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Chocolate

Chocolate

Friday marks National Hot Chocolate Day. But chocolate is more than something to eat in bars or as desert – its use in cooking can be much more adventurous than that. So, we’ve put together this small guide on the culinary delights of the Cocoa bean.

Chocolate can be dated back to Central America almost 4,000 years ago when cacao was made into a frothy drink, usually with spices added to it and drunk by the Aztecs.

It wasn’t until the exploration of Christopher Columbus in the sixteenth century that chocolate was brought to Europe.

In 1828, a cocoa press that could powder chocolate was invented and 1879 Lindt, which of course is still making chocolate today, introduced the first conching machine which could heat chocolate, reduce its acidity and improve its flavour. But it wasn’t really until the 20th century that industrial processes made chocolate much more affordable.

Chocolate varies greatly in quality. Single origin beans mean they come from just one country, but that is a bit like saying 'French wine'. To get the best, you are looking for single estate beans, which are the fine wines of the cacao world.

Chocolate connoisseurs tend to avoid chocolate with soya lecithin. It’ used in some mass manufacturing processes to help the chocolate flow better through the machines, which is all very well and good, but it can leaves a poor aftertaste.

It’s also important to look at the percentage of cocoa solids in your chocolate and what the recipe demands. In savoury cooking you will usually be using chocolate with a very high percentage of cocoa.

Since ancient times, sauces containing chocolate have been poured over meat: there are a number of versions, from classic red wine-based sauces to citrusy modern ones with orange juice. One recipe which is well known is Wild boar stew with chocolate  or you could try Nigella Lawson’s Chilli Con Carne With Chocolate​​​ ​Recipe.

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