World Chocolate Day

World Chocolate Day celebrated on July 7 is all about celebrating perhaps the finest creation of humankind. If there ever was anything that everyone unanimously agreed upon, it would be about chocolate’s delicious taste. Chocolates, aside from being mouth-watering, also work as a perfect mood enhancer and has some surprising health benefits. Whether you prefer hot cocoa drinks, dark chocolate bars, gooey brownies or truffle cakes, chocolate provides something for everyone.
The origin of the word ‘chocolate’ is from the classical ‘Nahuatl’ word – Xocolātl. The Aztecs were of the belief that the cacao seeds were a gift from the God of wisdom.
Chocolate, as we know it now, is made from cacao beans or seeds from the Theobroma cacao tree. The cacao plant produces a fruit similar to a pod in structure, with each pop containing 20-60 beans surrounded by sticky white pulp. In order to become the final product, it has to go throught various steps of processing which include fermentation, drying, roasting and grinding.

Most Common Types of Chocolate

• Unsweetened baking chocolate – cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions.
• Sweet chocolate – cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat and sugar.
• Milk chocolate – sweet chocolate with milk powder or condensed milk.
• White chocolate – cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids.