Your Dream House Advent Calendar. 🏡 Home wasn’t built in a day.
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The Holland Park Palace Advent Calendar
Holland Park Palace Advent Calendar Holland Park Palace 2023 Kindness is like white snow – purifying and beautifying everything it touches. Melt’s Winter Palace advent calendar house is that magical gift of kindness that will beautify and give pleasure to everyone it touches this Christmas. Melt’s Holland Park Palace is the Ultimate Advent Calendar. The best chocolate advent calendar you can get this Christmas – Melt’s most luxury chocolate advent calendar. A chocolate gift for the family and friends to share and enjoy. This London 2023 advent calendar is packed full of over £300 worth of chocolate, including hot chocolate, artisan bonbons, orangettes and more. Melt’s London Advent calendar delights you every day as a new chocolate marks the countdown to Christmas. This Advent Calendar is the Christmas Centrepiece – almost the size of a Holland Park palace and is filled with the most amazing artisan chocolate. It’s completely plastic-free and you can refill it year after year so that you can recycle and avoid any waste. Sustainability is a big part of our ethos at Melt Chocolates. It really is the most beautiful advent calendar you will have ever seen. It‘s designed in-house and is based on Kensington palace in Chelsea. Melt has redesigned the Christmas hamper – so why not send a palace instead? Melt doesn’t do boring. Thats why we have a beautiful design both on the inside and the outside. Unlike most calendars that have beautiful exteriors – but seem to run out of creativity when you open them – Melt Calendars are beautiful on the inside and outside. The Winter Ball Imagine a winter ball in a winter palace. Step into a fairytale winter ball, everything sparkling like freshly fallen snow on a frosty night. Snowflakes and laughter fill the air -there’s magic in every footstep. Dancing, drinking and feasting. Snow glistening outside, chandeliers ablaze. Swirling ball gowns and a feast in a Winter palace. Melt’s Holland Park advent calendar evokes this timeless winter palace. Making merry with an amazing assortment of chocolates arriving in a fairy tale palace. If Snowflakes are kisses from heaven then melt’s Chocolate is a kiss from the tropical sun, that melt in your mouth – the very origin of our name: Melt. Think of the tropical sunlight, captured by a cocoa tree in the amazon, releasing its energy to you, bringing a little sunshine to your winter nights. Feast on our Winter Palace filled with amazing chocolate and dream of a winter ball. Gift the Holland Park calendar and let the ice of heart melts. Inside the Holland Park Palace Inside this luxury artisan advent calendar are all of Melt’s fabulous best sellers: Orangettes Fresh Chocolates Gianduja Spread Gianduja Dark and Milk Terrines Christmas Bar Hot Chocolate Caddy The advent calendar really is the size of a small house! Melt is the only chocolate company to be headquartered, retail and make all our chocolates within the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea – hence why we have chosen to make our advent calendar like Kensington Palace. Our artisan advent calendar is the Best of British handmade luxury and craftsmanship. Designed in-house by our small team of creatives in Holland Park, we wanted to […]
Secret Symbols behind Melt’s 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar
Secret Symbolism behind the 12 Days of Christmas In this blog article we will be exploring the secret symbolism behind Melt Chocolate’s 12 Days of Christmas advent calendar, and delving into the religious and cultural history of England during the Reformation. “The most beautiful advent calendar we have ever seen” The Independent “…I actually gasped when I opened the package because it’s a work of art and the most beautiful calendar I’ve ever seen…” Vegan Living Handpainted Art – Handcrafted Chocolate The Art of Chocolate This handpainted calendar by the Melt team combines our love of art and our love of chocolate. Two of our greatest passions. The chocolate is hand crafted by our chocolatiers and the artwork handpainted by our talented team of in-house artists. The Advent Calendar is not only really beautiful but it also has a secret meaning. A secret code that represented the difference between life and death. So enjoy the chocolate and also discover the secrets of The Twelve Days of Christmas. This is the Luxury Advent Calendar at its best. The secret code behind the song ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ To understand the secret code – and its context lets try a thought experiment… Imagine if tomorrow, Charles III declared that Druidism is Britain’s only true religion. As Charles III is Head of the Church of England – all Churches would automatically become places of worship for the Druids. The Druids doctrine would therefore immediately become the official religion of the UK. The Druid’s doctrine is that human souls “are immortal and after a prescribed number of years they commence a new life in a new body.” This would become the new religious orthodoxy. We might also worship plants and may even be encouraged to talk to them!! As King Charles is known to do. Stonehenge would become the new Westminster Cathedral. Anybody found following the “old” Protestant religion would be at risk of persecution, even death. Charles III would create a network of pursuivants or spies to find and persecute these recusant protestants. In this atmosphere of religious tension, Charles III would make it High Treason for a Protestant priest to even enter England and anyone found aiding and abetting that priest would be punished severely. Priest-hunters or ‘pursuivants’ would roam the country in search of Church of England priests and would measure the footprint of any houses from the outside and the inside to see if they tallied; they would count the windows outside and again from the inside; they would tap on the walls to see if they were hollow and they would tear up floorboards to search underneath. They would be looking for Church of England Priests in their carefully constructed Priest holes, hidden by the population not convinced about this new religion or the Druids in general. Sounds ridiculous – well that’s exactly what Henry VIII and Elizabeth I did to Britain during the reformation and this is exactly the situation the Catholics found themselves. Things got very extreme very quickly, for even fancy clothes could lead you to being accused of being Spanish or a Jesuit. Prancing around in Silks could put you in prison. According to the new orthodoxy and the pursuivants […]
Personalized Small Chocolate Gift Boxes Are the Perfect Gift
Personalised Small Chocolate Gift Boxes Are the Perfect Gift When it comes to gift-giving, few things can convey love and thoughtfulness as effortlessly as a box of chocolates. But what if you could take that sentiment a step further and create a truly unique and personalised chocolate gift box? Enter Melt Chocolates’ “Personalised Small Chocolate Gift Box” – a delightful way to show your affection and appreciation. Let’s dive into the delectable world of custom chocolate gifting and explore why these mini chocolate gift boxes are the perfect treat for any occasion. 1. A Symphony of Flavours at Your Fingertips One of the most captivating aspects of Melt Chocolates’ mini chocolate gift boxes is the ability to curate your own selection. With a choice of four flavours from their extensive mini chocolate bar collection, you have the power to tailor your gift to the recipient’s taste buds perfectly. Whether they have a penchant for classic combinations like almond and dark sea salt or a craving for more adventurous flavors like pistachio or almond, Melt Chocolates has something to delight every palate. 2. Personalisation That Truly Matters The act of personalising a gift can transform it from ordinary to extraordinary. Melt Chocolates understands this sentiment well, offering elegant packaging options that ensure your chocolate gift box not only tastes divine but also looks exquisite. Add a personalised message to your box to make it even more special, showing your loved ones that you’ve put thought and care into their gift. 3. Convenience, Care, and Chocolate Delivered to Your Doorstep Life is busy, and sometimes finding the perfect gift can be a challenge. With Melt Chocolates, you can sit back, relax, and let their expert chocolatiers do the work for you. Once you’ve made your selections and personalized your box, they’ll prepare it with utmost care and deliver it right to your doorstep. It’s a hassle-free way to surprise and delight your loved ones – or treat yourself to a moment of chocolatey indulgence. 4. Options for All Dietary Preferences Melt Chocolates has something for everyone, including those with dietary preferences or restrictions. For vegans and sugar-free enthusiasts, they offer delectable dark chocolate options that don’t compromise on flavor. No one should miss out on the joy of fine chocolate, and Melt Chocolates ensures that everyone can enjoy their delicious creations. 5. Sustainable Indulgence In a world that’s becoming increasingly conscious of sustainability, Melt Chocolates is leading the way with their commitment to eco-friendly practices. All their luxury chocolates are handmade by skilled chocolatiers and hand-wrapped in their London kitchen. Plus, their chocolate boxes are plastic-free and sustainable, making your gift not only delicious but also environmentally responsible. 6. More Than Just a Taste: Supporting Local Artisans By choosing Melt Chocolates for your personalized chocolate gift box, you’re not just indulging in gourmet chocolate – you’re supporting local artisans and celebrating the craft of chocolatiers who pour their passion into every creation. With a shelf life of one year, your mini chocolate gift box is a timeless gesture of affection that can be savoured at the recipient’s leisure. And if they happen to discover a new favourite flavour among the mini bars, they can easily find the […]
What causes chocolate to bloom? (turn white)
What causes chocolate to bloom? Ever wondered why your chocolate bar is covered in mouldy like layer? Like the picture below… It’s all because of something called “chocolate bloom.” When your chocolate goes from warm to cold and back again, it can change its chemical structure. This happens because the cocoa butter in the chocolate melts and separates from the rest of it, making it crystallize and look white on the surface. In this blog, we’ll explain why this happens, what causes it, and whether it’s still okay to eat your chocolate when it looks like this. Let’s demystify the world of chocolate together! Two different types of chocolate bloom So now we know what causes chocolate to bloom, now to identify what type of bloom has occurred. Fat Bloom: Fat bloom in chocolate is caused by the cocoa butter within it. When the cocoa butter melts and then re-solidifies, it can create a dull white coating on the chocolate’s surface, making it lose its usual smoothness and shine. This undesirable effect is known as “fat bloom.” Fat bloom typically happens for two main reasons. Firstly, it can occur due to incorrect tempering, which is the process of ensuring that the cocoa butter crystals are evenly distributed in the chocolate during its melting and solidifying stages. Secondly, fat bloom might happen if you store chocolate at too high a temperature, causing the cocoa butter to melt and rise to the surface. So if you are leaving your chocolate in direct sunlight, in a warm cupboard or even leaving it in your car, you may see chocolate bloom appearing. To prevent fat bloom, choose a cool, dark cupboard away from strong odours to store your chocolate goods. Sugar Bloom: Chocolate afflicted with sugar bloom often develops a rough, whitish surface and a grainy texture. This type of bloom is usually the result of temperature changes or storing chocolate in a humid environment. Temperature shock plays a significant role in sugar bloom. It occurs when you quickly shift chocolate from a warm or hot location (like an open shelf near the oven) to a cold one, such as the fridge. This abrupt change in temperature causes condensation to form on the chocolate’s surface, which then interacts with the sugar in the chocolate, leading to sugar bloom. For instance, if you place your chocolate molds in the fridge right after making them, you risk exposing them to temperature shock. To prevent sugar bloom, allow your chocolates to cool down at room temperature before refrigerating them. Is bloomed chocolate safe to eat? Yes! Certainly, don’t let good chocolate go to waste. Especially when you were so excited to eat it. It will taste exactly the same, though may have a different texture. If you don’t want to eat it directly, and the thought puts you off. There are many different ways you can use bloomed chocolate. For one, you can melt down the chocolate in some milk and make a delicious hot chocolate. Check out our 3 Luxury Hot Chocolate Recipes for some inspiration. Or if a birthday is coming up, save up the chocolate in the cupboard and use it to make a delicious chocolate cake or brownies. Good […]
Awarding Winning Chocolates
In Search of Excellence Award-winning chocolates from Melt Chocolates London’s Most Luxurious Chocolates We’re thrilled to announce that our amazing chocolates have once again taken home: gold! 🥇🎉 both from Great Taste Judges and also from the internationally recognised Academy of Chocolate. 🌟 What sets our chocolates apart? ✨ Handcrafted with love and passion. ✨ Made from simply the best chocolate in the world, that is ethically sourced cocoa. ✨ A taste that’s nothing short of pure bliss. All packaged in beautiful designer packaging which is plastic-free. Carpe Diem Life is short – so sieze the day and eat the best chocolates you can find. Internationally recognised Judges believe those are Melt Chocolates, which was 👑 Awarded for: 🏆 Wild Chocolate Bonbon 🏆 Peanut & Raspberry 🏆 Passion Fruit We’re truly honored to be recognized in the world of gourmet chocolate. Thank you to our incredible team and dedicated chocolate lovers like YOU for making this possible. 🙌💖 A Chocolate Path to Award-Winning Chocolates” Introduction Melt has embarked on a journey to be recognized among the world’s best chocolatiers, producing chocolates that are recognised by our peers in international competitions as award-winning. Chocolates in which craftsmanship, innovation, and passion converge to create extraordinary experiences for chocolate aficionados. The Art of Craftsmanship At the heart of every award-winning chocolate is a master chocolatier who dedicates their life to perfecting the art of chocolate making. Our world-class chocolatiers meticulously source and blend the finest cocoa beans from around the world, paying homage to the terroir that gives each chocolate its unique flavor profile. Melt’s Wild Bonbon. This is not a plantation chocolate – this is a chocolate that takes you back in time travels back to that of the Aztecs and their Emperor: Montezuma. This chocolate with its source of wild cocoa trees in the Amazon – allows you to travel back in time and eat the same chocolate that an Aztec Emperor would have eaten. Ok so we don’t have the gold cups to drink the chocolate in – and we don’t have to submit to human sacrifice to achieve the chocolate transcendence of the Aztecs – but we can indulge ourselves in their exact chocolate. We have added gold leaf to the chocolate to remind ourselves that chocolate was called Black Gold – “Oro Negro”. When the Spanish arrived in the America – Gold is what they sought. The Aztecs fate was sealed when they told Cortes about the gold they had. The conversation recorded -goes like this: Cortes: We Spanish have an illness of the heart which can only be cured by Gold. Do you have any gold in your city. Aztec: Oh yes we have alot of gold. One of the most fateful words every uttered in world history Peanut Butter & Raspberry Jelly I remember well my shock at hearing that the Americans added Jelly to their Peanut butter Sandwichs. It seemed impossibly exotic, and innovative, and well indulgent. Well guess what – what happens in America often comes a decade later to our shores. The American dream in a bonbon. We believe that if the Americans had built stonehenge – it would have been made from Peanut Butter and Jelly. […]
How to melt chocolate from Melt Chocolates
What is the best way to melt chocolate? Melting chocolate is not as simple and straightforward as you might expect. Chocolate when it is “tempered” correctly is bright, shiny and tasty with a lovely snap. Chocolate Chemistry To get chocolate into this shape you must treat the chocolate gently and respect its crystalline structure. Now chemistry like this is not simple. Think of Newton sitting under the tree and being hit on his head by an apple. Why did it fall – what was the force and can we mathematically understand it. Working with chocolate is best to under its complex chemistry so you understand the results you are trying to get. Melt Chocolate Experts Melt chocolates’s chocolatiers are experts on this topic of melting chocolate. We are ‘London’s Most Luxurious Chocolate Company’ and as an Artisan producer in Notting Hill with over 18 years of experience in chocolate – we know a thing or two about chocolate. In the following section we will answer the following Questions: How do you melt chocolates without burning it? What’s the best method to melt chocolates, how do the professionals do i? How long does it take to set once it has been melted, how long does melted chocolate take to set? Should you store chocolate in the fridge or a dry cupboard. But before we delve into the complex chemistry, first we will go with the simple explanation and add complexity depending on your level of interest. Chocolate melts at body temperature – that is one of its most unique and enduring characteristics and the reason for our name: Melt. Because we loved melted or molten chocolate and the fact that it shares the same body temperature as we did – marking it out to be very special food. Dark Chocolate So… you have some chocolate in your house and you want to melt it – what the best method? Bain-marie: By far the best method is a bain-marie. We’ve explained that chocolate melts at body temperature. So it only needs gentle heat to become molten and useable. The best way to apply gentle heat – its via steam directly on a glass bowl. You are not looking for boiling water -just gently steaming water. So gently heat the water until it starts to steam. Break the chocolate into small chunks – professionals will use buttons as this increases the surface area. Place the glass bowl in the steaming water. Gently stir the chocolate until molten. It’s generally the steam that actually melts the chocolate. Stir until completely molten. Now you have workable and molten chocolate Chocolate is very sensitive to heat and can easily burn or seize easily. Now each type of chocolate has different melting points so if its milk – it should melt slightly easier and white will have an even lower point at which is become molten. So the amount of heat and the time to become molten varies. Microwave: If you don’t want to use a bain-marie – then of course a microwave is just as good. We recommend a glass bowl with the chocolate broken into chunks. Then 30 second heat burst – take it […]
A Short History of Gianduja
Gianduja Heavenly Hazelnuts and Creamy Chocolate Shop Now Introduction Gianduja, a delicious, mouthwatering hazelnut chocolate has a rich and fascinating history that is intertwined with Italian history and the celebratory festival – carnival! Chocolate and Nuts – a divine marriage ? This is the nutty flavour that will make you fall in love again with chocolate. But what is Gianduja? How is is pronounced? Where does it come from? Why is it connected to carnival? We will answer these questions. You will know it from a famous spread. But this is not gianduja – as it full of sugar and ultra-processed foods (UPF) like Palm oil. Gianduja has a rich and interesting history, intertwined with the ancient wonders of Italy. At melt we are against UPF as we believe it damages our clients health. We never compromise on the quality and taste of our chocolate. We want you to experience Gianduja as it was intended by its created in the orchards of Piedmont. What is Gianduja? So, what is Gianduja? Gianduja is handcrafted by mixing toasted Piedmont hazelnuts with rich chocolate. It turns into this delectable paste which is soft, decadent and nutty. Usually the mixture contains about 30% hazelnut and the rest milk chocolate. At Melt our Choconola is 50% Piedmont Hazelnuts, 30% Chocolate solids, including whole roasted hazelnuts to increase the pleasure of the crunchy hazelnut texture. How was Gianduja invented? So how did the hazelnut of Piedmont become the delicious, soft, nutty treat that is Gianduja? The history of Gianduja starts during a Napoleonic lockdown. Lockdowns can result in a burst of creativity and innovation. During the Napoleonic wars – the battle between the Elephant (Napoleon) and the Whale (Nelson) led to a European-wide lockdown. Nelson and the British Navy enforced a blockade on European ports in response to Napoleon’s trade war called the “Continental System”. This lockdown put a huge strain on cocoa supplies. A chocolatier in Turin, named Michele Prochet, extended the little chocolate he had by mixing it with hazelnuts from the hills of Piedmont. He was forced to use local, widely available ingredients to make his chocolate go a little further. To satisfy his customers demand for chocolate, during this Napoleonic lockdown, Gianduja was born. Where does the name Gianduja come from? The name Gianduja, comes from a carnival or marionette character, represented by one of the masks of the Italian Commedia dell’arte. The direct translation of Italian Commedia dell’arte is “comedy of the profession”. This was a form of Italian theatre that flourished throughout Europe from the 1500s to 1700s. It is said to have inspired and developed into the “pantomime” in England, what we all know best through the Punch-and-Judy show. There was a large emphasis on comedy, playing out particular depictions and scenarios to humour the crowd. Gianduja is the archetypal Piedmontese, an honest peasant, a lover of wine, gastronomy, and beautiful girls. According to the records, Gianduja has a ruddy face and hair in an upturned ponytail. He is typically dressed in a brown jacket edged with red, a yellow […]
Melt’s Magical Chocolate Path – The Best Chocolate Experiences in London
Experience the pleasure of chocolate “Best Cookery Classes in London” – ”Best Experience in London” “Lovely class and great instructor. Such a fun and decadent experience” We need to talk about chocolate. The forgotten story of Chocolate is an epic tale – that covers the best of times and the worst of times. It’s a tale of two cocoas – a sacred one and a sweet one. It’s a legend that you must hear. SHOP GIFTS Melt’s Chocolate Path Metamorphosis of Cacao Melt’s Chocolate path will transform your understanding of cocoa for the rest of your life and it will change you forever. You will experience chocolate, you will work with chocolate, and you will fall deeply in love with your creation. London Chocolate Making Course But the course of metamorphosis never runs smooth. The story begins with an Amazonian goddess, an American gift, and a natural beauty. Raw, simple, white, translucent – yet with the seed of greatness within. As Chocolatiers and artists we sculpt, mould, teach and temper this force of nature until that greatness is revealed for all to admire. Just like marble is transformed by Pygmalion, or the golden butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, this adventure is not without peril. Unfortunately uncomfortable truths and tragedy lie in the path ahead. For Chocolate’s path is a metaphor for our very own journey through life. An epic story – for which you can still choose the ending – tragic or heroic. So let the love of chocolate grow within you, let that beauty shine, and let that love create beauty in your soul. Bean-to-Bar Step One: Wisdom and Knowledge “Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.” Ultimately it’s about the rediscovery of the sublime taste of single-origin chocolate. Chocolate that has a heart and that has a soul. Chocolate, a fermented fruit, has as rich a history as another storied fermented fruit – Wine. Yet with even more flavours and complexity. Our Bean-to-bar experience lets you taste history. Lets you enjoy time with friends and family. Lets you create a chocolate community with great-tasting food. These simple pleasures deliver a decadent delight. Soul Food There is much beauty in the world but not everyone can see it. The metamorphosis of chocolate is a metaphor for our time – unwrap it during Melt’s Bean-to-Bar experience. Experience not just its delicious taste but the very experience of chocolate itself. To uncover real chocolate, you need to work with cacao. So discovering one of the best known, yet least known, foods in the world. Re-discover the heart of chocolate in the heart of Notting Hill Team Building Activity in London Our chocolate sanctuary is in Ledbury Road, Notting Hill. Where you can immerse yourself in the artistry and magic of chocolate. Our world-class and award-winning chocolatiers are passionate artisans who have honed their craft to perfection. They will guide you through the process of working with chocolate, revealing its secrets and unveiling its endless possibilities. A team building experience like no other. Bean-to-Bonbon Step Two: Friendship and Community “Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.” Start with the raw cacao and turn it into a beautiful bonbon. Chocolate thats […]
Melt’s Magical Chocolate Path. Experience the pleasure of Chocolate😇
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DOES HIGHER COCOA CONTENT MEAN BETTER CHOCOLATE?
The more cocoa content chocolate has, the nearer it is to real chocolate, but not necessarily chocolate as many people know it. Growing up in Britain in the 1980s, I was quite happy with a sweet, vaguely chocolate taste of around 25-30 per cent cocoa solids. Since the late 1990s, cocoa content has become the only indication of quality that we look for on a bar of chocolate. Of course, it is rather more complex than that. Chocolate with a higher cocoa content is essential for cooking, giving cakes and desserts a richer, stronger taste, but it’s important not to be fooled into thinking that a higher cocoa content automatically equals better flavour and quality when choosing chocolate for eating. This would be like going to a wine merchant and selecting only the bottles with the highest alcohol content. Cocoa percentage is just one of many indications of quality. Do, however, keep within the boundary of over 60 per cent cocoa solids for dark chocolate and 30 per cent cocoa solids for milk chocolate. Technically, white chocolate is not in fact chocolate, as it does not contain any cocoa solids. It does, however, contain cocoa butter. One of the very few that I would eat is by a company called Felchlin, which produces what is called a non-deodorised white chocolate. It has a very slight lemony hint and is really lovely as it is not overly sweet. Other factors affecting the quality of chocolate vary from bean type, provenance, terroir and numerous fascinating processing steps, right through to how the chocolatier tempers the chocolate and carefully matches different chocolates to different recipes. There are up to 15 complex steps in processing chocolate – fermentation, for example, is essential to bring out the chocolate flavour of the bean. Just after the seeds have been taken out of the pod, they are laid in oak fermenting boxes and left to ferment for approximately five days. Moving and loading the beans in the boxes can be backbreaking work. Banana leaves (amongst other things) are used to cover them, and oxidation and the breakdown of proteins into amino acids occur. Although the farmers are paid more for the fermented beans, known as hispaniola, this delicate and time-consuming process can be aborted too early if a farmer needs to enter the cocoa market quickly in order to sell beans when the price is highest. Reducing the fermentation period results in lower-quality cocoa. This is just one example of how the delicate process of making chocolate can be affected. What is fine chocolate? Just under 5 per cent of the world’s cocoa production is categorised as ‘fine’, meaning cocoa produced from the superior Criollo or Trinitario beans. The other main bean type, Forestero, which is hardy but lacking in flavour, accounts for ‘bulk’ or ‘commercial’ chocolate. With 70 per cent of the market coming from West Africa, these are really quite astounding statistics. Cocoa is often considered a poor man’s crop by farmers. They are keen to diversify in order to minimise their losses, since not only can there all too frequently be a low price for their beans but the cocoa tree doesn’t start to produce pods until it is […]
DOES HIGHER COCOA CONTENT MEAN BETTER CHOCOLATE?
What does a higher cocoa content mean? The more cocoa content chocolate has, the nearer it is to real chocolate, but not necessarily chocolate as many people know it. Growing up in Britain in the 1980s, I was quite happy with a sweet, vaguely chocolate taste of around 25-30 per cent cocoa solids. Since the late 1990s, cocoa content has become the only indication of quality that we look for on a bar of chocolate. Of course, it is rather more complex than that. Chocolate with a higher cocoa content is essential for cooking, giving cakes and desserts a richer, stronger taste, but it’s important not to be fooled into thinking that a higher cocoa content automatically equals better flavour and quality when choosing chocolate for eating. This would be like going to a wine merchant and selecting only the bottles with the highest alcohol content. Cocoa percentage is just one of many indications of quality. Do, however, keep within the boundary of over 60 per cent cocoa solids for dark chocolate and 30 per cent cocoa solids for milk chocolate. White Chocolate Technically, white chocolate is not in fact chocolate, as it does not contain any cocoa solids. It does, however, contain cocoa butter. One of the very few that I would eat is by a company called Felchlin, which produces what is called a non-deodorised white chocolate. It has a very slight lemony hint and is really lovely as it is not overly sweet. What is good quality chocolate? Other factors affecting the quality of chocolate vary from bean type, provenance, terroir and numerous fascinating processing steps, right through to how the chocolatier tempers the chocolate and carefully matches different chocolates to different recipes. There are up to 15 complex steps in processing chocolate – fermentation, for example, is essential to bring out the chocolate flavour of the bean. Just after the seeds have been taken out of the pod, they are laid in oak fermenting boxes and left to ferment for approximately five days. Moving and loading the beans in the boxes can be backbreaking work. Banana leaves (amongst other things) are used to cover them, and oxidation and the breakdown of proteins into amino acids occur. Although the farmers are paid more for the fermented beans, known as Hispaniola, this delicate and time-consuming process can be aborted too early if a farmer needs to enter the cocoa market quickly in order to sell beans when the price is highest. Reducing the fermentation period results in lower-quality cocoa. This is just one example of how the delicate process of making chocolate can be affected. What is fine chocolate? Just under 5 per cent of the world’s cocoa production is categorised as ‘fine’, meaning cocoa produced from the superior Criollo or Trinitario beans. The other main bean type, Forastero, which is hardy but lacking in flavour, accounts for ‘bulk’ or ‘commercial’ chocolate. With 70 per cent of the market coming from West Africa, these are really quite astounding statistics. Cocoa is often considered a poor man’s crop by farmers. They are keen to diversify in order to minimise their losses, since not only can there all too frequently be a low price for […]
