The first evidence of chocolate was found by archeologists at the end of 2007 when they found evidence at Puerto Escondido in Honduras that dated around 1100 to 1400 BC. Amongst other things, they discovered that the white pulp around the cacao beans was probably used as an alcoholic drink at first because it was such good source of fermentable sugar. In 400 AD the Mayans already grew trees near their homes and made a bitter drink (xocatl) from it – it was used for both every day life and ornate ceremonies and was flavoured with vanilla, chilli and 

annatto. They believed it kept them awake – at first it was considered an important luxury and later even used as currency. What I do find interesting is that it was used to cure diarrhoea! The beans were used for tax by the Aztecs (who also made a chocolate drink, but they called it nahuatl). Europeans did not get to know it until the Spanish had slaughtered most of the Aztecs, but it became wildly popular very soon. A thriving trade developed around this thing called chocolate and despite the use of African and Mid-American slaves, it remained pricey, used by the rich and the doctors! It was also darned scarce. The first chocolate house was opened, by a Frenchman, in London in the mid 1600’s only.  With the industrial revolution machines were developed that allowed more people to get hold of it.

Today there are many kinds of chocolate, but one can divide it roughly into white (obtained by adding milk solids, usually vanilla and sugar to the cocoa butter/cocoa liquor mix) – because there’s no theobromine in the white chocolate, animals should be able to eat it – but, please see your vet for confirmation!

• Milk chocolate (rich in sugar, cocoa butter and milk solids has a minimum of 15% chocolate liquor for the Americans and 35% for the Europeans).
• Dark chocolate is produced by adding cocoa butter and sugar to the cocao mixture (a liquid obtained which is the beans are fermented and after they’ve been dried quickly to prevent mould). Cocoa beans are cleaned, roasted, ‘smashed’ and the shells are removed to obtain the nibs. The nibs, are also ground and melted and this is how the cocoa butter and the chocolate “liquor” is made! It is a rich source of antioxidants, thought to reduce the possibility of a heart attack if we eat it often enough in small quantities. I do so religiously.
• Lastly, there is cooking chocolate – pure chocolate liquid, unadulterated chocolate that has a strong, deep chocolate flavor. I buy one for the kitchen and one for me every time.

The three main varieties of cacao beans used in chocolate are

• criollo,
• forastero and
• trinitario.

Criollo is the rarest and most expensive and found in Hawaii, Central USA and the Caribbean. Forastero is the most commonly used and trinitario is a mix of the first two.  Chocolate goes through two processes to get it ready for the market: conching and tempering.

1. A conche is a container of metal beads, that grinds the chocolate so that the refined and blended chocolate mix is in liquid form. Before conching it is gritty and the process makes the cocoa and sugar particles so miniscule and smooth that they’re not felt by the tongue.
2. In the final process, the chocolate is tempered to prevent crystallization – should the cocoa butter crystallize out of control, crystals of differing sizes will form that make the chocolate seem mottled and matted and the chocolate will crumble when a piece is broken off, the snap not audible – dull,  grey chocolate isn’t appetizing!

In conclusion, I have a few really special recipes that have been passed on from friend to friend and always, but always work and are shockingly simple! Thierry – these are for you.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

400g Lindt 75% dark chocolate (of course you can use another brand)
6 large eggs
95g very dark sugar (muscovado is best)
2 tablespoons good brandy
25g thick cream

Method
Preheat oven to 180 C

• Grease and line spring-form cake tin.
• Melt chocolate the way you normally do and allow to cool.
• Now break the eggs into a heat-proof dish over a pan of simmering water.
• Add the brandy and sugar and whisk madly until it doubles in size
• Take off heat and fold in cooled chocolate, then the thick cream and mix well
• Put the mixture in prepared tin, place right at the bottom of the oven in a roasting pan filled half way with hot water.
• This steam helps to cook it evenly.
• Bake for 40 minutes until skewer comes out clean.
• The timing is essential and because each oven differs, the first time is nerve wracking!
• The cake is versatile so serve as the moment requires or with whipped cream or berries or both.

COINTREAU CHOCOLATE TART

Ingredients

• 450 Lindt chocolate - 75% cocoa solids
• 250 ml milk
• 225g softened unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 175 g fine castor sugar
• 60 ml Cointreau (Grand Marnier is just as good)
• Blind baked sweet, short-crust shell
• Shaved dark chocolate shavings – use a thick slab or block to make good shavings
• Unsweetened cocoa powder to garnish

Method

• Pour milk into a heavy-based pot on very low heat, add chocolate and stir constantly until chocolate just melts
• Remove from stove and stir until both are well blended, setting aside to cool
• Cream butter and sugar until light and pale, using electric mixer and add yolks, one by one and whisk very well
• Whisk the chocolate mixture into the cream and butter mixture and finally whisk in the Cointreau
• Pour the filling into the blind baked shell and chill until set.
• Garnish with more chocolate, dusted cocoa.
• Serve with cream on the side if you wish.

A massive tourist industry has grown around chocolate and much needed funds are starting to trickle into the cocoa producing countries that, after centuries of economic abuse, are starting to spend money on their own future – their children.