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Belgian Chocolate Gourmet |  |
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Why Belgian Chocolate? |
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Why Belgian Chocolate?
Belgian chocolate is considered to be the gourmet standard by which all other chocolate confections are measured. What makes Belgian chocolate unique is the quality of ingredients and an almost fanatical adherence to Old World manufacturing techniques. Even in today's world of automation and mass production, Belgian chocolate is still made by hand in small shops using original equipment. In fact, these small chocolate outlets are a popular draw for tourists visiting Belgium today. Belgian chocolate itself has been popular since the 18th century, but a new process created by Jean Neuhaus in 1912 increased its popularity ten-fold. Neuhaus used a special version of chocolate called "couverteur" as a cold shell for what he called 'pralines'. Belgian chocolate pralines could be filled with a variety of flavoured nougats or creams, such as coffee, hazelnut, fruit or more chocolate. Few other chocolatiers in Neuhaus' day could duplicate the complex flavours of his pralines. Many of the Belgian chocolate praline companies are still in operation today- and benjis-direct are selling their chocolates. One technical advantage Belgian chocolate has over other chocolatiers is the storage of couverteur before use. In the chocolate making process, the cocoa beans are ground and mixed with sugar and cocoa butter and then smoothed out through tempering (careful addition of heat). Most chocolate companies receive their chocolate in solid form, which means it must be reheated in order to be usable. Belgian chocolate companies receive their couverteur in heated tanker trucks soon after the tempering process. Because the chocolate has not cooled, it retains much more of the aroma than the cooled varieties. Those who have sampled Belgian Chocolates say that there is no comparison between a standard chocolates and a Belgian. As a gift or special indulgence, Belgian chocolates are one product, which lives up to its reputation for quality. |
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