Category: News

A Huge Chocolate Museum With The World’s Biggest Chocolate Fountain Opens

SECRETMANCHESTER.COM

Lindt is opening a new Willy Wonka-style chocolate museum and tour, and rumour has it Grandpa Joe may actually hop out of bed for this one. While we can’t promise you Oompa Loompas or Mr Wonka himself, from September 13 this magical museum will offer guests a unique insight into the wonderful world of chocolate. Lindt Home of Chocolate is located in Kilchberg, Switzerland and just like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, you’ll learn all about the history and production of their legendary bars, truffles. and pralines. Fortunately, you won’t need a golden ticket to enter, just a regular one that you can purchase.

Happy International Chocolate Day! September 13, 2020

 

A brief history of chocolate – and some of its surprising health benefits

THECONVERSATION.COM

Chocolate in all its forms is something that we like to indulge in on an almost daily basis. But chocolate as it’s enjoyed today is quite different from when it first arrived in Europe from South America around the 16th century. Click, here, to learn of its history and surprising health benefits.

Cadbury reveals we’ve been eating chocolate wrong for years

BIRMINGHAMMAIL.CO.UK

Cadbury. the chocolatier, based in the West Midlands and owned by US confectionery giant Mondelez, who is a regular fixture in any convenience store, supermarket or corner shop, has some advice for us. Namely: stop storing its iconic products in the fridge.

Why does chocolate need to be tempered?

THETAKEOUT.COM

Most of the chocolate consists of cocoa solids, sugar, and milk solids that are emulsified with cocoa butter—the fat extracted from cocoa beans that, when crystallized, gives the chocolate its physical structure. When melted, these crystals are broken apart, and all those components separate into microscopic clumps. When the chocolate recrystallizes and solidifies once more, it’s nothing more than a shadow of what it once was: grainy, crumbly, discolored, and utterly disappointing.  If melted chocolate is going to reset into the gorgeous, glossy dessert covering it was meant to be, it needs to be “tempered.” Tempering chocolate is the process of controlled cooling and agitation that creates teeny, tiny crystals that are evenly sized and arranged in perfect alignment. And the good news is that all this microscopic mumbo jumbo is easy to do at home, even if you’ve never worked with chocolate before.

A new type of milk chocolate may contain the health benefits of dark chocolate – without the bitter taste

INSIDER.COM

Creamy, delicious milk chocolate is one of the most beloved treats worldwide. But with that appealing taste comes a hefty amount of sugar (and fat), making milk chocolate far less healthy than its more bitter counterpart, dark chocolate. There may be a way to boost the nutritional value of milk chocolate without sacrificing flavor, according to research presented at the American Chemical Society’s 2020 conference. The new, higher antioxidant form of milk chocolate can be made by recycling food scraps that would otherwise go to waste, such as coffee grounds, discarded tea leaves, and peanut skins.

Snowing cocoa? Chocolate factory glitch dusts Swiss town

ABC27.COM

Residents of a Swiss town got a bit of a shock when it started snowing particles of a fine cocoa powder after the ventilation system at a chocolate factory malfunctioned. The Lindt & Spruengli company confirmed local reports Tuesday that there was a minor defect in the cooling ventilation for a line for roasted “cocoa nibs” in its factory in Olten, between Zurich and Basel. The ventilation system has now been repaired.

6 Ways Dark Chocolate Can Help You Lose Weight

LONGEVITYLIVE.COM

Mmm… chocolate. Even the mention of it is sweet. However, its impact on our waistline is not. Chocolate is the ultimate indulgence, yet despite its many benefits, may still look at it as a guilty pleasure that we really shouldn’t be indulging in. That said, you may be surprised to learn that eating a little chocolate now and then may be exactly what you need to do if you want to keep that lockdown weight off.

Tesla designer helps create new chocolate chip shape for Dandelion Chocolate

CANDYINDUSTRY.COM

The shape of a typical store-bought chocolate chip is an arbitrary result of the industrial manufacturing process used to make it. As you might expect, a drop of molten chocolate is deposited onto a flat surface and left to cool. Chocolate chip taste varies widely by brand, but the shape of the chips does not. A Tesla designer came up with a completely different shape, featuring pointed edges and smooth sides. The new chocolate chip design creates a different mouthfeel.

QUIZ: HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT CHOCOLATE?

FAIRTRADE.ORG.UK

How much do you really know about chocolate? Love chocolate? How much do you really know about it? Take this quiz to find out how your knowledge ranks…(click here).

Americans are buying more chocolate at the pandemic rages on

USATODAY.COM

The coronavirus crisis has steered the national trend of conscious eating in the other direction. Early in the pandemic, Americans stocked up on junk food, frozen meals and various breakfast cereals. Now, data indicates that chocolate was also top of mind throughout stay-at-home orders and the ease into reopening the economy. During the 17-week period that ended on June 27, U.S. consumers spent $3.7 billion on chocolate, up 6.3% from that time period last year, according to Nielsen data. Milk chocolate was the favorite choice, with Americans spending over $2.9 billion on single serve and multi-serve versions of the snack. Dark chocolate sales were up 13.6% while mixed and white chocolate sales slid, according to Nielsen data. Scientific studies show that dark chocolate and other cocoa products can be a stress reliever.

Why Data Is Like Chocolate

FORBES.COM

Data is often granted metaphors. People like to suggest that data is the new coal, the new fuel for modern business, or perhaps even the new snake oil i.e. a cure-all elixir that can transform and transport any organization to the new age of cloud-native, mobile-enabled, information-enriched business. But perhaps data is also like chocolate.

San Francisco’s Iconic ‘Ghirardelli’ Chocolate Company Sign to Go Dark

SF.EATER.COM

SF’s huge “Ghirardelli” sign will be removed by the owners of Ghirardelli Square. Jamestown Properties, a company that since 2013 has owned Fisherman’s Wharf-adjacent tourist destination Ghirardelli Square, will remove the structure’s massive “Ghirardelli” sign piece-by piece in coming days, with a plan to erect a new sign later this summer. It appears that the years have taken a toll on the sign. It’s suffered from persistent “electrical failures” in recent years. The new sign will be revealed later this summer.

Cadbury will reduce size of popular chocolate bars in a bid to tackle childhood obesity

HEART.CO.UK

Cadbury are to shrink the sizes of their famed chocolate bars Chomp, Curly Wurly and Fudge bars to reduce their calorie content to less than 100 calories each. The changes come as the confectionary giant is hoping to tackle childhood obesity seeing as the bars are very popular with children.

 

Costco discontinues half-sheet cakes; people say coronavirus is to blame

KIRO7.COM

The $20 cakes, which were advertised as appropriate for up to 48 people, have been a fan favorite for graduations, weddings and birthday parties. Measuring 12 by 16 inches, they came in two flavors: white cake with vanilla cheesecake mousse and white buttercream or chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and chocolate buttercream. But Costco has halted the production and sales of half-sheet cakes in all its locations across the country. The reason? Many people are saying coronavirus is to blame. State guidelines have recommended limited gatherings in many areas.

 

Tony’s Chocolonely reveals plans to build a chocolate circus with a roller coaster

METRO.CO.UK

Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any more bizarre, it’s been announced that a Willy Wonka-style chocolate circus is coming to Amsterdam. Dutch chocolate company Tony’s Chocolonely has joined forces with architecture firm SeARCH to create a unique choccy-themed attraction. The magical wonderland is set to be made up of three buildings – one of which will have a roller coaster.

 

Chocolate Consumption in Relation to Blood Pressure and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in German Adults

NIH.GOV

To investigate the association of chocolate consumption with measured blood pressure (BP) and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), dietary intake, including chocolate, and BP were assessed at baseline (1994-98) in 19,357 participants (aged 35-65 years) free of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke and not using antihypertensive medication of the Potsdam arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. The conclusion: Chocolate consumption appears to lower CVD risk, in part through reducing BP. The inverse association may be stronger for stroke than for MI. Further research is needed, in particular randomized trials.

Chocolate Ice Cream Was Produced Before Vanilla.

SOUTHFLORIDAREPORTER.COM

Chocolate was one of the first ice cream flavors, created before vanilla, as common drinks such as hot chocolate, coffee, and tea were the first food items to be turned into frozen desserts. Chocolate ice cream is the second most common flavor, surpassed only by vanilla. The chocolate-flavored ice cream has been in existence well over a hundred years and has been popular in the United States since the late 19th century. The earliest frozen chocolate recipes were published in Naples, Italy in 1693 in Antonio Latini‘s The Modern Steward. For more chocolate ice cream facts, click here.

Cadbury sparks debate with its advice on storing chocolate

MASHED.COM

For some, there is nothing worse than when chocolate gets too warm and turns into a squishy, melty mess in your hands. For others, biting into a rock hard bonbon is the worst confectionery offense imaginable. Recently, chocolate company Cadbury set off a series of arguments on Twitter over the proper way to store your chocolate by replying to a Tweet soliciting the brand’s advice. User Bruno Bouchet tweeted at the company’s official Cadbury Australia account, asking for an ultimate ruling on how chocolate should be stored. The brand replied that Cadbury customers should keep their chocolate in a cool, dry place at around 21 degrees Celsius, which is 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

5 healthy benefits of dark chocolate

TODAY.COM

Who doesn’t love chocolate? This sweet treat can be part of a healthy diet … In moderation. Too much of a good thing can certainly outweigh the benefits, but there are a few good reasons to support your chocolate habit. Fortunately, there has been quite a bit of tried and true evidence suggesting the benefits of chocolate when you choose a type that is at least 70% cacao, and incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle.

Happy World Chocolate Day! July 7, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Pudding Day! June 26, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Eclair Day! June 22, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! June 7, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Macaron Day! June 3, 2020

 

Swiss chocolate giant Barry Callebaut snaps up Australia’s GKC Foods

INSIDEFMCG.COM.AU

Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut is set to make its mark on the Australian and New Zealand markets with the acquisition of local B2B chocolate manufacturer GKC Foods. Barry Callebaut is one of the largest chocolate and cocoa manufacturers in Asia Pacific, with 10 chocolate and cocoa factories in operation across Asia. The GKC factory in Melbourne, which produces chocolate, coatings and fillings for consumer chocolate brands, will be upgraded with a state-of-the-art chocolate production line and an integrated management system to enhance automated production.

Dark chocolate can help you deal with hair loss

INDIATIMES.COM

Dark black chocolate is a variation of chocolate that contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, sans the milk found in usual milk chocolate. And, it has a wonderful reputation of being a better alternative (health-wise) when compared to other varieties of chocolates. In fact many researches have claimed that dark chocolate can help in improving a lot of bodily issues, especially those related to skin and hair. And, if you have been facing hair related issues and a extreme hair loss, then dark chocolate could be your savior after all, don’t believe us? Read on (CLICK HERE)

The Science Behind a Chocolate Chip Cookie

WFAA.COM

Chocolate chip cookies are one of the most beloved desserts in the world. They’re so deliciously simple, yet, scientifically, a single cookie is incredibly complex. Most of the science behind a chocolate chip cookie happens inside the oven. The oven is like a tiny laboratory where a bunch of chemical reactions are happening to make a chocolate chip cookie ooey, gooey and irresistible.

What Do Tea, Wine And Dark Chocolate Have In Common? They Reduce Dementia Risk

MEDICALDAILY.COM

Wine, tea and dark chocolate — no, these are not the ingredients to the potion of life, but they might as well be. For one thing, they all contain compounds that can ensure good quality of life for the years to come. Apparently, a new research study has found that tea, wine, dark chocolate and certain fruits and vegetables can significantly lower the risk of having dementia or even Alzheimer’s disease later on in life. This is all thanks to the flavonoids they contain.

Does Chocolate Go Bad?

YAHOO.COM

A crumpled bag of baking chips in the pantry. The linen closet stash you forgot about. The kids’ old Halloween haul. A fun-size piece in the glove compartment. There are few things as exciting as discovering a piece of surprise chocolate from who knows when. But does chocolate go bad?

Happy National Chocolate Chip Day!  May 15, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Custard Day!  May 3, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Mousse Day!  May 2, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Parfait Day! May 1, 2020

 

Dark Chocolate vs. Milk Chocolate—Which Is Healthier?

SHAPE.COM

When it comes to the dark chocolate vs. milk chocolate, one sweet treat reigns supreme. Read on to find out which variety is the champion, and end the clash of the chocolates once and for all (click here).

5 healthy benefits of dark chocolate

TODAY

Who doesn’t love chocolate? As a nutritionist, Keri Glassman, R.D. can tell you this sweet treat can be part of a healthy diet … In moderation. Too much of a good thing can certainly outweigh the benefits, but there are a few good reasons to support your chocolate habit.

Use a Fork Instead of a Spoon to Stir Chocolate Milk!

SKILLET.COM

A tall, cold glass of chocolate milk is a nice treat for young and old alike, but most people use a spoon to stir it which, and a spoon, I am sad to say, is an inferior stirring implement. What’s the correct tool, you ask? Why, a fork of course!

Doesn’t a Career in Chocolate Sound Nice Right Now?

GLAMOUR

As soon as people find out what Ann Czaja does for a living, she knows what’ll come next: First, “Do you have chocolate with you?” And then, “How can I get your job?” The job is master chocolatier with Lindt Chocolate, the world’s leading producer of premium chocolate.

Happy National Chocolate Souffle Day!  February 28, 2020

 

Chocolate bar ends hostage situation in Irish prison

TRIBLIVE

Media outlets in Ireland, including the Irish Post, report that a five-hour standoff with hostages at Midlands Prison in Ireland was brought to a peaceful end when one of two inmates agreed to trade his weapons for a chocolate bar. A Mars bar specifically. By the way, the European version of a Mars bar contains caramel and nougat coated with milk chocolate — similar to a Milky Way.

World’s largest Craft Chocolate Experience set to sweeten San Francisco

7×7

San Francisco has a chocolatey heritage – the city is the birthplace of Guittard, Ghirardelli, and Scharffen Berger. So it’s only fitting that the world’s largest gathering of craft chocolate makers should kick off here in the city. Coming to the Palace of Fine Arts March 6-8, the inaugural Craft Chocolate Experience is about as close as you’re ever going to get to a grown-up, gourmet Willy Wonka fest. Touted as a learning experience as well as a tasting and shopping event, the three-day happening will feature cacao-centric talks, an Insta-worthy cacao-bean ball pit, and a massive marketplace of more than 90 artisanal chocolatiers from 25 different countries.

Make-Your-Own Chocolate Workshop Coming Soon to Disney World!

HOTEL, WALT DISNEY WORLD

The Ganachery, an exquisite chocolate shop located in Disney Springs, will soon be offering an all-new experience at the newly opened Disney’s Riviera Resort. If you’re unfamiliar with The Ganachery, the chocolatier creates delicious (and beautiful) chocolate treats that are a must-try. Everything is handcrafted, and now, Disney World guests will get to learn all about the artistry of chocolate and even make their own Ganachery treat.

Elementary school students learn about engineering using chocolate

ORLANDO.COM

As part of National Engineers Week, Florida’s Turnpike engineers taught students how to build roads from the bottom up using “Chocolate Asphalt.” Students used ingredients like chocolate, walnuts, oats, coconut, and sugar to build their road. The project is a way to raise awareness about STEM-related careers.

Hot Chocolate Could Help Ease Painful Clogged Leg Vessels

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT

Could hot chocolate deliver relief to those suffering from the painful condition known as peripheral artery disease (PAD)? A small, new study says it’s entirely possible. The chocolate used in the study is commonly available natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. This type of cocoa powder is rich in the flavanol epicatechin. This flavanol is found in larger quantities in dark chocolate containing more than 85% cacao. Dark chocolate that isn’t “alkalized” (a process to improve taste that removes some flavanols) would likely offer similar benefits. Regular chocolate wouldn’t be expected to have a similar effect. Study volunteers drank a warm mixture of milk or water and a powder packet containing cocoa and epicatechin, or a placebo three times a day for six months.

Everything You Don’t Know About Chocolate

NEW YORK TIMES

You probably think you already know everything you need to know about chocolate. For instance: The higher the percentage of cacao, the more bitter the chocolate, right? The term “single origin” on the label indicates that the chocolate expresses a particular terroir. And wasn’t the whole bean-to-bar movement started by a couple of bearded guys in Brooklyn? Wrong; not necessarily; and definitely not.

The Challenge of Sustainable Chocolate

NEW REPUBLIC

Chocolate is one of the worst foods you can buy, in terms of the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions. But some people are trying to change that.

The World’s First Large-Scale, 3D-Printed Chocolate Is Here, Courtesy Of Swiss Cocoa Giant Barry Callebaut

FORBES

Customized chocolate in complex shapes will no longer be exclusively produced by seasoned culinary chefs, as Swiss cocoa giant Barry Callebaut is set to launch the world’s first large-scale, 3D-printed chocolate under its decoration brand, Mona Lisa, in Spain. 3D-printing technology already exists on a small scale in the food industry, but this marks the first time for a major chocolate processor to make it available for the general public.

How Chocolate Can Help Save the Planet

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

Trees are crucial weapons in the fight against climate change, but they’re also vital to the livelihoods of 1.5 billion people, including those of cocoa farmers. We can’t put a fence around forests to keep poor people from exploiting them. Doing so may reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it’s not realistic. We need to fashion a future where forests can be used to benefit those who count on trees for their living without inflicting damage on the rest of the planet. And in the cacao groves of West Africa where these conditions are being met, plants and people are thriving.

Happy National Chocolate Mint Day!  February 19, 2020

 

Happy National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day!  February 14, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Day!  February 9, 2020

 

Reese’s Take 5 just stole the record for the largest chocolate nut bar from Snickers

WREG

The candy war has begun! Weighing in at more than 4,700 pounds and measuring 2 feet high and 26 inches wide, the Guinness Book of World Records declared Waco, Texas, as the home to the world’s largest chocolate nut bar – a Snickers the size of 43,000 single-size candy bars put together. The record didn’t last long. Hershey has one-upped Mars with an even bigger version of a Reese’s Take 5 candy bar weighing 5,943 pounds and measuring 9 feet long by 5.5 feet wide by 2 feet high, the Hershey Company said.

Happy National Dark Chocolate Day!  February 1, 2020

 

First chocolate chip cookies baked in space have to be vetted for safety

CNET

Cookie monsters, rejoice: Chocolate chip cookies can be baked in space, but they’ll take a lot longer to make there than the ones you whip up at home in your Earth oven. The first batch of cookies baked on the International Space Station are back on Earth now. Astronauts report they were able to smell the cookies baking. So far, the cookies remain in an Earth freezer, as they must be tested to determine if they’re safe to eat. One of the cookies has been offered to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum — but for display, not a snack.

What do to if your dog eats chocolate

WGME

So many things can happen if your pup gets his paws on that yummy chocolate. If chocolate ingestion occurs, one of the MOST important thing for your veterinarian to know is what type of chocolate Fido ate AND how much of it. The effects of chocolate can range from room clearing gas to vomiting/diarrhea and in most severe cases, irregular heartbeats and death can occur. Generally speaking, milk chocolate has less impact than dark chocolate or cooking chocolate. Similarly, the weight and size of the pet also determines how they might be affected. The good news is that in MOST cases, Fido might have some GI upset with that room clearing gas and with minimal medical intervention will have a great prognosis!

How chocolate could be the answer to a good night’s sleep

HARPERS BAZAAR

If you’re struggling to sleep well, upping your chocolate levels could be the answer. The links between what we eat and how we sleep, and how there are certain foods which can aid – or disturb – slumber. Hormones influence the sleep process. Our levels of serotonin, which is essential for the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, can be boosted by certain foods, including chocolate. It increases serotonin; serotonin helps you fall asleep at night. What’s really important to note is we have hormones that wake us up in the morning. Cortisol wakes you up in the morning, and then cortisol dips across the day and passes the baton to the melatonin, and the melatonin helps you sleep. Insulin, which regulates your energy and blood sugar throughout the day, will affect your cortisol and your melatonin. So what you eat, when you eat and also how you eat as well, can affect your hormones.

Chocolate is getting weirder by the day

JAPAN TIMES

At the Chicago-based Vosges Haut-Chocolat, founder Katrina Markoff is experimenting with “sound infusion.” As the brand’s “cosmic” truffles cool, they’re treated to piped-in sounds of varying frequencies. Sold in a 21-piece box for $72, they’re made for people who believe in the wellness proprieties of vibrations. “There are healing frequencies that people listen to with meditation and sound healing and gong baths, so we decided to try that,” she says. “We really focus on creating experience.”

Researchers print rainbow colorants on shimmering chocolate

PHYS

ETH researchers are making chocolates shimmer in rainbow colors without the addition of colorants. They have found a way to imprint a special structure on the surface of the chocolate to create a targeted color effect. (CLICK, HERE, TO SEE!)

If You Love Chocolate, Visit Turin On Your Next Trip To Italy

FORBES

If you want to consume some of the best edibles—pastas, cheeses, breads—and wines in the world, of course, you head to Italy. If you want some of the world’s best chocolates, you should go there, too, specifically to the quietly elegant city of Turin, a bucket-list stop for anyone remotely interested in fine-quality versions of the sweet.

That chocolate bar will cost you 42 minutes of running

TREE HUGGER

A new kind of food label hopes to fight obesity by stating how much exercise is required to burn it off. There have been numerous attempts to simplify nutrition labels – some more successful than others – but a new suggestion has potential to make a difference. “Physical activity calorie equivalent” (PACE) labeling adds the type and amount of exercise required to “burn off” a particular food. For example, eating 229 calories in a small bar of milk chocolate would require about 42 minutes of walking or 22 minutes of running to burn these off.