Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

Chocolate

Browsing
Cooking Tips

The Dutch Breakfast: Enjoy the Day With Chocolate Sprinkles And Honey Cake

In the Netherlands, chocolate sprinkles (hagelslag) or flakes (vlokken), raisin rolls, syrup waffles (stroopwafels), pancakes (pannekoek) and honey cake (ontbjitkoek) are a really enjoyable start in the early morning. To balance this intense sweetness, the Dutch also like to eat a piece of bread or rusks (beschuit) with cheese (kaas), sausage, ham and salty peanut butter (pindakaas) for a hearty breakfast. And with this meal, fresh fruit, yoghurt and cornflakes ensure your health. The whole thing is rounded off with freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee, tea or warm drinking chocolate. And even twice a day.

Yes, you heard that right! The Ontbijt (breakfast) takes place twice a day here in Holland and often replaces lunch.

If you want a true Dutch breakfast experience, we explain how and also when you should eat this tasty, healthy meal.

Two breakfasts, please!

When they wake up early in the morning, the Dutch have their first breakfast with some bread, honey, jam and thinly sliced ​​cheese to get the circulation going. A few hours later, around 12.30 p.m., it is time for the coffee table in the Netherlands, a kind of second breakfast that very often replaces the actual lunch. A breakfast snack is put together from sweet and savory dishes: from bread, cheese and sausage to warm egg dishes and honey cake.

How do you prepare a Dutch breakfast?

Would you like to be in Amsterdam, but you are not and would you like to at least experience the flair of the Dutch city? Then start early in the morning by preparing a charming, colorful and delicious Dutch breakfast for you and your loved ones, or rather, a really typical Ontbijt, as the Dutch call it. With the rich variety of sweet and savory ingredients, you can already feel the anticipation on your palate!

Now let’s take a look at the ingredients you need to prepare a typically delicious Dutch breakfast.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Popular types of bread (white bread, black bread or wholemeal bread) and rusks
Some chocolate sprinkles and/or chocolate flakes (eaten sprinkled on buttered bread)
butter, honey and jam
2 raisin rolls
2 stroopwafels – available at most health food stores – and/or 2 pancakes
2 pieces of honey cake – we’ll give you the recipe for it in a moment
Sausage and cheese platter (we recommend typical Dutch Gouda cheese)
Salty Peanut Butter
2 boiled eggs
Fresh fruit (e.g. strawberries, melon, pineapple, apple, etc.) and vegetables (e.g. cherry tomatoes)
yogurt and cornflakes
8 oranges (for the juice)
Coffee, Ceylon tea or Choco Classic chocolate
some milk (for the latte)

Recipe Dutch honey cake:

Ontbjitkoek is the name of the typical Dutch honey cake, which can literally be translated to “breakfast cake”. A cake that is eaten specifically for the morning meal. It should not be missing from your Dutch breakfast. So, let’s see how to make the honey cake.

Ingredients:

Flour: 350 gr
Honey: 150 gr
Baking Powder: ½ packet
Eggs: 3
Brown sugar: 100 gr
Cream: 100 gr
Cinnamon: ½ tsp
Ground cloves: ¼ tsp
Ground almonds: 150 gr
Mace: 1 pinch

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, heat the honey, sugar, and cream, stirring constantly, then allow the mixture to cool. In a clean bowl, mix all the spices (cinnamon, cloves, mace) with the almonds and baking powder. Now whisk the honey mixture with the eggs and gradually stir in the sifted flour. Pour the batter into the pre-greased baking pan (loaf pan, length: 24 cm) and bake in a preheated oven at 175 °C for 50 minutes. Once the cake is ready, let it cool before cutting it on the breakfast table!

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Ruby Cocoa Bean: That’s Why Pink Chocolate Exists

Ruby chocolate is considered the fourth type of chocolate and impresses with its rich pink – without any coloring. Here you can find out what the fruity chocolate is all about.

Some describe the Ruby chocolate, which has been available since 2018, as a new chocolate sensation, because no new type of chocolate has been introduced after the white variant for a good 80 years. Ruby chocolate is characterized by its natural pink color and berry flavor – without any synthetic additives.

Ruby Chocolate: History and Uses

 

The pink cocoa bean was discovered by chance: a team of Swiss researchers examined cocoa pods from different growing regions for the world’s largest cocoa and chocolate manufacturer, Barry Callebaut. They came across pink cocoa beans that had a fruitier taste. After several years of research, special processes were developed that allowed the beans to retain their characteristic pink color even after fermentation and roasting. In addition, manufacturers add citric acid to the beans. This should also help to preserve the colour. In contrast, the seeds of the cacao fruit turn brown in the classic chocolate production.

However, the so-called ruby ​​bean is not a special type of cocoa bean. Instead, traditional varieties such as Criollo, Trinitario and Forrastero are also used here. They come from the cocoa-growing regions of Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Special test procedures have to be used to determine whether the respective beans are suitable for Ruby chocolate.

In terms of taste, the chocolate is characterized by its fresh, sour note and tastes berry-fruity. In contrast, the typical cocoa taste of dark chocolate is less pronounced. You can use the chocolate like conventional varieties – it is suitable both for snacking and for chocolate coating, for light mousse desserts or as a baking ingredient. A delicious recipe idea with ruby ​​chocolate, for example, are quick ruby ​​coconut pralines. You can find the recipe for it below.

Buying Ruby chocolate: you should know that

Ruby chocolate is now also available from us. You can find them in well-stocked supermarkets or in online shops – both in pure form and as an ingredient in sweets and bars.

Since the special manufacturing process is a well-kept secret of the Belgian chocolate manufacturer Callebaut, Ruby products have so far been based exclusively on Callebaut chocolate. There is no organic or fair trade certification, which is actually very important for cocoa products.

However, the manufacturer itself states that it only uses sustainably produced cocoa beans that have been processed as part of the Cocoa Horizon program. According to the manufacturer, UTZ certification is possible on request. Nevertheless, this does not come close to the requirements and controls of Fairtrade seals. If you want to use Ruby chocolate, you should only do so in moderation and use organic fair trade chocolate in everyday life.

There is currently no vegan Ruby variant. Callebaut’s classic Ruby chocolate is made up of at least 47.3 percent cocoa and at least 26.3 percent milk solids.

Ruby Coconut Chocolates: A quick recipe

 

Ingredients:

100g coconut butter
50 g maple syrup
50 g grated coconut
0.5 tsp salt
150 gRuby chocolate

Directions:

Melt the coconut butter in a water bath or in the microwave (note: coconut milk or coconut oil will not work here).
Add maple syrup, coconut flakes and salt and mix all ingredients.
Place the mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Melt the ruby chocolate in a water bath.
Form about ten balls from the mixture and cover them with the melted ruby chocolate.
You can store the balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Recognizing Good Chocolate Directly – 9 Tips

Especially in the run-up to Christmas, it is literally on everyone’s lips: chocolate. With hardly any other confectionery, however, do you have to differentiate so much between sweets and luxury foods. The gap between mass and quality products is too big. Here are 9 tips on how to distinguish a high-quality chocolate from an inferior chocolate. One thing in advance: It is not always the price and noble brand image in advertising that indicate the quality.

Which seals can be seen on the chocolate?

Even a quick look at the packaging gives conclusions as to what is important to the manufacturer. If the organic seal is shown, only ingredients from organic farming are used. This excludes the use of plant toxins and guarantees biodiversity on the plantations. In combination with the Rainforest Alliance seal, social components are added, e.g. the exclusion of child labor. The Fairtrade seal also guarantees safe prices for the producers.

Does the manufacturer exclude child labor?

Child labor is a big problem – especially on the large cocoa plantations of West Africa. This is where most of the cocoa used worldwide comes from. Where does the cocoa come from and can the manufacturer prevent exploitative child labor? A look at the website should show whether something is actively being done in this area.

Questionable ingredients

Emulsifiers such as soy lecithin, the ecologically controversial palm oil or vanillin – a synthetically produced flavoring – should not appear in the list of ingredients. Conventional soy lecithin in particular is mostly obtained from genetically modified soy plants.

Around 80% of the soy grown worldwide is not grown sustainably and has a high level of pollution.

Cocoa butter or cheap fats?

An essential part of a good chocolate is the cocoa butter. This pressed fat from the cocoa fruit is a very high-quality raw material that gives chocolate a particularly intense melt. How much cocoa butter does it contain? The approximate amount can be derived from the position in the list of ingredients. Cocoa butter should be mentioned first.

Cheap chocolate often cheats with cheaper fats, such as butterfat or palm fat, the extraction of which is ecologically problematic.

Which sugar is used?

When it comes to sugar, there are some massive differences. Industrially processed refined sugar has often come under criticism. Better variants here are raw cane zocker or alternative natural sweeteners such as xylitol, coconut blossom sugar or agave syrup. Most of these original species still contain valuable minerals.

How is the chocolate packed?

Of course, the quality of the packaging does not determine the quality of the chocolate. Nevertheless, both should fit together. An organic chocolate thickly wrapped in plastic, lacquered or aluminum-coated composites raises critical questions. In general, there are now many ecological packaging alternatives (such as the compostable Natureflex film, which is used for VIVANI chocolates). Just ask the manufacturer or look it up on the website.

Is the chocolate produced sustainably?

If you are on the manufacturer’s website, it is also advisable to take a look at the place and type of manufacture. What do you find out about this? Is production climate-neutral? Do you pay attention to efficient energy management? Are sustainable packaging materials used and are mineral oil-free printing inks used in the packaging? If a lot of this is the case, the manufacturer doesn’t want to make a quick buck, but pays attention to the environment in a responsible manner.

The chocolate has turned white. is that mold

All clear: mold is not. But so-called fat bloom. This can form if the chocolate has been exposed to excessive temperature fluctuations. If it is stored too warm, the chocolate “sweats”. The fats come to the surface and are deposited as a whitish layer. The chocolate tastes rather bland and old and has a crumbly consistency. Nevertheless, please do not store chocolate in the refrigerator. It binds foreign odors.

Last but not least: the taste

In the end, of course, the all-important question: How does the chocolate taste? Does she have a fine enamel? Does the cocoa used have exciting aromas? Are there other ingredients that create sophisticated side effects? Do hazelnuts and almonds taste nice and roasted? Is the level of sweetness balanced? Of course, everyone has their own preferences and is their own – and also their best – expert.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Like a Bar of Chocolate, Everyone Earns Fairly

Whether whole milk or dark, filled or plain, as balls or in bar form – very few of us can resist chocolate. However, most (conscious) consumers also know that the cocoa business is often very unfair. Why is that? Does it have to be that way? And isn’t that fair for everyone? Let’s find out.

What does “fair” actually mean? Working conditions? Pay? old-age insurance? Safety at work? Or all together? The Duden defines “fair” as “according to the rules of living together; decent, just in dealing with others”. Somehow understandable and also simple. In a globalized world, in which one half lives at the expense of the other half, but far removed from cross-border reality – especially with regard to economic activity. When it comes to products like coffee, clothing and cocoa, the lack of social, economic and environmental sustainability is pervasive. That needs to change! And on all levels.

Our chocolate production is obsolete!

When it comes to chocolate production, we still live behind the moon. Or under neocolonial structures – and thus in unfair structures between the countries of the Global North and the Global South:

70 percent of the cocoa grown worldwide comes from Africa.
The raw materials from Africa are mainly used for the production of goods in the Global North.
Less than one percent of the chocolate grown worldwide is produced in Africa itself.

What’s not fair about it: Neo-colonial economic structures are based on the fact that instead of end products, only raw materials such as cocoa beans are exported from Africa. However, the production of goods makes up the majority of the value added. And this usually does not take place where the raw materials come from – but in the already richer industrialized countries.

Central and West Africa are particularly dependent on the export of raw materials. Here, 95 percent of all export earnings come from the sale of raw materials. And that has serious consequences for countries like Ghana due to the fluctuating world market prices: an insecure national budget, a lack of infrastructure and dependence on imports of industrial products from the Global North.

The farmers are now at the origin of the value chain and have little choice but to sell their cocoa beans at dumping prices. This in turn means that children often work on the plantations, since the yields from the export of raw materials are often not sufficient to pay fair wages. As a result, the children do not go to school, education is missing and with it their future opportunities.

A paradox: consumers accept exploitation despite knowledge

And most consumers know about the unfair structures. Nevertheless, it is this “normal” chocolate that is most often bought worldwide. And this despite the fact that there have long been alternatives.

The Utopia study on the subject of child labor has shown that child labor is mainly suspected in cocoa, coffee and clothing, and conscious consumers want appropriate labelling. Nevertheless: What is bought is what is always bought: Sales of regular chocolate products are significantly higher than those of fair trade products. And that despite the fact that more and more people are turning to Fairtrade chocolate. Unfortunately, the overall share remains very small.

The supply chain law passed in summer 2021 should ensure more transparency and sustainability in the future. Since then, companies have been obliged to set minimum standards and to make their supply chains transparent. However, critics also point to incomplete regulations here: In most cases, it is not clearly communicated where a product comes from and under what conditions it was produced. Because companies do not yet have to be able to prove their supply chains completely up to the cultivation plantation.

Does that mean that we all have to stop eating chocolate? Of course not! There are many alternatives that already do a lot better. And then there’s fairafric – the fair chocolate that’s really fair for everyone.

Fair chocolate for everyone!

Unfortunately, fair trade does not necessarily mean fair. Because even with the “good” chocolates with recognized seals, it mostly remains with the pure trade with the cocoa beans, which are only processed into chocolate in the country of consumption.

It depends on the country of manufacture

As already learned above, fair structures depend above all on where the actual production of goods takes place. An evaluation by Inkota, an association against hunger, poverty and for a fair globalization, shows: With an average chocolate, around six percent of the price paid stays in Africa, with fair trade around seven to eight percent. Fairtrade, for example, pays a premium of around USD 200 per tonne of cocoa to the cocoa cooperative, of which only a fraction reaches the farmers. In a 2018 study, Fairtrade self-critically admitted that around 60 percent of Fairtrade-certified cocoa farming families in Ivory Coast live below the absolute poverty line.

For fairafric, on the other hand, the focus is on relocating value creation to Africa. And so when you buy a bar of fairafric chocolate, 43 percent of the price paid stays in Ghana.

Fair chocolate creates fair work

Fairafric is a German-Ghanaian social business that produces organic chocolate bars in its own solar-powered chocolate factory – in Ghana. Thanks to the on-site production, in addition to the activities on the farms, qualified and well-paid jobs in the production of the finished end products are created in Africa.

The increased income enables employees to give their children access to further education. The sourcing of local ingredients, everything from organic cultivation, and the production in Suhum ensure that the added value remains local and that the entire production is in Ghanaian hands.

fairafric pays the highest cocoa premium in West Africa, namely USD 600 per tonne of cocoa beans. The 861 organic farmers from the partner cooperative Yayra Glover are paid fairly and regularly trained to improve the quality of the cocoa and thus increase the yield and their income. In addition, the fairafric foundation holds shares on behalf of the farmers so that they can share in the profits.

What is “fair” is not something we can sugarcoat in any way. Because it’s only really fair if it applies to everyone involved. With seals, conscious consumers should take a close look at what the seal contains and what exactly it stands for. Fairafric makes it easy – at least when buying chocolate: fairafric is fair for everyone.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Make Chocolate Yourself: Snack with a Clear Conscience

You can easily make chocolate yourself instead of buying it. With just a few ingredients and a few simple steps, you can make the candy at home. You can vary them according to your taste.

Make chocolate yourself: recipe with 5 ingredients

You can buy all kinds of chocolate in the supermarket, but it tastes so much better when you make it yourself. You also know what ingredients are in it. For two bars of chocolate you need these ingredients:

100 grams of cocoa butter
100 g baking cocoa
1 packet of vanilla sugar
2 tbsp sugar
a pinch of salt

Alternative: Instead of industrial table sugar, you can also use cane sugar, honey or agave syrup. Sugar substitutes such as erythritol or xylitol are also suitable.

In addition to the ingredients, you will need these items:

a small pot,
a big pot
and a chocolate mold.

Tip: You can get cocoa butter in health food stores or health food stores, for example. Make sure that you buy both them and the cocoa in organic quality and from fair trade. When you buy organic food, you can be sure that important ecological standards are met. Cocoa is also one of the foods that you should rather buy fairly, since poor working conditions often prevail on conventional plantations.

Step-by-step instructions for making homemade chocolate

Follow the basic recipe below to make your own chocolate:

Fill the larger pot with water and place or hang the smaller one in it. Add the cocoa butter to the small saucepan and increase the heat. Melt the cocoa butter, stirring, until it is completely smooth and there are no lumps.
Stir in the cocoa, vanilla sugar and salt. Add the sugar or your chosen sugar substitute and stir until creamy.
Fill the chocolate into matching chocolate molds and let them cool in the fridge. Alternative: If you don’t have any chocolate molds or don’t want to get them, you can simply spread the warm chocolate mass on a piece of baking paper and let it dry.

Refine chocolate

If plain chocolate is too boring for you, you can refine it. You can find inspiration for it here:

dried fruits: cranberries, raspberries, raisins
Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower
Nuts: hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts
cornflakes
crumbled biscuits
gummy bear
chocolate lentils
chili flakes
grated coconut
Cinammon
Mini marshmallows

Add the ingredients of your choice to the chocolate once it’s creamy. Then you can let them cool as described above. You can combine different toppings for a special taste experience.

Keep Reading
By
Food

White Chocolate Mousse: Classic and Vegan Recipe

White chocolate mousse is a sweet and creamy dessert. You can find out here how you can prepare the fluffy dessert vegetarian and vegan.

Mousse au chocolat is not only available in dark chocolate, but also works with the white counterpart. Since it is quick to prepare but has to rest for a long time, you can prepare it particularly well. This is useful, for example, for a menu evening with a small group of friends or family.

We will show you a vegetarian recipe and a purely plant-based version for white chocolate mousse. You can add more or less sugar to both recipes, depending on your taste. A lot of sweetness comes from the white chocolate. So that the dessert is also visually convincing, you can serve it with mint and fresh fruits such as berries.

White Chocolate Mousse: Tips & Hints

We recommend using organic food for the recipe. Organic certifications such as those from Bioland or Demeter indicate that farmers have complied with certain requirements for environmental protection and animal welfare. For example, you can be sure that the products are free of chemical-synthetic pesticides. In the case of the vegetarian variant, also make sure that the eggs are not shredded.

You can also buy organic chocolate. When it comes to chocolate, you should also make sure that it is fairly traded. This ensures that human rights and fair working conditions are observed in the production chain. So pay attention to the Fairtrade seal when buying.

Tip: For the white mousse au chocolat, all the ingredients should be cold. So only take them out of the fridge just before you use them.

For the vegan version, we use aquafaba, the drained water from chickpeas from a can or jar. Alternatively, you can make your own aquafaba by skimming off the cooking water (not the soaking water!) from dried chickpeas. You can then use the chickpeas to prepare delicious dishes. For example, you can make hummus yourself, serve roasted chickpeas as a snack, or cook a chickpea curry. For example, you could make a chickpea main course and serve vegan white chocolate mousse for dessert.

White chocolate mousse: recipe

Ingredients:

2organic eggs
1 pinch(s) of salt
2 pieces of vegetarian leaf gelatine from agar-agar
100 g white chocolate
25 gsugar
1 packet(s) of vanilla sugar
200 g of whipped cream

Directions:

Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff and place in the fridge.
Soften the gelatin sheets in cold water according to package directions.
Crush the white chocolate and melt it in a water bath. Make sure that the chocolate doesn’t get too hot, otherwise it will no longer be usable.
Add the softened gelatine leaves to the melted chocolate and stir until the two ingredients are completely combined.
Beat the egg yolk together with the sugar and vanilla sugar until fluffy.
In another bowl, whip the cream until stiff.
Mix the egg yolk and sugar mixture with the melted chocolate. Do this quickly and stir quickly.
Get the beaten egg whites out of the fridge and carefully fold them into the mixture.
Pour the white chocolate mousse into a bowl or several containers, depending on how you want to serve it. Place the mousse in the fridge for at least three hours.

White mousse au chocolat: That’s how it’s vegan

Ingredients:

140 g vegan white chocolate
240ml Aquafaba
0.5 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1 packet(s) of vanilla sugar

Directions:

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and melt them in a water bath. Don’t let it get too hot or it will become unusable.
Drain the chickpea aquafaba and catch it in a large bowl.
Beat the aquafaba for several minutes until fluffy and quite stiff. Meanwhile, stir in the baking powder. This makes it easier to pitch. Finally, add the sugar and vanilla sugar while stirring.
Now fold the whipped aquafaba into the melted, slightly cooled chocolate.
Divide the white mousse au chocolat into small glasses or bowls and place in the fridge for at least three hours.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Use Chocolate: Recipes for Chocolate Easter Bunnies & Santa Clauses

There are many ways to use up leftover chocolate that you no longer want to eat. We present you with suitable recipes for the leftovers of your Easter chocolate.

Especially after festivities, Easter bunnies, Santa Clauses and chocolate bars are often left over. Maybe you are unsure if you can still eat one or the other leftover chocolate. In our article on expired chocolate, you will learn how long chocolate stays edible and the role of the best-before date.

Instead of throwing it away, you can use chocolate in a variety of ways, as long as it’s still edible. One possibility, for example, is to melt them down and use them for chocolate fondue. In this article we will present you with other ideas and recipes on how to use chocolate.

Tip: If you feel like chocolate, only buy as much as you actually want to eat. In this way you avoid leftovers from the outset. Also make sure that you buy chocolate products with an organic certificate and from fair trade if possible: On the one hand, you make sure that the chocolate comes from organic farming and has no residues of chemical-synthetic pesticides. On the other hand, you know that it was traded fairly and that the local cocoa farmers received a reasonable wage. If you are looking for chocolate without animal products, please take a look at our article about vegan chocolate.

The classic: hot chocolate

Ingredients:

100 g chocolate
400 ml plant milk, e.g. oat or soy drink
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 pinch(s) of cinnamon
optionally sugar or other sweetener

Directions:

Zerkleinere die Schokolade in einem Multizerkleinerer oder hacke sie mit einem scharfen Messer.
Erhitze die Pflanzenmilch in einem Topf.
Vermenge in der Zwischenzeit die zerkleinerte Schokolade mit Kakaopulver und Zimt.
Rühre die Schokoladen-Kakao-Mischung mit einem Schneebesen in die warme Milch.
Je nachdem, welche Schokolade und welchen Pflanzendrink du verwendest, kannst du die heiße Schokolade abschließend noch mit Zucker oder einer Alternative deiner Wahl süßen. Optional kannst du auch Vanillezucker verwenden.

Use chocolate in cakes, muffins, and cookies

Using chocolate also works wonderfully in various cake, muffin and biscuit recipes. Here you can find some ideas:

Vegan sponge cake
Muffins without eggs
Muffins (basic recipe)
Сhocolate cake

You can simply chop the chocolate and then fold it into the finished dough. Or you melt them in a water bath and use them to glaze the finished cake or muffins. Chocolate is already part of the recipe here:

Сhocolate muffins
Chocolate Chip Cookies (the fourth recipe)
You can use chocolate not only in pastries but also in other sweet desserts:

Chocolate salami
After Eight Ice Cream
Chocolate sauce for ice cream, waffles, and pancakes

Use chocolate: homemade chocolate spread

Ingredients:

6 EL plant drink
4 tablespoons sugar, optionally one part vanilla sugar
60 g vegetable margarine
100 g chocolate
50 g finely ground hazelnuts
1 pinch(s) of salt

Directions:

Heat the plant drink together with sugar and margarine in a saucepan.
Break the chocolate into pieces and add to the saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Let the chocolate melt, stirring constantly so nothing burns. If the spread is too thick, carefully stir in some plant drink.
Finally, add the ground hazelnuts and a pinch of salt to the pot and stir everything into an even chocolate cream.
Pour the spread into a screw-top jar and let it cool down.

Keep Reading
By
Belgium

What are some popular Belgian chocolate products?

Introduction: Belgian Chocolate

Belgian chocolate has long been considered among the best in the world for its superior quality and unique taste. The country’s long-standing tradition of chocolate-making has given rise to a range of exquisite chocolate products that are adored by chocolate lovers everywhere. Belgian chocolate is known for its rich, creamy texture, and the use of high-quality ingredients such as cocoa butter, milk, and sugar. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most popular Belgian chocolate products, as well as the history of Belgian chocolate and the master chocolatiers who create these delicious treats.

History of Belgian Chocolate

Belgium has been at the forefront of chocolate-making since the 17th century, when cocoa beans were first brought to Europe from South America. Chocolate quickly became a popular luxury item, and by the 19th century, Belgium had established itself as a leading producer of high-quality chocolate. Today, Belgian chocolate is celebrated for its craftsmanship and expertise, with many small-scale artisan chocolatiers still producing handmade chocolate using traditional techniques.

Belgian Chocolate Brands

Some of the most well-known Belgian chocolate brands include Godiva, Neuhaus, Leonidas, and Guylian. These brands are widely available across the world, with many stores and online retailers stocking a range of products from each brand. In addition to these larger brands, Belgium is also home to many smaller, artisanal chocolatiers who produce a range of unique and innovative chocolate products.

Popular Belgian Chocolate Products

Belgian chocolate is known for its range of delicious products, from truffles to bars to bespoke gifts. Some of the most popular Belgian chocolate products include:

Master Chocolatiers in Belgium

Belgium is home to a range of talented chocolatiers who have honed their craft over many years. These master chocolatiers use only the finest ingredients and traditional techniques to create unique and delicious chocolate products. Some of the most well-known Belgian chocolatiers include Pierre Marcolini, Dominique Persoone, and Laurent Gerbaud.

Belgian Chocolate Truffles

Belgian chocolate truffles are a staple of the country’s chocolate industry, with many chocolatiers producing their own unique take on this classic treat. Truffles are typically made by combining chocolate, cream, and butter, and then rolling the mixture into small balls before coating them in cocoa powder or other ingredients.

Belgian Chocolate Bars

Belgian chocolate bars are another popular product, with many brands producing a range of different flavors and styles. These bars are typically made using high-quality cocoa beans, which are roasted and ground before being mixed with sugar, milk, and other ingredients to create a smooth, creamy chocolate bar.

Belgian Chocolate Gifts & Souvenirs

Belgian chocolate makes the perfect gift or souvenir, with many chocolatiers offering bespoke gift boxes and hampers filled with their signature products. These gifts can be personalized to suit any occasion, from birthdays to weddings to corporate events. In addition to gift boxes, many shops and retailers also sell individual items such as chocolate-covered biscuits, pralines, and other treats.

Keep Reading
By
Australia

Golden Gaytime Ice Cream: Recreate this iconic Australian ice cream treat with layers of vanilla and toffee ice cream, coated in chocolate and biscuit crumbs.

What is Golden Gaytime Ice Cream?

Golden Gaytime is an iconic Australian ice cream treat that has been beloved by Australians since its introduction in the 1950s. This ice cream treat is made up of layers of creamy vanilla and toffee ice cream, covered in a crispy layer of chocolate and biscuit crumbs. The combination of flavors and textures makes it a unique and delicious treat that is enjoyed by people of all ages.

The popularity of Golden Gaytime ice cream has led to many variations over the years, including the introduction of other flavors such as honeycomb and chocolate, but the classic vanilla and toffee combination remains the most popular.

How to Make Golden Gaytime Ice Cream at Home

Making your own Golden Gaytime ice cream at home is easier than you might think. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 2 liters of vanilla ice cream
  • 1 cup of toffee bits
  • 400g of dark chocolate
  • 2 cups of biscuit crumbs

To make the ice cream, soften the vanilla ice cream and add in the toffee bits. Mix well and pour into a 9×13-inch baking dish, smoothing the top. Freeze until firm.

To make the chocolate coating, melt the dark chocolate in a saucepan over low heat. Once melted, stir in the biscuit crumbs until well combined.

Remove the ice cream from the freezer and cut into squares. Dip each square into the chocolate mixture until completely coated, then place back in the baking dish. Freeze until the chocolate coating is firm.

Tips for Perfecting Your Golden Gaytime Ice Cream

To make sure your Golden Gaytime ice cream is perfect, there are a few tips to keep in mind. First, make sure your ice cream is softened before adding any mix-ins to ensure they are evenly distributed. Second, when making the chocolate coating, make sure to mix the biscuit crumbs in well to avoid any clumps. Finally, when dipping the ice cream squares in the chocolate mixture, work quickly to avoid melting the ice cream.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to recreate the delicious and iconic Golden Gaytime ice cream at home. Enjoy!

Keep Reading
By
Australia

Tim Tam Slam: Enjoy Tim Tam biscuits by biting off opposite corners and using them as a straw to drink coffee or hot chocolate.

What is the Tim Tam Slam?

The Tim Tam Slam is a popular way to enjoy Tim Tam biscuits by using them as a straw to drink coffee or hot chocolate. Tim Tam biscuits are a popular Australian biscuit made of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit, separated by a light chocolate cream filling, and coated in a thin layer of chocolate. The Tim Tam Slam adds a fun twist to enjoying this iconic Australian snack.

The Tim Tam Slam has become a cultural icon in Australia and is enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a fun way to enjoy a hot beverage and a biscuit at the same time. The Tim Tam Slam is a unique experience that has made its way around the world, with many people from different countries now enjoying this Australian tradition.

How to do the Tim Tam Slam

To do the Tim Tam Slam, you will need a Tim Tam biscuit and a hot beverage such as coffee or hot chocolate. First, bite off a small piece from opposite corners of the Tim Tam biscuit, making sure not to bite off too much. Then, place one corner of the biscuit into the hot beverage and use the other corner as a straw. Suck the hot beverage through the Tim Tam like a straw until you can feel the biscuit starting to melt. Once the biscuit starts to melt, quickly place the whole Tim Tam into your mouth and enjoy the delicious combination of hot beverage and melted chocolate biscuit.

Tips and Variations for the Tim Tam Slam

To get the most out of your Tim Tam Slam, it’s important to use a hot beverage that is not too hot, as this may cause the biscuit to disintegrate too quickly. It’s also important to choose the right type of Tim Tam biscuit, as some varieties may not work as well for the Tim Tam Slam. The original Tim Tam biscuit is the best choice for the Tim Tam Slam, as it has the perfect texture and taste for the experience.

If you want to mix things up, you can try variations of the Tim Tam Slam. For example, you can try using different types of hot beverages, such as tea or hot chocolate with marshmallows. You can also try using different types of Tim Tam biscuits, such as the white chocolate or dark chocolate varieties. The Tim Tam Slam is a fun and delicious way to enjoy a hot beverage and a biscuit, so get creative and give it a try!

Keep Reading
By