Friday, March 20, 2009

Cookware for Chocolate Nerds
Preparing chocolate inspired dishes generally requires the use of tools that you normally wouldn’t use for everyday cooking. Chocolate is a very particular food and special care must be taken to insure that it is prepared properly. Here are a few simple kitchen tools and dinnerware that no chocolate lover should be without.
Hot Chocolate Maker Hot chocolate can be prepared in a variety of different ways. While some people are content simply mixing cocoa powder and hot water, I prefer to brew hot chocolate with a ceramic hot chocolate maker. These makers whip milk and cocoa together into a creamy and frothy decedent beverage whose taste cannot be beat. Hot chocolate made the way it was meant to be, in a traditional hot chocolate maker, puts modern microwave style chocolate to shame.
Double Boiler I love to melt chocolate to use in cakes and brownies or to cover pastries or cookies but without a double boiler this feat is almost impossible. Simply boiling chocolate in a standard pan will burn and harden the chocolate, making it difficult to spread or cover foods. A double boiler will heat chocolate to the optimum temperature, keeping it at a consistency that allows for drizzling, spreading, and dipping.
Fondue Pots Fondue is a popular party dish that is as much fun to eat as it is delicious. While some people prefer to melt cheese to accent meats and breads, chocolate fondue is the only decadent option. By heating and keeping chocolate at a deviously creamy consistency, your friends will love dipping assorted fruits into the pot for a luscious after dinner treat. Fruits like strawberries, bananas, apples, raspberries, and many other foods can be paired with chocolate to create mouth-watering flavor combos.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the Bialetti Hot Chocolate Pot. It mixes and froths your chocolate for you and it looks great. It's electric, not ceramic though.

Darlene said...

I've always wanted an actual hot chocolate maker - your post just reminded me that I should get one today! I look for ANY occasion to whip out my fondue pot. My best friend bought me a chocolate fountain a few years ago for my birthday, and I actually wept tears of joy. ;o)

Have a great weekend.

annabelt said...

I could have done with that fondue pot the other night - I made a chocolate fondue but most of our cookware is in shipping so I ended up putting an oven dish inside a multisteamer. It worked ok-ish but wasn't as good at staying warm. I wouldn't mind a chocolate fountain too!