Bar chocolate is easy to find and very versatile as an ingredient.
The etymology of chocolate is often a matter of debate. The concept is generally linked to the Nahuatl word xocoatl , which is formed with xoco (translatable as “bitter” ) and atl (that is, “water” ).
Pasta with cocoa
Chocolate is called the paste that is made with cocoa as the main ingredient . Its preparation also usually includes sugar , vanilla and other elements.
Before moving forward, it is important to mention that cocoa is a tree native to the American continent . To make chocolate, its fruits , or more precisely its seeds , are taken.
The chocolate production process includes the use of ground seeds , which form the so-called cocoa mass . To obtain white chocolate , cocoa butter is also used: an edible fat that is generated by pressing the cocoa mass.
History
The origins of chocolate are found in Mesoamerica , where pre-Columbian peoples used cocoa to prepare a drink for medicinal and ritual use . Other foods were also produced with cocoa. The seeds were even used as currency .
Through the voyages of the conquistadors, chocolate reached Europe . From its use as medicine it later moved to consumption related to pleasure .
Irresistible ingredient
While there are people who don't like chocolate, it is considered one of the most delicious ingredients in the world. In the aforementioned recipes, as well as in the many others that include it, it provides a unique and unmistakable flavor, particularly if used in its purest state, which in everyday speech is known as dark chocolate . There are a large number of possibilities, such as combining it with cow's milk or nuts, and they all have their own identity.
Dark chocolate is the bitterest of all, but for many it is also the most delicious. It is distinguished from the rest by its intensity , capable of standing out in any preparation, without the other ingredients being able to come close to its degree of influence on the resulting flavor. Others can go unnoticed in a cake, a bun or an ice cream, but never dark chocolate. Of course, the little ones tend to be averse to its bitterness, which is why they prefer the less pure variants.
Formats
Today, chocolate is a candy and a raw material used to create chocolates , cakes , ice cream and other products. Chocolate in a cup or cup , meanwhile, is the drink that is made by dissolving chocolate and cornstarch in milk. Chocolate powder , finally, is used to prepare chocolate milk.
In this way we establish a first classification, which distinguishes bar chocolate and powder, whose uses may coincide but are usually different. Thirdly, we have the couverture chocolate , in a liquid state, which can be obtained simply with the first, placing it in a saucepan with a splash of cow's milk or soy drink, a little sugar and stirring it constantly over low heat until melts
A cake with the dough, the filling and the chocolate coating
On the other hand, there is chocolate in nuggets , that is, in small pieces. It is an ideal option for making products such as cookies and puddings, since the seeds are mixed with the dough before baking and then dispersed. They provide a contrast in consistency , since they are crunchy in the middle of a soft and smooth preparation.
Branch chocolate is one of the rarest, since it is not sold throughout the world and has a very particular shape, from which it got its name. It is probably the recipe that offers the thinnest and crispiest consistency, since it is formed with thin sheets that fold while the chocolate dries.