Chocolate
History
• Commonly believed to have originated in the Aztec
culture, but actually comes from the Olmecs who
lived in a tropical area on the Gulf of Mexico
• Earliest known cacao plantations were formed
between 1500 and 400 B.C.
• Originally grown for the white fruit of the cacao pod,
the Mayans discovered that a bitter drink (called
cacahuatl) could be made by grinding and mixing the
beans with water
History
• Used as a form of currency by the peoples of Central
and South America between the years AD 1000 and
1200
• The beverage was reserved only for nobles, priests,
and those in high power, as it was thought to have
special restorative and aphrodisiac powers
• Chocolate was first introduced to Europe by Spanish
conquistador Hernán Cortés
• Brought the cocoa beans and tools to make chocolate
back with him in 1528, after failing to find the Aztec
gold he was originally looking for
History
• Chocolate was kept secret by the Spaniards until 1606
when Italian merchant Antonio Carletti brought the
chocolate drink to Italy
• Introduced to the French court after Spanish princess
Anne of Austria married Louis XIII
• Was a status symbol in Paris and drunk only by the
aristocracy and those part of high society
• First London chocolate shop opened in 1657, making
chocolate more widely available to all levels of
society
History
• Chocolate was finally introduced to North America in the
18th century
• First sophisticated chocolate factory was established in
Switzerland by Francois-Louis Cailler, whose Swiss
chocolate is the oldest brand still in existence
• Cailler’s son-in-law, Daniel Peter, created the first milk
chocolate in 1875
• First boxed individual chocolates were introduced in the
1800s by the Cadbury chocolate company
• Sechaud Fils created the first filled chocolates in 1913,
and in the 1930s the first white chocolate was created by
Henri Nestle
Couverture
• Couverture is a very high quality chocolate with 32 to
39% cocoa butter
• The overall % is based on the amount of coco mass
and coco butter
• Only a small number of chocolates are considered
premium couvertures
• The term is protected by Swiss law and is defined as
“chocolate for the pastry shop”
Tempering
• Tempering is an important technique to use when working
with chocolate
• Tempered chocolate refers to chocolate that has been
melted and cooled in a controlled environment
• Successful tempering will produce chocolate with a high
gloss, resistant to warmth, pleasant aroma, smooth
mouthfeel, longer shelf life, good snap, and contraction
• Unsuccessful tempering will result in chocolate with an
uneven and streaky appearance (also called ‘fat bloom’),
visible spots on the surface, a dull and matte appearance,
and a texture that is soft to the bite or an unpleasant and
crumbly texture
Tempering Methods
• There are three common methods of tempering
chocolate: the direct method, the seeding
method, and the tabling method
• Tempering method does not matter, as all
should produce the same end result
Direct Method
• Tempering done by melting solid chocolate to the proper
temperature without taking it out of temper
• Temperature required depends on the type of chocolate being
tempered
• Chocolate melted at a higher temperature than suggested will force
the chocolate out of temper and cause a gray, uneven surface
IDEAL WORKING TEMPERATURES
Milk chocolate
White chocolate
Dark chocolate
86o – 88o F
84o – 86o F
88o – 90o F
Direct Method
• Commonly used heat sources: oven,
microwave, or water bath
• Other possible sources: tempering
machine, chocolate melter, chocolate
cabinet, or directly over flame
Direct Method
Oven:
• Place chocolate in an ovenproof container
• Place container in oven and leave for 12 hours until the
chocolate is melted
Microwave:
• Warm chocolate in microwave safe container in intervals of
20 seconds or less, stirring chocolate at each interval
• Remove from microwave before all chocolate is melted,
continue stirring until chocolate is smooth and there are no
lumps left
• Test chocolate by dipping the edge of a piece of paper or a
scraper into chocolate and letting it sit. Properly tempered
chocolate will start to set evenly throughout within a minute
Direct Method
Water bath:
• Place water in bottom half of double boiler
• Place chocolate in top half of double boiler and heat
over medium heat
• Occasionally stir chocolate gently until melted to
desired temperature
Seeding Method
• Seeding method can be used at any time or place, as only minimal
equipment is required
Procedure:
• Prepare the seeding chocolate by grating it in a food processor (not
necessary, but the large the seeding pieces, the longer it will take to
melt and cool the chocolate
• Warm milk or white chocolate to 110o – 115o F and dark chocolate
to 115o – 120o F. Let chocolate cool down a little before adding the
seeding chocolate
• Gradually add the coins or grated chocolate, stirring gently to
incorporate and distribute the added chocolate without adding a lot
of air
• When added chocolate has stopped melting, check temperature and
proceed according to that temperature
Seeding Method
• If chocolate is still above the ideal temperature, add
more seeds and stir gently. When proper temperature
is reached, test to make sure chocolate is tempered by
using the previous mentioned test
• If chocolate is below the ideal temperature, use an
immersion blender to melt the pieces down and get a
nice smooth consistency, and then test chocolate to
make sure it is tempered properly
Tabling Method
• Tabling method is the fastest and most efficient way to temper smaller
amounts of chocolate
• Requires a stone or marble slab and good hand skills
• Marble or stone slab draws the heat out and away from chocolate without
being too hot itself
Procedure:
• Warm chocolate to proper temperature
• Poor two-thirds of melted chocolate onto the marble and spread the
chocolate over marble with an offset spatula
• With offset spatula in one hand and triangular spatula in the other, move or
scrape chocolate toward the center with the triangular spatula
• Remove excess chocolate from triangular spatula with offset spatula
• Continue repeating steps until all chocolate has been moved to the center
• Scrape chocolate off of table immediately into the remaining 1/3 of
chocolate and stir gently
• Test to see if chocolate is tempered