Welcome

Welcome to Chocolate Covered Stuff

Chocolate, the rich, dark treat loved by millions worldwide, originated in the Amazon thousands of years ago. Originally discovered by the Mayans, its use eventually spread throughout the Americas, eventually extending up in Mexico and the Aztec Empire. The Aztecs actually believed that the Cacao plant, source of the Cacao beans from which chocolate is derived, was created by their feathered-serpent god Quetzlcoatl.

To them Cacao beans were literally the food of the gods. Cacao beans were so highly prized, that at one time they were used as a form of currency. When the conquistadors arrived in the Americas, and then returned to Spain from the New World in the 16th century, they introduced chocolate to the Western world. With that, a love affair with this sweet treat was born.

Chocolate Fountain

The Ultimate Chocolate Covering Method

One of the famous types of chocolate is Belgian chocolate. In fact, Belgian chocolates have become a standard of gourmet whereby all other confections of chocolates are measured. Another example are the Swiss, who are also known for making chocolates of higher quality, but are still adopting basic recipes from Belgian chocolatiers.

The uniqueness of Belgian chocolates among other chocolates lies in two factors. First is the adaptation of Old World techniques for manufacturing chocolates. Second is the high quality of the ingredients. Most Belgian chocolates are still made by hand in small chocolate shops utilizing original equipment, although mass production and automation have begun to dominate the production technology. These small shops are very popular with tourists who visit Belgium today. Exclusive souvenirs and test tastings are also very popular at these small shops.

2 Recipes

The first recipe is a very popular and well known one. The second recipe is a no-bake alternative. Both recipes have nuts as optional, due to the large number of people allergic to peanuts.

Recipe # 1 Ingredients:

12 cups popped popcorn (2 standard bags of microwave popcorn)
1/4 cup butter or margarine

Optional: 2-1/2 cups (12oz can) salted peanuts
2 cups (11-1/2 oz bag) milk chocolate
1 cup corn syrup
More

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Weird or Awesome

It can be hard around the holidays, what with all of the options that are available to us, but chocolate covered pretzels can quite easily be considered as one of the best and most delicious recipes of all. Chocolate covered pretzels are also weird in the way that they are made up of two things that you would not normally think would taste good together: chocolate and pretzels.

However, the combination actually turns out to be incredibly delicious, and this is why they are such a favorite among people in the world today. Chocolate covered pretzels can basically be found at any local supermarket, and you can usually get them for a very cheap price. Or, if you are more daring, you can actually even make your own chocolate covered pretzels.

Brown on Red Health

Indulge, pamper yourself. You deserve it. What better way to indulge than with healthy chocolate covered strawberries. Of all of the chocolate specialty items, one of the tried and true favorites that never goes out of season seems to be the chocolate covered strawberry.

Something about this particular treat of fruit and chocolate seems to always make one feel special. When a man wishes to impress the lady in his life, he knows he can never go wrong with a chocolate covered strawberry. It is even better if he brings several to her. The lady will appreciate such a lovely gift, and the man will be seen as one who not only gives great gifts but he gives thoughtful gifts.

Delicious and Warm

Hot chocolate is the perfect drink on a cold night, especially in winter. What better to curl up with than a steaming cup of hot chocolate when it’s freezing outside? Hot chocolate as it is known today is a quite a bit different from the original version known as xocolatl by the Maya.

The Origins of the Drink

Did you know that when xocolatl was first brought back to Europe, the Europeans simply called the drink itself chocolate? It was only later on that people started calling it “hot chocolate” to avoid confusing it with bars of solid chocolate and similar treats. Xocolatl was actually drunk cold, so it would’ve been more appropriate to call it “cold chocolate” at the time.

White Chocolate: The Swiss Made it, the Americans Ate it

When cocoa butter is used without the cocoa solids, one can produce a type of chocolate known as white chocolate that also has milk solids as well as sugar, lecithin and some flavoring that most often is vanilla. The use of cocoa butter is necessary to keep the chocolate solid at room temperature, and also helps it to melt easily when eaten. White chocolates are much like other chocolates in texture but the taste is essentially different and it also is different in that it does not contain caffeine.

A Healthy Food if Eaten Sparingly

You always suspected this, didn’t you? According to studies conducted on dark chocolate, it is a healthy chocolate. Besides being pleasurable to eat, eating fifty grams of dark chocolate that contain at least 70 percent chocolate solids will provide healthy inputs to the body. It may also help to protect one from heart disease, high blood pressure, and more, since it also contains iron, calcium, and potassium. With a rich content of vitamins A, B1, C, D and E, it not only tastes good, but is good for the health as well. One and a half ounces of chocolate has many more antioxidants than a five ounce glass of wine.

Make it Yourself

Believe it or not you can actually make your own hot chocolate, and in fact, following a hot chocolate recipe is a great idea because it turns the drink into something more unique, something your own, and as well, you can typically make it as rich as you want, and so you can basically work with the hot chocolate recipe until you find a happy medium and are satisfied with the result.

It is important to know that there is a difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate; the terms are often used interchangeably, however they are technically in fact as different as white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. Hot cocoa is made from cocoa powder, which is chocolate pressed free of all of its richness, More

Welcome

Welcome to Chocolate Covered Stuff

Chocolate Fountain

The Ultimate Chocolate Covering Method

Chocolate Covered Popcorn

2 Recipes

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Weird or Awesome

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Brown on Red Health

Hot Chocolate

Delicious and Warm

The Origins of the Drink

White Chocolate

White Chocolate: The Swiss Made it, the Americans Ate it

Dark Chocolate

A Healthy Food if Eaten Sparingly

Hot Chocolate Recipe

Make it Yourself