Theobroma cacao is the botanical name for cacao tree which means “Food of the gods”. Cacao grows between 20 degrees north and 20 degrees south of the equator, earning this area the title of The Chocolate belt. There are 3 main varieties of the cocoa tree. The most popular is Forestero which grows mostly at West Africa (around 70%), Crillojo is very rare and noble variety. The last of them is a hybrid of the two earlier ones and is called Trinitario.
source: www.unsplash.com/photos/opno2uWx0iE
The culture of chocolate reaches Mayas and Aztecs times. They used to drink ground raw cacao beans mixed with spices for ceremonial purposes.
source: www.unsplash.com/photos/SCbq6uKCyMY
Today, everyone knows what chocolate is. We can find it shelf at our houses and easily buy it at the shop nearby. But did anyone know how chocolate is made?
There are many ways to make chocolate. I would like to bring closer to you the more manufactured way that I’ve been doing by myself.
The first step is the manual selection of cocoa beans. Selected cocoa beans are then roasted (around 120 Celcius degrees for half an hour) to obtain the optimal flavour profile. The next step is bean grinding, with cocoa nibs obtained as a result of this process. These nibs are then placed in a stone mill. Refining (final grinding) and conching (cocoa mass mixing and agitating for many hours) process start. The conching cycle may last as long as 3 days and it exerts a substantial impact on the flavour and texture of a future bar of chocolate. It is also the stage when other chocolate ingredients are added, such as raw, unrefined cane sugar or powdered milk, as in the case of milk chocolates. After completion of refining and conching, the tempering process (heating and cooling process to crystalize fat) takes place, and finally, bars are formed. If you are interested in how this process looks like, I encourage you to watch this video made by me:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19rO0iBjQ8sBlQ3kG9AJjDnT_pmF0EaJ9/view?usp=sharing
Apart from the rich history of cacao, there is also a dark part of this industry. Most of the world cacao comes from West Africa (Ivory Coast and Ghana). The industry in these countries is based on child slave labour. There are also cases of human trafficking. This problem exists because of the price. Cocoa from Africa is cheap. If we wanted to buy cocoa beans from another country that is certified, the price is higher than the finished product that we can buy in Poland.
There are many small brands and factories that specialize in making fair trade chocolate but the price is much higher.
source: www.unsplash.com/photos/ONn4OfAnxZY
Do you like chocolate? What is your favourite type of chocolate?
Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Source:
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacao
Comments
1. I am a simple man. I love milk chocolate. It's very hard for me to stop myself from eating too much of it.
2. Actually, yes. I made a chocolate cake once. It was not a particularly successful cake, but it was eatable. I would love to have great culinary skills. I would like to enjoy the preparation of various dishes and desserts with which I could delight my loved ones.
3. In most cases, I know that the things I buy are produced by people who work in very difficult conditions. This is something I can't do much about as an individual. But I really don't like weak excuses. A few weeks ago, Apple released new phones. They removed chargers and headphones from the box, claiming that they wanted to support the planet in this way. I don't mind that they limited the contents of the box. They lowered the price of accessories that can be purchased. I don't like the fact that they both act as Earth's guardians and act like a walking role model, while the workers at the Apple factories work there for very little money in terrible conditions. I don't think their moral compass is pointing in the right direction.
It is not only for it's taste but more importantly, for it's ability to bring people together.
I consider it a symbol of joy, happiness and friendship.
Although, I am used to it in many shapes and sizes, I believe that it's best when it's in bars.
Only then, it is both simple and elegant. Also, you can easily share it with loved ones :)
As far as making things with chocolate go, my family has tradition of making, once upon a time, loads of chocolate cupcakes.
Origins of the products of everyday use is lenghty topic on it's own.
I find it astounding, that seemingly common things, have such complex manufacturing process.
We cannot forget that people that make them, have their own stories and they reflect themselves on the product.
When we understand that, we will understand that "little kindness goes a long way".
No, I don`t like chocolate, I adore it!! :) I really have a sweet tooth and can`t live without some candies and desserts at all. It is like chocolate addiction.
My favourite type of chocolate is dark with orange pieces. I like the strong and bitter cocoa taste. Maybe that is why I don`t like white chocolate at all. I also have tasted dark chocolate with mint, and dark chocolate with sea salt, it was a very strange mix. However, I have never tried ruby chocolate, it is a new variety, which was developed in 2017. I wish I could taste it soon.
2.Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Yes, I tried to make brownie once. I had done it to my parent`s anniversary and it was my first time cooking this dessert. But everything went well and everyone, especially my little sister, liked my brownie.
Also, my boyfriend once made a present to me. It was a master class where we were making our own chocolate candies in different forms with several topics. I liked it very much.
3.Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Sometimes, but not so often. In general, I usually try to buy products from well-known brands. It concerns both clothes and food. Hope, leading brands will not risk and lose clients.
I have just heard that Inditex was accused of using slave labour. I don`t know if it is true, but whatever I have no clothes from this company.
And, honestly, it is almost unreal always to think if the brand use child/slave labour, if the brand is eco-friendly, or maybe this product was tested by animals, or this food is not organic/vegan/gluten-free/lactose-free/sugar-free and soooo on...
I don’t see any reasons to cook something with chocolate if I can just eat chocolate. My friends like to cook chocolate muffins, though (I enjoy eating them too). Nevertheless, I really love brownies, especially with raspberries.
I am very meticulous in choosing clothes in terms of the materials. I ALWAYS check how many percent of polyester, cotton, viscose, and elastane are used in the item. Doing that, I can predict how it will look on me, which texture will it have (I usually do shopping online). Also, composition of the materials directly influence for how long this item can be worn. I would never pay 200 zł for full-polyester trousers ☹️
1. Oh yes, I definitely have a sweet tooth, so obviously there is a special place for chocolate (and various chocolate desserts) in my heart. I don’t think I have a favorite type of chocolate although, if I have a need to eat one, I try to choose the dark one. However, I do hate white chocolate. Especially considering the fact that it’s not exactly true chocolate, right? 😉
2. I do bake a lot, so every kind of chocolate cookies, pies, cakes and that kind of stuff I something I tend to do quite often.
3.I wasn’t before but as I’m getting older, I do check it more often. I work hardly to be a responsible buyer, eat healthier and avoid harmful substances. Both for me and for environment.
PS. I do love Magdalena's reply! Especially, the beginning.
2. I do bake a lot, so every kind of chocolate cookies, pies, cakes and that kind of stuff I something I tend to do quite often.
3.I wasn’t before but as I’m getting older, I do check it more often. I work hardly to be a responsible buyer, eat healthier and avoid harmful substances. Both for me and for environment.
PS. I love Magdalena's reply! Especially, the beginning :D
2. I have, chocolate desserts might not always be my go-to choice but I love how rich in flavor they are, especially if they made with good quality cocoa. I'm almost sure it was some sort of cake or cookies that I made.
3. Yes, I try to choose good quality and sustainable products when possible. Those factors bring me more joy while using them, to be honest.
2. I'm not the best at cooking and I feel like baking might be very difficult so I didn't even give it a try yet. I've seen some videos about desserts made in the microwave in a few minutes so maybe I start with trying those out :D
3. I don't really think about the origins of the products I buy. I often check the composition of the food or clothes but I don't check where did it come from or how was it made. I know that this is not the best approach :(
I love chocolate! Actually my favourite type of chocolate is white, but to be honest I appreciate chocolate in all forms and kinds. :)
Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I have tried to make a lot of different desserts from chocolate. My favourite one is classic brownie. But one of the most amazing chocolate-flavoured desserts is one served in Krynica Zdrój. It's a chocolate mousse with some cherries. It sounds boring, maybe a little hackeneyed but trust me, I haven't eaten anything like that.
Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Of course I am! I like to know what I am eating, wearing or simply using. My motives may be more moral, than just a curiosity, but I do believe that it's important to know what are we supporting. :) For example: I won't buy any cosmetic that was tested on animals. I would choose fruits or vegetables from the market to support local businesses, instead of buying the same products in shopping centre.
Of course, I even love chocolate. I am not a great foodie and I love every treat on the way, but if I had to choose, I like pralines the most.
2.Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Honestly, I never did. As much as I like cooking, I have never tried making desserts. Unfortunately, I have no talent for making cakes and desserts. I don't think I have that much improvisation skills.
3.Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Yes, these stories are always interesting. They are very interested in the automotive industry, I especially recommend stories about how individual brands created their best models. The process of creating a given car is like chasing the ideal.
Of course, I even love chocolate. I am not a great foodie and I love every treat on the way, but if I had to choose, I like pralines the most.
2.Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Honestly, I never did. As much as I like cooking, I have never tried making desserts. Unfortunately, I have no talent for making cakes and desserts. I don't think I have that much improvisation skills.
3.Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Yes, these stories are always interesting. They are very interested in the automotive industry, I especially recommend stories about how individual brands created their best models. The process of creating a given car is like chasing the ideal.
Thank you for your comment! Milk chocolate is also my favourite!
What kind of cake did you bake? Was it a brownie?
I believe that "Apple" did a good job of removing unnecessary elements. But this situation looks a bit more like a PR action than a real willingness to help.
Hi Krzysztof! Thank you for your answer. I also believe in the amazing social power of chocolate :) You reminded me also that I haven't made chocolate cupcakes in a long time!
About the origin of everyday products, there was a great TV series called “How it’s made”. Have you seen it?
Hello Anastasiia! I consider chocolate addicted myself too :) You should try Ruby chocolate. Besides beautiful colors, it is characterized by the fruity aroma and taste.
I love brownie!!! It’s one of my favorite cakes! Please tell me more about these chocolate candies. Were they pralines? Or maybe cakes?
I also heard about the slave labor work ethic of Inditex :( Unfortunately, a big brand does not always equal a good work ethic. Did you know about the nestle brand? This is a huge company that advertises its baby products frequently. Unfortunately, this company uses cocoa which uses child labor.
Hi Leya! Good to hear from you again! It's nice to meet people from the previous term.
I believe dark chocolate with orange is a very popular one! Of course, it does not surprise me... it's delicious!
I feel the same about the materials. I need to wear mostly natural and breathable fabrics. I always advise everyone to check the clothes materials before buying them. Sometimes you can buy a pig in a poke. What are your favorite online stores?
Dear Magdalena.
Thank you for the warm words! My heart melted while I was reading your comment. I agree about the dogs <3 Dogs are the purest form of love. Even though I am a chocoholic I have never had a chance to try a chocolate cheesecake. Can I ask you to make it for me?
With love
yours always
Justyna
I personally quite like chocolate, but just the simple kinds, as I find those varieties with chili, orange weird. Although I would not eat chocolate if I was the only one to do shopping in the house, haha.
As for desserts, I tried making my own chocolate once or twice, with miserable outcomes... But stuff like fondue or chocolate syrup-like cream, and those came out quite well, if I do say so myself.
The fact that you mentioned the origin of chocolate and all the different varieties of chocolate plants make me even more curious about how other things are made and prepared. I knew about many different types of coffee beans or even stuff like apple types, but I never made the effort to read more about those topics. Now I believe I will pay more attention to that, thanks!
I dont't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like chocolate. It is truly amazing how chocolate can be used to make drinks, sweets and even be added to meat dishes.
It's hard to choose one favourite type of chocolate, but if i had to, i would choose milk chocolate. There is only way type of chocolate that i don't like- chocolate with filling is too sweet for me and i find it hard to eat more than one square.
I enjoy baking, and one of my absolute favourites is chocolate cake. I make it from a mixrure of of cocoa powder and melted dark and milk chocolate.
I try to buy products that are cruelty free and are not too harmful for the environment. Everytime I buy eggs I make sure to pick free-range ones. I also try not to buy red meat, as raising a cow harms environment more than rising a chicken.
Hello Olga! I wouldn’t say that white chocolate is not chocolate at all! The main ingredients of white chocolate should be cocoa butter and whole milk powder. Cocoa butter is a very nutritious and healthy fat. It also depends on what kind of butter is used. That one made from high-quality beans has a lot of aroma and flavour.
Have you ever tried to bake brownie?
I also adore Magdalena comment <3
Hi Piotr. Your comment was interesting to read. I’m a big fan of milk chocolate too :) I'd like to encourage you to bake a brownie yourself! It’s not that hard.
I do the same with meat and eggs. The origin of these products is important as it is perceptible in taste.
Welcome to our chocoholic club!
I also like the richness in the flavour of chocolate desserts. Have you ever tried the Sacher cake? It is a famous dessert from Austria. The taste is incredible.
Hi Maciek! How are you?
If you are a fan of drinking chocolate and rather a high percentage of cocoa I would recommend dark drinking chocolate with rum and chilli. The recipe is easy. You need to melt your dark chocolate and mixed it with water (1:1 proportion). Remember that you can not overheat your chocolate (max. 60-celsius degrees). Then you add rum and a pinch of chili (something like Tabasco also can work)
Hello lovely Magda! Good to hear from you again!
I need to check out this dessert from Krynica-Zdrój! Chocolate muss with cherries sounds like a good combination.
I try to avoid animal tested products as well. Right now it’s so much easier to find these products which makes me happy.
I don’t think I ever did. I used chocolate to make cake glaze a few times, but I never based the desert on chocolate. And I don’t think adding cocoa to cookies or something counts as making a dessert from chocolate. I personally think that it’s a good addition to some cakes or cookies, maybe some cold deserts, but it’s not a best ingredient to be a base of a desert.
Depends on the product. Sometimes I don’t really care, but sometimes something is fascinating me enough to go on the Internet and make some research over it’s origin. For example, I’m finding the process of creating Christmas tree decorations really interesting. All kinds of handmade products usually have very fascinating origins. I also really enjoy watching TV programs about the production of something on channels like Discovery or similar. It’s somehow strangely satisfying to watch the process of nearly nothing becoming an object you use every day.
Thank you for your comment! I truly believe making pralines is a form of art! Do you know that in Warsaw you can try pralines made by Polish representative at the World Chocolate Masters in Paris? Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86R4ci5F_hM&ab_channel=WorldChocolateMasters
My dearest Olga! Thank you for the warm words!
I agree that sometimes chocolate with fillings can be too sweet. But on the other hand, a few weeks ago I had the pleasure to try milk chocolate with cheese filling. It was surprisingly good.
Yours always
Justyna
Hello Kasia! Your comment was interesting to read. Chocolate is actually very healthy but has lots of calories so I agree its better to eat it rather less.
I encourage you to try baking a brownie :) It has chocolate in base and rich taste.
I’m a big fan of these shows as well! Can you recommend something for me to watch?
1. I am not a sweets person, but yes, chocolate is one of the sweet foods I can enjoy eating. My favorite kind of chocolate is milky chocolate, sometimes dark. It all depends on the additional ingredients. For example one of the best producers of chocolate, Lindt has some remarkable tastes, a good example is "Lind Excellence: Chili Dark". It is really tasty and interesting that even someone who doesn't like dark chocolate would still enjoy it. The only kind of chocolate I don't like is white, there is almost no chocolate in it after all.
2. Chocolate mousse.
3. I am always interested in the origin of fresh fruits and vegetables I buy. Their taste can depend greatly on the region and season they are coming from. Although in Poland such products are usually all imported from EU so there is no need to be picky ;).
Hello Roman. I like dark chocolate with chilli as well. The mixture of bitterness and spiciness is my favourite :)
Have you read @Magalena Kasprzak comment about the famous chocolate mousse from Krynica Zdrój?
Did do add some fancy ingredients to your mousse?
I love the smell of chocolate and cocoa, but when it comes to consuming it, 2 or 3 pieces of chocolate is my max. Milk chocolate is usually too sugary for me, and the dark one's taste is too intensive. However, I really enjoy chocolate additions in small amounts to some other desserts, like glaze on cake or pieces of chocolate in ice cream.
2. Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I always sprinkle my tiramisu with cocoa powder or chocolate flakes. Also, I've recently added cocoa to my banana bread (yes, it's a dessert to me :D), and it was quite good, however I prefer the classic version.
3. Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
I wish I cared more. When it comes to clothing, the main thing I pay attention to when making a purchase is the material, I've stopped buying clothes which main fabric is polyester or other synthetics. Regarding food, I always try support polish companies and buy food produced in my homeland. I also choose local markets when shopping for fruit and vegetables.
Hello Agnieszka! Thank you for your comment!
I live for stracciatella ice cream! But the mint ice cream with chocolate pieces are good too.
How often do you make tiramisu?
I eat huge amounts of chocolate! Why? Because after this I feel much better. I think it's related to the caffeine in chocolate. We can say it's a coffee substitute. My favorite type of chocolate? I eat only dark chocolate with more than 70% cocoa. I avoid sugar as much as I can because I know how unhealthy it is.
Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Unfortunately I have never tried to make a desert from chocolate. I have no culinary skills. On the other hand it's a great idea to make desert myself because I just know what I'm eating. Chocolates bought in a shop probably are enriched with unhealthy ingredients.
Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Honestly, it's not. I guess more than 90 percent of things around us were made in China ;) This is because China has cheap labor and the Chinese are very disciplined. However I'm incredibly excited to find out that a product is of Polish origin or was made in Poland.
2. I used to prepare muffins and brownie witch a lot of chocolate. My favourit one are muffins with a little liquid chocolate inside.
3. Recently it is subject which interests me a lot. I am aware of children abuse in Asia, Africa and Soutch America and it angers me. That is why I tell everyone to check schops and producs before purchase to be sure that this company doesn't reache into slavary industry. It is very important nowadays!
2. No, I have never tried to make chocolate-based desserts. I am able to make apple pie, cheesecake, but I cannot handle chocolate. I think you need better baking skills to bake something on chocolate.
3. The origin of products is an indicator of their quality. It is known that better chocolate is produced in Switzerland than in China, and better quality cars are made in Germany, not Romania. Yes, origin is a determinant of quality, but it comes with a higher cost.
2. Yes, once with my fiancée many years ago. I can proudly say that was really tasty. Mostly because my only part was to melt the protein from the eggs.
3. Not so much. Mostly because I'm really in a hurry all time for many months and don't have much time for thoughts. It's a little bit cheap excuse because everyone is working hard these days (or should be) but after does it make any difference for us? Unfortunately, I don't think so.
2) Not really. I can do few things in the kitchen but desserts are not my type of cooking. In this case I am much more of a consumer than the creator.
3) Usually I don't think about that but one I do I actually get very fascinated about such topic. On of the latest things that I was discovering the origins of was the internet. Who came up with the idea and who was suposed to be it's original user.
1. Of course, I love chocolate, and maybe sometimes eat too much it, but it's really hard for me to resist temptation if there are some chocolate left at my house. My favourite ones are milk ones or maybe milk with strawberry filling, I like them the most. Hovewer I don't like the ones with high precentage of cocoa in it.
2. No unfortunately not. Only one time a few years ago I helped my grandma to prepare a brownie, it was delicous as I remember.
3. I think that's too general question. It depends on the type of the product. Usually I prefer to pick local producers.
Hello Adrian, how are you? You are right! Chocolate does not contain caffeine but theobromine. The function is similar but the results are different. After eating theobromine you feel more concentrated and awake but without negative symptoms that may occur after drinking coffee (ex. shaky hands or insomnia).
The global market has changed over the years and China is not the cheapest labor market anymore. Today the prices are higher and they specialize in some kind of product. The cheapest labor right now is in countries like Bangladesh.
Hello darling! Good to hear from you. I’m a big fan of the chocolate muffins as well :)
I agree! It is important to check the origin of the products. Nowadays you only need a few minutes on the internet.
Yes, chocolate is my favorite candy. I used to like milk chocolate the most, now my favorite is bitter, but to be honest I like every kind of chocolate.
2.Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Yes, many times I tried to make my own chocolate dessert. My favorite one that I can make is chocolate cake. When it comes to chocolate desserts, I used to be in a chocolate-restaurant where there is a lot of choice and I must admit that they have really great ideas - everything in menu contains their own chocolate.
3.Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Yes, usually I check this information before I decide to buy the product.
1. Yes I do like chocolate and one of my favorite types of it is the dark chocolate, because it doesn't contain any unnecessary products like sugar or any other fillers. From my point of view this the pure dark chocolate is the most healthy and it has the best taste. Also like everyone else I love hot chocolate especially during winter.
2. I have never tried to make a dessert from chocolate because I am a terrible cook. It is a challenge for me to prepare a similar dish like spaghetti bolognese or carbonara. So I wouldn't try to make a dessert.
3. I usually check the origin of the product because I am allergic. So I have to make sure that the product that I choose doesn't contain any substances that would have made me sick.
I worked in an ice-cream shop (they also had desserts and coffee) for a few months. So yes, I made plenty of desserts. The most popular was a normal ice cream cup (1 vanilla scoop, 2 chocolate scoops, 2 pieces of chocolate, whipped cream). It was very good, but swiping one chocolate scoop to a strawberry one made it even more delicious. Also, the brownie cake was quite popular.
It depends on the product which I buy. Electronics is usually made in China, so there's no other choice. But when it comes to food I almost always buy polish products.
As I don't consume milk, I absorb only dark chocolate, that I started to enjoy when I was older. The variety of flavours that you can feel are mind-boggling.
Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Unfortunately, I haven't tried to bake anything myself. Maybe some kind of oatmeal with chocolate, if it counts :D.
Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
I'm trying to be mindful about the things I buy. I try to be environmentally and cruelty conscious consumer.
I also enjoy well-designed and practical objects so, yea I'd say that I'm interested in my everyday things.
On multiple occasions I've tried to moake various chocolate-based desserts. While I was in primary school I've done a "chocolate block". It was mostly butter, powdered cocoa, sugar and biscuits. Only kids could eat it, I think right now it could seriously harm me if i'd have any . Lately, whenever I'm making some cake, I use chocolate mostly as an addition. For example, I melt a little bit of chocolate and pour it all over a cake. On other occasions, I break whole chocolate bar in pieces and mix it with cake batter. Later when I'm baking it, little pieces inside melts inside and it works in 2 ways. If someone eats the cake while it's still warm, there's liquid chocolate inside. If the cake is cols, then there are just pices of chocolate inside. Anyway it's being eaten, it's awesome!
About third quiestion, it depends on a product. Usually i pay more attention to where my product is being shipped form, not where it was made. Pretty much only products I check for how they were made, are wines, cheeses and other foods.
2. Yes, I was making chocolate dessert. The whole family liked it. It was the "kopiec kreta". However, it took me too long time and since then I've only been making chocolate pudding out of a purse.
2. Not always, but I check their origin often. I try to buy products from my country. I also pay attention to their ingredients.
Hi Karol! Thanks for your comment.
I love kopiec kreta! My best friend baked me this cake for my birthday this year. Also, this is a very popular instant cake. Did you make it yourself or it was instant?
Hi Adrian! Thank you for the warm words! I agree with you about dark chocolate. The healthiest and full of aroma. Have you ever tried to compare chocolate from various beans? They are so different! For example, cocoa beans from Panama are delicate and floral but beans from Peru characterised with strong bitterns and cocoa flavour.
Hello! I’m a little concerned. Why would you think your “chocolate block” could harm you? The cake you described sounds delicious!
I have never tried to make any kind of dessert, but I did try to make a special chocolate BBQ sauce. It turned out to be a total disaster because I probably used some alternative to the ingredient that was crucial. My mom makes cakes sometimes, but with the clever use of vegetables rather than chocolate.
It is definitely worth paying attention to where the products we buy come from. This is not always possible, as a full shopping cart would mean hundreds of hours of reaserch in front of computer. However, if we are fans of a specific product, or we consume a lot of it, it is worth considering what influence we have when making such a decision.
Sometimes I wonder why chocolote is so good. I think it might be its smoothness and classic taste. I love most of the kinds of desserts or snack containing chocolate but my favourite type are pralines. Their diversity is awesome - apart from having high quality chocolate you get sets of different fillings or textures. But I have tried less refined kinds of chocolate desserts. Quite recently I tried the "chocolate block", a home-made type of dense chocolate cake with little bisquits and raisins.
I think I have never tried to make a chocolate dessert myself. However I'm pretty sure that I had taken part in this process - helping out my grandma as a child.
Tring to find out the origins of your daily used products is a great way to check if something you use is ethically made. Furthermore it is fun and you can always find some fascinating facts about thinds you use and like. I think origins of clothes we use are important, I personally like environment-friendly brands such as Patagonia.
It really depends on my mood. Sometimes I crave for some chocolate and there are times that when I see chocolate I look at it with disgust. If that is the case I think it is due to my lack of physical activity from my part. For example when I am in mounting climbing I enjoy some good chocolate every single time, but when I spend too much time staring on the computer screen my organism does not need energy that chocolate provides. My favourite type of chocolate is dark chocolate, because it is not as sweet as the other ones.
2. Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
When I was little child I have tried to make chocolate balls out of chocolate. It didn’t go too well. They were barely holding together and the taste was awful as well. That was precise moment of my life when I discovered I don’t want to be chef when I grow up.
3. Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
I actually like to watch TV series How It's Made. It tackles the problem of the question. I enjoy to watch the program since it gives me insights how my favourite products are made. After acquiring such knowledge I don’t look at the products presented in the same fashion as before.
How I love chocolate !!! )))
2 / I love chocolate: cookies, biscuits (especially with dessert cheese, especially homemade) ...
Another sweet carrot cake, which I don't know how to cook (and, as for evil, the only cafe in our city, where they cooked yummy, closed :().
But tiramisu is always a priority, of course (I arrange holidays for myself)!
And all sorts of cooling sorbets ...
3 / Yes, I think about it sometimes. Therefore, we find special films and TV series how it is produced. Or I read articles and watch videos on YouTube.
Baking is my hobby and I can’t imagine doing it without chocolate. It’s the perfect addition to many cakes. Quite recently, I discovered a delicious fudgy brownie recipe. I adjusted it to bake muffin brownies. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, the perfect combination!
I try to check the origin of the products, but it isn't a priority for me. Especially when it comes to food, checking the ingredients will always be in the first place. It isn't enough that it's tasty, it's important that it's also good for health. It’s very time-consuming to check exactly which route the product travels and unfortunately I‘m not able to pay enough attention to it.
1/ Do you like chocolate? What is your favourite type of chocolate?
I think I can honestly admit that chocolate is my guilty pleasure type of food. Guilty as I rarely can control myself with going over the limit :) I'm familiar with the taste of "real" chocolate but most of the time I pick a low-cocoa-high-sugar version, brands like "Milka" and similar. My top choice is definitely Alpen Gold Nussbeisser!
2/ Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Oh, I wish I had the courage and talent to preparing desserts on my own :) Nowadays I rarely do any type of work in the kitchen, eating mostly delivery/take-out food, so no, I haven't tried making my own chocolate dessert. But if you ask me what kind of chocolate treat I would try to make if ever, that could be schwarzwald cake.
3/ Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
When I was in my young student age I didn't care much, if not at all. Nowadays, when money is not the issue anymore, I tend to be pickier about the products I buy. Sometimes it's purely based on quality, like choosing bio eggs over cage rearing. Other times it's contributing to 'greater good', or however else you can call it, like choosing local cloth manufacturers over child labored areas.
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Filip Bartuzi
2. I'm not a fan of chocolate desserts, but sometimes I use chocolate for baking. I have baked a brownie a few times as it is one of the easiest cakes to make. Sometimes I also use chocolate for baking muffins.
3. Yes and no, it depends on the product. The production of things like clothes is not very interesting for me. I am interested in the production of things such as chocolate, coffee and various types of alcohol. However, when I watch 'Galileo', I enjoy watching how things are produced.
2. I made plenty of chocolate desserts: cakes, brownies, cupcakes etc. The one I'm really proud of was simply chocolates with toppings. I made them all different, adding for example cranberries, dried banana, cinnamon, chilly and some colourful sprinkles. They looked astonishing.
3. I try to know the products that I buy mostly because of their impact on the environment. My biggest struggle if coffee. I love it and wouldn't be happy without it, however, I realise that its plantations are badly restricted and altogether bad for the planet.
I like chocolate but i could live without it. Lately i prefer dark chocolate over milk as i used to.
Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I have never tried to make a dessert from chocolate. Im not and dessert making type of a gut.
Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Yes. It very intrests me how things are done in general. I like strip down things to see how they are done, wchih would be harder to reverse ingeener how to make chocolate so it was nice to see how it is done and to read story about it. Btw very nice video :)
1. Do you like chocolate? What is your favourite type of chocolate?
Yes, in fact I do. It is much associated with the spirit of holidays, especially New Year and Christmas. As a kid, I was able to consume unlimited amount of chocolate candies, since I could never get enough of them. Especially beloved were the Snickers, Nuts, Milka etc, because we didn’t have much of those back at my home city, they were considered quite rare and expensive kind of sweets. Therefore, I often got candies like fruits, dry apricot or plum, covered in chocolate, and just hated those! Now I like them, by the way, they make you think you are eating healthy food:) My favorite chocolate has always been the milk chocolate bar with nuts and raisins.
2. Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I am not a big fan of cooking deserts at home since it’s really time consuming, but when I have inspiration, I can cook a chocolate covered cake. In the café to fulfill my chocolate need, I might definitely order a brownie or chocolate fondue with fruits.
3. Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Honestly, I have never researched this topic on purpose, but considering the information I’ve heard, most of brands that produce commonly used products use child labor at some point, probably while having supply of the raw materials. I guess the main point to this question is that government or NGOs should work on raising awareness on such issues, so an average consumer would have access to the needed information to make a right choice of a product. While info on this kind of issues (child labor, human trafficking) is not public and promoted, I doubt people will research it and consider it in any way.
Yeah, I like chocolate but not very much. You know, if someone proposes me a bit - I will definitely taste it, but I will never eat a whole bar. Not even half of it. I'm okay with all types of chocolate, but my favourite is a dark one, bitter. However, sometimes I prefer white. It's up to mood.
Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
No, I'm not really good at cooking, only eating. I know some receipts but no desserts at all. I also think that statistically there are harder than other dishes so, yeah, it's not my way. But I love to eat desserts, chocolate ones also.
Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Well... not really. Sometimes I am interested, yeah, but not usually or at least often. But it can be entertaining, I agree. There are just so many things around that it's nearly impossible to think about each of them.
Of course I like chocolate! But since high school I stopped eating as much sweets as I used to. Chocolate with nuts is my favourite.
2. Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I tried to make brownie cookies. But I don't like baking because it takes long. I preffer cooking things that aren't time consumming so I can easly satisfy my hunger.
3. Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Acctualy I really am. For the last 3 or 4 years I try to only use/buy things that are from ethical sources. I prefer to pay higher price but have clearer conscience.
1.Do you like chocolate? What is your favourite type of chocolate?
Certainly, sometimes probably even too much, I like it in almost every form, apart from chocolate ice cream, for some reason they don't suit me. Speaking of chocolate bars, however, I always had an appetite for milk chocolate ever since I was a little kid and with age I grew on other kinds. Nowadays it's one of the only sweets I eat as I try to limit those, but I can't resist a dark chocolate cube now and then. White chocolate in small amounts or in desserts is also great, but with age I stopped being able to eat bigger quantities of it without getting nauseated (technically it's not chocolate though as far as I know)
2.Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I have to admit, my confectioner skills are not great. However, I occasionally make a simple dessert or a cake. One of my all-time favourites is a chocolate brownie, extremely simple cake made with minimal effort, only really requiring you to clean up afterwards. You can suit to your taste with the amount of chocolate and sugar you use, for example, I use 2 dark 70% chocolates and somewhere around 200g of crystallized sugar. If anyone's interested I can give you my recipe :)
3.Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Yes and no. Obviously, when I'm aware that a company is known for commonly exploiting workers in third-world countries or behaves in a way detrimental to the environment I try to avoid its products. Sometimes though, especially when you're in a rush, you just want to get what you need for a fair price, turning a blind eye to the reason why it's lower than the competition. I'm not proud of it and I try to keep in mind the origin of everything I buy as a part of my social responsibility as a customer, but I don't always succeed.
2. I used to help my mother to make a dessert. We were usually doing brownie pancakes but I have nevert tried do it on my own.
3. I am not interested to be honest. But it doesn't mean that I don't care about it. I am trying to buy less modify products but to be interested in whether it comes from eco-friendly standards or not , it is of less importance to me.
Yes of course, I do like chocolate. My favorite is milk chocolate.
2.Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Yes, I have tried. I usually prepare a chocolate block. It is not my favorite chocolate cake, but the lack of an oven limits me.
3.Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Whenever I do shopping, I pay attention to where the products come from and based on that I make decisions which one to buy.
2. Yes, of course! I did two desserts with chocolate as an ingredient, it was chocolate mousse and brownie.
3. When I'm not in a hurry or need and have time to think about my purchase, I like to compare products and sometimes read about them. Where they came from, how to use them, what they were made with, things like that. However, other than that, I rarely pay attention or go out of my way to do a research as it takes some time.
Yes, I do. I think that dark chocolate is the best one, but I also like to eat the milk
one from time to time.
2.
No, since I am not good at baking.
3.
I think it's a nice knowledge to have, it could be of use as a fact that one could mention at a party.
I do love some chocolate from time to time. I try to restrain myself from eating too much of it or eating it too frequently and that's why I never buy any chocolate-based snacks for only myself. I just can't resist :) I actually have two favourite types of chocolate (sorry, I can't pick just one :)) - one of them is the plain, simple milk chocolate of any manufacturer. The second one is the Studentska chocolate. The most common one Studentska chocolate is a milk one with jelly, peanuts and raisins.
In terms of the origin (and overall genesis) of the products I use every day, it really depends on them. I do not care much for source of some of my products - butter, bread, etc. I am, however, interested in my sources of fish and other meat. It's similar to products other than food. For example, I do not care about the brand of my clothes (as long as they are of a decent quality). I do care, however, about the source (and quality, of course) of my cleaning products and toiletries.
I make chocolate cakes very often, because my boyfriend is the opposite of me and can eat chocolate in any form. Most often I bake brownie or chocolate cupcakes, although I also make lava cake.
It doesn't matter to me where the products come from as long as they are good, although if it is about chocolate, Belgian is always the best.
I’m not a great cook, so I barely make any cakes or desserts. But I did it one time, a long time ago. It was very easy cheesecake with chocolate glaze. As I remember it was good, but not perfect. Maybe I should try to learn how to cook better?
I am interested in the origin of products I use every day, but not everyone. If I really like something I eat, or wear, then I become curious sometimes to check where they come from. I'm especially interested in cheese, which is my favourite food. I checked where it comes from, what the types of cheese are or how you prepare specific types. It’s really interesting, some information is extremely unexpected! But to be honest, I’m not interested in every product, to know where it comes from and what is its origin.
Hi Angelica! Thank you for your comment!
You said that you like chocolate but prefer pizza... Have you heard about chocolate pizza? I had the opportunity to try it and it's really good!
Hello Mikołaj! How are you?
Yes! You should try to bake something! I dare you to bake brownie :) You won’t regret it I promise. If you like cheese what kind is your favourite?
2. Unfortunately, I haven't tried making any desserts from chocolate.
3. Not really. Sometimes it's nice to hear a story about origin of some products, but it's not something I would research myself.
Once I had a chance to create a ‘chocolate tool’, when I took my younger cousins to a small chocolate factory. This was full of knowledge, funny experience.
I only think about origin of products when I am to by food. I know an incredible man, who’s got such delicious tomatoes, that no others can match it. The same with his other vegetables and fruits. These are not beautiful, but healthy, because he doesn’t spray any chemicals on his vegetables.
I adore all kinds of chocolate: white with matcha, milk chocolate with hazelnuts, dark with different spices and even the newest addition to the family, the pink Ruby chocolate. The variety of taste is unlimited, and I'm more than open to exploring all new kinds of confectioneries.
Because lockdown caused many restaurants to be less accessible, (I live just outside of Warsaw and many places don't deliver that far), I've started to experiment with new tastes on my own. In summer, I took upon myself to prepare a chocolate layer cake with raspberry filling. I'd hate to boast, but it was so tasty! The looks of it were not even close to the ones on the website, but it sure disappeared quickly from plates. I'll enclose the recipe in the following link: https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/raspberry-chocolate-layer-cake/
I think it's really important to take into account how the goods we possess and want to buy influence the environment and other people. I try to shop for food locally to reduce the carbon footprint, that increases with transporting products from distant places. Same goes for clothing. Another problem that is often overlooked is as you mentioned, child labour and human traffic. Personally, I try to opt for certified products, but I know that is not always possible to measure.
PS. If by any chance you haven't already, I really recommend for you to watch the movie Chocolat (2000), I think you'll like it :)
Hello Gabriela! Thank you for the warm words!
I’m a big fan of white chocolate with matcha too :)
Thank you for the recipe. This cake looks awesome! Of course, I had the pleasure to see the “Chocolat” movie and I loved it.
Do you have your favorite brand of chocolate?
I do like chocolate but I can't really specify which types I like, I just know that there is some dark chocolate which has a bad taste.
Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
Unfortunately, I haven’t. I am still learning how to cook good normal meals but sooner I might make one.
Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
I definitely interested in the origin of all kinds of products and how they are made, I also enjoy watching industrial videos on how products are made. I think it’s entertaining.
1. I like chocolate very much! My favorite is milk chocolate, with no additives. May be with the addition of Oreo. I also like white chocolate - sometimes, because it is very very sweet. However, I do not like dark chocolate very much. It makes me sick. Bleh.
2. No, I have never tried to make a chocolate dessert myself, because I do not have the conditions to prepare such a dessert. But when I move, who knows, maybe I will become a confectionery master. haha :D
3. I don't think I would be interested in the origin of the products I use on a daily basis. If I like something or it's nice, I just read what country it comes from and a short history - and that's it.
Since I was a kid I've always loved milk and white chocolate. Everything changed about year ago when I started to like dark chocolate more. I really like the bitter taste and chocolate with 99-100% cocoa is my favourite.
2. Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I often prepare home made ice cream with dark chocolate chopped up. If that one counts I can answer yes - I tried to make a dessert from chocolate. :D
3. Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
It depends on the product. For example when I buy vegetables I always check where they come from. If I have option to choose between tomatoes from Spain or Poland I will always buy the latter.
Actually, I don’t think I do. The best that I’ve ever eaten, would be the one that my friend has brought me from Ghana, but I don’t know the name of the chocolatier. I don’t have any favourite brand, but I’ve recently enjoyed a box of pralines from a polish company Karmello and I’m eager to try more of their products. Do you have any brands to recommend?
Thank you for the response! You should try Zotter. This is an Austrian manufacturer. They have great chocolates with fillings and single origin (I adore their Panama 80%). From Poland, you should check out Beskid Chocolate (a new brand with awesome coffee chocolate bars) and Chocolate Story (you can find in their offer chocolate made from Porcelana beans [a very noble variety of criollo beans]). Recently I found a great bar of white chocolate with matcha tea in Deseo! You can find their patisserie in Warsaw. Other interesting brands are Akkenison and Giorgio Ramon.
Chocolate is very tasty yet im not really fond of them. I do enjoy the dark ones, the milk based ones. Oh hell... I can't lie that i don't like sweets! I really enjoy the switzerland chocolate every kind. Wish i had more than what i have!
Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I have never tried to make a chocolate dessert. When i think about melting the chocolate etc it does not sound easy and i feel like a simple mistake might ruin everything. I'm not reay for such a commitment!
Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
I'm interested in final product but i do watch galileo and the origin of things is really often explained. It's really interesting but i don't read about that much.
2.The chocolate dessert I've ever tried to make is a brownie. Unfortunately, my cooking skills are not very high, so it did not turn out as it should, because it was slightly burnt, although it was still delicious. I think that in the future, when I learn to cook better, I will have no problem making a cake and I will be able to eat it every day 😊
3. Nowadays, hardly anyone pays attention to the origin of products. Personally, I try to buy products of Polish origin, but it is not that simple (it is just about clothes). I haven't managed to get any clothes of Polish origin in popular galleries yet, but the Internet allows me to buy such goods. However, when it comes to, for example, food or drinks, it is rather not a problem to buy Polish products in supermarkets, which I sincerely encourage everyone to do, although I prefer home products, because they are much more beneficial for our health and wallet.
Thanks! I’ll definitely give them a try! :)
I have my favourite recipe for brownie. It is very quick and easy to bake and also delicious. I bake it from time to time, mostly when I go somewhere and I want to bring something to eat. Once, I tried to make a chocolate fondant and it was quite good, but it was much more difficult and complicated than brownie.
I’ve recently started to pay more attention to the origin of the products, which I buy. This goes for food, clothes or any other products. I try not to go to chain stores but buy clothes in some second hand. In case of food it is not so easy because if it is a fair trade product it is usually more expensive. Nethertheless, I try to buy products which productions is not harmful for other people or our environment.
I have days when chocolate is for me the best thing in the world, but also days during which I won't touch it at all. My favorite type is white chocolate, it just tastes so different from others and it's really sweet.
2.Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
No, I've never tried to make any dessert, yet alone dessert from chocolate. My mom makes brownie quite often so she would probably teach me if I asked.
3.Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Most of the time, not really. I only know about something if I stumble across it on the Internet or one of my friends tells me.
I'm a big fan of chocolate! I've loved chocolate since I was little. My biggest addictions are Magic Stars from MilkyWay and LINDOR chocolates. My favorite type of chocolate is white and milk with raisins. I could eat chocolate every day, however, I try to limit it to once a week, because I am not a person, who likes to train and due to COVID, I stay at home all day without any exercise.
2. Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
I live with my parents, so I have an opportunity to bake with my dad a lot. Our signature dessert is the chocolate fondant. For those who don't know - chocolate fondant is a small cake with liquid chocolate inside. Opposite to me, my dad prefers the less sweet version, so there are little disagreements :D
3. Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Since watching the program "How it's done" on the Discovery Channel, I try to check the origin of the food. I usually check it out of curiosity. I am very careful when buying meat and dairy products such as ham, sausage, butter. Unfortunately, there are a lot of expensive products, which are of low quality. When I buy clothes, I honestly do not check the origin of the products. If something catches my eye, I just buy it.
2. Yes I have. Once in a while I bake brownie with my girlfriend. That's our favourite cake and it's super easy to make (this is also the reason we loved it so much). Few years ago I would never think that I am able to bake something on my own, but nowadays with all the tutorials on YouTube, where I can see every step of preparing such a dessert, it's not a problem anymore.
3. As im getting older I'm paying more attention to origin of food I am buying and also to the ingredients. I prefer spending more money on something I'm sure is healthier option and I am doing my best to support pro-environmental producers.
I like chocolate but i'm not a huge fan. My personal favourite is Milka with Oreo which I could eat all the time.
2.Have you ever tried to make a dessert from chocolate? What was that dessert?
No, never. I can't cook really and I don't like desserts.
3.Are you interested in the origin of the products you use every day? (e.g. clothes, food)
Not really. These aren't my concern at all. Maybe when I'll be older then I will start to pay more attention to it.