Experimental cookery

Chocolate. For a better understanding of the action of chocolate some knowledge of its production is necessary. Chocolate is obtained from cacao beans of the cacao tree. The term cacao is used to refer to the raw material until the press cake stage. The term cocoa refers to the powder. The beans are cut from the pods, placed in piles, and fermented. Fermentation reduces the bitterness of the chocolate. After fermentation the beans are roasted. TABLE 58 Formulas for Plain Cake Formula I Formula II Formula III Formula IV Ingredients Meas- Weight, Meas- Weight, Meas- Weight, Meas- Weight, ure grams ure grams ure grams ure grams Butter Kc. 112 /'2 C. 112 H c. 140 ;^8C. 84 Sugar IKc. 300 1 J < c. 300 1 14 c. 300 IK c. 300 Eggs 2 96 2 96 3 144 VA 72 Flour 3 c. 300 3 c. 300 3 c. 300 3 c. 300 Milk 1 c. 244 '•(] c. 204 fsc. 156 \yi c. 274 Baking pow- der 3 t. 8-12 3 t. 8-10 3t. 8-10 3>< t. 10-14 Flavoring It. 1 t. 1 t. 1 1. Salt Kt. H t. >2 t. Kt. After being roasted the beans are shelled and cracked. The cracked beans are called nibs. The roasting brings out the flavor, but Zenlea states that the flavor of the chocolate is dependent upon the skill used in blending, milling, and couching of the various varieties of nibs with the proper quantity of sugar and cocoa butter, milk solids, when used, and added flavors. There are approximately 30 varieties of cocoa beans commonly used and Zenlea says the nibs of these beans vary in color, chocolate char- acter, pungency, acidity, mildness, bitterness, and creaminess. The blended nibs are ground, a temperature just above 32°C. (90°F,) being maintained during grinding, this temperature and the pressure rendering the product fluid. This chocolate liquor, which contains over 50 per cent of cocoa butter, is run into molds and cooled for chocolate, forming the bitter chocolate for household and commercial uses. In the "Service and Regulatory Announce- ments" of the Food and Drug Administration chocolate, plain chocolate, bitter chocolate, chocolate liquor, chocolate paste, bitter chocolate grating, all are defined as the solid or plastic mass obtained by grinding cacao nibs. Sweet chocolate, sweet chocolate coating, is chocolate mixed with sugar and/or dextrose, with or without the addition of cacao butter, spices, or CHOCOLATE CAKE 513 other flavoring materials. But the proportion of sugar mixed with the chocolate liquor may vary from none to about 68 per cent. The cocoa beans before being ground vary in color from a very light brown, or nearly gray, to a deep red brown. Thus the color of the choco- late or cocoa may vary because of the different colored beans from which it is made. A higher roast also gives a darker color. Alkali-treated chocolate is also darker than natural-processed chocolate.