http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/ en webmaster@laxa.ca Copyright 2011 2011-11-27T17:21:28+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/flavours_of_chocolate/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/flavours_of_chocolate/#When:17:21:28Z The difference between chocolate flavours is based on the processing and ingredients included in each chocolate formula. Real chocolate only has a short list of ingredients so read the label carefully. Dark Chocolate flavour ingredients:     cocoa, cocoa liquor (the essence of the cocoa bean)     added cocoa butter (optional but usually present)     sugar     spices such as vanilla Dark chocolate can come in a variety of flavours which are categorized by the industry as unsweetened chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate: Unsweetened Chocolate or Brute Chocolate Unsweetened chocolate is mainly used for cooking purposes as it usually has a cocoa liquor component of 99%. Bittersweet Chocolate (FDA requires the chocolate contain 35% or more cocoa liquor) Unfortunately there is a big difference in the flavour between chocolate with 35% and 84% cocoa liquor. The higher the cocoa liquor the less the percentage of sugar. Your own palate should determine the percent of cocoa liquor that you prefer. Please note that percentage of cocoa liquor does not determine quality. You can make a 70% chocolate with badly processed beans that don't taste very good. Semisweet Chocolate or Sweet Chocolate Again there is a wide range of chocolate liquor percentages in this category. What is interesting to note - to be considered semisweet or sweet chocolate, all the bar has to contain is 15% cocoa liquor. Milk chocolate (FDA requires the chocolate to be 10% or more cocoa liquor) Milk chocolate flavour ingredients:     cocoa, cocoa liquor     cocoa butter     sugar     milk or cream powder     spices Milk chocolate flavour has a lot to do with the type of milk or cream product that is used in its manufacturer as well as the strength and taste of the cocoa liquor. Because the added milk or cream softens or masks the flavour of the chocolate liquor most manufacturers rely on bitter chocolate flavour bean such as forestero to deliver flavour. Dark milk chocolate - there is a trend by artisan chocolatiers to use a "dark" milk chocolate which contains a higher percentage of cocoa liquor. This gives the creamy milk chocolate a more pronounced flavour. White chocolate White chocolate flavour ingredients:     cocoa, cocoa liquor     sugar     milk or cream powder     spices Because there is so little "chocolate" in white chocolate, the different products available seem to all taste the same. The flavour is mainly one of milk, vanilla and sugar. FDA requires the chocolate contain 20% or more cocoa liquor. Single Origin, Vintage or Grand Cru Chocolates These are chocolates whose origins are specific to a region or plantation. Quality is not a given and can depend upon the agriculture and processing practices - so make sure to taste before buying. These chocolates can come in a variety of flavours such as semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. What does cocoa percentage mean? Sometimes chocolate manufacturers indicate the percentage of cocoa on the label. This basically tells you the percentage of cocoa liquor (i.e. the essence of the bean). The rest of the product is made up of sugar or a combination of sugar and dry milk powder in the case of milk or white chocolate. Important note:This percentage does not indicate quality as you can have lower quality beans made into a high cocoa percentage bar. Use the percentage only as an indication of sweetness. 2011-11-27T17:21:28+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/white_chocolate_martini/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/white_chocolate_martini/#When:20:54:28Z White Chocolate Martini Ingredients 1 oz vanilla vodka 1 oz white chocolate liqueur 1/2 oz white crème de cocoa 1 oz half & half chocolate syrup Directions 1.   Freeze a martini glass; remove from freezer 2.   Drizzle chocolate syrup around sides to form a pretty pattern; return to freezer. 3.   Add crushed ice to a cocktail shaker   4.   Add vodka, white chocolate liqueur and crème de coca; shake well. 5.   Add half and half, and swirl in shaker. Do not shake - as it will cause the half and half to foam 6.   Pour into prepared martini glass 7.   Lightly drizzle chocolate syrup on top to form a pattern; garnish with Chocolate stick or Chocolate covered cherry Note: Should you not wish to use chocolate syrup, use Tempered fine dark (bittersweet) chocolate, for piping Spoon the tempered dark (bittersweet) chocolate into a paper piping (pastry) bag and pipe lines of chocolate into 4 martini glasses. Transfer the glasses to the fridge to chill while you make the cocktail. 2011-11-24T20:54:28+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/cacao_trees_pods_and_beans/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/cacao_trees_pods_and_beans/#When:22:30:34Z Cacao, pronounced 'ka-KOW', is the raw, agricultural ingredient used to make chocolate. It is grown in various parts of the world along the Equator, where humid temperatures and jungle-like surroundings provide ideal conditions for growing this colorful fruit. In shades of red, orange, yellow and green, cacao pods sprout from the trunks of cacao trees, and cacao beans (seeds actually) are found inside the pods where a delicate, sweet, fruity pulp surrounds the cacao bean cotyledons (which later become nibs). Cacao pods are harvested throughout the year as they reach optimal ripeness, mainly from October through May. Most of the world's cacao is still grown on small farms that provide many families who are located in remote areas of the world with their economic livelihood. Once cacao is harvested, fermented and dried, farmers have as many as 2-3 weeks (as opposed to one day for limes and such) to get their dried cacao beans to market, via donkey for instance. This means that even a farmer located in a remote village, with few roads or other infrastructure between his family and the nearest town, can make a living by farming cacao. The cacao plant is a spindly tree that grows in an under-story environment.  Mentioning of cacao plant first appears in Mayan writings from Mesoamerica.   The plant was so important at that time, that the quantity of literature about cacao is unrivaled by that of any plant brought back to Europe by Spanish conquistadors The tree is particularly difficult to grow.  It only bears fruit inside the band of 20 degrees north and 20 degrees south of the equator.  Nor is it happy within this band of the tropics if the altitude is so high that the resulting temperature falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit it will not grow.  Cacao also needs year round moisture.  Poor growing conditions make it even more susceptible to a multitude of diseases.  On the other hand, when conditions are perfect for the tree, the seeds will sprout in a few days and the tree will bear fruit in four years.         2011-11-22T22:30:34+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/artisan_chocolate_celebrated_at_festival_of_chocolate/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/artisan_chocolate_celebrated_at_festival_of_chocolate/#When:15:25:15Z What is artisan chocolate? Artisan chocolate is like a good bottle of wine. It is made by master chocolate makers who use the finest cacao beans to create a delectable symphony of flavors. It may come from a specific bean, from a single origin or even from a single estate. It may have hints of cashew, raisin or cherry. It may taste grassy or earthy. It may be simple or complex, with flavors that linger on the palate.  Artisan Chocolatiers offer you the chance to try and compare hundreds of bars of chocolate made with some of the finest cacao in the world by artisans who are passionate about creating flavorful chocolate. Why is this chocolate so special? Excellent cacao bean qualityArtisan chocolate starts with well-farmed, quality cacao beans that have been fermented and roasted to bring out the best in their flavor profiles. Chocolate is made by artisans who appreciate the importance of quality cacao and who treat it with the respect and the individual attention it deserves. Minimal ingredients: The finest chocolate has the simplest ingredients, relying on the flavor of the chocolate to shine. There should be no more than “cocoa mass” or “cocoa liquor”, cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla and soy lecithin in a quality bar of dark chocolate. Many artisan chocolate makers include even fewer ingredients. While dark chocolate should not include milk as an ingredient, milk chocolate will also include milk powder. Does the % of chocolate on the label matter? You may hear a lot in the press about high-percentage chocolate being quality chocolate. The percentage of chocolate is not an indicator of the quality of the cacao beans or the ingredients used to make the chocolate, so it is not fair to assume that high-percentage chocolate is good chocolate.While comparing the % on the labels of chocolate from the same maker will help you distinguish the bittersweet from the semisweet, comparing this information across different chocolate makers can be misleading. These numbers are calculated differently by different chocolate makers, resulting in comparisons that are not apples-to-apples. 2011-11-20T15:25:15+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/chocolate_face_mask_recipe/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/chocolate_face_mask_recipe/#When:00:35:19Z A Chocolate mask nourishes and moisturizes your skin which leaves your skin soft and glowing. Chocolate is filled with antioxidants that rejuvenate the skin. use 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/4 cup of honey, 3 teaspoons of oatmeal powder, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or sour cream. Mix all of them until the mass in consistent. Gently massage your face with it so that oatmeal can start exfoliating the dead skin cell layer. Leave it on the face for about 15 - 20 minutes and rinse off with lukewarm water.   Note: While eating chocolate you must remember that the only chocolate that can deliver beauty benefits is dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa content. Dark chocolate combats stress (beauty's enemy number one) helping reduce stress hormones, which lowers collagen breakdown in the skin, and thus protects your skin from wrinkles. Quality chocolate contains flavonols (type of flavonoid), that help your skin look its best. These antioxidants help your skin with UV damage protection that you may have fewer wrinkles, fight free radicals, and increase blood flow for a dewy glow! Flavonols improve skin hydration and thickness, which makes a young-looking skin. Warm Chocolate Regards Dawn 2011-11-12T00:35:19+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/chicken_mole_uses_chocolate_as_an_ingredient/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/chicken_mole_uses_chocolate_as_an_ingredient/#When:22:59:59Z Chicken Mole recipe Ingredients 3 tbsp. vegetable oil 8 chicken thighs (or use chicken pieces like drumsticks or legs) 1 onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tbsp. chili powder 2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 can(14 oz.) fire roasted tomatoes, undrained 1/4 cup dried blueberries 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup dark Mexican beer, or any dark beer would be fine 2 tbsp. peanut butter 2 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt 2 squares (1oz. each) unsweetend chocolate (for baking), chopped Note, we used 80% dark chocolate wafers, about 3 ounces Note, to increase the spiciness, double the pablano and chipotle peppers How to make it Heat oil in a lg. skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and brown on all sides, set aside. In the same skillet, sauté onion, bell pepper, poblano pepper and garlic. Cook and stir until veggies are soft and slightly caramelized. Stir in chili powder, cumin and cinnamon and cook 3 minutes longer. Add tomatoes, blueberries, chipotle peppers, chicken broth, beer, peanut butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes, stirring often. Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor and add chocolate. Cover and blend until smooth. Transfer the chicken into the dutch oven, or a deep heavy cooking pot, or skillet. Pour sauce over chicken. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. For an Entree serve over cooked white rice with warm tortillas. Top with sour cream and fresh cilantro, chopped. Serves 4 as an entree, 8 as an appetizer FOR SERVING: For the Chocolate Festival, I served a shredded chicken mole in tart shells, garnished with a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro. This recipe was made to pair with the Wellbrook Winery Blueberry Reserve Wine. Warm Chocolate Regards Dawn, Festival of Chocolate 2011-11-10T22:59:59+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/seared_kangaroo_recipe/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/seared_kangaroo_recipe/#When:21:56:43Z This absolutely tender, delicious meat stood up to the Compote extremely well. A lovely Pairing with the Wellbrook Blueberry Reserve Wine Seared Kangaroo Filet with Blueberry Cranberry Chocolate Compote •2 trimmed kangaroo loin fillets (about ½ kilo) •1/4 cup olive oil •1/2 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground •1 tablespoon fresh thyme •1 clove garlic, thinly slivered •salt and pepper, to taste ·         blueberry cranberry relish (see recipe previous blog) Dry Kangaroo Loins well. (Use paper towels to remove all moisture from the tenderloin) Mix together the 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon black pepper, garlic, and thyme ·         Marinade the kangaroo in this for several hours, or overnight if possible. Directions:Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Smear the oil mixture over the loins and let stand for an hour until the meat is at room temperature. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat, sear the loins for about two minutes on each side. Place the skillet, loins and all, in a 400 F oven for 10 minutes for rare meat. Add a minute or two if you get a really fat (thick) loin. Remove from oven and wrap each loin with foil and let stand five to 10 minutes to let the juices settle. Cut into one-cm thick slices across the grain of the meat. Serve immediately. Serves 3 – 4 people. Serve the sliced fillet on top of the warmed relish. Garnish with fresh thyme and orange zest Thank you to Mark Hills, of Hills Foods, for the Kangaroo. Kangaroo is a succulent and versatile red meat, comparable in texture to venison with a slightly more intense flavour. The muscle fibres have virtually no fat and little connective tissue (collagen), which means that care must be taken not to overcook it. Warm Chocolate Regards Dawn Donahue, Festival of Chocolate 2011-11-10T21:56:43+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/blueberry_cranberry_chocolate_compote/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/blueberry_cranberry_chocolate_compote/#When:18:07:18Z Blueberry Cranberry Chocolate Compote Ingredients: 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen whole) 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen whole) 3/4 cup dried blueberries 20 chocolate wafers - 64% Ecuadoran (about 2 ounces or 57 grams) you make use baking chocolate or bars 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon cinammon 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg Cooking Intructions: Put first three ingredients (blueberries and cranberries) in a pot. Add in Orange Juice. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat, add in chocolate, vanilla, cinammon, and nutment. Stir. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cranberries should be softened, but still whole. Remove from heat. Cool. Let rest for several hours. Place in jars or containers.  Serve warm. (to reheat, bring to a quick low boil) Notes: I used fresh and dried BC blueberries and cranberries.  I used 64% chocolate to give the compote a bit of sweetness, for a tarter, richer compote one could go up to an 80% dark chocolate Guests were eating this compote by itself - like a bowl of warm fruit salsa This compote could be used for pancake, waffle, french toast, cheesecake toppings This compote would be delicious with most proteins - wild game, pork, chicken, or turkey. For the Festival of Chocolate, we served this on medallions of Kangaroo Tenderloin, with the Wellbrook Winery Blueberry Reserve Wine. Warm Chocolate Regards Dawn Donahue 2011-11-06T18:07:18+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/savouries_sweets_chocolate_and_wine/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/savouries_sweets_chocolate_and_wine/#When:19:36:40Z Writing the menu and pairing fruit wines with savouries and sweets can be time consuming, trial and error, and absolutely delicious. This week we were working with several wines from Wellbrook Winery. Our Chocolatier, Dione Costanzo of Dione's Chocolates The goal - create a savoury appetizer to pair with the Blueberry Reserve Wine. Create three or four chocolates to pair with three or four wines from Wellbrook, two of which are new releases. With passion and abandonment we embarked on the task. First, my area of experize - create a savoury appetizer, easy to serve, easy to prepare, something that will please the majority of guests. Never one to let fear or common sense hold me back, I ring up Mark Hills from Hills Foods, top-quality wild game meats, organic meats, and specialty products. I have it in my mind that Kangaroo, Venison, Elk or some protein of this nature will stand up to a blueberry or cranberry salsa/compote/relish, be easy to serve, and pair well with the Blueberry Reserve Wine. Kangaroo Loins - beautiful pieces of protein, zero fat. The Premium cut. So perfect that one feels simple is the answer. A light drizzle of olive oil, a few slivers of garlic, bit of salt and pepper, let sit for a couple of hours. Wanting to incorporate local blueberries into the savoury, and knowing Wellbrook Winery is on a blueberry farm, this is the first ingredient we reach for. Remember, this is for the Festival of Chocolate, so the appetizer has to have a chocolate influence or ingredient. Next, local cranberries. Two cups of local blueberries and two cups of local cranberries, 3/4 cup dried blueberries, 1/2 cup orange juice, cinammon, nutmeg, vanilla, bring to a boil, then turn to a simmer. 10 minutes later remove from heat (cranberries are soft, but not broken). Then, add in 64% chocolate - about 3 ounces. Stir and let rest for a couple hours. (the aromas in the kitchen are amazing!) Getting to know the Blueberry Reserve was a surprizing experience. First, Wellbrook Winery has no actual tasting notes, on the website or the bottle. What we have to work with "Our blueberry reserve is a unique wine made from premium blueberries and aged. Serve chilled. Sweetness Code - 0; Alcohol - 11%" Opening the bottle releases a very clean, fresh aroma of blueberries - so clean it smells like walking in the blueberry fields, after a light rain. Tasting the wine - very pleasing, not a fruit wine, a very dry, hint of blueberry, a bit of citrus, lightly green, delicious wine. Roo Pops topped with Blueberry Cranberry Compote - heaven. What  an amazing pairing. All three components stood alone, deliciously. All three paired together melded the flavours into a truly palate pleasing sensation. Our guests at our Wine and Chocolate pairing on November 4th should be very pleased. The Roo Pops will be double seared - the kangaroo is perfectly moist, even taking it past medium rare!  Onto the Chocolatier - Dione Costanzo. Dione is working with the Blueberry Wine (not the Reserve), the new release of Peach Apricot Wine, the new Rhubarb Wine, and the Iced Apple. Sipping wine, imagining chocolate flavours, ganaches, local ingredients - the artisan chocolatier comes up with some winning combinations. First - the Blueberry Wine - Delicate Blueberry flavour with a hint of mint. Sweetness Code 1. A milk chocolate bark with crystallized ginger that goes with it perfectly.  Then, onto the Rhubarb Wine - white chocolate with organic bc cranberries.  Dione also made a molded chocolate that is a white chocolate shell filled with a layer of strawberry puree and a layer of strawberry ganache - The Rhubarb Wine was fun to work with. Again, some great flavour profiles, so lovely opportunities to be creative. A light, refreshingly crisp, off dry wine.  Rhubarb pie with hints of orange rind and citrus Next - Peach Apricot Wine - a delicate peach/apricot bouquet. The apricot notes dominate the underlying peach with a hint of citrus in the finish. Dione chose to pair Autumn spice ganache (cinnamon and nutmeg) in a white chocolate shell. Finally, the Iced Apple Dessert Wine. A Sweetness Code of 10 - Five varieties of B.C. apples make this a beautifully balanced, rich, intensely apple flavored dessert wine. Velvety smooth; not cloyingly sweet. Excellent with sharp cheese, cheese fondue, or apple pie. Dione finds her signature Crescent Beach Truffle is a great pairing. "the Crescent Beach Truffle works again!  Sea salt caramel goes very well with this wine.  I also have a tart green apple truffle that also works - i think I will bring both for the tasting event on November 4th!" Warm Chocolate Regards, Dawn Donahue, Festival of Chocolate 2011-11-01T19:36:40+00:00 http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/pairing_wines_with_chocolate/ http://www.festivalofchocolate.ca/blog/pairing_wines_with_chocolate/#When:22:40:57Z Tips for Successfully Pairings Wines with Chocolate Rule #1, pairing wines and chocolate are not straightforward pairings. It will take a bit of experimenting to find the best wine and chocolate combinations. Remember your palate impressions may be very different from those you are tasting and testing with. However, a more pleasurable task may be hard to find. And that was certainly proven at our Wine and Dione’s Chocolates tasting last night at Ocean Park Pub. Our guests loved the pairings, and had some fun creating new pairings. The most interchangeable chocolate was Dione’s Lemon Coconut Chocolate Ganache. Made to pair with the Lindeman’s Bin 50 Shiraz, the toasted coconut lent itself brilliantly to the big flavours of the Shiraz; the dark chocolate ganache picked up the berry notes, and the lemon freshened all the flavours. But, for some of the guests, the same lemon coconut truffle paired extremely well with the Inniskillin Pinot Noir. The four wines chosen were medium to full bodied wines, all with hints of berry, spice and vanilla. Dione Costanzo, Chocolatier, enjoyed pulling the spice notes out of the wines, creating amazingly delicious combinations. The combinations proved to be a great hit for all attendees. Here are the pairings: Inniskillin Pinot Noir and spicy chipotle ganache in a dark chocolate shell; Jackson Triggs Merlot and Crescent Park Truffles (smooth caramel with sea salt rolled in dark or milk chocolate); Beringer Founders Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and seasonal pumpkin spice ganache chocolates; Lindeman’s Shiraz and hand rolled lemon coconut truffles.  Create your own pairings… Remember, everyone’s palate is unique, so just have some fun. A few tips to consider. For some they prefer the wine to be as sweet as the chocolate, for others this causes the chocolate to take on a distinct sour note. When pairing wines with chocolate, your best bet is to match lighter, more elegant flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines; likewise, the stronger the chocolate, the more full-bodied the wine should be. For example, a bittersweet chocolate tends to pair well with an intense, in-your-face California Zinfandel or even a tannin-driven Cabernet Sauvignon. The darker the chocolate the more tannins it will display. However when you pair this darker chocolate up with a wine that has stout tannins, the chocolate will often overshadow or cancel out the wine's tannins on the palate and allow more fruit to show through. Similar to “formal” wine tasting, if you will be experimenting with several varieties of chocolates, work from light to dark. Start with a more subtle white chocolate and end on a dark or bittersweet chocolate.  White Chocolate Wine Suggestions White chocolate tends to be more mellow and buttery in flavor, making it an ideal candidate for a Sherry from Italy’s Piedmont region offers subtle, sweet bubbles, or an Orange Muscat. The Sherry will pick up the creaminess of the chocolates and the Orange Muscat will pick up any fruit tones on the scene. Another route, for pairing wine with white chocolate is going for the contrast pairing approach, this is a little riskier, but when you find a match it can be exceptional. For example, taking a wine like a Zinfandel which tends to have a heavier tannic content and often a higher alcohol level and partnering it with a creamy, buttered white chocolate can have an unusual "melding" affect. It's like the tannins get softened out by the fat content and make for a remarkable potential for pairing.  Milk Chocolate Wine Suggestions Pinot Noir or a lighter-bodied Merlot will complement a bar of milk chocolate, a creamy chocolate mousse or chocolate accented cheesecake. Rieslings, Muscats or dessert wines tend to hold up well to mild milk chocolates. Also consider a sparkling wine or Champagne for pairing with milk chocolate dipped strawberries. Last, but not least a classic milk chocolate pairing to consider is a nice Ruby Port - a very safe bet when looking for a perfect wine to accent milk chocolate.  Dark Chocolate Wine Suggestions Dark or bittersweet chocolates need a wine that offers a roasted, slightly robust flavor itself, with perhaps a hint of its own chocolate notes. Cabs and Zinfandels have a history of perfecting the dark chocolate match, resulting in an unparalleled tasting combination. A Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel will more than fill your chocolate pairing expectations. Also consider a Pinot Noir or a Merlot to handle dark chocolate around the 55% cocoa mark. Finally, give a Tawny or Vintage Port a go to offer a very well balanced pairing approach to a dark chocolate dessert or truffle. Remember, have some fun… mix and match until you find what pleases you – then, carry that combination through to a dessert party or a delicious, unique family and friends event. Warm Chocolate Regards, Dawn Donahue, Festival of Chocolate CEO 2011-10-28T22:40:57+00:00