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| Alkalisation |
The process, invented in the 19th Century, of neutralising
the acidity of cocoa before roasting.
A Dutchman called Coenraad Johannes van Houten discovered that if he
added alkali-potash to the cocoa nibs before they were roasted,
the acid taste of the cocoa was neutralised. Since then all industrial
chocolate makers have carried out this alkalisation process
to modify the flavour and colour of the finished product. The process is
still used today, and is also known as the 'Dutch process' or
'Dutching', in honour of it's inventor. |
| Amines |
Chemicals in the nervous system that constrict blood vessels,
and are derived from ammonia by replacement of one or
more hydrogen atoms by a basic atom or radical. Amines are also found in
chocolate, and some other foods. |
| Aspartame |
Non-nutritive sweetener made from two amino acids - aspartic
acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame is 180-200 times
sweeter than sugar and can be found usually in chocolate flavoured
products as opposed to real chocolate. |
| Bittersweet chocolate |
General term used in North America for slightly sweetened
dark chocolate that has a minimum 35% cocoa solids. Used primarily for
baking purposes it has many uses, for example for making shiny chocolate
curls for garnishing and rich, dense chocolate cakes.
It should not be confused with unsweetened or semisweet
chocolate. |
| Brut |
A very acquired taste, this pure chocolate is a very bitter
chocolate with a cocoa solids content in excess of 85%, which
means that it generally appeals more to the chocolate fanatic. Also
known as bitter chocolate, it is used more in cooking than eating
unadulterated. The U.S. FDA describes this chocolate as chocolate that
does not contain any sugar, although it may contain natural
or artificial flavourings. |
| Cabosse |
The pod like fruit produced by the Theobroma cocoa tree. The
pods mostly form on the trunk and largest branches, with
each fruit containing between 30 and 40 cocoa beans, each about 1 cm (˝")
in length. |
| Cacao |
Term used for the cacao plant and also the pods from
it. |
| Caffeine |
Naturally occurs in plants, found in leaves, seeds and
fruits. Caffeine acts as a mild stimulant to the central
nervous system and is present in chocolate in varying
quantities. |
| Cannabinoids |
Molecules made and received in the human brain enabling
smooth body movements, integration of memory and emotion,
and may help to regulate the deep sleep cycle. Cannabinoids are also
natural modulators of the immune system and are found in chocolate,
and some other foods. |
| Carob |
Substitute for chocolate coming from the see of the carob
tree. Carob bars have the same calories and fat as chocolate
bars, but to date it is unable to replicate exactly the taste of real
chocolate. Hence chocolate lovers and chocoholics tend to
avoid carob products. |
| Carraque |
Solid dark or milk chocolate pieces often covered with
raisins, almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts. |
| Catechin |
Simple flavanol that is found in abundant quantities in cocoa
beans, which may have potential heart health benefits. |
| Chocoholic |
Someone who eats chocolate...to excess. The true chocoholic
has no limits to the amount of chocolate that they can consume
and will go to any lengths to obtain the object of their
desire. |
| Chocolate liquor |
Made from the finely ground nib of the cocoa bean. It is also
referred to as cocoa mass, cocoa liquor or
unsweetened chocolate, although it is not technically chocolate at this
stage.
Chocolate liquor is made up of the finely ground nib of the cocoa bean.
This is technically not yet chocolate. This type of chocolate is also
known as unsweetened chocolate and is also referred to cocoa mass or
cocoa liquor. |
| Chocolate lover |
Next step up from a chocoholic who indescriminately eats any
chocolate, the chocolate lover appreciates the unique
qualities of fine chocolate, and seeks out gourmet chocolate for their
pleasure. |
| Chocolatier |
Person skilled in the art of making fine chocolates and
chocolate products. |
| Cocoa beans |
The seeds contained inside the pod like fruit (called a
cabosse) of the Theobroma tree. Only found growing in the
'cocoa belt'.
Source of all chocolate and cocoa, cocoa beans are found in the pods
(fruit) of the cocoa tree, an evergreen cultivated mainly within twenty
degrees north or south of the equator. |
| Cocoa belt |
This the area where cocoa is found to grow, between 20°
North & South of the equator. |
| Cocoa butter |
A natural fat present in cocoa beans, it is extracted from
the chocolate liquor and then generally added back at a later
stage in variable amounts depending on the type of chocolate being
manufactured. Cocoa butter is a complex, hard fat made up mostly of
triglycerides and remains firm at room temperature, contracting as it
cools and solidifies, making it ideal for chocolate moulding.
It is also often used in cosmetics and beauty products. |
| Cocoa mass |
Also known as chocolate liquor. |
| Cocoa nibs |
The kernels of cocoa beans are usually called 'nibs' and are
the basic ingredient from which chocolate is made from.
Some chocolate bars and desserts have the nibs included to add texture.
The kernels of coca beans are usually called ?nibs? and are the basic
ingredient of which chocolate is made, Sometimes, the original dark and
rich nibs are used to add texture to chocolate bars or chocolate
deserts. |
| Cocoa pods |
The egg shaped cocoa pods hanging from the trunk and largest
branches of the cocoa tree measure between
150-300mm (6-12") each. Each pod contains 30-40 cocoa beans, each about
10mm (˝") in length. |
| Cocoa powder |
Resulting from extracting cocoa butter from cocoa
solid/paste. The cocoa powder is very bitter with no added sugar and is
used for baking, making chocolate desserts, chocolate drinks and
chocolate finishes. |
| Cocoa solids |
Also known as chocolate liquor. |
| Compound coatings |
Chocolate flavoured coatings and compounds usually have part
of their cocoa butter replaced by vegetable fat. It can
also be adulterated further using whey powders, whey derivatives and
milk powder. Surprisingly the production processes of making
genuine chocolate and chocolate flavoured coatings are virtually the
same. However the additional ingredients in compound coatings usually
require small adjustments to the production process, for example
chocolate flavoured products containing sorbitol or xylitol require
adjustment to temperature settings during production. |
| Conching |
Chocolate is put in large vats called conchs and repeatedly
rolled or 'ploughed' and mixed, while keeping the chocolate at a
stable temperature. The conching process removes moisture, unpleasant
odours and volatile acids. It also enables complete emulsion
of the cocoa butter into the cocoa paste and is vital to allow the
specific chocolate aromas to develop, and rounds out the chocolate
flavour. The resultant product is a velvety, smooth
chocolate. |
| Confectioners sugar |
Also known as icing sugar or powdered sugar. Confectioners
sugar is granulated sugar that has been ground into a fine
powder. It is also usually augmented with approximately 3% cornstarch
(cornflour) to help it avoid forming clumps and stay
loose and flowing. The fineness of the grinding comes in different
levels e.g. XXX, XXXX, 10X. The higher the number of X's the
finer the grinding. |
| Couverture |
The term means to cover or coat something, and is used to
describe chocolate used for coating that is of professional
quality. Couverture contains a high percentage of cocoa butter, at least
32% and up to 39%. The extra cocoa butter present means that it is
easier to work with
and allows the chocolate to form a thinner coating shell than chocolate
that is not couverture quality. |
| Dark chocolate |
To meet the European standard description of dark chocolate
it should contain a minimum of 43% cocoa solids.
70% cocoa is generally considered the starting point for good quality
dark chocolate and can go up to 100% cocoa for the absolute
purists.
Dark chocolate must contain a minimum of 43% cocoa to be called "dark"
according to European norms. A "70% cocoa chocolate" is considered quite
dark while 85% and even 88% cocoa dark chocolates have become quite
popular for dark chocolate lovers. |
| Drinking chocolate |
Sweetened cocoa powder used to make hot milky
drinks. |
| Dutch process cocoa |
Cocoa powder that has been treated with alkali to neutralise
the natural acids, the resulting cocoa is darker in colour
and has a slightly different flavour from natural cocoa. |
| Dutching |
In the early 19th century a Dutchman called Coenraad Johannes
van Houten discovered that the acid taste of cocoa was
neutralised if he added alkali-potash to the nibs before they were
roasted. Ever since the end of the 19th century all industrial
chocolate makers have practiced this alkalisation process to modify the
flavor and the color of the final product.
Another term for alkalisation still used today is the ?Dutch process? or
?Dutching?. |
| Enrobing |
The process of covering chocolate centres with an outer layer
of liquid chocolate. Chocolates are covered either by
hand dipping the chocolate in the molten chocolate, or by pouring liquid
chocolate over the intended centre. |
| Epicatechin |
Simple flavanol that is found in abundant quantities in cocoa
beans, which may have potential heart health benefits. |
| Epicatechins |
Precursors of oligomeric procyanidins with antioxidant
properties. Found in chocolate and other foods. |
| Fat bloom |
This is the result of chocolate being subjected to high
temperatures, which makes it sweat, or as a result of inadequate
tempering. It appears on the surface of the chocolate as a dull white
film and is a visual defect only, not having any effect of the
taste. Chocolate that has fat bloom is perfectly okay to
eat. |
| Flavan-3-ol |
Phytochemical that contributes to the reaction chemistry and
development of flavor during the manufacture of chocolate.
Found in seeds, skins and barks of various plants it is an
antioxidant. |
| Flavanol |
Found in cocoa, chocolate and other foods. Flavanol is an
antioxidant which neutralises the potentially cell-damaging
substances known as oxygen free radicals. Cocoa is rich in flavanols, a
class of polyphenols found in plants,
however, the concentration of the flavanols in chocolate depends on the
flavanol content of the cocoa plant it is derived from and
the procedures used to transform the cocoa into chocolate.
|
| Fondant |
Generally fondant is recognised as the mixture of sugar and
water used in the production of confectionary, and is also
a covering paste made with icing sugar. However fondant is also the
French word for 'dark' or 'pure' chocolate. |
| Ganache |
Usually created from a mixture of chopped semisweet
chocolate, cream and/or butter it is used as a centre for
chocolates and is also the main ingredient of a truffle. To make ganache
the ingredients are combined and stirred until a rich, silky
chocolate mixture is attained. Proportions of chocolate to cream vary,
and depends on the intended use of the ganache. Flavourings such
as fruits, spices and liquors can also be added. |
| Gianduja |
Originated from Italy and is a luxurious mixture of
emulsified hazelnuts, cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar. |
| Glucose |
Abundant in fruits, corn syrup, sweet corn, certain roots and
honey, glucose is a constituent of sugar and hence appears
in chocolate products. It is a major carbohydrate for the body to utilse
to provide energy, and is the major fuel source of the brain
and central nervous system. |
| Lecithin |
A natural product extracted from soybeans and used as a
thinner in chocolate. Lecithin increases the fluidity of the
chocolate during manufacture by reducing it's natural viscosity. Cocoa
butter can also be used for the same effect instead of
lecithin. |
| Low fat cocoa |
Cocoa powder containing less than 10% cocoa
butter. |
| Maltitol |
A natural sugar substitute based on malt extract. Maltitol
enables chocolate to have a sweet taste without containing
sugar, and has become a popular alternative to sugar in many chocolate
couvertures because of its lack of aftertaste and lower calories.
A large percentage of sugar free chocolate products will contain
maltitol. |
| Marzipan |
Thick paste made by mixing melted sugar with finely chopped
ground almonds. The finest marzipan should be made only
from a pure almond and sugar mix. Often used as a confectionary filling
it can be enveloped in dark, milk or white chocolate. |
| Medium fat cocoa |
Cocoa powder containing between 10% and 22% cocoa
butter. |
| Milk chocolate |
The commonest kind of eating chocolate, milk chocolate is
made by combining chocolate liquid, cocoa butter, milk or
cream, sugar and flavouring. Generally only contains 20-25% cocoa
solids.
The best known kind of eating chocolate. Milk chocolate is made by
combining the chocolate liquid, extra cocoa butter, milk or cream,
sweetening, and flavorings. |
| Molinillo |
Traditional wooden stick with rings attached to the bottom
used to whip chocolate drinks to create a foam. |
| Moulding |
The process of placing chocolate in moulds to create a
chocolate 'shell'. Hollow chocolate Easter eggs are a good
example of moulding. Alternatively the chocolate shell is filled with
different fillings, and finally sealed with another layer of
chocolate over the base of the filling sealing it into a complete
chocolate shell. |
| Oleic acid |
Monounsaturated fatty acid that is found in cocoa
butter. |
| Oligomeric procyanidins |
Compound consisting of several units of the
flavan-3-ols. |
| Organic |
Organic foods are produced without the use of chemical
pesticides and fertilisers and are processed without
artificial ingredients, preservatives or irradiation, relying on a
farming system that maintains and replenishes the fertility of
the soil naturally. Organic chocolate must contain a minimum of 95%
natually grown and certified raw materials. |
| Pods |
Among the blossoms of the permanently flowering cocoa tree
pods will hang from the trunk and largest branches
in various stages of development. The cocoa pods are egg shaped and
measure between 150-300mm (6-12") each. Each pod
contains 30-40 cocoa beans, each about 10mm (?") in
length. |
| Praliné |
Made from richly flavoured chocolate mixed with caramelised
sugar, roasted & finely ground hazelnuts or almonds and
vanilla. Very popular flavour used in Belgian chocolates.
Pralin? is composed of richly flavored chocolate to which caramelized
sugar (hot caramel), well-roasted, finely-ground hazelnuts (or almonds)
and vanilla have been added. The pralin? flavor is typical in many
Belgian chocolates or "pralines." |
| Procyanidins |
Class of polyphenolic compounds found in several plant
species and foods commonly consumed including cocoa. Procyanidins
may act as antioxidants and modulate key biological pathways in
mammals. |
| Saccharin |
No-calorie sweetener 300 times sweeter than sugar. Not found
in fine chocolate, though can be found in lower quality
chocolate confectionary. |
| Semisweet |
General North American term for sweetened dark chocolate that
has a minimum of 35% cocoa solids. It should not be
confused with unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate. |
| Semisweet chocolate |
Prepared by blending chocolate liquid with varying amounts of
sweetening, added cocoa butter and sometimes flavourings.
After processing the chocolate is cooled and usually moulded into
chocolate bars, though more popularly as chocolate pieces, i.e.
squares, blocs, shot, bits, chips. Often used for decoration by
confectioners and candymakers. |
| Single estate chocolate |
Chocolate created using cocoa beans from one particular
chocolate growing estate. Beans can be either a single variety of
cocoa or a blend from the same estate to qualify. Also known as single
origin chocolate. |
| Single origin chocolate |
Chocolate created using cocoa beans from one particular
chocolate growing estate. Beans can be either a single variety of
cocoa or a blend from the same estate to qualify. Also known as single
estate chocolate. |
| Single variety chocolate |
Chocolate created from a single variety of cocoa bean. No
blending, even from the same estate, is allowed. |
| Sucrose |
Common table sugar containing one molecule of fructose and
one molecule of glucose and found in some chocolate
products. |
| Sugar bloom |
Visible on the surface of the chocolate as a dull white film,
and is the result of surface moisture dissolving sugar in
the chocolate and subsequent re-crystallisation of the sugar on the
chocolate surface. Is usually caused by cold chocolate being
exposed to a warm or humid environment. Chocolate that has sugar bloom
is perfectly okay to eat as it is a visual defect only, and does
not affect the taste. |
| Sweet chocolate |
Prepared by blending chocolate liquid with varying amounts of
sweetening, added cocoa butter and sometimes flavourings.
After processing the chocolate is cooled and usually moulded into
chocolate bars. |
| Tempering |
This is the repeated heating to a certain temperature and
cooling of the chocolate to obtain crystallisation
of the cocoa butter. Perfectly tempered chocolate will have a shiny
gloss and smooth texture and taste. Chocolate melted in the
normal way and then left to cool will not end up with the shiny gloss
that signifies tempered chocolate and will be dull and
streaky with an easy tendency to bloom. |
| Theobroma |
The name "Theobroma" comes from the ancient Greek words for
"god" (Theo) and "food" (Broma) and is the botanical
description for cocoa. |
| Theobroma cacao |
Cocoa tree, indigenous to tropical Central and South
America. |
| Theobromine |
A methylxanthine found in cocoa beans. |
| Truffle |
Confection made of chocolate ganache with other ingredients
sometimes added such as liqueurs, finely chopped nuts or
cocoa nibs. Made by heating chocolate chocolate, cream and butter,
allowing to cool until almost set and then usually shaping into
balls, truffles are so named because of their visual resemblance to the
expensive and rare French mushroom. Often enrobed in dark,
milk or white chocolate they can also be rolled in cocoa
powder. |
| White chocolate |
A lot of chocolate aficionados dismiss white chocolate as not
real chocolate because it is made from cocoa butter, and
does not include cocoa powder. Generally contains 20-45% cocoa butter,
and is flavoured with vanilla and sometimes alternative
flavours.
White chocolate is not considered real chocolate, because although it
has cocoa butter (at least 32% to be considered of good quality), it
does not have chocolate liquor. White chocolate is made from cocoa
butter, milk, sugar and vanilla. |
| Xocoatl |
Name that the Aztec, Toltec, Maya and Inca gave to the
stimulating drink they brewed from cacao seeds. Xocoatl was made
by roasting and grinding the cacao seeds into a paste which they
dissolved in water and added maize and spices. |
