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What is baking chocolate? There are several chocolate recipes, in which one of the key ingredients includes baking chocolate squares. However, there are many people who are not aware of what this ingredient is, as they are used to buying milk, white or dark chocolate bars from the store, which can be consumed directly. Baking chocolate, also by other names such as bakers chocolate, bitter chocolate, dark chocolate and unsweetened chocolate, can be described as a cool and hardened type of chocolate liquor. In the United States, unsweetened baking chocolate should contain around 50% to 58% of cocoa butter. Then, in order to get other types of chocolate, such as bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate or even sweet chocolate, varying amounts of sugar is added, along with other ingredients like vanilla and lecithin.
The purest and the best baking chocolate will usually never have any sugar added to it. Good baking chocolate though has should be dark, with a smooth and creamy surface. Moreover, the aroma or good quality baking chocolate is usually rich and a bit nutty. However, almost all of the leading baking chocolate brands that are available in the supermarkets today have many sweetened varieties to choose from too, which could also include white baking chocolate. Almost all recipes for brownies, cakes, frosting and other chocolate desserts include gourmet baking chocolate as the key ingredient. Unless a recipe states that sweetened or semisweet or white baking chocolate needs to be used, most people should stick to using unsweetened or dark baking chocolate. It is not just the type of baking chocolate used that makes a difference; the quality of the chocolate is very important too. Good quality baking chocolate melts at a much faster pace and turns into a thick creamy paste. Hence, nothing but the best quality of chocolate should be used while carrying out baking chocolate recipes. However, there are many people who do not use baking chocolate, while making chocolate based desserts at home. Instead, they prefer using a baking chocolate substitute, like perhaps unsweetened chocolate chips or baking cocoa.
How to bake chocolate chip cookies?
Baking chocolate chip cookies at home has become very common for most people, especially during the holidays. Given below is a recipe for baking chocolate chip cookies:
Ingredients • All purpose flour: 3 cups
• Baking soda: 1 teaspoon
• Brown sugar: 1 cup, packed
• Butter, softened: 1 cup
• Eggs: 2
• Hot water: 2 teaspoons
• Salt: ½ teaspoon
• Semisweet chocolate chips: 2 cups
• Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons
• Walnuts, chopped: 1 cup
• White sugar: 1 cup Preparation • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F or 175 degrees C and grease two cookie pans.
• In a large bowl, place the brown sugar, butter and white sugar. Cream these ingredients together, until they form a smooth paste.
• Beat the eggs into the mixture, one at a time and then add the vanilla extract.
• In a small bowl, pour the hot water and dissolve the baking soda in it. Add this solution into the mixture, along with the salt.
• Stir in the flour, followed by the chocolate chips as well as the walnuts and blend the ingredients together.
• Drop large spoonfuls of the cookie batter on to the greased cookie sheets and place them in the preheated oven.
• Allow the cookies to bake for at least 10 minutes, or until the edges have turned brown.
How to bake chocolate brownies?
There are many people who are into baking chocolate cake at home, instead of ordering one from outside. Baking chocolate brownies at home has also become fairly common, since there are many easy recipes to do so. Given below is an easy recipe for baking chocolate brownie: Ingredients for the brownie: • All purpose flour: ½ cup
• Baking cocoa: 1/3 cup
• Baking powder: ¼ teaspoon
• Butter (or margarine), melted: ½ cup
• Eggs: 2
• Salt: ¼ teaspoon
• Sugar: 1 cup
• Vanilla extract: ½ teaspoon Ingredients for the frosting: • Baking cocoa: 3 tablespoons
• Butter (or margarine), melted: 3 tablespoons
• Confectioner’s sugar: 1 ½ cups
• Instant coffee (granules): 1 teaspoon
• Warm water: 2 tablespoons Preparation • Preheat an oven at350 degrees F and grease an 8 inch baking pan.
• Take a large mixing bowl and add the eggs, sugar and vanilla to it. Beat them together for a few minutes, before adding the butter to it. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, preferably, using an electric beater to do so.
• In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, which include the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking cocoa and salt. Mix these ingredients together for a minute or two, before adding them to the egg batter.
• Pour this batter into the baking pan and place it in the oven. Allow it to bake at 350 degrees F for around 25 to 30 minutes. Before taking the brownies out of the oven, use a toothpick to check if they are ready or not.
• Allow the pan to cool for around 10 to 15 minutes, before cutting squares and spreading the frosting on it.
• For the frosting, combine the water, coffee, cocoa and butter, in a medium sized mixing bowl. Keep stirring the ingredients till they are well mixed.
• Gradually, add the sugar, while the mixture is being stirred. The frosting needs to look like a smooth paste and therefore, more warm water can be added, if required.
• The frosting should be spread on to the brownies, before they are served at room temperature. There are many variations to the various chocolate dessert recipes that people can use, when preparing their favorite treats at home. However, eating a high amount of chocolate can be quite harmful and can lead to several health problems. Therefore, it is best for people to ensure that they indulge in chocolate and other desserts made out of chocolate only once a while; in fact, it is best to consult a doctor, to know how much chocolate can be eaten by a certain individual on a daily basis.
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