Chocolate Shakti

My website is finally up!

2009-04-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Yaay! I have reason for excitement.

On Tuesday night, I woke up at 12:30 am, unable to sleep. I found myself on the internet and soon checking my email. Glaring at a screen in pitch dark, I found myself looking at a sale on domain names and I just suddenly decided to finally snatch up my domain name: http://www.chocolateshakti.com/.

I don't know what came over me. I had been resisting doing so for a long time. However, in the wee hours of the morning, I just figured, if I don't do it now, I will never do it. So sooner than you could blink I had purchased the official rights to have the domain name Chocolate Shakti.com.

So now it's time to celebrate before I have to start research hosting companies and start figuring out what my logo will be. Celebrate good times come on! Now let me see you do a little dance while I sing this song!

Soft Baked is the way to go

2008-06-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

I finally realized what was causing my cookies from becoming ultra chewy like the ones at the bakery. It was the way I was mixing the dough.

First of all, I had to add extra flour to toughen up the dough. It just can't be liquid it. When I scoop it onto the cookie sheet, it has to clump up and not ooze down.

Secondly, I had to change the oven temperature up to 400 from 350. This increase in heat aids cooking the cookie faster. The last part is to be sure to pull the cookie out sooner - so rather than pulling out at 10-11 min, I will be taking it out at around 6-8 min. The result is an ultra soft baked charmer. Try it with you fav cookie recipe and I promise it won't dissappoint!

White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

2007-10-23T21:41:00.001-07:00

It's been one of those days....

You look in the mirror and see a person you no longer recognize. Not only has lack of sleep changed my appearance, I seemed to have lost count of what day of the week it is.

You see, I just recently gave birth to my 2nd child, and with motherhood comes many sleepless nights.

It's been a very long time since I have dabbled in chocolate in my kitchen the way I used to in my free time. That is partly because I was just too exhausted and nauseous while pregnant to even step in the kitchen.

Now that I am close to six weeks past birth, I finally got a chance to make my first chocolate related snack in months.

Enter... (drum roll).. White chocolate covered strawberries!

Yaay!

While my dear mother entertained the babes (yeah, I've got two in total now), I was able to dash off to the kitchen to create my first real chocolate creation in God knows how long. As I went searching for my aluminum bowl to make my makeshift double boiler, I paused as I remembered that my darling MIL had taken it 'by accident'(hmmm...). So I was left to use the microwave to melt the chocolate.

Surprisingly, the chocolate melted quite easily and I was able to dip some very ripe juicy red strawberries into the melted mix and lay them to harden. Once it was ready, I called over my poor diabetic mother to try my new dessert snack.

She took one taste and her eyes lit up! Yesss! I still got it! No Mom, sorry, but that's all you can have. (I don't want to be responsible for any high blood sugar problems! )

Chocolate Milk hits the spot

2007-05-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up with a chocolate craving. Instead of eating straight chocolate I decided to keep it on the healthy side and just drink a glass of Nesquik chocolate milk. It was so delicious that it brought back memories of my childhood.

When I was younger there, I hated the taste of plain milk. So to entice me to drink milk my parents added the beloved chocolate flavored Ovaltine. After that my affection for chocolate has never waned.

I know there are a lot of people out there with childhood memories about their favorite beverage or snack. Mine will always be chocolate milk. What's yours?

I am Koo Koo for Chocolate!

2007-01-09T20:48:00.000-08:00

I'm craving it, but I'm dieting!!

My New Year's resolution is to lose 10 pounds. So how am I supposed to do that when I have chocolate cravings all the time! The answer: dark chocolate baby!

One problem though, I lack an adequate supply in my house. All I have leftover from the holiday stocking stuffers are those sugar filled milk chocolate treats, filled with plenty of sodium and fat, nothing quite as high quality as the Valrhona or Callebaut I am used to eating.

I have got the 8 glasses of water, giant salad filled plates, and plenty of lean protein.. but I still need a chocolate fix. Looks like there is only one option that can both help knock away the cravings and still give me a minor amount of vitamins: Cocoa Puffs cereal with skim milk... yum! Hmmm, you can't go wrong with 1 serving: 150 calories and not even 1.5 grams of fat! Excellent!

Web hosting - Business beginnings

2006-11-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends bought me the domain name of my choice for the company I want to start up on the internet. Unfortunately, unless I buy web hosting, I will always have adds displayed on the page.

Initially, finding the felicitous hosting company seemed like an easy task. However, I became disillusioned as I found that my choices were endless. So many companies over variations of the product that I have become confused.

To make matters worse, I am just a surface computer geek. Sure, I like to think I have web savvy talents, but when it comes to understanding what really goes behind running a site, I am pretty clueless.

Lucky for me, another friend of mine happens to be a software engineer, so I bombarded him with questions that were bothering me: How much space really is a GB? Is it important to have more than 1 SQL database? How much is a standard amount to pay per month for hosting?

After a long in depth conversation, I finally figured out my problem: I needed to know what kind of product I needed and then search and hunt.

I've narrowed it down to two criteria: Cost (the lower the better) and the option to have unlimited domain names per hosting plan. Now I just need to find the right company and I am on my way...

It's that time of year again...

2006-11-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

When everything around you looks absolutely fabulous!

I love Thanksgiving because its when pumpkin pie and other delicious holiday treats are in great abundance! This year, I will finally be celebrating Thanksgiving in my own home, unlike Thanksgivings' past. I have a lot of preparing to do, therefore I am getting excited as I see holiday bargains at the grocery store.

I just can't wait until I can make some delicious pumpkin pie! I am going to see if my guests will allow me to add a chocolate twist to a delectable holiday favorite. I want to be sure everyone is in agreeance first. If all goes as planned, I will be back up posting my chocolate treat!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Chocolate Bloom

2006-09-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

Chocolate bloom has nothing to do with chocolate and flowers. Actually, it really is not as pretty as it sounds.

An example would be when you bought yourself a chocolate candy bar only open it to find a strange white tint on the exterior of the chocolate. The appetizing deep brown color is completely gone.

This white staining on your chocolate is called chocolate bloom.

Chocolate bloom occurs when your chocolate has been exposed to temperatures not conducive for keeping it in the best quality. Typically this happens when the chocolate had been exposed to heat on a hot summer day with no adequate air conditioning keeping it from losing its color aesthetic appeal. This can also occur if the chocolatier did not properly temper the chocolate when it was made.

The bloom itself does not necessarily mean the chocolate has gone bad, or rather that it has lost the proper crystallization to keep it looking delicious. However, if you take a bite and the texture is nowhere near what you would have wanted, then indeed the chocolate has expired.

If you have a solid hunk of chocolate, you could try to melt the chocolate and bring it to temper to try and save it. However, if you don’t have the time, I would not fault you to just get another one. ;)

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2006-08-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

I ate the cookies within a day of making them! Actually, I had been thinking about making some adjustments in the standard recipe for some time now. The result is two separate changes:

1. I set the brown sugar and white sugar components to be equal. Normally you see the brown sugar with more of primary sugar role in the recipe, but I really wanted to try out a new flavor.

2. Instead of putting in the normal amount of chocolate chips, I added and extra 1/2-1 serving to the cookie dough so that every bite would drench my tongue in chocolate. This change was done because my last batch of cookies just seemed like there were too few chips per bite.

So now that the changes have been introduced, here's that recipe you have been waiting for...

*This recipe is not for the faint at heart when dealing with the extra chocolate chips - so reduce the chip count if you cannot handle it*

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Makes about 30-36 cookies

Ingriedients:
1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (another bag if you can handle it)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. With electric mixer, add butter, brown and white sugar into bowl. Mix until throughly incorporated. Add baking soda, salt and egg. Continue mixing. Use fork to break any lumps if necessary. Add vanilla and stir it in.
3. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time and beat in with the mixer. Break up any lumps.
4. Add chocolate chips.
5. Scoop 1 inch balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Cook in oven for exactly 10 minutes.
6. Allow to cool and then enjoy!

Make a batch and your tongue will thank you!

2006-08-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

I was in a very chocolatey mood today. I dug through my variety of chocolate to get a nice hunk of milk chocolate out for a special treat. My husband is a milk chocolate addict and I was determined to make the most scrumptious truffles on this side of the galaxy!

I set to work and used a very basic recipe. Heavy cream, some butter and the best tasting couverture chocolate you can find were mixed over the stove. After some careful cooling, I scooped the cocoa balls and dipped it into some yummy cocoa powder and suddenly I had one of the most amazing creations!

So simple, so irresistable! You gotta try it!

Nutella-mazing!

2006-08-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

A family friend stopped by last week and brought be a brand new jar of Nutella.

Now I had never actually tried Nutella until I spread it onto a waffle and added a dash of whipped topping. The result? The most delicious concoction I have made to date! The hazelnut spread makes eating anything taste spectacular!

The first thing you get when you open the jar is a deep aroma of fresh hazelnuts and delicious chocolate. The spread is made in such a way that it is more creamy, (much like store bought frosting) than a syrup. When the nutella is spoon fed into your salivating mouth, all you can get is that deep cocoa flavor with the perfect blend of hazelnut. It is simply irresistable.

Voicemail - Business Beginnings

2006-07-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

Amy still has not replied to my email. I am starting to get a little impatient.

So I called her about 5 minutes ago to see if she still needed my services.

Of course, all I got was voicemail. I am just going to assume she is on vacation now. In the meantime I am going to begin calculating the expenses related to working on this chocolate project for her engagement.

Wish me luck working with my numbers!

Ebay Scammers- Business Beginnings

2006-07-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for the ACMC chocolate tempering machine on Ebay for quite some time now. When I finally found it I put in my bid and hoped for the best.

I was outbid of course, and soon after I noticed the seller put it up again since apparently the reserve was not met. Well yesterday I got an email from the seller saying that the first bidder did not respond to his emails so I am getting a second chance. Of course I was thrilled. But no sooner did my joy turn sour.

You see, I am new to Ebay, so I have no idea there were scammers out there that prey on trusting victims like me. The fishy part about the email was that he was offering to pay for shipping. Hmmm... Sounds too good to be true. I thought it was true. My skeptical husband, however, did not. He told me to email the seller through the Ebay messenging center to be sure it was real.

When I did this, the real seller told me it was not him. Thank GOD I did not send my credit info! I really got lucky.

Despite this I was pretty upset I did not 'win' the ACMC chocolate tempering machine. So buyers beware!!

The Cocoa Saga Part VII A curious mutation

2006-07-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

"Sonia, I think we should be interviewing some of the other villagers," Samuel said impatiently as I took the new species sampling from one end of the lab to the other.

"Listen, interviewing a person is variable. You cannot be sure of the probability that they will be telling us exactly what we need to hear," I said as I adjusted the sampling under the clinical machinery. "However, in science, there are times when the probability is simply undeniable."

"What?" Samuel seemed like he didn't understand me at all.

"Look," I said impatiently, "I think we have a better chance of figuring this out if we just do more tests."

Samuel looked unconvinced. The journalistic side of him was emerging. "I am going to go and hold interviews in about five minutes," he said as he gathered his things to leave the lab.

"Why five minutes?" I asked without looking up from the sampling.

"Because I will at least give you the courtesy of having the option to join me." Just as Samuel ended his sentence I saw the analysis report printing in the printer.

I picked up the freshly printed still warm page and began a quick scan. Something immediately caught my eye.

"Samuel, you'd better sit down for this," I said as I leaned onto the counter. "You're not going to believe this."

"What is it?" He walked back into the room closer to me.

"This specimen produces 4 times the amount of cocoa butter an average cacao tree produces!"

To be continued....

Asking for details...Business Beginnings

2006-07-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

After much thought and consideration, I decided to just try to make the packaging. I set to work on my Word file to get the perfect clip art. I ended up settling on a few cute hearts. The perfect font was next. Quickly, I was able to develop something much more unique than I expected. I anticipated this might be especially challenging, but as you can see it came out quite good. I blacked out the names just to keep the privacy.

I was pretty happy with my packaging results. The next thing I needed to get were molds. I did a ton of searching online and finally settled on business card size chocolate molds. They were the perfect size to put all the text information onto and also large enough to be considered a good size chocolate piece. The total cost ended up around $32, which isn't too bad.

After making my sample though, without the mold (thats still on the way), I decided to email Amy and ask her how many bars she actually needed. Last time she gave me a roundabout figure of 300. I wanted to be sure it wasnt going to be less. So I outlined a bunch of questions on Monday and sent it away. I also invited her to come over to my home this Sunday to view a sample of my efforts. She hasn't yet responded... More later...

The Phone Call - Business Beginnings

2006-07-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

When I called Amy, she told me she wanted individually wrapped chocolates to be made as placecards for her event. I told her if she could send me a sample idea of what she is talking about, I would be happy to see what I could do.

Now, I'll tell you directly that I have never made massive quantities of chocolate before. Professional use good quality tempering machines to temper the chocolate in bulk. In my case, a good valued machine costs close to $1000. That is simply something I can't afford. In addition, being that it is the middle of the summer, unless I have a wine cooler fridge or space in my fridge, storing the premade bars would be out of the question.

Did I mention that I think she wanted 300? As you can see this is just beginning to pose it own set of problems.

On one hand it would be a wonderful opportunity. On the other, it might be very difficult to even do.

More to come..

An unexpected email - Business beginnings

2006-07-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

I haven't quite begun my part-time gourmet chocolate making business for a variety of reasons. First of all, I don't have any customers. No customers, no business. In all fairness though, I have done no advertising and have done nothing to even properly begin.

In fact, I lack many essentials to running a business, from machinery to all related equipment and inventory. I have been hitting bumps in the road when it comes to writing my business plan too. A big part of my problem is the lack of capital I have to start. Also know as 'seed money', this $$ can help me begin without worrying about the essentials.

Anyway, I'll get back to the nitty gritty a little later. A week ago I got an email from a friend of a friend who had heard I was graduating as a Professional Chocolatier back in November. 'Amy' as I will call her, asked me if I was in the 'business of chocolate making' via email.

I responded yes, and soon after she replied telling me she wanted chocolates made for her engagement party in September but cannot find what she wants at an affordable price. She then left a number to call her.

Back again

2006-07-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting in the last few weeks. Things have been pretty hectic around here. Stay tuned for more editions of the Cocoa Saga and some new posts which will chronicle my start in a possible part-time business.

The Cocoa Saga Part VI Into the Jungle

2006-06-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

On our way to the village, Sam and I began evaluating the possibility of a murder motive behind the mutated new species. I began jotting down notes into my notebook to organize my mind.

“Do you think this new species was made to target someone?” Samuel asked as he looked out the window.

“I am not sure,” I replied jotting more thoughts crossing my mind.

“Well, it’s the first time I would have ever seen anyone go through all the trouble,” Samuel said tapping the window with his index finger.

“And you have seen someone go through the trouble to murder someone before?” I asked not looking up from my notebook.

“Well, no,” he said sheepishly.

“I am thinking the idea over and…,” I started.

“And what?”

“And I just do not see how or why someone would go through all the trouble of successfully crossing two different species to commit murder,” I ended. I looked up from my notebook finally and turned to Samuel. “The chances are pretty slim that there is an evil genius out there who would want to murder and blackmail through the use of plant life.”

“Using Mother Nature to work for you and against others,” Samuel stated. “Well it isn’t unheard of.”

“Perhaps not, but I am still skeptical.” The care abruptly stopped. We had already arrived to the outskirts of the jungle. We piled out of the parade of cars and walked into the hut where we had originally met with Padma.

“Oh please put these on as soon as possible and follow me,” Padma declared. There was no time for pleasantries as we all quickly got into the bodysuits. With about a line of ten people following Padma, the policemen, Samuel and I, and a few others, we ventured deep into the jungle.

We followed Padma to the exact location we had gone before. As we neared the location I had taken original samples before, she made an abrupt right turn and walked for another ten yards.

We were so deep in the jungle, there were noises I had never heard before in my ears. She motioned us to continue following her under a giant tree into what looked like a clearing. As I approached the clearing behind Samuel, I heard him say in a muffled voice, “Oh my God.” I stepped the left of Samuel to take a better look and what I saw both flabbergasted and baffled me.

In front of me lay acres of crops of the mutated new species.

To be continued….

Homemade Crunch Candy Bars

2006-06-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

One of my absolute favorite candy bars is Crunch by Nestle. There is something just downright wholesome when I bite into one and munch away.

After much consideration, I wondered if I too could make my own version of the rice crispie chocolate treat. I set out to work.

First, I bought myself a box of Keyfood brand Crisp Rice Cereal. It was a ton cheaper than the real Rice Crispies and tastes exactly the same! Then I grabbed my couverture chocolate I purchased from Whole Foods and starting chopping up the block.

I went ahead and began tempering the chopped chocolate over my stove. I set up the cereal to be ready to be poured into the bowl once I hit the correct cooled temperature of the chocolate. I then took my plastic spatula and just mixed the cereal which I just poured into the chocolate until it was completely incorporated.

If you like more crunch that cocoa, go ahead and add as much cereal as you want. Be sure not to add too much though otherwise the cereal will over power the chocolate.

Once you have completely mixed the two, pour it onto a parchment paper on a flat cookie board. Be sure to spread it out so it is thin. Immediately stick it in your fridge (especially if it is a humid day), and pull it out just a few minutes later. If you leave it in the fridge too long it can get chocolate bloom.

After it has cooled properly and you take it out, break the chocolate crisp into pieces and enjoy!

Callebaut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2006-06-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Snack attack! A craving was taking hold of me and I was searching my kitchen for the perfect snack. All I could find was a package of Chips Ahoy cookies and some jelly beans. Seeing that I have been watching my weight for some time now, I wasn't about to lose precious calories on anything less than luxurious treats. So, I ventured to find the perfect cookie recipe.

I interviewed my fellow blogger Cucina Bella on what she could recall as the best tasting recipe, and she lead me on a hunt to find the The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I loved the recipe but realized I ran out of flour and the bittersweet chocolate chips. All I had was Bisquick mix and a giant hunk of Callebaut Semisweet Chocolate.

I decided to modify the recipe to include my ingriedients and the results were spectacular! After breaking the hunk into chunks fit for cookies, I mixed my recipe ingriedients to form one of the tastiest cookies I have had in years! The pecans gave it an extra edge. Try it yourself and you'll know exactly what I am talking about.

Callebaut Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe

2 2/3 cups Bisquick mix
12 oz Callebaut Semisweet Chocolate Chunks
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup sugar
2 sticks butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix liquid ingredients first. Gradually add Bisquick mix in 1 cup at a time until fully blended. Add nuts and chocolate. Scoop 1 tablespoon at a time onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Spice it up!

2006-06-16T22:45:00.000-07:00

Last week, I decided I was in the mood for cupcakes. I found a Duncan Hines devil’s food cake mix box sitting at the back of my cupboard and got to work swiftly. I would have made it from scratch, but my husband just loves boxed cake mix. He’s not very adventurous.

Usually when he requests something, I try not to fiddle with it too much since I know how picky he can be. However, I felt like doing something crazy. I knew it was a gamble to mess with the perfectly blended cake mix, but I had just gotten an extremely fresh spice all the way from India.

Fresh cinnamon ground up into fine powder, so pure and aromatic, setting it in my spice rack made the entire cupboard smell of delicious cinnamon. Yummm!

So what did I do? You guessed it. I added ½ a teaspoon to the cake mix and mixed it well. Then I baked them and waited until they cooled to added some delectable vanilla frosting with a little bit of rainbow sprinkles and a starburst jelly bean.

I kept my lips sealed when my husband came home and gave him his first cupcake. Salivating, he devoured it and demanded two more! He said, "This is soo much better than I remember it!" Did I tell him I added cinnamon? No, not yet. When I do, I am sure he will be upset for tricking him, but I know just what to say.

Don't you know cinnamon is good for you? That's right folks, the delicious spice you add to tea, and apple cider, and cookies and cakes can ward off cholesterol! (But only in very small amounts!) Check out this interesting article I bumped into for more details:
Cinnamon in moderation is key!

The Cocoa Saga Part V The Police Station

2006-06-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

“Cacao trees crossed with dumb cane…” Samuel was thinking out loud as we waited outside the police chief’s office. We had been requested to give details on our findings to local government law enforcement.

“Yes, it is certainly strange.” I said this as I digged through my purse to see if I could find cream for my dry hands.

“I’ll be a quick minute,” Samuel said as he headed to the restroom. I nodded just after I gave up searching my purse. Just then a blond haired man wearing a black Armani suit carrying a giant shoulder bag with the word “Pearl Co.” embossed on the outside walked down the hallway to my right. I wondered why one of the representatives of Pearl Company,the biggest comestics company in Europe, was doing in Sri Lanka.

As he passed by me, he accidentally tripped over my purse sitting on the floor and fell to the ground. The giant shoulder bag he was carrying, emptied miniature tubes of hand creams that was strewn all around.

“I am so sorry,” I exclaimed as I jumped to my feet and began helping the blond haired man pick up his belongings. “I had not realized my purse was in your way, otherwise I would have moved it.”

“No worries at all,” he said is a thick British accent. He gave me an effortless smile letting me know he was not upset. “Thank you so much for helping me. Here, have one.” He was offering me one of his sample hand creams.

“Oh thank you,” I said delightfully as I thought about my good fortune on the free sample. I took the cream and waved the man goodbye as I quickly used it on my dry hands.

“The Chief is ready to see you now.” I turned and saw an officer standing in the doorway across from me. As I got to my feet, I saw Samuel heading my way from the restroom.

* * * * * * *

After a brief explanation of our findings, there was a slight pause as the Chief took in all of the information. Samuel and I were sitting across Chief Shivan in two uncomfortable folding chairs. On either side of Chief Shivan stood two officers looking very suspiciously at the both of us.

“What do you believe is the reason why someone crossed these two?” Chief Shivan asked as he rubbed his chin in deep thought. Samuel and I looked at each other. Neither of us had come to a conclusion yet.

“Actually, we are not really sure why someone would do it,” Samuel finally answered.

We think we have an idea but are not certain,” Chief Shivan said as he leaned back in his chair, still rubbing his chin. “We think that this could have been done to target someone in the village.”

“Who?” I asked curiously. A target was not something I had considered.

“Can we trust to tell them?” asked the officer to the left of Chief Shivan. He eyed me suspiciously.

“Yes, I think they should know,” Chief Shivan replied to his officer. He turned to me and said, “There was some extended family of the Mayor of Kandy living in that village.”

“So you believe it was an attempt to threaten the Mayor of Kandy?” Samuel asked.

“We are not sure, but the extended family of the Mayor of Kandy lived closest to the location of the fatal plants. It is a possibility whoever planted those there had done this intentionally.” Chief Shivan was about to say something more when suddenly the telephone rang. “Chief Shivan here… yes… I am here with both Dr. Jeevan and Samuel Mink…. Alright we are on our way.” He stood up suddenly. “We all have to get to the village outskirts right away. There has been a critical discovery.”

I looked at Samuel and read his mind. What more could they have discovered out there in the jungle?

To be continued……

Tabliering, Seeding and other fun stuff

2006-06-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

When I temper chocolate, 95% of the time I used the seeding method. In a previous post, I had explained this particular method. For those who would like to have a couple of different options I thought I would go over both methods.

In both methods you always start out which a giant block of chocolate you have to hack into bits and pieces.

I usually take about 3/5 of the chocolate chunks and starting melting away, while I hold off on the other 2/5 for the tempering portion.

With the Seeding method, as I explained in a previous post, once you have hit just about 115 degrees F, I turn the heat source off and just add little chunks of chocolate. The chocolate chunks melt into the heated chocolate mixture and in the process brings the temperature down to the desired temperature level.

The only thing you need to pay attention to is the temperature. This method is extremely cleaning efficient and simple. When I think of the seeding method, I think of the modern chefs at the Chocolate Competitions in Las Vegas using this technique.

I think of the tabliering method as a very classic style. It for those chocolate lovers that want to just dive in and get their hands dirty. Literally!

With this method, after you have heated you chocolate, you pour about half onto a marble stone slab. The marble is naturally cool and allows the mixture to cool slowly and gradually (much like the seeding method). However, you use an offset spatula to contantly work the chocolate around the slab until it lowers in temperature. You could use your hands to work the chocolate, but I wouldn't advise it because it will become an even bigger mess then.

If the chocolate gets too cool and starts to harden, you can go back to your still heated reserve and add it to the marble. The point is the manipulate the chocolate to stay in the temper zone without cooling down too much or being too warm.

The decision on what temperature you want your chocolate to come down to depends on whether you have white, milk or dark chocolate to work with in your recipe. The properties are not the same because of the percentage of cocoa butter in each type of chocolate.

Final thoughts: Stick the to seeding method, and then move on to the tabliering method once you've master seeding. When you know what you are looking for in terms of tempering, it will be easier to handle the extra hassles of a messy kitchen!

The Cocoa Saga Part IV The Discovery

2006-06-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

My eyes were shut and my fists were clenched to the sides of the car so tightly I felt myself going numb. As I waited to hear a crash, suddenly all I could hear was laughter. As I opened my eyes, Samuel had clutched his stomach laughing so hard and Kris was giggling oddly in the front.

“I take it you are not familiar with the way Sri Lankan countrymen drive?” Kris asked through a strange giggle. I looked outside the window to find we were back on the correct lane and found myself heated with anger.

“I really did not find that funny,” I said as I leaned back, relieved the ordeal was over. As we continued driving I notice this Russian roulette way of jumping into the opposite lane was just the way they pass slow moving vehicles in front of them. There are only two lanes going in opposite directions, so if you want to pass a car, you have to risk oncoming traffic or just be driving 15 km an hour or less the whole way. I was relieved when we finally arrived at our destination.

“This is a small village not far from Ampara, where the plant was found and the catastrophe had happened,” Samuel said as he led me into the doorway of a small hut. Kris sat waiting in the car as we walked off.

A woman wearing a traditional sari walked towards us as we entered. The lean woman’s hair was wound loosely in a bun, and she smiled broadly as we entered.

“Mr. Mink, so glad to see your safe arrival,” she said as she shook his hand. “I am Padma, and will be leading you into the jungle. You must be Dr. Jeevan.” She looked at me and smiled broadly as I shook her hand.

“Yes, very nice to meet you Padma.” She seemed unusually happy under the grim circumstances.

“Please, follow me.” We walked behind Padma into the next room where three body suits lay on a table. “Please, put these on.”

Once the three of us were fully covered in the suit we put on beekeeper’s helmet to cover us all the way. We followed her outside into the hot sun into the deep jungle.

About thirty feet into the jungle, Padma stopped in front of a giant banana tree. I saw her point at something under the tree. As I approached the tree, I saw the roots of something pulled out on the ground.

“That is the culprit,” I heard a muffled Samuel say as I crouched down to take a better look. I picked up the root and put a few pieces into two vials. I added a few stems as well to my collection.

“Ok, let’s get to the lab,” I said as I stood up.

* * * * * *

“Well, what can you see?” Samuel asked curiously over my shoulder. We were in the Sri Lankan government Bio Lab in the city of Kandy. Although I was exhausted from the trip to Sri Lanka from the United States, I could not stop myself from taking a look at this new organism. It was as though I was reading a thrilling book that I could not put down.

“Give me a minute, ok?” I shifted in my chair as I adjusting the sterilized sample on the stage of the microscope. I adjusted the eyepiece and fine focus to get the best clarity. However, what I was seeing just did not make any sense. “This cannot be right.”

“What?” Samuel said, looking up from the table where the contents of our expedition lay.

“This sample looks like it has been crossed between two already known types of plant life.” I took the sample and moved it into my scanning device. I ran it twice to be sure it would be able to identify which two species it was, since my hunch just did not seem logical. After getting the results back, it verified what I thought all along.

“Which two are they?” Samuel asked now standing.

“Ok, the first one is one I know can be toxic but not necessarily fatal. It’s called Dieffenbachia seguine, also known as Dumb Cane. If you consume any part of it your tongue can feel burning, irritations, as well as severe swelling. It’s fatal only if your tongue ends up swelling to the point where you cannot have access to air.”

“Dumb cane, that’s an interesting nickname,” Samuel remarked with a grin.

“Well, it’s also commonly called the mother-in-law plant,” I replied as I reviewed the scanning results. “I can say with conviction that Dumb Cane is not usually found in Southeast Asia.”

“It isn’t? That’s strange,” Samuel said.

“But that isn’t the strange part. It’s the other one that it has been crossed with that concerns me.”

“And what’s that?” Samuel walked towards me where I was leaning on the counter looking at the results.

“The other crossed plant is Theobroma Cacao, also known as a Cacao Tree,” I said looking at Samuel. “This fatal plant that killed the people of the village was made from Dumb Cane, a toxic plant and the Cacao Tree, the tree that produces cocoa beans and the world’s chocolate supply.”

“Why would anyone cross those two?” Samuel eyes were wide now. He knew this cross was not a natural occurrence now.

“I don’t know, but we have to find out.”

To be continued…

To control your temper…

2006-06-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

(A late edition of Scholarship Sundays)

Okay, you want to mold some decadent dark chocolate into little chocolate stars for your picnic.

So you buy a hunk from your local gourmet food store and it sits on your counter, staring you down. What next? You go straight to melting it and immediately pouring it into molds.

But after a sticky mess, all you’ll be left with is a dull looking whimper of the original chocolate.

Why me!?? You ask this as you lean against the counter, your hands a complete brown mess.

I’ll tell you why, because you did not temper it, naughty girl or boy!

Temper? What’s that, you ask.

Tempering, my dear friend, is the way you control your melting chocolate so that it can crystallize into the crisp, crunchy, shiny delicious chocolate you want.

Oh wise one, you ask, how do I do this?

Quite simply, be sure that as you begin melting your chocolate over a double boiler you check that the temperature of your chocolate does not exceed 110-115 degrees F. (Beyond that you will have burned chocolate.) Afterwards, you turn the heat source off and begin to put chunks of chocolate into the melted bowl and continue mixing. When the temperature of the chocolate is no warmer than you lower lip, then it is time to start pouring it into your mold.

My lower lip! Why?

Well, because that temperature (about 88-90 F) is in around the best for the crystallization to form where it will end up firming into a shiny, crunchy delicious looking chocolate. That’s what you want right?

The Cocoa Saga Part III Journey to Sri Lanka

2006-06-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

“Dr. Jeevan, can I have the flight attendant get you anything?”

“No, thank you, I am fine.” I was leaning back reviewing my reports in first class. Samuel seemed so desperate to make sure I was alright after I agreed on joining him for the expedition to Sri Lanka. He had already offered me his pillow and blanket, and tried to order me a second cup of coffee before I even finished the first one.

“Okay.” Samuel looked forward to the cabin as he ruffled his already disheveled chesnut hair. I took the opportunity to ask him a few unanswered questions on my mind.

“Dr. Smith mentioned he preferred me because I wasn’t close to members of the NBO. Why doesn’t Dr. Smith want the NBO to be involved in this new find?” Samuel shifted in his seat uncomfortably and turned to her.

“I’m not exactly sure why, but I recall him mentioning a few members who he thought could not be trusted,” Samuel whispered. He looked around worried as though someone on the plane was listening into the conversation. “He said Dr. Leat would probably alert the NBO's government contacts and it would be on the mainstream media overnight. He also name Dr. Gold, Dr. Clamps, and Dr. Spring as people who would follow suit as Dr. Leat would.”

“Why would he think that?” I asked curiously.

“I’m not really sure,” Samuel shrugged. With that, the conversation ended and soon we were both fast asleep on our red-eye flight to Sri Lanka.

* * * * * *

“Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Sri Lanka, exporter of tastiest cinnamon and tea in the world!” I awoke with a jump. Samuel was already rubbing his eyes and sitting up.

After the plane finally came to a stop, I followed Samuel through with our baggage out of the plane. The moment my foot stepped offboard, I felt a rush of warm tropical heat surround me. Beads of perspiration accumulated instantly on my forehead as the humidity took over. As I inhaled, I smelled a combination of incese and leaves of a coconut tree. With an approximate 70% majority of Sri Lankans Buddhist, I suspected a temple not far away from the airport.

“Follow me,” Samuel said as he walked toward the exit. “We have a car waiting.”

I followed him outside into the beating sun and struggled to keep up with him as he zigzagged through a large crowd of people waiting. Finally he stopped at a tiny white Toyota, as a black haired middle aged man stepped out of the car. They shook hands and turned to me.

“This will be our driver during our stay,” Samuel said as he waved his arm in the man’s direction. “This is Krishna, but he like to be called Kris.”

“A pleasure, Kris, I’m Sonia Jeevan,” I said while shaking his hand.

“The pleasure is mine,” he said in a Sri Lankan accent. “Please, sit down as I take you to our destination.” His English was intact perfectly. I should not have been surprised with it since Sri Lankan’s have an extremely high literacy rate. I took a seat while he put our bags in the back and we started on our way.

My head starting nodding off as I struggled to stay awake. The flight to Sri Lanka had been quite exhausting since I had to change plans in Europe once and then again in the Middle East before finally arriving. I had forgotten what a long trip it would be from New York.

Just as I started falling asleep I heard a loud horn blasting outside. I looked ahead from the backseat and saw a giant truck heading directly towards our car. Kris was driving on the wrong side of the road!

“MOVE THE CAR!” I screamed as the truck blasted its horn again. We only had moments to move, but Kris showed no sign of moving.

“PLEASE!” I cried as I held on to the sides of the car bracingly myself. Why was he doing this!? I shut my eyes as I knew it was going to be my last moment of my life.

To be continued…

The Cocoa Saga Part II Mink's Testimony

2006-05-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

I followed Samuel Mink into his car. As I sat in the passenger side of the black Honda Civic, I turned to Samuel Mink.

“Mr. Mink, now tell me what is going on here.” Samuel put one hand on the wheel ahead of him and he turned his head to face me.

“Call me Samuel.”

“Okay, Samuel, what’s going on?” I was getting impatient. Samuel sensed my annoyance and began his case.

“I know it was asking a lot of you by Dr. Smith to just pick up a leave to Sri Lanka, however the recent events that have occurred there are highly uncommon. There has been some new plant life discovered there and it seems it is highly deadly if consumed or touched.” He had my attention. I shifted in my seat as he continued.

“Now new plant life is common to be found in the Amazon forest of South America, but Dr. Smith and some of his colleagues agreed that this new finding seemed peculiar in that the present location of it isn't a commonplace for new species to develop. In addition, this new plant life can be so deadly that an entire village was wiped out in a matter of days.”

“Wiped out!?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. What kind of plant could wipe out a village? “Why haven’t I heard this on the news or through other botanist channels?” I asked distressed by the revelation.

“Partly, because the government has asked not to inform the public at large, and partly, because once the public knows, the United States military will try to take over investigating. And we know that when the US military takes over, sometimes the hope of explaining natural causes is not possible.” Samuel gave me that knowing look seeming to say that I knew what he meant. The US involvement in past natural revelations had led to a prevention of allowing researchers to conduct studies. Sometimes, it led to obliteration of the natural occurrence at hand, also known as containment, if the results of testing were in any way not in favor of the US military findings.

“Listen, I know Dr. Smith said he needed you all summer, but this might take only a few days. At minimum I need your help in identifying and classifying this new plant life. The sooner we have a professional botanist on location, the sooner we can have safety measures in place. Please, can you join me?” Samuel seemed genuine in his request.

I sighed as I felt the botanist’s desire to discover new natural plant life burn inside me. I knew I could not say no to him.

That evening I was on a flight to Sri Lanka with Samuel Mink.

To be continued…

What is your favorite type of chocolate?

2006-05-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

Is it true the majority of the public prefers milk over dark and white chocolate? I need your input to know what is mainstream! So click below and answer away!

Take the Poll!

Scholarship Sundays - The Cacao Tree

2006-05-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

{Starting today, the beginning of every week will have a little bit of enlightenment which I call will Scholarship Sundays. All things related to the history, the science and any other relevant information regarding chocolate will be presented for your awareness.}

The Cacao Tree (Theobromo Cacao)

Chocolate is made from the cocoa bean, which grows on tropical cacao trees. Originally from South America, the agriculture of the theobromo cacao has been spread throughout the world.

The cultivation is also in regions such as the Caribbean, parts of Asia and Africa. The majority of the world’s chocolate comes from farms in Africa’s Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivorie) and Ghana, where cacao tree farms are cultivated for mass production.

The tree grows best under a shade of other taller trees. It enjoys constant warm temperatures, therefore cannot be grown more than 10-15 degrees away from the Equator.

It was the Mayan’s who first realized the versatility of the cacao tree when they were able to make the first chocolate drink from grinded cocoa beans. Only the sovereign had the privilege to drink the delicious chocolate drink.
The Mayan people also used the cocoa beans from the tree as currency in their day-to-day life.

The cacao tree, or theobromo cacao is literally translated in latin to ‘food of the gods’. Whoever named the tree was definitely a chocolate lover!

Delicious God!

2006-05-20T12:05:00.001-07:00

I have been asked what the word shakti means on numerous occasions since starting this chocolate blog.

Shakti is taken from the Sanskrit language, a basis for numerous dialects in India, much like Latin is a basis for the romance languages of English and French. Shakti direct translation is power or strength.

While the word shakti itself is foreign to the English language, the impact it has is astounding in Hindu belief structures. Be it describing a divine deity* in Hinduism or the practice of yoga, the word shakti is used in various ways to display the connections of power, energy and the universe.

My goal is to show, how incredibly strong a substance chocolate has become in our society. From learning about techniques on tempering dark chocolate, to the science of a cacoa tree and the cocoa beans, I plan to incorporate and introduce common and not so common ideas into this blog. Along with some creative writing, I am hoping you will stop by on a regular basis with comments, questions, and/or requests.

By the way, if you are interested in getting some chocolate deities, I would highly recommend Chocolate Deities. As you can see by the picture taken from the site, that God looks good enough to eat!

Happy blogging!

What is The Cocoa Saga?

2006-05-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

It is a short story that will be installed every Friday evening until the end of the summer.

What does this have to do with Chocolate Shakti?

Not only will you be embarking on a journey with the fictional character of Dr. Sonia Jeevan, but you will be learning about Eastern cultures in the process. Yes, chocolate will play a role in the story, but I cannot tell you how. Come back every Friday to find out!

The Cocoa Saga – A Story Part I

2006-05-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Chairman, Dr. Drake Leat, stood at the head of the room as everyone anticipated the final award of the night. “And the National Botanist Award for excellence in discovering, naming and categorizing new plant life goes to Dr. Sonia Jeevan.”

A booming round of applause surrounded me as I stood up. I grabbed my purse and made my way to the podium on the stage as I felt a flush of hotness grab hold of my cheeks. I was not expecting the award at all.

“Thank you so much,” I said as I held the statue of the Curcuma longa (turmeric) plant firmly in my hand. The Curcuma longa plant symbolized the exclusive National Botanist Organization (NBO). “I am proud to be selected by the NBO to receive this award and it is with great pleasure I accept it.”

Later in the evening, Dr.David Smith, my biggest inspiration and the most famous botanist in the world approached me.

“Dr. Jeevan, congratulations,” he said as he moved his hand forward for a handshake. His forehead gleamed with perspiration and shone against the assembly room lighting. He kept looking over his shoulder trying to act natural. I tried not to stare as I took his hand.

“Thank you so much, Dr. Smith.”

“I heard you will no longer be studying plant life in Northern Africa?”

“No, I am taking a break for the summer before I begin my professorship at SUNY Stony Brook.”

Dr. Smith pulled on his collar uncomfortably. I had a sense he was about to say something unusual.

“Dr. Jeevan,” he whispered as he leaned in, “I need to speak to you about an urgent matter in which I need your assistance. Would you be able to call me tomorrow to arrange a meeting?” He handed me his card discreetly. As I took the card, he quickly walked off before I could question him further.

* * * * * * * *

The next day I was sitting in Dr. Smith’s office waiting for him as I caught up on my reports. Just as I was finishing reviewing the first report the door opened behind me.

“Thank you so much for coming on such short notice, Dr. Jeevan. No, please stay seated. We are waiting for one more person.”

Just as he ended his sentence a knock was heard on his door. “Come in,” Dr. Smith said as he leaned into his chair.

I turned around to see a sharply dressed man in his mid 30’s. His thick brown hair looked like it needed a haircut. He sat down in the chair next to me after giving me a quick nod and turned his attention to Dr. Smith.

“Dr. Jeevan, this is Mr. Samuel Mink, he is a journalist covering regions in Asia. I brought you hear to ask for a favor from you. There has been some unusual occurences happening in Sri Lanka, and I seeing that you are the most intellectual of plantlife in tropical regions, I would like to send you with Mr. Mink down to Sri Lanka and across Asia for the summer to investigate the unusual plant findings. I would of course cover your expenses and pay you for your time.”

“Why me?” I asked suddenly. I did not understand why he was asking me of all people.

“Simply put, I know you are not closely tied to too many in the NBO,” Dr. Smith said frankly. “You will be working on matters relevant to the world, and your findings can change the course of human history. This is not going to be a simple task, but more of a mission— “

Suddenly the phone rang. Dr. Smith picked up the phone and in an instant hung up. “You both need to leave the office right now,” he said jumping to his feet. He looked directly at me and then said, “You’re flight to Sri Lanka leaves tonight. Mr.Mink will fill you in on all other details. But now you must go!”

He pushed me out of the office, and then a moment later Samuel Mink was pushing my back towards the staircase.

“What about the elevator,” I asked, but already he had me in the stairwell going down the stairs.

When we finally got to the 1st floor, down 6 flights of stairs, I stopped and turned to Samuel Mink before he could push me again.

“Just what do you think you are doing!?” I exclaimed.

“You don’t understand,” Samuel Mink said as he directed me to follow him to the parking lot. “You are involved in a top secret exploration project now.”

“I didn’t sign up for this,” I said, feeling dizzy suddenly. I stopped and leaned by a tree.

“Listen, I think that Dr. Smith did not give you an adequate explanation and I can fill you in on all the details if you give me a chance.” Samuel Mink suddenly looked worried I was not going to go to Sri Lanka with him.

“Then tell me right now,” I said looking around. No one was in the lot except for us. “ I cannot even think about going halfway across the world today, if I don’t get more details!”

“Ok, it’s not safe here ok? Come let’s sit inside the car.” I eyed him suspiciously, afterall I just met the man. “I am not dangerous, believe me!” he said as he pulled out his New York Times Reporter badge. He opened the passenger door to his SUV and looked pleadingly to me.

“Just 5 minutes of your time and the decision whether or not to go is yours,” Samuel Mink said pleadingly.

To be continued…….

When you lose your favorite pizza place to a fire...

2006-05-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

Today's post has nothing to do with chocolate.

It has to do with my favorite pizza place, Napoli Pizza, located in Queens NY. After my husband came home from work, we decided to go grab a slice at Napoli's. To my horror and dismay, the place was boarded up. A fire had burned the entire store completely.

Now I am not sure how to explain how much I loved the pizza there, but I will try. The moment I found out about the disaster I felt like my heart was ripped out. It was as though my best friend died. I never considered my favorite pizza place as a friend until now. Looking back, I went to Napoli's more than I saw my friends and family!

The owner of the store, Napoli - we called him, knew us well. We were regulars from the moment we moved there. In fact, Napoli knew us before we became parents to our baby boy! Anytime we called him to order a pie, he would say, 'The usual? Cheese pie with extra tomato sauce?' And we would be delighted he remembered and wait anxiously by the door. He was the neighborhood guy that waved and smiled when you walked by. His pizza tasted better than anything you could find in Manhattan. In fact, I had just been thinking of calling Zagat to refer them to him since he is, or rather was, a hidden treasure in Queens, NY.

I guess sometimes when you take things for granted, you don't realize how important and how much it impacts your daily life until it's gone. To those of you reading this out there: Sometime this week please go to your favorite place and enjoy your favorite meal and think of me. Cherish every bite and savour every moment, because you just don't know if it will be there tomorrow.

Brownie-holics

2006-05-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

This evening, after much pestering from my husband, I set out to make a much anticipated batch of brownies. At our house, making a tray of yummy brownies has become a weekly affair, and my brownie-holic husband was starting to get cravings so strong I had to head straight to the kitchen to help him get his fix. There’s no hurt in feeding the addiction. Why you ask? Well, the aphrodisiac nature of chocolate in the brownies certainly helps brighten the day, doesn’t it? *Wink*

Besides, making brownies never feels like a chore to me. Crack a few eggs, mix in all the ingredients, whip it up with the electric mixer and then you have yourself a delicious bowl of brownie batter ready for cooking!

So what do I do while I wait for my brownies to come out of the oven? Lick the leftover batter on the bowl, of course!

I love brownies; it is the perfect combination of cake and chocolate in a moist little package. A friend of mine makes them so spectacular I wonder why she doesn’t have her own show on the Food network. You can check her blog out at: http://virtualfrolic.blogspot.com.

By the way, you were wondering where I got the recipe for aphrodisiac brownies, right? Well, check out Cucina Bella’s blog at http://cucinabella.blogspot.com/ under Aphrodite's Brownies. Not only does she know her desserts, she knows her cooking too!

Decadent Dark Chocolate

2006-05-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

I have always been a chocolate loving girl. A classic picture of me as a child is sitting in an amusement ride at Hershey Park with my face smeared with remnants of Hershey Kisses. My parents made the mistake of offering me chocolate flavored Ovaltine when I was only a toddler. After tasting the sensual flavors that tickled my taste buds, I refused to drink any glass of milk without my delectable chocolate. Since then the love affair has never ceased.

For a long time, my preference was always milk chocolate. The milkier, the better, I always thought. I held this belief up until the day of my chocolate tasting assignment for my Professional Chocolatier Certification Program. I had hand picked my chocolate choices from the local Whole Foods Market, with a wide range of dark specialty couvertures.

My test subjects ranged in couvertures from France, Belgium and Venezuela. The first one from Venezuela, named El Rey, was especially potent in bitterness. I had mistakenly picked up bittersweet dark chocolate and my taste buds were not accustomed to the strength of flavor. However, the texture was certainly an even melt in your mouth feeling. And the aroma was so strong; my test subjects all could smell the powerful aroma before I even moved the test pieces into the room they were sitting.

Next, the Belgium favorite, Callebaut was passed around. This time I had chosen right, and it was the semisweet dark chocolate I had intended on getting. The flavor reminded me of upscale chocolate chips from the grocery store. The taste though was truly delicious. The complexity of dark chocolate was starting to become clear as I ventured to roll the chocolate with my tongue.

Finally, Valrhona, the exquisite and legendary couverture from France made way to the table. The scent was not quite as forthcoming as the previous ones, however the texture once inside my mouth could only be described as silky. The way the chocolate melted was so even, that while rolling my tongue with the chocolate it seemed as though I had an even stream of sensuous liquid cascading inside my mouth. This semisweet chocolate was so delicious, I had to have a second piece. Later I used the rest of the pieces to whip up some mint truffles, which needless to say were truly phenomenal.

Why did I experiment with couverture chocolate? Picking the gourmet, more expensive chocolates was to be sure I was getting the best quality for my money. The more cocoa butter in chocolate, the higher the quality.

Now, dark chocolate not only makes for great truffles, but can also enhance your health. According to http://www.wikipedia.com/:

Dark chocolate, with its high cocoa content, is a rich source of the flavonoids epicatechin and gallic acid, which are thought to posess cardioprotective properties. Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, even more so than other antioxidant rich foods and beverages. Some studies have also observed a modest reduction in blood pressure and flow mediated dilation after consuming approximately 100 g of dark chocolate daily.

Now for those of you out there looking for an excuse to eat chocolate, you have one right here. Stick to dark chocolate though and remember anything is good but only in moderation!