tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2007-08-09://1 2008-04-08T18:08:38Z Movable Type Open Source 4.1 tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.85 2008-05-09T08:05:57Z 2008-04-08T18:08:38Z

Tempering chocolate isn't going to be the easiest thing you've ever done. In fact, you could say it's kind of extreme, both in terms of how long it takes and the delicacy of the process. But then, extreme is why...

Andrea Tempering chocolate isn't going to be the easiest thing you've ever done. In fact, you could say it's kind of extreme, both in terms of how long it takes and the delicacy of the process. But then, extreme is why we're here, isn't it? In Part I, we got as far as melting the chocolate. In this exciting episode, we'll show you how to cool and crystallize it properly. tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.84 2008-05-09T08:03:56Z 2008-04-08T23:25:13Z

If you ever intend to dip or coat anything in chocolate, or even to make your own candy in molds, you'll need to master the process of melting and tempering chocolate. Do it right, and you'll get a rich, glossy...

Andrea If you ever intend to dip or coat anything in chocolate, or even to make your own candy in molds, you'll need to master the process of melting and tempering chocolate. Do it right, and you'll get a rich, glossy candy that makes your mouth water just from looking at it. Do it wrong, and you'll get a blotchy, dull mess. It's not the simplest process in the world, which is why we're going to take it slow and easy, and cover it in two articles. So dive right in, and don't be afraid to take notes. tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.83 2008-05-06T07:02:52Z 2008-04-08T17:05:43Z

Caramel, fudge, and cherry crème are hardly unusual chocolate flavors. In fact, you find them in every box of Christmas candies, right alongside other standbys like mint, coconut, and orange crème. If you're dealing with a really adventurous company, you...

Andrea Caramel, fudge, and cherry crème are hardly unusual chocolate flavors. In fact, you find them in every box of Christmas candies, right alongside other standbys like mint, coconut, and orange crème. If you're dealing with a really adventurous company, you might find something like chilies or cereal crunch hidden in your chocolate delight. But that's not the end of the story when it comes to chocolate flavors! Fusion cuisine, the newest trend in cooking, means blending flavors that don't traditionally go together and, well, seeing what happens. In the world of chocolate, that means some pretty interesting ideas, ranging from pop rocks buried in chocolate truffles to olive and balsamic vinegar laced treats. tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.82 2008-05-02T07:56:37Z 2008-04-08T17:00:32Z

We don't often think of Japanese chocolate. Belgian, Swiss, French -- sure. Or Japanese fish, for example. But Japanese chocolate? The Japanese chocolate obsession has a slightly unusual origin. On this side of the Pacific, we're used to thinking of...

Andrea We don't often think of Japanese chocolate. Belgian, Swiss, French -- sure. Or Japanese fish, for example. But Japanese chocolate? The Japanese chocolate obsession has a slightly unusual origin. On this side of the Pacific, we're used to thinking of Valentine's Day as a time for men to lavish affection on women -- or, in the words of my brother, "This thing's a lot more important to girls than guys, huh?" In Japan, however, Valentine's Day is a time for women to give chocolate to men. Not necessarily significant others, either: coworkers, friends, employers, what have you. And it's ALWAYS chocolate -- not a flower in sight. tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.80 2008-04-29T07:45:11Z 2008-04-08T16:48:20Z

Years ago, chocolate fountains became staples at weddings, parties, and tourist buffets. We're accustomed to seeing them everywhere we go. But every now and then, someone takes a simple idea to the extreme. That's the case with these unusual chocolate...

Andrea Years ago, chocolate fountains became staples at weddings, parties, and tourist buffets. We're accustomed to seeing them everywhere we go. But every now and then, someone takes a simple idea to the extreme. That's the case with these unusual chocolate fountains! tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.79 2008-04-25T06:40:42Z 2008-04-08T16:44:09Z

Not long ago, the term "chocolate imaging" implied nothing more than meditating about your favorite foodstuff. While that's always fun, it did little to improve the look of what is, let's face it, usually a dumpy brown chunk of fatty...

Andrea Not long ago, the term "chocolate imaging" implied nothing more than meditating about your favorite foodstuff. While that's always fun, it did little to improve the look of what is, let's face it, usually a dumpy brown chunk of fatty goo. But thanks to FDA-approved edible inks and advanced printing technology, chocolate can now look better than you ever imagined. tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.77 2008-04-22T06:09:17Z 2008-03-20T16:13:18Z

When we talk about chocolate makeup, we don't mean those mint-chocolate lipsmackers you buy in the drug store! In the past, chocolate makeup has usually meant a cheap concoction smelling of poorly made sweets. These days, however, chocolate makeup has...

Andrea When we talk about chocolate makeup, we don't mean those mint-chocolate lipsmackers you buy in the drug store! In the past, chocolate makeup has usually meant a cheap concoction smelling of poorly made sweets. These days, however, chocolate makeup has become a worldwide phenomenon -- not to mention something no true chocolate lover can do without. There are many different brands marketing chocolate beauty products. Here are some of the best! tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.78 2008-04-18T06:13:48Z 2008-03-20T16:28:50Z

We all wish chocolate health food would become the new rage, but unfortunately that doesn't seem likely to happen -- or does it? Remember, chocolate comes from plants. Doesn't that tip it into the fruits and vegetables category? Well, not...

Andrea eight times the amount found in strawberries) and flavonoids, which can help reduce blood pressure. ]]> tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.76 2008-04-15T07:00:20Z 2008-03-18T17:04:14Z

Let's face it: chocolate lovers crave chocolate. That's why we call ourselves chocolate lovers! But no matter how much we talk about chocolate's health benefits, we all know the truth: chocolate is okay. All that fat and sugar? Not so...

Andrea Let's face it: chocolate lovers crave chocolate. That's why we call ourselves chocolate lovers! But no matter how much we talk about chocolate's health benefits, we all know the truth: chocolate is okay. All that fat and sugar? Not so much. We tend to think of cravings as willpower deficiencies, but is that really the case? What exactly makes us crave chocolate, and how can we get it under control? tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.75 2008-04-11T08:46:29Z 2008-03-18T15:49:59Z

How would you define extreme chocolate? What if it was fortified with vitamins, wouldn't melt, and lasted for up to two years? Well, that's exactly what Australian soldiers might soon find in their ration packs!...

Andrea How would you define extreme chocolate? What if it was fortified with vitamins, wouldn't melt, and lasted for up to two years? Well, that's exactly what Australian soldiers might soon find in their ration packs! tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.73 2008-04-08T14:11:19Z 2008-03-18T14:16:36Z

Let's get one thing straight from the git-go: cocoa butter isn't chocolate, white or otherwise, no matter what candy purveyors might have you believe. It is, however, a necessary ingredient of all chocolate, and either alone or in combination with...

Andrea Let's get one thing straight from the git-go: cocoa butter isn't chocolate, white or otherwise, no matter what candy purveyors might have you believe. It is, however, a necessary ingredient of all chocolate, and either alone or in combination with other ingredients can be a devastatingly creamy delight. That being the case, we here at X-Choc thought it best to provide a little primer on this unrepentantly delicious vegetable fat, which isn't really chocolate as such but makes chocolate what it is. tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.74 2008-04-04T08:19:52Z 2008-03-18T14:23:43Z

Because they're such good people, kindly chocolatiers have recently introduced excellent low calorie, low carb chocolate for the diabetics and Atkins dieters among us. Don't scoff -- your old pal Pete can testify that it's scrumptious. Yet it does have...

Andrea Because they're such good people, kindly chocolatiers have recently introduced excellent low calorie, low carb chocolate for the diabetics and Atkins dieters among us. Don't scoff -- your old pal Pete can testify that it's scrumptious. Yet it does have its perils, and that's what I'll tell you about in this particular article. tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.72 2008-04-01T15:16:15Z 2008-03-13T15:18:49Z

Curious about that stuff they call white chocolate? Well, the truth is out there, and in this article we'll track it down. If you've ever had your doubts about white chocolate, you're not alone. Delicious and creamy it may...

Andrea Curious about that stuff they call white chocolate? Well, the truth is out there, and in this article we'll track it down. If you've ever had your doubts about white chocolate, you're not alone. Delicious and creamy it may be, but chocolate? Well...maybe. But shouldn't it be brown? And where's that theobromine bite, that caffeine kick? Inquiring minds want to know. After exhaustive and painstaking research, we here at Extreme Chocolate can confirm that the naysayers have reason to be suspicious. Join us, and we'll explore the reality of a favorite choco-treat that's so extreme that it is, in fact, not really chocolate at all. ]]> tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.71 2008-03-28T15:09:03Z 2008-03-13T15:13:16Z

Tsokolate is one of those things we can thank the Spanish for, at least in an oblique sense. It was they who spread the exotic Central American drink called xocolatl to all corners of their far-flung empire -- including the...

Andrea Tsokolate is one of those things we can thank the Spanish for, at least in an oblique sense. It was they who spread the exotic Central American drink called xocolatl to all corners of their far-flung empire -- including the Philippines, a large cluster of islands between Asia and Australia. Once there, of course, it was Pinoy ingenuity that helped it evolve into the unique variant of hot chocolate that it is today. Hang tight and we'll tell you all about it. tag:www.extremechocolate.com,2008://1.70 2008-03-25T23:13:45Z 2008-03-11T23:22:06Z

We like to think of ourselves as rather adventuresome here at X-Choc, but even we shudder at the thought of chocolate allergies. Why, those can lead to one of the most extreme chocolate experiences anyone could ever encounter: severely reduced...

Andrea We like to think of ourselves as rather adventuresome here at X-Choc, but even we shudder at the thought of chocolate allergies. Why, those can lead to one of the most extreme chocolate experiences anyone could ever encounter: severely reduced chocolate intake -- or worse, no chocolate intake at all! We hate to even mention the possibility, but as chocolate lovers, you need to understand both the good and the bad about your favorite snack. Not that chocolate itself is necessarily bad; it's how your body responds to one or more of its ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction.