Chocolate fountain

The chocolate fountain is a big hit at holiday parties. The chocolate fountain makes an amazing centerpiece at these types of event. Decorations can be added to match the theme of the party or holiday celebration

Fun facts about chocolate

1) On the fourth visit of Christopher Columbus to the Americas, he came across cocoa beans, which he presented to the Spanish court. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, however, dismissed chocolate as a bizarre tribal concoction. Boy, did they miss the boat!

2) “Giri Choco” is a japanese custom which means “duty chocolate.” It calls for employees to give chocolates to their managers as a token of loyalty.

3)A recent study indicates when men crave food, they tend to crave fat and salt. When women crave food, they tend to desire chocolate.

4)The botanical name of the chocolate plant is Theobramba cacao, which means “Food of the Gods.”

5)Chocolate was considered an aphrodisiac by the Aztec Indians, and as such, was forbidden to women. Today, some postulate that chocolate triggers a brain chemical that produces the same reaction brought on by a passionate love affair. Perhaps that is why, when a love affair turns sour, many a spurned lover goes on a chocolate binge.

6)The term “white chocolate” is a misnomer. Under Fedaral Standards of Identity, real chocolate must contain chocolate liquor (see “A Short History of Chocolate”). “White” chocolate contains no chocolate liquor.

Facts on Chocolate

Sinful is how women has always described chocolate. But despite so, do you know that 99% of all women love chocolate and that they may actually prefer chocolate more to than to sex?
What exactly about chocolate is it so wonderful? Well, in fact it is not just the women who love it but almost everybody would love it too. I believe you enjoy chocolate just as much? It always feels so nice to have it melted in your mouth, delivering its wonderful taste right through your tongue, doesn't it?
Well its wonderful taste aside, chocolate contains phenylethylamine - the same chemical that is released in your brain when you fall in love; leading to that increase in the pounding of your heart, feeling of a sudden gush of excitement. "Love Chemical" is what some would call it. It is also believed by researcher that phenylethylamine in turn causes the brain to release mesolimbic dopamine in the pleasure centers of the brain, another chemical where its presence is at peak during an orgasm.
Nevertheless, the sweetness from chocolate also triggers the release of endorphins. Think about those blissful feeling you had after a wonderful session of lovemaking. That is the effect from the production of endorphins in your body. Perhaps that is why some women actually remarked that they felt a feeling of elation when eating chocolate.

Chocolate as A Gift of Love

Well, a perfect gift for your love, chocolate will be. Just like buying roses during Valentine's Day, chocolate can never go wrong. In fact, the both could be the best combination ever. Do you know that roses also contain the "Love Chemical", Phenylethylamine? That explains for its distinct scent.
Giving of chocolate, as gifts of love has been long popular in Japan since the late 1950s. A bit different though; during Valentine's Day, the ones doing the giving are the women instead and usually, chocolates were sent as gifts to confess their love for that special guy. Heart-shaped chocolates would usually be given. To nevertheless balance out this unique custom, "White Day" was later invented in Japan. On 14th of March it falls, one month after Valentine's Day exactly. During this day, guys who received the chocolate will be given the chance to reciprocate their valentine gifts with soft, fluffy marshmallows. This would be the happiest day for girls who receive their fluffy gifts. Isn't it so lovely?
Well, giving of chocolate as a gift of love has today, definitely become more and more popular. Along with the greeting card, your message of love will be delivered. Filled with your most genuine love, each chocolate will contain. Melting one's heart as they melt in the mouth, warming up their heart as sweetness run through their tongue.

BAKER'S ONE BOWL Chocolate Bliss Cookies

Prep Time:15 min
Total Time:28 min
Makes:2-1/2 doz. or 30 servings, one cookie each
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, divided
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
2 cups chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Coarsely chop 8 of the chocolate squares; set aside. Microwave remaining 8 chocolate squares in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min., stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla; stir until well blended. Add flour and baking powder; mix well. Stir in chopped chocolate and walnuts. (Note: If omitting nuts, increase flour to 3/4 cup to prevent excessive spreading of cookies as they bake.)

DROP rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets.

BAKE 12 to 13 min. or until cookies are puffed and shiny. Cool 1 min.; remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely.

Glazed Chocolate-Sour Cream Cake

Prep Time:25 min
Total Time:1 hr 10 min
Makes:16 servings
1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream, divided
3 Tbsp. MAXWELL HOUSE Instant Coffee, divided
1 Tbsp. hot water
1 container (7 oz.) BAKER'S Real Milk Dipping Chocolate
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 cup each halved strawberries and raspberries

GREASE and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Prepare cake mix as directed on package, substituting 1 cup of the sour cream for all of the water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. of the instant coffee. Spread batter into prepared pans. Bake as directed on package. Cool 10 min.; remove from pans. Immediately remove wax paper. Cool completely on wire racks.

DISSOLVE remaining 1 Tbsp. instant coffee in water. Melt dipping chocolate as directed on container. Stir in butter, dissolved instant coffee and remaining 2 Tbsp. sour cream; mix until well blended. Place 1/3 cup of the chocolate mixture in medium bowl; gently stir in whipped topping.

PLACE 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread with whipped topping mixture. Top with second cake layer. Pour remaining warm chocolate glaze mixture over top of filled cake, allowing it to drip over sides. Pile berries on top of cake. Refrigerate 30 min. or until chocolate glaze is set. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

Types of Chocolate

How Chocolate is Made

Each year, the best cocoa beans are selected out and many different varieties are carefully blended to achieve that deep, rich flavor that chocolate lovers prize. After roasting at high temperatures to develop the chocolate flavor, the cocoa beans are shelled and the remaining nibs are crushed into a thick liquid called chocolate liquor, containing only the chocolate solids and the rich, creamy cocoa butter.

The Chocolate Family

Unsweetened
Made with solid chocolate liquor with nothing added. Too bitter to eat but lends a great chocolate flavor to brownies and cakes. It is made from a blend of fine cocoa beans that are roasted, crushed and ground between large heated rollers. Unsweetened is the purest form of chocolate. It is satin smooth, rich in cocoa butter and best for baking.

Semi-Sweet
This is made using the same method as unsweetened chocolate, but with just a pinch of sugar, cocoa butter and vanilla to give it a rich, sweet taste. Semi-sweet is perfect for garnishes and fondues.

Bittersweet
Contains chocolate liquor, additional cocoa butter and sugar but with a darker more pronounced European chocolate flavor, due to the higher chocolate liquor content.

Sweetened
Rich and creamy with a milder chocolate flavor and a larger amount of additional cocoa butter and sugar. Often used in commercial candies or bars.

Milk
Made from milk solids, cocoa butter and sugar, milk chocolate is most often eaten as a candy bar. The first milk chocolate bar was invented by Swiss candy-maker Daniel Peter in 1876 when he devised the process of adding condensed milk to chocolate.

White
Technically not even chocolate, it is made with cocoa butter, milk and sugar, but doesn't contain cocoa solids. As a result, it is creamy white in colour and mild and sweet in flavor. This is often used as a coating or decorative garnish.

Remember, never substitute one chocolate for another in a recipe as this will affect the flavor and may cause the dessert to fail. For best results do not substitute chocolate chips for squares either. Chips are formulated with less cocoa butter to enable them to hold their shape. Squares are specially formulated with quality ingredients to melt easier than chocolate chips.

The Power of Chocolate!!!

What I've learned about Pure Dark Chocolate and all the Super Foods I add to Power Chocolates.
Dark Chocolate's Heart-Health Secret Discovered Studies confirm cardiovascular benefits of cocoa and the suspected reason for its protective power by Craig Weatherby and Randy HartnellThere's little doubt that both unrefined cocoa powder and dark chocolates-those containing 60 percent or more cocoa-are good for heart health.Thanks to a wealth of research in recent years, scientists believe, with a high degree of certainty, that unrefined cocoa and dark chocolate alike produce four effects beneficial to cardiovascular health, each of which are known to result when antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the blood:

1. Keep arteries relaxed. Free radicals prompt the endothelial cells that line our arteries to send "contract, please" signals to surrounding muscle, thereby narrowing the artery and increasingthe risk of heart attack.

2. Reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots. Bone marrow cell fragments called blood platelets clump together in response to internal or external bleeding, to help form clots that can stem the flow. Free radicals increase the tendency of platelets to aggregate into clumps, while antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents like aspirin and ginger reduce unhealthful clotting.

3. Reduce oxidation of LDL cholesterol in the blood. This helps prevent it from adhering to artery walls and oxidizing other blood fats.

4. Raise blood levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol back to the liver (where it was produced), to be passed from the body. HDL may also remove excess cholesterol from plaque in arteries. A high level of HDL (i.e., over 45 mg/dL) and a high ratio of HDL to total cholesterol reduces the risk of heart attacks.But, until a specific compound in cocoa was shown to produce any of these effects, scientists could not attribute cocoa's cardiovascular benefits to its polyphenol antioxidants with absolute certainty.

History of Chocolate

Chocolate Through the Years
The story of chocolate, as far back as we know it, begins with the discovery of America. Until 1492, the Old World knew nothing at all about the delicious and stimulating flavor that was to become the favorite of millions.
The Court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella got its first look at the principal ingredient of chocolate when Columbus returned in triumph from America and laid before the Spanish throne a treasure trove of many strange and wonderful things. Among these were a few dark brown beans that looked like almonds and seemed most unpromising. There were cocoa beans, today's source of all our chocolate and cocoa.
The King and Queen never dreamed how important cocoa beans could be, and it remained for Hernando Cortez, the great Spanish explorer, to grasp the commercial possibilities of the New World offerings.