“Chocolat”, the comedy released in 2000 based on the novel by Joanne Harris was crystal clear when he said that each person has a different chocolate match. Chocolate lovers all over the world would agree to this. Love and passion for chocolates is relative. One’s interest for a chocolate may vary from another person’s. See love for chocolates is dependent on a person’s taste and his taste alone!

Even though the true measure of a chocolate lover is that they would eat anything that is chocolaty, there is more than a hundred percent chance that they have a preferred brand or type. So, with all the chocolates in the world and countries claiming to be the best in producing them, who really takes the hat?

Where it Began

The history of the chocolate goes back to the times of the Aztecs when they discovered that the beads inside the pods of the cocoa tree can be squashed and processed to produce a dark, bitter liquid which they mixed with spices. The resulting frothy mixture allegedly gave power to their gods and leaders. Even then, they knew the cocoa tree to be of some substance they could use in the future. If only they could find better means to process xocolat, the word they used to call the drink.

Only the Aztec leaders were allowed to drink and because the beans were revered so much, it became a currency. When the Spanish conquerors went back to Spain, they tried to introduce the beans to the majesties. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find much use for them just yet. But after some major trials and errors, they realized that when mixed with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and some sugar, the sweet result is even more tantalizing. From then on, it grew popularity and for a while, it became Spain’s best kept secret. It took about a hundred years before the rest of Europe found about the secret and when it did, it spread like wildfire amongst the nobilities because they are the only ones who can afford the expensive beans. Soon, European countries started their own ways of improving chocolate production.

A Triple Treat

The battle for finding the perfect chocolaty formula has seeped into the European countries. Spain, surprisingly, took a step back and watched while France, Belgium and Switzerland took turns in making chocolate history. Even the Americas joined the clamor after the industrial revolution and the consecutive wars. However, the fact remains that chocolate lovers know France, Belgium and Switzerland to be creators of the finest chocolates in the world!

The French are known for their liberal yet art-loving lives, their sense of fashion, culinary prowess and a distinct way of life. French chocolates however, are surprisingly not generally known to be one of their expertise. French morsels are often embellished with edible ornaments, hand-painted and carved painstakingly, almost like a work of art and what’s nice is it is as delicious as it looks! The dark chocolates are subtle in taste and it’s neither as sweet nor bitter as any other kind. The taste simply lingers in the mouth.

When it comes to developing what we now know as mass produced chocolates, the Swiss takes the front row seats. Chocolate was introduced to Switzerland when Zurich mayor, Heinrich Escher, imported cocoa beans and consumed it in banquets. It was banned thereafter due to its alleged aphrodisiac benefits. But no one can stop the Swiss from becoming the makers of chocolate as we recognize them today. So, what’s your vote?

A chocolate truffle is a collection of chocolate sweets. This mouth watering confection us usually made with a round ganache of chocolate core covered with a powdered cocoa or chocolate. It is actually named after the truffle fungus because of their physical similarities.

A ganache is a French term which refers to the concoction of heavy cream and chocolate. It is usually produced from cream of heavy consistency which is boiled and then dispensing it on top of chopped up chocolate. This concoction is mixed until it finally is perfectly smooth. The ratio and proportion of the ganache will vary depending on the kind of chocolate the chocolatier wants. For truffles, the usual ratio is two parts of chocolates is to one part of cream.

There are basically four kinds of chocolate truffles that have been circulating the chocolate world. These three are the Swiss truffle, European truffle, American Truffle, and the Belgian truffle.

The Swiss truffle is produced from the combination of chocolate and a boiling concoction of butter and dairy cream. This mixture is then gradually transferred into casts for setting. Eventually cocoa powder is sprinkled unto the chocolate casts. The Swiss truffle should be eaten up within days of production since it has a short shelf-life.

American truffles are shaped like half an egg which is covered with chocolate. It is a combination of milk or dark chocolates with coconut oil that is hardened and butterfat. The Canadians also has their own version which includes the additional ingredients of peanut butter and graham crumbs.

European truffles is created from a base made from powdered cocoa, powdered milk, and fats as well as syrup which then results to a palatable truffle which has oil-in-water essence.

Finally, the Belgian truffle is a produced from Belgian chocolate and ganache. The ganache may be mixed with certain liquors and essences. Mixtures of truffles are formed into long strands or balls, covered with powdered cocoa, dipped with icing. The Belgian chocolate truffles, compared to its Swiss counterpart, are richer in chocolate and are less sweet. It is considered as the best type of chocolate truffle in the world of chocolates.

Belgian truffles are easy to make even for neophyte chocolatiers. You only need the following ingredients to start with: cooking chocolate, sifted instant coffee, egg yolk, sifted sugar icing, and unsalted butter.

To make the truffles, break down the chocolate into small pieces and melt it in a pot. The pot should be heated by a bigger pot filled with boiling water. This is called the au-bain-Marie method. Then add up the butter and mix it until it melts. Next, do away with the chocolate and butter combination pot then mix in the egg yolk, icing sugar, coffee and then let this mixture chill down. Check the mixture from time to time to ensure that it will not become very hard.

Then, when the chocolate seems a little solid, scoop a teaspoonful and shape it into balls. You can roll it in your hands to get that rounded effect.

As for the covering, combine the powdered cocoa and the sugar icing in a mixing bowl. Then sprinkle it unto the balls of chocolate you have made.

The truffles should be then stored in the fridge for a longer shelf life.

So, you can either make your own truffle or travel to Belgium to buy the famed truffles yourself. Plus, you even go on a sight seeing adventure while munching on the truffles as you travel.

There has been a long standing debate whether diabetics could eat chocolates. Maybe there should really be chocolate-related recipes for diabetics. We have to remember that these patients may have been eating chocolates for years before they were diagnosed with the illness and thus might find it quite depriving to say no to chocolates all the time. Some, on the other hand, may simply want to get a bite or two but couldn’t because of this myth.

In reality, diabetics like those with any other illness can eat anything they want – but in moderation. It is a simple truth that is admittedly difficult to follow. It has been called “the forbidden treat” or the “darkest temptations” many times, but there is no use saying that diabetics need to take chocolates completely out of their lives.

There have been researches made in Europe claiming that eating chocolates occasionally and in moderation actually increase insulin response. The catch is that it takes a while for the body to absorb chocolate sugar than those of bread and potatoes so the body has time to adjust the level of reaction to sugar. The only reason for preventing diabetic patients from eating too much chocolate is its ability to cause obesity in so little time. If the diabetic should eat the chocolate as part of a meal or dessert, the body absorbs it even more slowly. So, that could do he trick for diabetic chocolate lovers!

It is likewise unsafe to believe in claims of some products that they are either ‘diabetic chocolate’ or ‘diabetic friendly’. You are still required to look closely and see whether they are using high levels of fructose in place of sugar, because as a diabetic yourself, you may well know that it is just as dangerous. So, given that, we’ve already cleared the air out, and here is a favorite snack that all diabetics can start concocting up and feast on!

CHOCOLATE-MANGO CREAM CAKE

Ingredients
250g/8oz Ground Graham Crackers
150g/5oz milk
1 pack of whole graham crackers
100g/3½oz unsalted butter
150g/5oz dark chocolate
150g/5oz golden syrup
75g/2½oz raisins
100g/3½oz chopped ripe mangoes
30g/1oz cashew, chopped (optional)
60g/2oz pecans, chopped (optional)
350g heavy cream

Method
1. Line the sides of the 8inches shallow pan.
2. Arrange the whole crackers at the bottom of the pan
3. Mix the milk, cream, syrup by hand until fluffy.
4. Melt the chocolate and butter on a double broiler and set aside. The chocolate must neither be too gooey nor too light.
5. Pour in some of the cream on top of the crackers and spread evenly.
6. Drizzle some of the chocolate on top of the cream and arrange the mangoes afterwards
7. Sprinkle some nuts for texture
8. Then pour in some ground graham to integrate the cream, before arranging whole ones again.
9. Repeat the steps until the pan is almost filled to the lid.
10. Lastly, garnish the top with cream mixture and sprinkle with nuts and raisin. If you still have some chocolate left, you may also put some on top.
11. Refrigerate for a minimum of ten minutes to let the graham absorb the cream mixture. The longer it stays in the ref, the better.
12. This serves 12.

A reminder to our diabetic friends, please hold onto yourself from finishing up the whole pan. Share it with friends. It is pretty tempting and it’s okay to give in, but your health comes first before anything. When eating chocolates, make sure you have the best of some chocolate-related recipes for diabetics!

Leonidas Kesdekidis, an ordinary Greek citizen was the founder of Leonidas Belgian Chocolates. His company bears his name as the founder of the company who makes wonderful delights like pralines, truffles and other heavenly chocolate assortments. Mr. Kesdekidis arrived at Brussels in the year 1910 and a bit later on marrying one of the locals making him decide to get settled in the said place. He made a large array of pralines in his place situated close to Rempart de Moines for a living.

Mr. Kesdikidis and his descendants’ goal was to get his home-made wonderful delights of pralines as close as possible to as many consumers, not to mention every creator’s dream to let the rest of the world know their chocolate concoctions. His strategy of combining world-class quality and the best price is still unbeatable up to this date. Leonidas’ products are far different from the chocolates of other brands. The fact that only Leonidas has the most concern for the freshness of its chocolates makes it unique and unbeatable. Meanwhile the other brands’ strategy to make their products fresh is that they have to repackage the product to look fresh but what about the product itself? Yes, the package is fresh but the content is still the same. Whereas at Leonidas, the chocolates will only be boxed on the day that the customer’s order is received. Other chocolates’ quality of freshness may be risked for the necessity of longevity. What they do is they are likely to be pre-packed and or intended to be on a shelf of department stores or supermarkets, but not with Leonidas.

At Leonidas, longevity is not a problem because of the packing strategy; instead the main concern is not to compromise the quality of the produce in other terms. Like in the aspect of the ingredients. Most chocolate makers use vegetable fats on their chocolates but with Leonidas they prefer to use genuine cocoa butter. Because of the very high standards that Leonidas had they were able to obtain an ISO 9001 certificate for the produce’s quality, which by the way is very much over the needed requirement for the production of chocolates.

Leonidas deliver only at the places where there are Leonidas outlets like Hollywood and all over United Kingdom and Belgium. However, they refuse to export for the reason that they didn’t want to risk the freshness of every chocolate bar that goes out of their stores but customers outside United Kingdom will be able to send to their loved ones that lives within the country. To date there is only a small number of sellers of Leonidas chocolates because of the high standard requirement that every seller has to comply with for the very cautious storing and freshness concerns.

The chocolates are wrapped in 500grams, 750grams, and one kilogram boxes. Upon order you will not be experiencing the hassle of putting it on presentation boxes for the box alone that Leonidas use will suffice for they are already gift wrapped and there also offer different sorts of gift wrapping, as well as the standard wrap, luxury and or seasonal choices.

These chocolates are supposed to be consumed within 21 days after it is purchased. They should not be kept too long otherwise the freshness and or the quality will not be the same of what is expected of it, although keeping it refrigerated will prolong the shelf life. Storing on the refrigerator, you have to keep it away from other foods that has a very prominent smell or odor, otherwise the chocolate will be ruined because it may absorb the odor of that certain food and may affect the taste and quality.

Chocolate has a delicious taste that most of us don’t know that it is made from plants. Which means it contains many of the health benefits of vegetables. Some of us don’t like eating vegetables but by eating chocolate, we are unaware that it’s the vegetable that we eat that contains hundreds of health giving benefits. This benefits is an antioxidants derived from a substance known as flavanoids. The purpose of these antioxidants is to protect the body from free radicals against aging. A large amount of these antioxidants can be found on dark chocolates. This substance known as flavanoid produces Nitric Oxide that aides the body in relaxing its blood pressure. And it also gives a balance hormone in the body.

This dark chocolate is very good for the heart. Consuming a small bar every single day will help the cardiovascular system working well and also for the heart to have well balanced function. And when it comes to heart, there are two benefits that this chocolate can give. It has the ability to lower the blood pressure and to lower the body fat index or the cholesterol level. It can also help people with high blood pressure to lower down there blood pressure by just eating a small bar of this dark chocolate which has shown in some studies. For body fat mass, this dark chocolate has the power to reduce Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol, which we better known as bad cholesterol as high as up to 10 percent of the current cholesterol level.

The other benefit that this chocolate can bring aside from protecting the heart is that this chocolate has an agreeably good taste. It also has the potential to regulate endorphin production which provides a feeling of pleasure and a bit of satisfaction and fulfillment. Its composition contains a substance known as Serotonin which acts as an anti depressant. This dark chocolate also contains a substance called Theobromine, and even an amount of caffeine which we all know as a best source to stimulate the body and the brain. A lot of other stimulants are also present in chocolate but are in small contents.

For persons that are more concerned about their body figure, there’s good news since it says that there is no need to stop eating chocolate but only to eat the exact amount. Fat contents in this chocolate do not impact the body cholesterol level. A composition of 0.33% of Oleic acid, 0.33 % of Stearic acid, and 0.33 % of Palmitic acid are the components of all fats in a chocolate. On the book of medicine and other health practitioner guide, this Oleic Acid is a monounsaturated fat which Olive Oil is known as its good source. Another component of this chocolate is a Stearic Acid which is a saturated fat that according to some research and studies shows to be of no effect on cholesterol, thus said to be of neutral state. The last known fat is called Palmitic Acid. This kind of fat is saturated and has the ability to raise cholesterol level and even risk for heart disease. As a summary, only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for cholesterol.

Since there is a presence of 0.33% as bad cholesterol on dark chocolates, it is always suggested to balance the intake of calories which only means not to eat a pound of chocolate a day since this is still a food of high calorie. Right intake of chocolate which is around 100 grams, that’s approximately 3.5 ounces would give a maximum benefits that a chocolate contains. There are 300 known compounds and components in every single bite of chocolate. This dark chocolate has a lot more contents of antioxidants compare to a milk chocolate or any other white chocolate since this dark chocolate has a content of cocoa for 65 percent or even higher.