Tag Archive: white chocolate
Chocolate Almond Biscotti
September 8, 2010
The Italian word “biscotto” means biscuit or cookie. If you take the word apart, “bis” means twice and “cotto” means baked. This delicious treat literally means twice baked but for me, it should really translate to “twice the work!”
The roots of biscotti can be traced back to Roman times, although modern biscotti are associated with the Tuscan region of Italy. The original purpose for baking the dough a second time was to dry out the cookie in order to make it last during long-distance travel.
The longest distance my biscotti travel is from my oven to my mouth. So, why do I bother putting up with all this work? It is so worth it! Make a batch and find out for yourself.
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Cranberries and White “Chocolate” Chips
August 4, 2010
Maybe it’s because I live in a cranberry growing state that I enjoy them so much...
Cranberries are a frequent addition to my diet. I sprinkle dried cranberries on my granola cereal in the morning. I put them in muffins, pancakes, and sweet breads. I eat cranberries jellied and sauced, in relish and salsa. After the holidays, cranberries come down in price so I stock up and freeze them to keep them on hand.
Cranberries pair really well with the white chips in this recipe because the sweetness from the chips balances the tartness from the cranberries.
This recipe is one of my favorites. Keep one frozen and take it out when company arrives.
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Chocolate Adventures in England – Thorntons
March 11, 2010
My little niece was baptized on Valentines Day, Feb. 14, 2010 in a small church near Covent Garden in London.
Previously I had been told the English didn’t celebrate Valentines Day much, but that’s not what I experienced. The chocolate shops and patisseries surrounding the church fully embraced the holiday with window displays decked out in red hearts, flower bouquets, and lots and lots of chocolate!
Most of the time I don’t buy chocolate truffles by the box and off the shelf because I don’t know how long ago those truffles were made. I prefer a really fresh, handmade truffle at the corner shop.
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Troubleshoot Chocolate Tempering
February 18, 2010
Recently I was asked about tempered chocolate that fails to keep a good shine and what can be done to fix that? (See comments on how to temper chocolate page.)
That's a really good question. Concerns about the streaking and the lack of shine make me think about how temperatures, crystal development and the appearance of chocolate are all connected.
Properly tempered chocolate is shiny and uniform in color. When chocolate has streaks and does not shine, it indicates that at some point in the production process, the chocolate solidified without being in a properly tempered state.
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Dipping Pretzels in White Confectionery
December 11, 2009
A couple days ago my children had a "snow day" off of school. There was a good, old fashioned, Midwestern winter storm and school was cancelled. We found our selves homebound and looking for something fun to do.
Days like this usually drive us to the kitchen where we bake our favorites; cookies or chocolate cake. Sadly, I did not have all the ingredients on hand for cookies or cake. (Mental note: keep the shelves stocked with these items!)
My daughter really wanted something sweet so we looked in every cupboard and took inventory of what we had. Then we put on our thinking caps!
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Is White Chocolate Really Chocolate?
November 18, 2009
Yes and No.
White chocolate is a blend of cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla. There is no chocolate liquor (chocolate solids) present, so, can you really call it chocolate? Perhaps not.
However, there is a legal definition for white chocolate to separate it from other “white stuff,” so perhaps yes.
According to U.S. regulations, white chocolate needs to be at least 20% cocoa butter and at least 14% total milk solids.
Beware - there are white chocolate look-a-likes out there!
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Chocolate Definitions
October 29, 2009
Confusion in the world of chocolate?
You might think, "there’s nothing confusing about chocolate -- you buy it, you eat it!" The reality is, the chocolate world has its own lingo, with terms and definitions that apply to the tasting of chocolate, the baking and cooking of chocolate, and the making of chocolate confections.
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