Chocolate Related Recipes


Choco-Related Recipes Using Chocolates from Everywhere


In a nutshell, French chocolates are known for their subtle taste and intricate chocolate designs, while the Swiss are known for their share of chocolates that have the distinctly known milky, smooth texture. The Swiss even have massive manufacturing companies that distribute these favorite treats all over the world. The Belgian chocolates, on the other hand, are known for their flavorful taste and inventive designs ideal for concocting choco-related recipes. Remember, the Belgians were the ones who revolutionized the praline and nougats that we love?

These three have very distinct taste, and for chocolate lovers out there who know them by heart, I am certain they will have neither qualm nor difficulty telling each apart. Really, it should not matter where these delectably enjoyable goodies of sweetness come from; the only sensible thing to know is that we can enjoy these fabulous creations wherever they come from. After all, they are still the same chocolates that we love, and they will always give all chocolate lovers the same tingly and delectable sensation bite after bite! Try these two chocolate-related recipes and see the goodness of chocolates in every kind of recipe!

Surprising as it can be, these delectable dishes using a wide array of chocolates from places al over the world were born from many years of experimenting in the kitchen. The nutty, creamy flavor of bittersweet chocolate is perfect for any kind of dish you might want to concoct as of the moment. Try these chocolate-related recipes at home and make it a family recipe everyone in your family will truly surely love!


CHILI Con Chocolate



Ingredients:
1 lb. beef stew meat, cubed
½ lb. pork, cubed
4 tbsp. oil
1 ½ c. onions, chopped
1 c. green pepper, chopped
2 tbsp. of minced garlic
1 tbsp. of chili powder
1 ½ tbsp. salt
½ tsp. of thyme
½ tsp. of cumin
1 ½ c. of water
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
½ oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 (30 oz.) can kidney beans
3 c. chopped rind

Method:
1. Brown the bite size pieces of beef and pork cubes in 3 tablespoons of oil.
2. Add rest of oil, onion, green pepper and garlic.
3. Cook until soft but not browned.
4. Stir in chili powder, salt, thyme and cumin. Cook 1 minute.
5. Add water, heat to boil.
6. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes.
7. Stir in tomato sauce and chocolate.
8. Simmer uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until thickened.
9. Serve chili on bed of beans and rice.


POT ROAST With Chocolate Sauce



Ingredients:
3 lb. rump of veal or bottom round roast
3 tbsp. of olive oil
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1 tbsp.of flour
1 bay leaf
1 c. of water
1 lg. of sliced onion
1 1/2 tsp. of salt
1/2 c. dry of white wine
1/2 tbsp.of vinegar
1 tbsp. of grated bitter chocolate

Method:
1. Brown the meat in olive oil in a fireproof casserole or Dutch oven.
2. Add the garlic and onion and cook until they are soft.
3. Blend in some flour and salt and stir until smooth.
4. Add the remaining ingredients except for the chocolate.
5. Cover and simmer gently for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
6. Remove meat, add chocolate to sauce and cook until thickened and smooth.
7. If much liquid has cooked away, you may add water to make about 2 cups.
8. Add salt to taste.


FETTUCINE with Chocolate Sauce














Ingredients
8 ounces regular or chocolate fettuccine
2 cups skim milk, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:
1. Cook and drain pasta.
2. In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch, mixing until smooth. Add cocoa, sugar, cinnamon and remaining milk.
3. Heat just until boiling, stirring constantly.
4. Cook one minute until sauce is thickened.
5. Pour sauce over pasta and combine.
6. Top each serving with your choice of crème fraîche, sour cream or vanilla yogurt.

Truly, regular pasta has just become more interesting! Now you've combined your favorite chocolate with a satisfying meal of energy-giving pasta! Who would have thought that this chocolate recipe could be this phenomenal?

Health Tips for Making Chocolate-Related Recipes

When the craving for chocolate strikes, it becomes such a complicated and difficult situation when you cannot give in to that yearning that is why never deprive your self. Remember, anything taken in moderation is safe for you! And besides, chocolates, especially the dark chocolates have been found to be good for the heart. Eating a small bar everyday can actually help your heart as well as your cardiovascular system do well. So, why not include chocolates in your chocolate-related species and get lower blood pressure from dark chocolates as well as lower cholesterol! Just make sure that you integrate the following tips to your chosen home cooking using chocolate-related recipes.

Chocolate Tip 1 - Chocolates Remain a High-Calorie and High-Fat Food

When you say balancing calories in the body, it does not mean that you are prohibited from eating chocolates from now on. No! You may still eat a pound of chocolate each day. As a matter of fact, chocolates remain to be a high-calorie and high-fat food. There are studies to prove that not even 100 grams of chocolates were used, or that is about 3.5 ounces of pure dark chocolate eaten each day can already give you the benefits.

Again, one bar of pure dark chocolate is found to have around 400 calories. If you eat just half of a bar of chocolate per day, then you should balance those 200 calories you get from the chocolates by eating a little less of other foods. It might be best to cut out on your other sweets or extra snacks and replace instead with some chocolates that will maintain your total calories.

Chocolate Tip 2Combining Taste of the Chocolate with your Recipes
Chocolate is a composite food with more than 300 compounds as well as chemicals in every bite. And the only way to really enjoy and appreciate eating chocolates is to take some time to savor its taste. And this you do not only do with your mouth, but professionals taste chocolates by using the mouth for the taste, eyes for the appearance, nose for the smell, and then getting the total taste of each chocolate.

Chocolate Tip 3Incorporate Dark Chocolates in your Recipes

Dark chocolates are found to have greater antioxidants content than milk or white chocolates. These other two variants of chocolate cannot make any of the health claims that the dark chocolate has always claimed. This may be attributed to the fact that dark chocolates have higher cocoa content of about 65 percent compared to the milk and white chocolates.

Chocolate Tip 4 - Skip the Nougat in your Chocolate-Related Recipes

Always go in search for the dark chocolates that are pure and not combined with anything. You may also go for those dark chocolates that are mixed with nuts, some orange peels or with other flavorings put on it. The key here is to avoid anything that has caramel in it, nougat or any other fillings as these will just add up to the sugar and fat which are already inside your body.

Chocolate Tip 5 - Avoid Combining Milk and Chocolate in your Recipes

Combining chocolate and milk when cooking your favorite recipes, or concocting your own recipes may taste very good; however, some studies show that pouring milk over the chocolate may actually prevent the antioxidants from being absorbed and used by your body. Therefore, never combine chocolate with milk for al your chocolate-related recipes!




Chocolate Related Recipes for Diabetics

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!


Chocolate Raspberry Brownies











Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar free raspberry preserves (or apricot, or cherry)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. of almond extract
1/2 tsp. of baking soda
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 cup of high gluten flour
1 cup Splenda
1 tsp. of vanilla
6 eggs

Method:
1. Set oven to 325F
2. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and set aside
3. Combine cocoa and Splenda
4. Add preserves and eggs gradually, beating on low-speed with electric mixer
5. Add salt, almond extract, and vanilla and beat briefly to mix
6. Combine baking soda and flour. Use a spatula to stir them together
7. Do not over mix
8. Turn into prepared pan
9. Bake at 325F for 30-35 minutes
10. Brownies should be slightly under-baked but not runny in the center
11. Let it cool and cut into small squares.


Melting Chocolate


Many people are intimidated by baking because it is often viewed as scientific. Unlike cooking, all of the measurements have to be precise in order to pull successful baked goods out of the oven. One of the most sensitive of all baking ingredients is chocolate. Many people add chocolate morsels to cookies, breads, cupcakes and muffins. However, if ever you want to add a little something to baked goods, drizzling them with melted chocolate is an easy way to kick the flavor up a notch and make the tastebuds beg for more.

Melting chocolate to use as a baking or decorating ingredient requires gentle heat. If chocolate is overheated or heated too quickly, it may scorch, burn, lose flavor or turn coarse and grainy. It takes less than a minute in heat for chocolate to quickly change its form. There are basically two forms of chocolate to use when it comes to melting. There is solid chocolate and there is bittersweet/semi-sweet chocolate. The cocoa butter found in solid chocolate melts at a fast rate and if it heats too quickly at a high temperature, it will seize. As for bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate, these types are usually found in baking chips. Typically, they can be heated at a slightly higher temperature but they also heat very quickly.

The following are a few tried and true methods to use when melting chocolate:

Double Boiler 

  1. Fill the bottom half of a double boiler with water and make sure that the bottom of the top half doesn't touch the water.
  2. Heat the water until it simmers.
  3. Place the chocolate in the top half and then place the top half over the water.
  4. Stir the chocolate until it melts completely.
Microwave
  1. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
  2. Place the bowl in the microwave and microwave at 30-second intervals (it is preferable to set the microwave to the 50% power setting to avoid scorching). At the end of every 30 seconds, remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the chocolate. Stirring the chocolate will help to melt the chocolate completely.
Water Bath
  1. Fill a large skillet with water and heat the water until just below simmering.
  2. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and then put the bowl in the water.
  3. Stir the chocolate until it reaches the desired consistency (be sure to keep the water below simmering).
Since chocolate is so sensitive, there are a few items to be mindful of when melting chocolate:
  • Chop the chocolate into uniform pieces before melting -- this will ensure an even melting process
  • Melt the chocolate slowly over low heat -- it has a quick burn rate
  • Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula when it starts to melt -- melted chocolate pieces will help to melt all of the chocolate
  • Keep cold liquids away from chocolate during the melting process -- cold liquids will cause the chocolate to seize (if a recipe calls for liquid to be added into chocolate, make sure the liquid is added prior to the melting process).

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