Tempering Chocolate

One of the difficult part of making chocolate is to temper it. The purpose of tempering is to ensure the chocolate mould is glossy. There are many articles written on the same subject which you could source from the internet. The technique that I adopted is to melt 3/4 of the chocolate that you are using in a double boiler or microwave to 31-33 C for dark chocolate or 30 - 32 C for white / milk chocolate. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and mix it with the balance 1/4 chocolate. This action reduces the chocolate temperature to 27C, fast - an ideal tempering temperature whereby the chocolate molecules have been stabilised and giving it the shiny appearance. Stir the chocolate mixture well, not too vigorously as it may cause bubbles especially the milk / white variety.

To test whether it has been tempered properly, drop a spoon of the melted mixture on a piece of oil paper. Once it has cooled and appears glossy, you did it! Otherwise, redo the step by reheating the chocolate mixture.

Another method which you could adopt is to spread the melted chocolate mixture on a marble slab to cool it to 27C. Turn it occasionally and test it using the oil paper too.

Once the chocolate mixture is glossy, start moulding it or..... you may dip your favourite fruit into the shiny chocolate mixture.

Whilst you are working on the mould and the chocolate is beginning to thicken, you may either transfer the mixture to the double boiler once again or use your hair dryer to "melt" the chocolate! Never knew your hair dryer has multi usage huh?

Happy tempering!

Wedding Door Gift: Groom Kiss Bride

Sorry, out of stock.

Groom kiss Bride Door Gift Box. A great gift for your guests to remember your special day!

Wedding Door Gift: Red Roses

Sorry, no longer available.

Sweet looking door gift box for wedding.

A great token of appreciation to your friends and relatives for attending your wedding.

Btw, the door gift pack could be placed on the dining table or reception desk.

Wedding Door Gift: The Pink Theme

Another cute wedding door gift option, which your guests would be happy to receive.

No longer available. Sorry.

Wedding Door Gift: Playful Bride n Groom

Out of stock. Sorry.

Was browsing for chocolate boxes and found this cute door gift box. 2 pieces of chocolates could fit into this box.

A great way to thank your guests for participating in your auspicious day!

Chocolate Facts

The Health Benefits of Chocolate: Can Chocolate Benefit Your Health?

Chocolate is one of the most popular sweet-tasting treats in the world and has been for centuries. But part of the myth surrounding chocolate is that if it tastes so good, it must be bad for your health. But the surprising news from the scientific community is that this reputedly decadent treat actually has some health benefits, especially if you choose your chocolate wisely

Is Chocolate A Health Food? Chocolate contains more than 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of a number of studies by universities and other scientific organizations.

Here's a quick rundown of the results. (Note, we have no way of proving or disproving these claims so we offer them here as a stimulus for further research. If you're really interested in the subject, this may provide you with a starting point.)

* Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course, this is counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.

* The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

* Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a mild mood elevator.

* The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.

* Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.

* Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don't.

* The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.

* Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.

* Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.

* The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.

What Chocolate Won't DoThere are many myths and half-truths about the effects of chocolate on the human body. Here are the latest findings on several of them.

* Studies show that chocolate is not a causative factor in acne.

* Cacao contains the stimulants caffeine and bromine, but in such small quantities that they don't cause nervous excitability.

* Chocolate is not addictive.

* Chocolate contains stearic acid, a neutral fat which doesn't raise bad cholesterol.

* Chocolate doesn't make you 'high'. You'd need to eat a huge quantity (about 25 pounds at one sitting) to feel any noticeable effect.

Other Benefits of Chocolate....

* contains essential trace elements and nutrients such as iron, calcium and potassium, and vitamins A. B1, C, D, and E.

*Cocoa is also the highest natural source for Magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is linked with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, joint problems and pre-menstrual tension (PMT or PMS).

* The fat in high quality plain chocolate (although technically a 'saturated fat') can be considered cholesterol free as it does not fur up the arteries or contribute to high cholesterol levels.

Most part of the article is being extracted from http://www.momscape.com/.

Home Made Chocolate Family

Today went to the training centre to collect my spatula which I had left behind in the kitchen. Met the trainer, Chef Steven who was busy cleaning the kitchen that his students had messed up yesterday. There were lots of chocolate coated finger prints on two of the chillers' doors - definitely our fine work of art *u*

Was also browsing at their shop showroom and ended up buying some dark chocolates of Ariba and Mara Clasifi variety and white chocolate. Was informed that Ariba is much bitter compared to Mara. Yesterday, we were using Felcor Rondo dark chocolate/couverture. For your info, the dark variety has greater cocoa butter content and less sugar compared to white or milk chocolate. In addition, the dark chocolate variety is healtier as it has anti oxidant. So for those who are watching their waistline, go for the dark choc variety which has less sugar content and good supply of antioxidant.

Also bought some nice box packaging to display the chocolate, as you would see from the photos, to better display their varieties. As the chocolates are handmade, their sizes may varies but attempt to have a consistent size will be practised.