Hard to Find Candies | Corporate Gift Baskets

Recipes | Ghirardelli | Authentic French Chocolates

History of Chocolate

The Aztec valued cocoa beans. They used the beans as currency.

In 1519, Montezuma, the Zatex ruler of Mexico served Hernandez Cortez a bitter cocoa bean drink called xocoatl. Cortez introduced this drink to Spain. After 100 years, the beverage found its way to France, then to London. In 1657, it was sold in solid form in shops in London. It was so expensive no one but the very rich could afford to buy it. It was still just used for beverages at this time. Fashionable Chocolate houses started showing up in London, Amsterdam and more European cities. Production in the Americas began in 1765 in Dorchester Mass. they used beans from the West Indies

Use

It is used in candy, beverages and baking. The candy is rich in carbohydrates. It is a good source for quick energy. It also contains very small amounts of caffeine. Recently, it is thought that dark chocolate it is good for you in small quantities due to its antioxidants.

Chocolate is made from the fermented and roasted kernels of cocoa beans which are ground into a paste. the paste is called chocolate liquor. It is then hardened into molds to form baking or bitter chocolate. Then it is pressed to reduce the cocoa butter content. Afterwards, it is crushed to make cocoa powder. To make it sweet, sugar is added at this stage of production.

Recipes

Recipe for homemade Hot Chocolate

ingredients

• 2 oz. of unsweetened chocolate in squares
• 1 cup of water
• 4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• dash of salt

to prepare:

Mix chocolate, salt, sugar and water in saucepan. Stir over low heat till chocolate melts. Slowly stir in milk. Heat slowing till just to boiling point. Makes 5 cups.

Hot Chocolate Dry Recipe

ingredients

• 1/3 cup cocoa (dry)
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• dash of salt

to prepare:

Mix cocoa, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Add water. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. boil 1 minute. Stir in milk. heat to boiling point but do not allow to boil. Add vanilla. Float marshmallows on top. Makes 4 cups.

Chocolate Syrup Recipe

• 1/4 cup of cocoa
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• dash of salt
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of water

to prepare:

Mix cocoa, sugar and salt. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cook about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Cool. Store in refrigerator.

Mexican Hot Cocoa Recipe

To prepare:

Combine 5 1 ounce squares of semi-sweet chocolate, 4 cups of milk and 3 sticks of cinnamon in a saucepan. cook and stir until the squares melt. Remove from heat. Remove cinnamon sticks. Sir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla. makes 4 cups

Ghirardelli - originated in San Francisco. It is known for its high quality. It makes a very nice gift and would make great Corporate Gift Baskets.

Ghiradelli's Greatest Hits

- Luxury gifts - finest French chocolates -bars, gourmet, corporate gift baskets, engravings, Christmas selection and holiday gifts.

assortment of chocolate wedding favors

Green & Black's Organic Bittersweet Dark Hot Cocoa Powder

Trivia

common misspellings and search terms: choclate  ghiraldelli ghirarelli'schocalate, ghiradellia candybars Ghiradellis ghirardella choclates ghirardeli chocholates ghirardell chocolat chocolat choclate candy ghirardelli choclate choclate gifts chocalate baskets, chocclate chocalate treats chocholat chocholate chocholate  choclatecandy chocholates choclates chocalates