Couverture vs Compound Chocolates

What is Couverture Chocolate?

Couverture chocolate is the “top drawer” of chocolate, the true art of the seasoned professional. Couverture chocolate is fine gourmet chocolate with a noticeably glossy sheen, made so by its high cocoa butter content and the use of the highest quality and finely ground cocoa beans. The result is a product that is smooth and thin when melted and therefore perfect for covering, in fact the word couverture is a French word meaning ‘cover.’ Its thin consistency works well with molds and when used for hand dipped candies, covers well and sets to form a thin, crisp coating with a distinctively creamier taste than regular chocolate. Due to the unique characteristics of cocoa butter, a technique of heating and cooling (known as tempering) is required to stabilize its crystalline bonds thus enabling it to set. This process is especially delicate with couverture chocolate because of the large quantities of cocoa butter used. Couverture chocolate is available as dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate and sometimes pastry chefs and candy makers will use couverture blends from different chocolate makers to produce particular flavours. Some covertures are better for baking while others may be more desirable for enrobing. Whatever its uses may be, you can be assured that great skill and care will have been exercised throughout its production; from bean selection and blends, conching (the chocolate liquor refinement process) to tempering and packaging, couverture just says quality.

Uses of Couverture Chocolate:

Gourmet Chocolates
Luxury Gourmet Chocolates
Enrobing (covering with Chocolate)
Speciality Chocolates and candies
Hand dipping chocolate
Cake/candy decoration and chocolate molds. Its fine state allows for complex, detailed decorative designs and molds thus giving master chocolatiers oppurtunity to demonstrate their creative chocolate making skill and finesse.

What is compound chocolate?

Compound chocolate is an alternative to real chocolate. It differs by the fact it doesn’t contain any cocoa butter. The cocoa butter is replaced with less expensive vegetable oils e.g. Coconut or Palm kernel oil. The absence of cocoa butter means the chocolate doesn’t require tempering. Low cost and ease of use, makes it a popular choice for regular confectionary makers and home bakers alike. Typically, Compound chocolate doesn’t have the glossy sheen and crisp snap of real chocolate although this is changing due to advances in manufacturing techniques. Compound chocolate will produce a thicker liquid when melted and can (to some extent) emulate the effect of enrobing chocolate. It is ready to use once its temperature has been raised about 5 degrees above melting point.

Compound chocolate may also be referred to as:

Confectioners chocolate
Decorator’s chocolate
Coating chocolate
Cheap chocolate
Chocolate flavoured coating
Confectionery coating

Examples of usage:

Used in a wide variety of confectioneries and chocolate bars
Good for chocolate dipping (dipping chocolate)
Chocolate molding
Home baking
Can be used as an alternative for cake decorating, cake covering, Decorative piping effects, frosting and other such chocolate decorative embellishments
Easy to use therefore ideal for beginners in chocolate baking.

Unbelivable but true!

I was back at gym yesterday. Did a pump class before meeting up KG and Maple Orange (or are you Orange Maple? Oppss... sorry it's been a long time and I can't really remember). Maple Orange were feeling all sore from her RPM class and KG was not feeling well but still came to meet us. Thanks! I hope you are feeling better already. I realize I've not been really meeting up with friends lately, like this recent one year plus. Had life been THAT busy for me?

It was a great catch up session. You know how I feel now. I mean, not that I felt much about it actually. I guess we just need to know when it's time to move on and when we had to hold on to our goals. I hope this year is a better one too.

I had really unbelievable amount of muscle ache this morning when I woke up, the chest muscles being the most extreme. This is a result of skipping pump for erm... about three weeks. MC told me yesterday that she wants to join three classes at LM today - BB to start, follow by BP break for 2 hours and continue with BS.

I was really skeptical to tell you the truth. If you know MC, she's new to gym and workout. She seldom go through strenuous or plan for hardcore workout sessions. The most I remember her doing a BP and then half a BC.

Oh well. We went to the gym - woke up early for a 10.30am class (so we thought) was already quite unbelievable. Usually sleeping is more tempting. We were actually 10 minutes late when we arrived because we mistaken the class schedule. The class started at 10am but we were still granted the entrance to the class. So we missed the warm up and most part of the sun salutation. Still, it was quite torturous for me to support my upper body due to the soreness of all my upper body muscles.

We then successfully completed a pump class. Not all the tracks were difficult, so I survived but had to reduced my back track weights to only 6kg. It was nonetheless a great workout. I almost cannot open up my chest now. I've maintain the weights for squat and lunges, but can't feel my lower body aching yet. Shall see tomorrow.

Miraculously, even though MC felt like throwing up after pump and said she was dead, we joined combat! But we left the class after the 5th track. Not motivated to continue even though I've still have enough energy for perhaps two more classes (only the muscle pain was killing me). MC was also very exhausted.

But hey! We, in particular MC did quite well, VERY well in fact I'd to say. So unbelievable that she actually joined three classes (technically speaking), but it's true! Thumbs up for you gal!!! I hope we've the chance to do this again. Let's aim for three full classes the next time!

We had a good late lunch after the class and then hung out at Starbucks, shared one drink since we were actually very full. Just wanted to hang out a bit before heading home. Had a great sister day out today. :)

The side effect of long holidays

Are you going back to work yet? Not yet? Already started work last few days?

Sigh... Last night I tried going to bed earlier - 1am ish - and I couldn't sleep. It's already almost midnight and I am not sleepy!! I didn't have a drop of coffee today hoping that I will have a good night sleep.

This, I guess, is the side effect of long holidays. Had not been going to bed any earlier than 3am and did not wake up till 11am (or even later haha) so now when it's time to have to wake up early tomorrow - to go to work! - I am suffering from insomnia. So called.

But, I must still try. Don't want to look like a panda on my first day at work.

Pineapple tart - a CNY must have!

Made 8 pineapples this year, next year I think I need 12 - depends whether the customers will be supplied by TeaRoom proper. If so, we will need more pineapples for TeaRoom but not much for home since I only need to bake for home. Or, I will buy home supply from TeaRoom. :)

I have only a little jam left in the fridge and will make some extras for home. I think my customers get more supply than my family and I do this year. Haha...

Pineapple tart making involves a lot of effort and man-hour, unless you buy ready made jam. Homemade jam is always fresher and purer. The jam consist of pineapples and sugar and nothing more. No additives, no preservatives and definitely no jelly added to give the mass.

Since one of the comments last year was not enough jam filling, the filling has increased this year. There are so far good comments from the customers, MFG was one of my biggest customers, also an agent selling on behalf to his friends. Thanks!

This year's comments were good however, there was one which said that the pastry was too crumbly. I am not exactly sure if that's just a matter of preference since most of us likes melt in the mouth (in other word crumbly?) pastry. However, only 2 to 5 minutes of extra baking time can result in a "tougher" pastry, but erm... is that necessary? I must check with other customers before changing method. Or perhaps the tarts for the last few boxes were not cool enough before packing, hence the moisture caused the pastry to turn soggy? Maybe soggy gives the crumbly effect? I actually cannot tell for now.

I hate to say this sometimes, but I actually tend to customize my baking more for the taste of the special ones more. Let's hope, finger crossed that my special ones actually represent the general public. Haha...

Cupcakes for Chinese New Year

Here are the CNY cupcakes again. It took me longer time to prepare three boxes of the CNY cupcakes, much longer than I would expect, so I didn't really have the energy and time to take that many pictures of the cupcakes.

The best of Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is here! The first day of the year of the Ox will be officially here in precisely 40 minutes. I've been baking pineapple tarts and pineapple tarts for the pass one week since I was back from the trip. I am really glad that the pineapple tarts I made were not too bad and they do have their fans, but we are facing a short supply at home. There have been some increase in orders hence not enough pineapple jam. No, I can't get pineapples in the market as you know, pineapples are actually one of the popular or shall I say must have items for CNY. Besides, making pineapple jam takes hours and I'm not about to spend so much more time in cooking up more.

Pineapple tart has always been something that reminds me of CNY. Used to. Now a days, I can actually bake them whenever I like instead of waiting for CNY. Anyways, I decided to limit pineapple tart baking to only CNY and Hari Raya.

Mandarin oranges also give me the feel of CNY a lot. We used to have cartons and cartons of oranges in the house and they will be gone before the end of CNY. I used to have a lot of visitors, relatives and friends to the house. Lately, CNY has been quite peaceful, with only those few relatives visiting and since we are now very weight conscious, we actually don't eat as much as last time.

And yes, we will always have one or two "kat chai" trees in the house (tangerine). Loads of red decorations, lighting and all types of cookies.

One of the major topic nearing CNY I notice is actually traffic condition. Me being a KL girl had never needed to experience travelling hours to get back to hometown. But I've colleagues and friends around me who'd told me how many hours they spent in the jam just to get back to home for the reunion dinner.

CNY is actually about reunion; about the feeling of togetherness and closeness when each member of the family takes a break from their duties and lives, to be back to where their roots is for this special moment to celebrate a better year to come.

It's not about how much money you give your parents, it's more of how much time you can spend with them (for those who stay away from their family). It's most of the time not about how much wealth we have (of course we want loads of wealth lah) but it's more of how healthy we can live. So, take good care of yourself and your health k.

On this special occasion, I wish you happily and safely united with your loved ones. May you have a super fit year of the Ox with great success, good health, loads of wealth and total prosperity! Have a great celebration and Gong Xi Fa Chai!

White Chocolate Lychee Cheesecake

I was at the supermarket shopping for the cake ingredients to bake a birthday cake. Since it was near Chinese New Year, one big section of the shelf was taken over by can lychee display. I thought lychee could very well go with the cheese, hence this white chocolate lychee cheesecake.

The base of the cheesecake was the standard white chocolate cheesecake, the one with Mascaporne cheese. I love the taste and it was really well received. Got some marks for being some what creative too. And of course the best was when someone special requested for a second helping :)

The base was still oreo biscuit which is delicious and it is an all time favorite.

Decorated with some fruits. I would have to work on a more creative decoration in the future. And too bad I only managed to have two tiny pieces.