gastronome Chocolate - What Makes it so Special?

gourmet chocolate has come to be a beloved food item for extra occasions, gifts, and occasional treats. But what is it that makes gourmet chocolate so special? There are 3 main factors that set it apart from regular chocolate. These factors are output process, ingredients, and packaging.

Many of the gourmet chocolate products are individually made by chocolatiers, the name given to pro chocolate makers, instead of being mass produced by equipment. While personel output takes more time, the potential of the final product is worth it. The high priority given to making each gourmet chocolate product a piece of perfection and the strenuous potential guarnatee process sets it miles apart from the run of the mill mechanically massed produced chocolate products.

Food And Dessert

Gourmet chocolate products have first-rate ingredients compared to regular chocolate. Many gourmet chocolate products have cocoa from only a inevitable origin or region instead of a mix of different types of cocoa beans. Also, the cocoa content in this luxury form of chocolate is often higher. These two factors along with potential output are what give this type of chocolate the characteristics that everybody loves: a stronger chocolate smell and taste, a smooth appearance, and a soft feel in the mouth with no aftertaste.

The last factor that gives gourmet chocolate its name is the potential of containers materials used to wrap the chocolate. The higher potential foils and papers used to distribute gourmet chocolate help to keep it fresh and give it a look of elegance at the same time. Many of the containers options are holiday specific, with different colors and wrappers to select from for whatever the extra occasion may be.

gastronome Chocolate - What Makes it so Special?

How About a special Angel Food Cake? Go For a Silver and Gold Angel Food Cake

Surprise your house and friends with this delightful angel food cake. When you cut into this Silver and Gold Angel food Cake, your guests will be surprised to see the marbled effect. And the grated orange rind gives a subtle citrus flavor to this cake. Serve with fresh berries for a light dessert.

Silver And Gold Angel Food Cake
1 1/3 cups cake flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup (approx 12) egg whites
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp grated orange rind

Food And Dessert

Position oven rack in the lower 1/3 of oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix 3 tbsp of the flour and 3 tbsp of the sugar in a medium bowl; set aside.

Sift together the remaining flour, 3/4 cup sugar and the salt. Sift twice onto waxed paper.

Beat egg whites and lemon juice in a large bowl at medium speed of galvanic mixer until soft peaks form. Moderately beat in remaining sugar until glossy peaks form. Beat in vanilla.

Add egg yolks and the grated orange rind to the flour blend in a medium medium mixing bowl. Beat at high speed until pale yellow and ribbons form when beaters are lifted, roughly 3 minutes.

Fold the sifted flour blend into egg whites in 3 additions. Remove 1/3 of the whites mixture; fold into the yolks mixture.

Alternately spoon white and yellow blend into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Run thin long knife straight through batter swirling the mixtures together to marble.

Bake in a 375 degree oven 35 to 40 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in top comes out clean. Invert pan to cool. Remove cake from pan when cooled. Embellishment with fresh berries, if desired.

Enjoy!

How About a special Angel Food Cake? Go For a Silver and Gold Angel Food Cake

Vanilla and Rum Sauces Make Holiday Desserts special

My mother's parents were English and many of the meals she fixed for us reflected this heritage. Christmas evening meal was all the time roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. sweetmeat was all the time plum pudding with warm sauce. There are many recipes for plum pudding and all are labor intensive. Mom made plum pudding from scratch a few times, but it was so much work she finally bought Crosse and Blackwell pudding imported from England.

The plum pudding was served with warm vanilla or rum sauce. I did not like the rich pudding, so I only ate a spoonful. But I could have eaten an whole bowl of sauce. Mom also served apple pie with warm vanilla sauce. The mixture of warm sauce and fresh pie from the oven was heavenly. With a consolidate of changes the vanilla sauce method becomes rum sauce or rum-raisin sauce.

Food And Dessert

I have lightened the method by using Splenda Blend for Baking instead of sugar and elminating the half cup of butter in the primary recipe. However, I have added a tablespoon of butter for flavor. Warm vanilla and rum sauce turn uncomplicated cakes -- vanilla, apple, and spice -- into special desserts. Top frosty waffles with vanilla ice cream and sauce and you have one of the best desserts on the planet. garnish with a twist of orange peel and fresh mint to make your holiday desserts more festive.

Warm Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup Splenda Blend for Baking

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon light salt

2 cups hot water

1 tablespoon butter (no substitutions)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Combine the Splenda Blend for Baking, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk in hot water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. take off from heat. Add vanilla citation and nutmeg. Makes 8 servings.

Warm Rum Sauce

Omit the vanilla and nutmeg. Make the sauce and take off from heat. Add 2 teaspoons of rum extract.

Warm Rum-Raisin Sauce

Omit the vanilla and nutmeg. Add 1/4 cup raisins to the sauce and cook until thickened. take off from heat and add 2 teaspoons of rum extract.

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson

Vanilla and Rum Sauces Make Holiday Desserts special