In Search For The Best Chocolate-Related Recipes Chocolate Recipes Made into Drops of Cookie Heaven

In Search For The Best Chocolate-Related Recipes
Chocolate Recipes Made into Drops of Cookie Heaven

It was pure serendipity when Ruth Wakefield, the one who discovered baking of chocolate chip cookies, when she had to think fast when she unexpectedly ran out of ingredients while baking cookies for some guests. She was using another type of chocolate in one of her famous chocolate-related recipes at a small inn she was operating when she thought of using semi-sweet Nestle chocolates. And surprisingly, instead of melting, she found the chocolate chips just turning soft. And the result? A truly delightful treat of crunchy but chewy-on-the-inside cookies, now popularly known as the 'chocolate chip cookies' loved anywhere in the world!

Boundless Possibilities of Reinventing Choco Chip Cookies

And since the discovery of these all-time favorite chocolate chip cookies, hundreds of recipes have already evolved, each recreating the recipe and trying to improve the cookies to even greater perfection! There are just so many varieties of the recipe of the chocolate chip cookies we all love. 

Try going on a chocolate chip cookie operation, and search for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe you can try at home and for sure, another addition of this recipe to your collection will bring delight to your loved ones' faces!

Search for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Just a few days ago, I started on my chocolate chip cookie operation scouting for the best and unique recipes for these delightful cookies. Yes, there are so many quick-baking chocolate chip cookies available in the grocery stores, but I need to find the best recipes. I have tried those from the local grocery stores, and after baking the goodies, they do not look too good to me. And I thought to myself," Mission Failed"!

Still On the Look-Out for the Best Choco Chip Cookie Recipes

I keep trying out different kinds of recipes but still the cookies turned out either too thin for my liking, the other chocolate chip cookies I tried baking ended up appearing too cakey or spongy. You might have a good chocolate chip cookie recipe you might like to share. If you do have a unique recipe for these all-time favourite cookies, please post it online. And I am sure, you will make not just a single soul happy, but countless of us!

You see, I've got a long list of choco chip cookie recipes that I have tried and I am trying my best to find the one that will exceed my standards in baking them. With my repeated baking of such goodies, there's one thing I learned though. Changing the amount of sugar in the recipe can really bring about tremendous changes in the cookies!

Maybe I should try one or both of the recipes or even the original Nestle Toll House recipe that we find at the back of the semi-sweet chocolate packages. Some comment that these cookies are unbelievable! They say you only have to bake it at a lower temperature than in the ordinary recipes, and you will get that very texture, crispness and thickness you so desire! I might just try them really soon! And who knows it might be the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have long been looking for!

But I should remember that the best tasting chocolate chip cookies will always remain dependent on the taste buds of the chocolate lover eating them. So, if you feel like baking up a set of this chocolate-related recipe, you may as well try some variations and who knows, perhaps you'll be the lucky one to find the world's next best chocolate chip cookie!

Seven Heavens Of Chocolate Lovers Best Gourmet Chocolate Makers

Seven Heavens Of Chocolate Lovers
Best Gourmet Chocolate Makers 

My farthest memory as a child takes me back to when I was still about five, and my dad would bring home some chocolates. Once, I forgot to bring the chocolates he gave me to school, and while at school, it made me so anxious to have a bite especially gazing upon a classmate opening her Toblerone bar. Getting a glimpse of her enjoying eating her chocolate, I started to drool inside my mouth, like a bone-deprived puppy! And there was this other classmate who turned out to also be one big chocolate lover like me! He tried asking her to give him a piece but my classmate refused!  When she turned around for a while, he went to her seat, discreetly opened her lunch box and took some. That day I knew what surprising effects chocolates can have on anyone!

It is so unimaginable that one can become a thieving criminal for the love and passion for chocolates. Though I understand how a chocolate lover feels towards these sweet and delightful delicacies of goodness, I cannot bear to imagine that it can go as far as stealing. Or maybe it was just part of being a child. One thing though that became crystal clear to me now is, never deprive someone of what they so love. And never to keep chocolate lovers from away from them!

As a chocolate when I was a child, I grew up into an adult still enjoying hat passion for chocolates. When I buy them, it is as if there will be no next time.
Today, I keep stocks of chocolates on my fridge and even have chocolate luncheons with my friends once a month. When one of my friends arrived from Europe a few months ago, he gave me boxes of chocolates from Italy, France and Belgium. Too bad, his trip didn't include Switzerland, because if here is one brand of chocolates I truly really love, it's Lindtt from Switzerland!

With each chocolate, I carefully unwrapped one chocolate at a time, with each chocolate wrapped in intricately designed chocolate box; my eyes feasted on the beautiful bite-size pieces. It was almost painful to take a bite because they were so beautiful and they liked so good all jammed up in my fridge. I guess the chocolate lover in me has quite turned me into the chocolate monster hat I am now.

Now, my interests in chocolates have drifted to liking gourmet chocolates. I am particularly interested about how they are made; the best variations they offer, and of course, the best makers there are.  And here is a list of the famous
gourmet chocolate shops all over the world where you will meet the best chocolate makers and get to mingle with fellow chocoholics like us! 

La Maison du Chocolat– Paris, France
Robert Linxe opened La Maison du Chocolat in 1977 and now it has several shops in the romantic city of Paris. He was often called "ganache-magician" as he uses bitter-sweet chocolate, about 65% cocoa and specializes in mendiants, ganaches, fruity bars and truffles.
 
Geneva, Switzerland - Arn Chocolaterie

Forget the Alps! If you eat anything from Arn Chocolaterie it would be like you are floating way above the snowy mountains of Switzerland. Experience being served an array of coffee and tea with their specialty of champagne truffles.

Escriba –Barcelona, Spain

It is but fit to find one of the best hot chocolates in Barcelona. Anyway, it is the first country that ever developed chocolates.  Barcelona is lucky to have Escriba, a humble chocolate shop opened in the 1900's by a coal worker. People who have experienced the luscious goodness of hot chocolate in Escriba can only sip in silent awe because it is just so unlike any other. But apart from their mouth-watering hot choco, they also have a wide selection of desserts you can choose from!

Neuhaus– Vlezenbeek, Belgium 

Neuhaus has been around for 150 years and its popularity has never waned. They now have an online store which will delightfully deliver their best Belgian chocolates right in front of your doorstep. But why do that when you can visit Vlezenbeek and enjoy magical sceneries while indulging in chewy chocolate delights?

L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates– Massachusetts, USA  

Situated at the very heart of Harvard University, the chocolate café is a haven to chocolate lovers in this part of the East Coast.  Aside from the Cambridge store, they also have one in Walpole, NH which also serves main courses.

New York, USA – Marie Belle
The beautiful pieces of chocolates from Marie Belle is so perfect, it is painful to even have a bite. But you will be surprised as to how much better they are when you eat them than when you simply look at them!

Melt– London, England
Try checking out Melt, a store in Nothing Hill, not just because of the instant popularity the town owes to Julia Roberts but because of their own hotly served great chocolates at very affordable prices. And just like the name of the store, their chocolates promise to melt in your mouth with the finest tang you will ever experience! These are all the seven heavens in my life being a choco lover! I wish I could go visit many more gourmet chocolate shops in the future!

The Battle Of Chocolates Needs Chocolate Lovers' Vote

"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?

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!

The Sweetest Secret for Chocolate Lovers

Many years after the first chocolate was introduced to the Spanish monarchy and failed to steal their approval, Cortez dared to present then King Charles V with the newfound harvest from the New World making all people become chocolate lovers in the future.

The bittersweet taste of the cocoa inspired very little support from its drinkers until Cortez blew the world away with a discovery that when mixed with sugar and milk, along with many other sweeteners and spices, chocolate can be very enticing! The concoction was revered in the high courts that chocolate was reserved only for the nobility and the Spanish refused to share this delicacy with any other nation.

Dominican Friars who used to process the revered beans finally let the secret out in 1544 and soon took Europe by a storm.

A Sweet Chocolate Love Story in Paris

Chocolate was introduced to France when Spanish Princess Maria Theresa married Louis XIV of France. As an engagement gift, she gave her fiancé a box of ornately decorated box of chocolates which took the French by the heart. Their marriage must have been maid in chocolate heaven because it was said that King Louis made love twice a day with his wife.

The chocolates aphrodisiac qualities were further recognized by the French nobilities , even their art reflected the dark, tempestuous allure of chocolates. Stories such as that of Casanova using chocolates to seduce his lovers and Madame du Barry becoming nymphomaniac were passed on.

From Mistake to Praline

A funny chocolate anecdote comes to mind; the renowned Duke of Plesslis-Praslin was once kept waiting for his dessert owing to the accidental dropping of a bowlful of almonds in the kitchen. Panic-stricken the chef pours over burned sugar over the beans! The Duke couldn't be made to wait any longer so as soon as the sugar cooled, the chef served the noble a plate of almonds covered with burnt sugar and he was delighted. So impressed that he gave his name to this mistake! Today we know it as praline.

America Greets Cadbury

Europe remains in awe of this delicious treat, meanwhile Americans discover the chocolate and in 1765, the first chocolate factory in America was built. Soon major countries in Europe followed the examples of Spain along with America to establish more factories and find more ways to serve chocolate.

In 1828, it was found that including a little bit of the cocoa butter actually made the chocolate drink a lot smoother. Between 1830's to the late 1840's chocolate makes developed the drink into the solid form and later a fondant was introduced. And so in 1849, the Cadbury Brothers put into exhibit their decadent chocolate creations in Birmingham, England.

The Swiss Takes the Lead

After many years of dedicated study on how to process the cocoa, the Swiss discovered a way to cook the chocolate by means of refining it via 'conching'. It took about 72 hours of continues rolling and refining. Soon after, putting the chocolate in your mouth, it melts; thus the known texture today. It was a Swiss too that discovered a means to add flavor to the chocolate by filling it.

Whatever kind of chocolate you have with you today is a result of many years of devotion to the xocoatl. Men before us have been captured and tempted to their cores that those who followed only continued what they long worked for – to make the chocolate the staple that it is today. What started out as mere beans that men barely noticed has become a valued treat, the creamy, lustful and rich sweets that chocolate lovers will die for!

I JUST LOVE SACRED CHOCOLATE!