Guru Goddess

So, what is it about chocolate? Well, chocolate contains phenylethylamine. It is released in the brain when we feel love or pleasure of any kind. There are also other natural substances in the brain – dopamine and serotonin – that are present in chocolate. They are stimulants which pep us up and keep us in a good mood.

Add to that theobromine. It is found in chocolate and acts as a mood enhancer much like St. John’s Wort. You feel good without having to take anything to get that way.

It’s the perfect storm. You are with someone that you love, eating chocolate and feeling less inhibited. In combination, it sounds like an occasion for romance.

But, all chocolate is not created the same. The enhancing effects are a result of the chocolate, specifically cocoa solids. In chocolate that is mostly sugar, milk and fat, the effects are reduced. If you want to increase the effect, try melted dark chocolate alone or over strawberries. Darker chocolate has more cocoa than milk chocolate or white chocolate. 

Dark chocolate is not as sweet as milk chocolate but we are craving the effects not the chocolate itself. But, chocolate can’t do it all alone. It seems like it works better when you are already in the mood for love. The stimulants allow you to feel good about feeling less inhibited so you can enjoy yourself.

Chocolate is for lovers but mostly the darker variety. Mixed with your natural brain stimulants, the results can be explosive.

There are many things that say they are made for lovers, but chocolate stands above the rest. It is delicious, beautiful to look at and offered on Valentine’s Day. What more could two people in love ask for?

We have heard this word at least once. They are things that can set the heart aflutter and get us “in the mood.” Oysters belong to this category, but there are more palatable foods like chocolate for instance. Maybe chocolate-covered oysters, but that may inspire different feelings in the pit of your stomach.

So, here’s the history. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans loved the way drinking chocolate made them feel. Now, remember this isn’t like hot cocoa. It’s a drink seasoned with spices made from the paste of crushed cocoa beans. It was bitter but, the effects of the cocoa were what they noticed.

And, it didn’t escape the notice of royalty. Montezuma used chocolate as a way to get him in the right frame of mind to satisfy his harem of concubines. Seeing the change in himself, chocolate was reserved for those of high station.

Microwave Melting

If you need your chocolate quick, you can use the microwave. Even those people who blow up hot dogs in the microwave can learn to melt chocolate. Start by reducing your cooking power to half or fifty percent. You will still cut up your chocolate into small even pieces.

Ceramic bowls work well in the microwave. The idea is to have a container that will stay cool even while the chocolate is heating up. Plastic containers get too hot and can ruin your chocolate and your fingertips. Microwave one minute for each ounce of chocolate, using one-minute cycles. Chocolate is considered ready when most of it is melted.

You can melt chocolate with liquids like milk. The other ingredient lowers the melting point of the chocolate so it melts faster. But, resist the urge to use higher temperatures as it can ruin the chocolate.

So, the next time you want to make a chocolate fondue or simply make a cake icing, use these tips for the smoothest melted chocolate you can get.

Working with chocolate is not as easy as it looks. How well it melts depends on many factors not the least of which is the makeup of the chocolate itself. If you are looking to create your own chocolate sweet treats at home, here are a few tips on getting started.

Getting Started

So, what are you using chocolate for? Whether it is a cake, fudge, candies or something else delicious, there are chocolates made for the task. In the store, you’ll find blocks or bricks of chocolate in the spice aisle. You can’t just grab a bar of chocolate candy and melt it.

Chocolate can be melted in the microwave oven or over hot water (double boiler). The key is to go slow and steady so you don’t have a mess on your hands.

Once you’ve bought the chocolate bricks, there are specific instructions on the side of the box that tells you what to do. Before melting anything, the chocolate has to be prepared. Trying to melt an entire brick of chocolate is a no-no. It’s just like cooking a thick steak at a high temperature. The outside will be charred and unpalatable before the inside is cooked at all.

Chocolate needs to be chopped into small pieces. This way, there is more surface area available to the heat and the chocolate will melt uniformly. Don’t add any water. We always want to add water to things to make them creamier or melt better. It works with a lot of foods but not chocolate. The water makes it harder to work with later, essentially ruining it.

Use low heat. It will take a little while but the results are well worth it. To know if your chocolate is melting, stir it. Chocolate will remain looking like a block even when it is fully melted. Tap the pieces to see if they have begun to melt. Stir frequently from that point on until the chocolate melts to the consistency that you like.

Tender Loving Care

It is important to start with a good bean. That’s not to say that all cocoa beans don’t have the potential to be good, but there are many factors – type of tree, climate, temperature and soil. Choosing cocoa beans from trees that are grown in their natural surroundings is the goal of specialty chocolate makers. Many trees have been adapted to grow in other climates closer to the manufacturers.

Specialty chocolate makers create their confections from a single type of bean. The most highly prized bean is that of the Criollo tree but single-bean chocolates can be created from the other trees as well. These chocolates can be found all around the world from both European and American chocolatiers.

So, what’s the secret? It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Suffice it to say, many use simpler processes in their factories, even mixing some ingredients by hand. They produce less chocolate per year than more popular chocolate companies but that is due to the laborious technique.

These are not just dark chocolates either. Specialty chocolates can also be milk chocolate varieties. They distinguish themselves in the types of beans used, producing single bean chocolate and the other ingredients added. Some even roast their own beans so that they control the flavor of their chocolate right from the beginning.  

Some examples:

·         Domori

·         Dagoba

·         Venchi

·         Scharffen Berger

You can purchase specialty chocolates online.

So, want to taste something unique? Try a specialty chocolate today!