a possible link between the two. While some people avoided chocolate because of the caffeine level associated with it, we now know that a small serving only contains as much caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee.

What Kind of Chocolate Offers The Most Health Aspects?
True cocoa is the best chocolate to eat for health reasons. Not only will it satisfy your sweet tooth, but it will also provide health aspects beyond what many of us dreamed possible. The recommendation is to eat two small squares of chocolate per day. We're not talking about a typical candy bar here. Dark chocolate contains higher levels of cocoa and lower level of milk and sugar.

Healthy Chocolate Snacks
There are some easy ways to get in your daily dose of heart-healthy chocolate. Try a steamy cup of hot cocoa, or learn how to make chocolate tuxedo strawberries because a chocolate dip in fruit is healthy, or grab a chocolate covered almonds or eat the squares of chocolate by themselves.

Whatever chocolate you like to eat, remember the health benefits of chocolate and dont be afraid to eat it. But remember toe at moderately too. For everything that is too much is bad too.

Cool Facts About Chocolate

2009-10-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

Do you love chocolates? Are you one of those people who are craving for it and just cant stop to have them? Well, there' more to that so delicious taste that you are craving for. Here are some cool facts about chocolate .

- Chocolate is produced from the beans of the cacao tree, which originated in South America, and now grows in Africa, the West Indies, the tropical parts of America, and the Far West. How is chocolate made and discovered is really fascinating.

- Used as the main ingredient in numerous recipes, chocolate constitutes one of the most loved materials known in today's food world. Children and adults both appreciate chocolate's unique aroma, taste, color and texture and prefer it in comparison to other foods.

- Chocolate once purchased has to be stored in a cool, dry place, away from heat or direct sunlight. Most chocolate can be stored for about a year. When it is stored in the refrigerator or freezer, chocolate can last even longer, but one should be careful with its wrapping as it might pick up flavors from other foods if not properly handled.

- If you enjoy using chocolate in your meals, you have to be aware that it should not be melted over direct heat, except when melted with other ingredients, and then heat should be very low.

- After your chocolate is melted, you can use it to create anything, from chocolate cookies and treats to cakes and beautiful decorations. Keep in mind that chocolate sets best at 65oF although it will set, more slowly, in a slightly hotter room. Be careful when you place chocolate into the refrigerator especially after the melting process as it might develop a white bloom.

History Of Chocolate

2009-10-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

Everyone are crazy about chocolates. They munch it and eat any types of chocolates. But do you know the history of chocolate ?

The word "chocolate" is said to be derived from the Mayan word "xocoatl." In fact, the Mayans, who occupied the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico starting in the 3rd century, were the first people to unlock the secrets of cacao seeds to make chocolate paste. This rich culture also crafted a recipe for an iconic beverage, known today as Mayan Hot Chocolate: a mix of intense, bitter dark chocolate with spicy notes of cinnamon and chile. Here are some cool facts about chocolate. This delicious drink was so revered by the Mayans that it was used in religious ceremonies as an offering to the gods.

Once chocolate was discovered by European conquests, it became a treat only the wealthiest could afford. Health benefits of chocolate is also a word spread that years. That's why chocolates had really become expensive. Not only was chocolate expensive, but it was bitter. Sugar and spices used to sweeten it were expensive too and out of the common man's reach. It was in the 1800's that the industrial age and mass production made chocolate candy affordable for everyone.

Eighteen centuries later, the same flavor notes of the original Mayan Hot Chocolate recipe can be found in a much cooler form-ice cream. Re-created by Häagen-Dazs® ice cream, this new flavor features unadulterated, dark chocolate with a delicate blend of cinnamon varieties sourced from the side of an active volcano. Rich and smooth, Mayan Chocolate ice cream is threaded lavishly with a ribbon of exquisite chocolate sauce, providing the ultimate chocolate-on-chocolate experience.

Today many people buy candy online. With the invention of the World Wide Web, you can snack on exotic chocolate chip cookie recipe made anywhere in the world. Innovations in chocolate recipes and shipping ensure you receive your chocolate candy in perfect condition. You can also learn how is chocolate made with some of chocolate tutorials online. So be your own chocolate engineer and have fun.

Sugar Cookie Recipes For Your Family

2009-10-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

Baking sugar cookie recipes with any or all of your children is a naturally fun activity. And eating it is much more a heaven, especially if the cookie you've made, is a chocolate chip cookie. Nowadays, there's a lot of parent that are baking chocolate cookies with their kids. Mainly because the whole family loves it. But more importantly, baking with children is a great way to spend time with them and to teach them things at the same time you're all having fun.

Cookies are portable, sweet and fun to make. They can be made in stages if time is tight-prepare the dough in the evening and bake them the next morning. Older children can read the recipe and direct adults on what steps to take. Small children can roll the dough into balls and flatten it with a fork, similar to making peanut butter cookies. There's enough fun to go around for everyone. But to be sure of, just choose some basic sugar cookie recipes, so that everyone can help in the process of baking.

What makes your soft sugar cookie recipes even better is to add corn starch to the dough. In fact, many recipes for baked goods from the early 20th century used corn starch in conjunction with flour. Bakers found very early on that corn starch gave biscuits, muffins, cakes, shortcakes, pie crusts and most notably cookies a finer texture and more tender crumb when compared to recipes using flour alone.

Here's one of those easy cookie recipes for Lemon Shortbread Cookies that's simple and delicious and should make for a batch of family fun.

Lemon Shortbread Cookies Ingredients:
11/3 cups Argo or Kingsford's Corn Starch
2 cups butter or margarine
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
Makes six dozen

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat butter until softened. Add powdered sugar, beat until well combined. Add lemon peel and vanilla; beat well. In a medium bowl, stir together flour and corn starch; add to mixture and beat well.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls (kids will love this). Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Press tines of a fork atop each ball to make subtle design. Bake about 15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Homemade Fudge Recipes

2009-10-20T23:26:00.000-07:00

Homemade fudge recipes had always been one of the favorites dessert of many people. It has been one of the most sought out dessert specially when it is christmas. For years many people had always wanted to get the perfect fudge recipe. Now is your lucky day, because I'm giving you instant acees to the best homemade fudge recipes ever.

Here are the three main requirements for a perfect chocolate fudge recipe:

• Easy. It needs to be one of those easy fudge recipes.
• Taste. The perfect fudge has to have that creamy melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Availability of Ingredients. Has to use ingredients readily available at any grocery store.
The Best Fudge Recipes
Ingredients:
• 20 oz. Hershey's milk chocolate bars
• 1 cup butter (not margarine!), softened to room temperature. An extra butter for pans.
• 1-12 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Use a good brand, as in Nestle's, Hershey's, or Ghiradelli. If you prefer lighter fudge, use milk chocolate chips.
• 4 cups granulated sugar.
• 1 and 2/3 cups evaporated milk
• 2 and 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 2 teaspoons vanilla, use the real stuff
• 1 pound of nuts, chopped

In your large stainless steel bowl, break up the milk chocolate candy bars and the butter into small pieces. Pour in chocolate chips and set aside.

Grease your pans with butter. You'll need two 9x13 inch flat cake pans, but you can use smaller or larger pans depending on what you have available, and how thick you want your fudge to be. It's best to have a couple of extra smaller pans ready just in case.

In a large saucepan or pot, combine sugar, evaporated milk and mini marshmallows. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Tip: Don't scrape the sides of the pot when you are stirring, it tends to make candy taste grainy.

Cook and stir at a light but steady boil for 7 minutes. You might see some brownish bits floating around as its cooking. This is normal. Remove from heat, pour over butter and chocolate in your bowl.

With a wooden spoon, stir until melted and well blended. Continue to stir until candy loses some of it's shine. (The shine should go from a shiny, high gloss to a matte gloss). Stir in vanilla and nuts, if desired.* Pour into buttered pans. Cool completely before cutting into pieces. Use a knife dipped in hot water for cutting.

Now, you know how to make fudge. And not just any ordinary fudge, but the best fudge ever. So, make this homemade fudge recipes!!

Chocolate Dessert Recipes

2009-10-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

It is always nice to have dessert in meals, especially if you are eating with your family. But people nowadays are finding it hard to cook meals, moreover to make a dessert. They always end up eating pizzas or eating in fastfood chains. So, what can you do if you are craving for chocolate dessert recipes ? There is nothing better than enjoying a home-made dessert that you yourself made.

Home-made chocolate dessert recipes will take some time to prepare and a little more time to perfect but the effort will be well worth it. Some chocolate cake recipes takes hours to finished, but the taste of it cannot be compare to any restaurant when it is finish. Here are chocolate dessert some ideas that you may never have even thought of before.

Apple Chocolate Chip Dessert Pizza
Black & White Chocolate Tartlets
Chocolate And Peanut Butter Blondies
Black and White Chocolate Covered Strawberry Recipe
Chocolate-Almond Ice Cream Roll
Chocolate Fudge Squares with Mocha Glaze
Chocolate Waffles With Coffee Syrup
Chantico Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

It is also great to try dark chocolate in your recipes because there are many health benefits of dark chocolate. You'll find chocolate recipes for every occasion, from simple, quick dessert recipes to elaborate treats that will have everyone eating out of the palm of your hand. Whether you're planning for your next dinner party or want a simple recipe the kids will enjoy, nothing says decadence like a chocolate dessert.

There you have some of the ideas for to make for your dessert. You'll probably have the best meal with your family with these chocolate dessert recipes. In case all of this didn't work, and you really don't have time to prepare something, One of those easy chocolate dessert recipes is to have fresh fruit and chocolates. Fresh fruit can be a perfect and light ending to any meal. You can give it that little something extra and have melted chocolate on the table to dip the fruit into. Satisfy everyone's taste buds with your dessert.

Interesting Facts About Chocolate

2009-10-20T23:11:00.000-07:00

Almost everyone I've ever known and met really loves chocolate. What's great is that there's many interesting facts about chocolate . That even a single person in the world can't resist it.

- Chocolate has been and will continue to be one of the most popular gifts to give to your loved one on Valentine's Day, because it makes people feel more sensual. Probably the reason chocolate is given on Valentine's Day is that it also contains phenylethylamine which is usually released by the body when you are spending quality time with a loved one. Chocolate will not make someone fall in love with you or be more attracted to you, but it can help set the mood between two people that love each other. So, put out your chocolate sponge cake recipe and give it to your love one now.

- How is chocolate made is one of the most great things ever discovered in the food business. The best thing about chocolate is that it comes in many different shapes and sizes, including white chocolate, hot chocolate, fudge, and even chocolate chip cookies. It can also tastes good with almost anything, so you can always work in a little chocolate with most meals.

- Most people I know believe that chocolate makes them feel good after they eat it and there are so many health benefits of chocolate that they are grasping. Some people believe that this good feeling is just in your head and that it happens just because you think you are feeling better. However chocolate contains many different chemicals in it that help to cause chemical reactions that truly can make you feel better and helps people become healthier.

- Chocolate contains many different stimulates that can boost up their energy. Chocolate also contains a small amount of caffeine that can get you going when you are feeling sluggish. However do not worry about getting too much caffeine from chocolate, because it contains the same amount of caffeine that you would get from drinking one ounce of coffee.

- Chocolate also causes the body to release serotonin, which is a chemical that has been associated with decreased levels of depression, tension, and fatigue.

These are just some cool facts about chocolate. All in all chocolate is one of the best things on earth. If you are feeling down, need a boost of energy, or need help setting the mood, then get some chocolate and all of your troubles will just melt away.

Fun Chocolate Facts - The Greatest Gift

2009-02-22T22:08:00.000-08:00

With the love that majority of people have for chocolate, it becomes very difficult to find anyone who doesn't love chocolate.

That deliciously sweet, creamy and rich treat that is great for all occasions is now the love of so many people. These days there are now an endless collection of chocolate products out there that you can choose from.

For those who desire fudge brownies, they can get what they want. For those who desire decadent cakes or even grande mocha latte, they can get what they want and have fun chocolate facts. This wonderful treat called chocolate is now a delight all over the world.

It is now one of the best gifts to give at anytime of the year. And for those that want to give gifts of such, they absolutely need chocolate gift baskets.

They are now incredibly very important if you want to give that present of chocolate. The fact that there are several chocolate gift baskets to choose from, this is a real delight.

For those who are looking for the ideal chocolate gift baskets, they should go online. There are now variety of chocolate gift baskets online to choose from. I don't know about you, but one of my favorite brands of chocolate is the Godiva. Of course you might think it is a bit pricy, but I am not in total agreement with that idea.

You see, I spent just 50 bucks on a pound at one time and enjoyed it. If you are searching for the best selection of lovely chocolates, Godiva is it. Take your time and check out their store or visit them online. They take their time with packing their chocolate.

It is as if each chocolate is specially packed with a divine flavor. What better thing to give away to someone special as a gift than chocolate from Godiva.

What I like particularly about chocolates is the variety. For the chocolate gift baskets, there are lots of varieties to choose from. If you want the solely dark chocolate, you will get it. You can also get chocolate gift baskets that have only milk or white chocolate too.

Fun chocolate facts is - no matter the kind of chocolate you want; you can get it, especially online. Forget about those security fears you have about sending gifts and whether the receiver will love them or not.

With chocolate gift baskets, you are assured they will. If you are still in doubt of the particular website to visit for the chocolate gift baskets of your choice, go online and search using Google. Simply enter the keyword of your choice and conduct your search.

You will be presented with an avalanche of sites and chocolate gift baskets to choose from. I hope you don't end up needing all that you find. If you do, your pocket will be the victim.