What is Unique About Belgian Chocolate?

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

When it comes to chocolates, there are the everyday candy bars we consume every day, the more exotic Godiva or Ghirardelli-style chocolates found in coffee houses and specialty stores, and then there is Belgian chocolate. Belgian chocolate is considered to be the gourmet standard by which all other chocolate confections are measured. Even the Swiss, known for their own high quality chocolate, imported the basic recipe from French and Belgian chocolatiers.

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, most 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. Much like wineries, tours of Belgian chocolate shops include tastings and exclusive souvenirs.

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'. These pralines are not the same as the sugary treats offered in American candy shops. Belgian chocolate pralines could be filled with a variety of flavored nougats or creams, such as coffee, hazelnut, fruit or more chocolate. Few other chocolatiers in Neuhaus' day could duplicate the complex flavors of his pralines. Many of the Belgian chocolate praline companies are still in operation today- Leonidas, Neuhaus, Godiva and Nirvana are famous for their gourmet pralines.

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 often 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.

Belgian chocolate may be expensive, but those who have sampled it say that there is no comparison between a standard chocolate bar and a Belgian praline. As a gift or special indulgence, Belgian chocolate is one product which lives up to its reputation for quality.

Belgian Chocolate Biscuits Collection: A Delicious Gift

Monday, August 18, 2008

Belgian Chocolate Biscuits Collection: A Delicious Gift

Since the discovery of chocolates, a lot of people have been crazy about it. In fact, in today's world, people are still craving for great tasting and fine chocolates from different parts of the world. You have to consider that everyone loves chocolates. In fact, even your dieting sister is secretly stashing chocolates in their bedroom. Besides, who can resist a great tasting chocolate?

This treat is definitely loved by all kinds of people. From kids to elder people, chocolates are one of the most popular candies in the world. Today, there are different countries that produce their kind of chocolate. Each country has a special chocolate and each offers great tasting fine chocolate. However, you have to consider that only a few countries are famous for their chocolates and one of these countries is Belgium.

Belgium is considered to be one of the best chocolate producers in the world. They produce high quality and find chocolates that everyone from all over the world really loves. In fact, many people purchase Belgian chocolates in duty free terminals in international airports as gifts to their loved ones. Some who has the money for it travels all the way to Belgium just to get a taste of the different Belgian chocolates that the country has to offer.

If you are a person who loves chocolates, you will never want to miss tasting the Belgian chocolate. In fact, chocolate lovers from all over the world say that you can never get enough of Belgian chocolates and you definitely can't not try and eat one even if you are on a diet.

One kind of Belgian chocolate is called the Belgian chocolate biscuits. In this kind of chocolate, the biscuit is covered with creamy Belgian chocolate. It also comes in different varieties of Belgian chocolate. There is milk chocolate, dark chocolate and there are also white chocolate coated biscuits available.

People have said that you will be missing a part of your life if you haven’t tasted Belgian chocolate biscuits. You have to consider that there are Belgian chocolate biscuits manufacturers located all over the world that produces great quality Belgian chocolate biscuits.

Here are a variety of high quality Belgian chocolate biscuits that you can consider buying at least once:

• Grand Biscuit Selection
• Diavola Chocolate Biscuits
• Amouretto Chocolate Biscuits
• Amandaggio Almond Biscuits
• Ophelia Chocolate Biscuits

These are some of the Belgian chocolate biscuits brand that you have to consider buying. It is made from high quality biscuits and also high quality Belgian chocolates.

You will see that Belgian chocolates are different from other kinds of chocolates. You have to consider that Belgian chocolates are creamy and offer a not-so-sweet taste. Because of this, Belgian chocolates became world famous and will make you want for more.

There was even a story of a person that was given Belgian chocolates where she planned to make it last for up to five days. However, when she tasted the chocolate for the first time, the entire box of Belgian chocolates lasted for only thirty minutes.

Belgian chocolates truly offer high quality chocolates. So, if you haven’t tasted Belgian chocolates, particularly Belgian chocolate biscuits, you have to consider buying one. It can be expensive, but after you tasted one, you will know that it's worth every penny.