Can you really Get Dairy Free Chocolate


Chocolate is loved the world over, each country has its own particular taste of how they like their chocolate to taste. It also has its own health benefits, but just to be clear this is the 80 to 90% pure chocolates not your usual chocolate bars you find in the beats by dre supermarket. What makes this little bean so loved the world over?. First discovered in South america the cacao tree thrives in this tropical climate.


Today most cacao trees are grown in Brazil and West Africa. After scraping the cocoa beans from the pods, the beans are moved into piles and allowed to ferment. Fermentation facilitates removal of the seed coat in addition to changing the bean's colour and flavour. The beans are dried to 7% moisture content before they are roasted and the outer hull and germ removed. The remaining nibs contain about 54% cocoa butter.


The nibs are finely ground to produce chocolate liquor. The liquor is then conched (kneaded) to enhance flavour and texture. At this stage several ingredients may be added to improve smoothness and flavour. Lecithin is one ingredient that may be included in the conching process. The lecithin in milk fat functions as an emulsifying agent, helping to keep added ingredients thoroughly mixed throughout the chocolate. Lecithin also can be used to replace some beats pas cher of the cocoa butter in chocolate candy. Unfortunately it is difficult to identify the source of lecithin (eggs, soybeans or milk ) from ingredient labels.


After conching is complete, the chocolate is either poured into blocks for storage or undergoes tempering. Tempering is a three part process which results in higher quality chocolate. The "snap" of a chocolate bar is an indication of tempering. The process begins with melting the chocolate blocks to a specific temperature and then cooling the chocolate to about 80F and then rewarming to 85-90F. The chocolate is then cooled and shaped. A smooth, glossy appearance indicates successful tempering. Tempered chocolates require significant cocoa butter; therefore cocoa powder and baking chocolate cannot be used. How does one identify dairy free chocolate? The following are brief descriptions of the types of available chocolate products.


Cocoa Powder: Most of the cocoa butter has been removed from the chocolate liquor. The dried liquor "cakes" are finely ground, resulting in the powdery texture. Cocoa butter content ranges from 10-24%. Natural cocoa is acidic; Dutch-processed cocoa has added alkali which results in reddish colour.


Baking Chocolate: Chocolate liquor has been cooled and solidified without tempering. The chocolate liquor content must be at least 35%. Other ingredients may be added such as sugar or lecithin.


Semisweet and Sweet chocolate: Sugar and extra cocoa butter are added to the chocolate liquor. Sweet chocolate has equal amounts of sugar doudoune moncler pas cher and chocolate liquor. Semisweet chocolate must contain at least 15% chocolate liquor. Dark chocolate results from increased cocoa butter


White Chocolate: The food and Drug Administration does not recognize white chocolate as chocolate because no chocolate liquor or cocoa are present. Lecithin is added to white chocolate.


Imitation Chocolate: Cocoa butter is replaced with vegetable oil.


Your natural chocolate dairy alternative is cocoa powder. You can make dairy free baking chocolate by mixing three tablespoons cocoa to one tablespoon oil per ounce of baking chocolate. Milk proteins and lactose also may be present in chocolate candy. Read ingredient labels to confirm the chocolate has no dairy products.